Tough Guy 2010

cloneslad

Anyone on here doing this at the end of january?


I am heading over with 12 or 13 other people to do it.

For those who don't know the event, watch this:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=toughguy2007


It should be good fun, it would be good to hear stories from people doing it or who have done it in the past

groovyg

They've been showing it on Setanta - and it looks nuts and ...pretty cold too.

average_runner

saw the end of it last night and people looked so cold after it. Didnt look healthy to be shaking that much!


What are the events in it?

cloneslad

average_runner wrote: »

saw the end of it last night and people looked so cold after it. Didnt look healthy to be shaking that much!


What are the events in it?

it's an 8 mile run with water, electric wires, barbed wire, underwater tunnels, tyre tunnels, 40ft A-frame climbs, wall climbs, pits, mud and anything else you can think of to stop you from finishing.

Watch the video in the link above

GoHardOrGoHome

It does look hard but if the winner can do it in 1h/1h30 then it's probably fairly reasonable to do it in 2h/2h15?

Being in cold water in January would be pretty horrible alright. Maybe the *really* cold people were the people who took 3/4 hours to complete the race?

Very expensive too. 100-200 euro I think.

I wonder are there rules against wearing neoprene shorts and/or neoprene top? That would give you a pretty good advantage wouldn't it?!

DOC09UNAM

watched it on setanta this year, the part with the electric wires straight out of water looks ridiculous, not to mention the ice cold water towards the end... and the slalom through the woods.. good on ya if ya can do it mate!

cloneslad

we are paying €115 each for the pleasure of doing it, we actually missed the deadline for the cheaper price but one of the lads was in contact with them prior to the deadline so they are allowing us to have the cheaper price. They are also giving us a 12.5% discount from what I remember because there is a large number of us doing it.

I think you can wear anything you want to wear, I am going to be wearing this

http://www.chillcheater.com/products/shop.asp?cid=5&p=1&pid=894

Training starts for it tomorrow, just some light hills to start out with, will then start doing steeper ones and a few strokes in a lake to try out the water temperatures sometime in december :rolleyes:

GoHardOrGoHome

cloneslad wrote: »

we are paying €115 each for the pleasure of doing it, we actually missed the deadline for the cheaper price but one of the lads was in contact with them prior to the deadline so they are allowing us to have the cheaper price. They are also giving us a 12.5% discount from what I remember because there is a large number of us doing it.

I think you can wear anything you want to wear, I am going to be wearing this

http://www.chillcheater.com/products/shop.asp?cid=5&p=1&pid=894

Training starts for it tomorrow, just some light hills to start out with, will then start doing steeper ones and a few strokes in a lake to try out the water temperatures sometime in december :rolleyes:

It looks like a pretty unique event! I suppose the race fee is only one part of the total cost of the weekend so it doesn't make a huge difference if the cost was 50 instead of 115. Great that they're giving you a group discount.

The chillcheater thing looks good. Do you get wet straight away or do you have 6 miles of relatively dry running before you hit the obstacles.

The worst thing seems to be waiting in the freezing water because there's a queue of people ahead of you. If you get in fairly near the start then you could push on through and not get held up by the thousands behind you!

cloneslad

GoHardOrGoHome wrote: »

It looks like a pretty unique event! I suppose the race fee is only one part of the total cost of the weekend so it doesn't make a huge difference if the cost was 50 instead of 115. Great that they're giving you a group discount.

The chillcheater thing looks good. Do you get wet straight away or do you have 6 miles of relatively dry running before you hit the obstacles.

The worst thing seems to be waiting in the freezing water because there's a queue of people ahead of you. If you get in fairly near the start then you could push on through and not get held up by the thousands behind you!

We are going to try catch a premiership match the day before it and then go out the night we do it, make a weekend out of it. should be fun.

There is quite a bit of running before you hit the obstacles, with an unconventional slalom stuck in there that involves running up and down the same hill a few times, you can make a lot of time here and pass people so i'm gonna work on my hill running to help me out. They do stagger the start to help with crowd congestion though.

DOC09UNAM

cloneslad wrote: »

We are going to try catch a premiership match the day before it and then go out the night we do it, make a weekend out of it. should be fun.

There is quite a bit of running before you hit the obstacles, with an unconventional slalom stuck in there that involves running up and down the same hill a few times, you can make a lot of time here and pass people so i'm gonna work on my hill running to help me out. They do stagger the start to help with crowd congestion though.

there is a bit with the hay on fire, so you can warm up, lol.

best of luck on it mate, should be a good adventure anyway...

You could even try raise money for charity by doing it??

nerraw1111

Saw this on setanta during the week. Looks pretty crazy and not much fun but tempting.

Some of the finishers were in a terrible state.

cloneslad

DOC09UNAM wrote: »

there is a bit with the hay on fire, so you can warm up, lol.

best of luck on it mate, should be a good adventure anyway...

You could even try raise money for charity by doing it??

Thanks for the good luck.

