On Saturday, I took part and completed The Wolf Run. This is a 10km obstacle race that is designed to challenge each runner both physically and mentally.
I thought it would be a great way to put my body and mind to the test to see how far I have come in my training and to make sure I have what it takes to carry on when the going gets tough!
Before the run began - ready to see how well I could cope with a new type of challenge
Off we go…
The Obstacles
There were a variety of obstacles to overcome throughout the 10km. From high cargo net climbs to monkey bars to crawling through mud to wading through lakes and bogs to make it to the finish line. The lakes were cold - really cold! Each obstacle provided a new challenge that required a different skill to make it through.
My training pretty much involves just running, so all the obstacles would give me the opportunity to push my body into a place where it is not used to being anymore. I was looking forward to doing this!
Very cold water made the water crossings more challenging
Lots of climbing to be done
The Challenges
Going into the run, I was not concerned about the distance. A 10km run is a very short run for me now. However, the format of The Wolf Run would make it more challenging than normal. For me though, I wanted the mental challenge. I wanted to see how I dealt with being cold, wet, muddy and uncomfortable. I wanted to see if I could carry on and perform well despite being out of my comfort zone.
Just keep running
The Outcome
What I learnt from completing The Wolf Run is that I am actually in better shape than I give myself credit for. While it is no where near the distance I need to be running to challenge my endurance, it provided a good mental strength test which I feel I passed fairly comfortably. I got through each obstacle, each lake crossing and each hill and felt I could carry on running if I needed to. For me - that makes my Wolf Run a successful event!
Admiring the view from the top
Finishing strong
What’s next?
I have a couple more short distance events to complete just to keep my shorter runs a little more interesting. My next big challenge will be a 24 hour run. This should happen towards the end of May and will be my next test to see if I am on track for a good run at the end of September when I set off from Lands End.
The official Wolf Run photos will be posted as soon as they are available so keep an eye out for those….