The Wolf Run: The Aftermath

This weekend we took part in our first Obstacle Race – The Wolf Run. A 10k trail run through Woods, over Obstacles, across Lakes and finally through Fields. Our team photo says it all, it’s wet, muddy and results in belly aching hilarity.

There are many obstacles, ranging from tyres, cargo nets, monkey bars, water slides and log walls but the natural hazards of clay river banks, lakes and bogs keep the race real.

Lynn followed me on the water slide. I should have warned her that this was not a good order. I have been plagued all my life with an inability to descend slides. I grind to a halt mid-way down. Depending on the nature of the slide, I’m either wedged by the sides or I’ve created a dam that stops all water flow and all associated downward motion.

As anticipated I created a dam and Lynn ploughed into the back of me. I tried a breast stroke manoeuvre to get the flow going again and miraculously it worked. Within a few arm strokes I was off and building momentum. It turned into an incredibly scary ride. I probably hit 40mph with a bank of fairy liquid suds in my face. I started a tail spin and began to panic about how this was all going to end. I was convinced that I was going to reach the end of the plastic sheet and continue the sleigh ride across the farmers field, stopping only after I’d scattered half the field of runners.

Lynn in the meantime was having far more of a struggle. She never recovered from the early hiatus and found herself bothered by a stray slider for the whole of the descent. Photographic evidence suggests she enjoyed it far more than is decent.

The Wolf Run managed to perfect the trail running to obstacle ratio. I don’t think we ran more than a km before hearing the telltale screams ahead of us, that indicated an evil hazard lay just round the corner.

I spooked myself with this obstacle the moment we arrived in the car park. It was looming just yards from the finishing line and I sauntered over to analyse the threat before we started. It was perhaps an 8ft vertical ascent using ropes and teeny cm wide strips for the hint of a toe hold, followed by monster straw bales requiring leaps down, and then up, across chasms.

I got up the wall reasonably well, there was admittedly some assistance, both Lynn and a marshall had a foot each and were forcing it to remain stable on the toe holds but if I didn’t look down I could pretend that I conquered the wall, warrior style.

After that my warrior instinct escaped me. I stood and teetered on the high straw bale looking across at the next terrace.

Runners came, jumped and went.
Lynn shouted and coaxed but still more runners came, jumped and went.
We could see the finish gantry but I was frozen on a straw bale.

Dan attempted to demonstrate how simple the task was but put a little too much effort into his jump. He overshot the first bale and couldn’t get enough purchase to propel himself upwards to the next ledge. He face planted into a wall of straw, chinning himself on the way down and landed in a heap. He did a great act of shaking himself off and looking nonchalant but I’m fairly sure he’ll still be wearing a neck brace.

In the end I made it across. Lynn and a marshall offered me their arms and as the sun began to set I leapt across to grasp their heroic hands. They pulled me across and I landed on my knees and wept.

It was not quite over though. Our team rallied for one further obstacle before collapsing in the beer tent for a glamorously muddy glass of champers.

A great team spirit and a marvellous event.

Today I ran for Ben.