Gaelforce's 8km mud run through the depths of the Connamara bog!
I didn't expect to enjoy this so much but was happily proven wrong. Registration was short and sweet in Killary Adventure Centre with just a t-shirt and numbered wrist band (I got 69). Most people wore wetsuits and had their shoes duct taped on, I was no different. They all had gloves too which I'd forgotten, but turned out to be fine. The organisers did a warm up on the grass and wished good luck to those who chose to not wear a wetsuit. At 10:00am they lined us up at the start line and off we went.
Most people started slow so I overtook everyone I could to join the leaders out front. It was much calmer here and easier running, although not 'easy' in a wetsuit. It was hilly and rocky all the way to the first obstacles and muddy fields in between from there.
Balance beams, slip & slides, wading through bog, jumping across floating platforms, climbing over walls and rope swinging over gaps. Some were disgusting but others were great fun. Keeping out front meant I had the first go on lots of these and looking back I could see people queuing which I wouldn't fancy in the cold.
More running and more obstacles. Swimming under logs, climbing up and sliding down steep banks, crawling through tight spaces, more balance beams and all that good stuff. At one point we were hauling ourselves through thick bog using poles in the ground and it was the most physically difficult thing I've done in years.
Sometimes you're running on a road, then you're turned to crawl through dense trees or into bog. The route was very clever. Out front it was a little competitive to be first to each obstacle but not a flat out sprint. Climbing walls, a high ropes course, another rope swing, climbing up three claustrophobic pipe slides (insanely difficult for a tall person), climbing over nets, wading in water and then an unreal slide into a pond.
At one point we emerged from a forest to a small lake and had to swim across it (~50m). Then straight into a long shed full of hanging electrified wires. I got no shock but it was pretty funny. We had some amazing forest sections then which brought us to the best part, a jump into the Atlantic to clean the bog off.
From here you swim to the outlet of a small river. For a few hundred meters of rapids we pulled ourselves up with ropes. I gained a nice lead on the others in this, knowing exactly where I could stand without slipping after years of kayaking. This part was unreal with some beautiful gorge sections. Emerging from a bridge it was a 1km sprint to the finish and I managed to hold my lead to finish in first place with 1hr 8mins.
It's definitely not the most competitive event with people still queued at almost every obstacle. It's also so easy to miss or skip some of them that you couldn't have formal prizes. However, it took a lot to stay ahead of the others up front and even with no medal I'm delighted with how I did.
There was nice food and free hot whiskies after which was great. I had caught up with an old kayaking friend Rob Guerin that I hadn't seen in years and wished him the best before heading off. Katie and I made a weekend of it, staying in Leenaun and all in all it was an unreal break. Ran up Diamond Hill that evening and got a bit of sightseeing in.
Words of advice:
The less cold queuing you do the more fun this will be. Get in the first wave, go right to the front at the start line and it will all go better for having done so.
While you could manage without it if you're thick skinned, the wetsuit was great. At the very least please cover your arms and legs!
Duct taping the shoes is a gimmick but all a part of I guess, just make sure they don't come off.
Don't even try to stay clean! The whole thing is a mess, but it's an amazing event that makes you feel like a small child.
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