Survival of the thinnest

One of those entries that I was part dreading but mainly looking forward to was the Survival of the Fittest, an event I stumbled upon on Facebook which would involve a fair amount of the jogging but plenty more besides. SOTF promised a 10km jog with a variety of different obstacles on route set in and around the derelict remains of Battersea power station. The setting alone was enough to snag me in but the obstacles were what sealed it, offering something completely different to the boredom of a simple long distance race. They would also end up bringing out the best in me as I was to soon find myself in my element. The SOTF website listed some of the obstacles that would be included and offered training techniques on how to handle them. I can tell you know there's not a lot of prep work you can do for things like climbing through derelict cars or skips full of water but i'll come back to that later...

As usual I left preparations to the last minute having only a single 2 mile training run before hand. This was confounded by the fact I rather predictably fell ill with a cold a week before, with the knowledge I would be doing the event with the same affliction. This didn't do much to harmonise the demons I feel towards my body I gotta say! Come race day though I felt well enough to eat, drink and move so I'd be giving it a shot. After several kilometres and plenty of obstacles on route SUCCESS, i'd made it out of Paddington and my way to Battersea! I followed a group of people who looked like they'd taken the easy option and 'trained' and stuff and had all the right gear, I felt like a pro just for remembering my top from the half marathon last year! I'd also risked my jogging shoes getting ruined over the casuals to give me an extra chance, not knowing if i'd ever be able to use them again like La Tomatina with my sky diving shoes.

I'd made the registration in plenty of time, 11:15 ish for 1:00pm start. The race was due to have 7000 entrants in 20 bands of 350, over a 1000 of these though would end up not making it, quite a shocking percentage methinks. I'd be running in band 13 with the other gold wrist band wearers. The band came with the timing chip, race number and a very cool t-shirt which i'd be wearing after the race. Each bands started in 15 minute intervals so I was watching everyone at the start and finish of their ordeal as both ended up next door to each other, the final obstacle there at the start for all to see.

Battersea power station loomed in the background, despite being derelict for ages it still looks so impressive, and we'd be going inside it for part of the race. It came to a few

minutes before and the gold group started our warm up. My Kung Fu training at least taught me how to warm up like I knew what I was doing there. I had my top with 'wicking fabric' on, waterproof trousers (which were pointless in the end) and proper jogging shoes as well as some padded gloves so I felt ready for anything. We walk up to the start line and everyone starts looking nervous...

The countdown goes down from 10, and we're off. Quick corner up to the first obstacle, the hay bales. This would be the first of many that I seemed to be perfectly built for. Despite cursing my body many a time, I and light weight, strong enough to weight said weight and stupidly tall and so perfect at lifting myself over such things. After that a quick jog to the next set of obstacles. A 5 foot metal wall, some over things and the first of many monkey bars. One though crossed my mind, don't start walking while there's a crowd but despite the cold, everything felt OK.

I can't remember the order of all the obstacles but I certainly remember the most memorable and the hardest to conquer. The hardest was simply the jogging. For the absent minded, I still hate jogging, passionately! The section between 2km and 4km had the longest sections of jogging and took the most out of me. Like I said earlier, the obstacles not only suited my build to a large extent but gave a break from all the jogging. 3km saw the first time of getting out feet wet. Not nice! The water seemed to get gradually deeper from the knee high water on the steeplechase track, to the skip full of water later on. The course would also see us going over fences, through tunnels, over A frames, under cargo nets, through inflatable obstacle courses, down slopes, crawling through ice, then mud, getting cleaned off by a fire hose and of course exclusive access to Battersea power station itself. We all had to wear hard hats and in the second of two sections inside had to carry a sandbag up and down a dusty section of the building. After climbing through some derelict cars (in the boot and through the windscreen) and a few wooden ramps, we all knew what was to face us at the end. The 'Wall of Fame' was the final obstacle only yards away from the finish line. I had thoughts of trying to scale it in one go but remembered all the times around the course people had cheered me on when I was finding it tricky and i wasn't about to finish without giving something back. I gave a lady a boost up to get over and a chappie did the same for me, at the top of the wall I tried to anchor myself whilst pulling another bloke up, it's the sort of event that brings out the best in people, teamwork, encouragement and co-operation all come naturally.

After landing a bit gingerly on the other side it began sinking in, I'd done it. 10 km and through many obstacles on a cold ridden body which was 2 stone underweight and vastly under-trained. I'd done this whole thing not for charity for once, just to prove to myself that I could do it and suddenly felt a wave of self respect that is more often than not lacking. Body and mind were in harmony for the entire 1 hour 9 minutes and 34 seconds it took me to get around. I'd psyched myself up to continue several times around the course and my body had responded. Every big Purple event I do seems to bring out different emotions from me and this was no different. Unlike the Bog snorkelling, I felt a much greater sense of achievement this time even though the Bog had taken more out of me. It proved that I guess I must be a lot fitter than I thought I was and that when it matters, and my body is anything less than flu ridden, the words printed in ink on my back are becoming more apt by the day.

Aside from the basic pictures I took with my camera, the others show the true story. The picture taken in front of my official time sums it up. Midway through Movember I am tache bound and looking ridiculous but good luck wiping the look of joy on face, and that was before I realised what time i'd done it in. I'd guessed 1 hour 20 something and was pretty stoked when I later found out it was an hour and 9 minutes. As well as trying to get a team together to have a nother punt at it next year, I've found another 3 events like it and in doing so have set the tone for next year's purple activities - endurance.

A huge thanks to everyone who supported me. The post race comments were all lovely but it was everyone during the event that made it. Without fail, every time I started walking there was a fellow competitor geeing me up and getting me back jogging. The Marshall's were also brilliant, high fiving everyone and keeping us moving. Big up to Men's Health magazine for organising it, the various sponsors for the stuff in my goodie bag and Tissot for making my dodgy picture possible ;)

Rossifer
x