I wouldn't mind doing it for charity but I think it's a bit too close to Christmas to be going around looking for money from people, not to mention the numerous people around the town who recently fundraised for the marathon (my brother included).

Cool Running

And I taught the Warriors Run was tough:D

f*** me, that looks tough

Best of luck with it

cloneslad

Cool Running wrote: »

And I taught the Warriors Run was tough:D

f*** me, that looks tough

Best of luck with it

Cheers! the warriors run is merely a warm up to this :P never thought I would say that about the warriors run. I think I will be taking a few runs up by the glen road in preperation for this over the december weekends

Oryx

I did this last year, the event is doable, but the cold is an unpredictable element. You just dont know what your body will do. There are two schools of thought on dealing with it. Those that train with cold water training, and those who just deal with it on the day. Either way, I think its just horrible horrible horrible and I didnt even dunk under in the fear tunnels cos the marshalls pulled me over (I was almost catatonic, but they put me back in on the other side and sent me on my way). The plank also was closed when I did winter 09, but I did it in the summer so I know what it entails.

Ensure that youve trained enough in the cold that your body wont cramp up at the first sign of icy water. Train on steep hills. Work on upper body strength. On the day, wear clothes that balance the heat of the run with the ccccold of the assaults. Its a fine thing to work out. Tight winter layers seems to work. A hat is essential, as are gloves, and neoprene tough guy fingerless gloves are great on top. Make sure your shoes are tight, tight, tight,(no, tighter than that ) or youll loose them in the first obstacle (muddy ditches one mile out) Above all, no matter how cold you are, never stop. Keep going to the bitter end.

I am signed up for 2010, and Im dreading it. Cos this time I havent got the bravado of the ignorant, I know exactly how hard its gonna be.

cloneslad

Oryx wrote: »

I did this last year, the event is doable, but the cold is an unpredictable element. You just dont know what your body will do. There are two schools of thought on dealing with it. Those that train with cold water training, and those who just deal with it on the day. Either way, I think its just horrible horrible horrible and I didnt even dunk under in the fear tunnels cos the marshalls pulled me over (I was almost catatonic, but they put me back in on the other side and sent me on my way). The plank also was closed when I did winter 09, but I did it in the summer so I know what it entails.

Ensure that youve trained enough in the cold that your body wont cramp up at the first sign of icy water. Train on steep hills. Work on upper body strength. On the day, wear clothes that balance the heat of the run with the ccccold of the assaults. Its a fine thing to work out. Tight winter layers seems to work. A hat is essential, as are gloves, and neoprene tough guy fingerless gloves are great on top. Make sure your shoes are tight, tight, tight,(no, tighter than that ) or youll loose them in the first obstacle (muddy ditches one mile out) Above all, no matter how cold you are, never stop. Keep going to the bitter end.

I am signed up for 2010, and Im dreading it. Cos this time I havent got the bravado of the ignorant, I know exactly how hard its gonna be.

cheers for the advice mate, I think I am going to save the cold weather training until the end of december and start of january, no point overdoing it :rolleyes:

The hills are going to be worked on in about two weeks, just upping the mileage after about 2 months of relaxed training.

I don't have any intention of doing well, I just wanna finish it. I am scared of heights too, but it's mostly the cold that bothers me, I have trained in -10 degree temperatures while living in korea, but i didn't jump in the water at the same time

Can you recommend anywhere decent and easy to stay in?

Oryx

I stayed in the quality both times ive been. Its good, staff are well used to tough guys . Called somethin else now but pm if you want the number.

If you dont like heights then the plank and the top of the sky climb might phase you. Be ready for that! Theres a lot of high stuff but they were the ones that made me go aagh

cloneslad

I think it's looking down when I am up that height and all the thoughts that come into my head when I am up there. Knowing that I will be jumping off will help ease my mind, especially into the water.

I will have a wee chat with the rest of the lads to see whats happening over there first before i book anywhere

Oryx

cloneslad wrote: »

I think it's looking down when I am up that height and all the thoughts that come into my head when I am up there. Knowing that I will be jumping off will help ease my mind, especially into the water.

Why does this make me smile? I stood at the top of that bloody plank telling noone in particular 'I cant do this, I cant do this...' And the water might have ice on it....:D

In case you didnt realise, the sky climb is 3 stories high, and consists of foot wide planks youve got to walk along for about 60 feet, with nothing to hold onto and a cargo net about 20 feet under you. All while you shiver in the wind. Looking down is not an option, in fact crawling might be the only option... Enough psyching you out, but hey, forewarned is forearmed!

BigDuffman

Is the 8 mile run on the way up to the obstacles or is it 8 miles with the obstacles?

Will be going for it myself! We were originaly going to do it dressed as French Maids but not sure how much of a hindrance that would be!

Oryx

BigDuffman wrote: »

Is the 8 mile run on the way up to the obstacles or is it 8 miles with the obstacles?

Will be going for it myself! We were originaly going to do it dressed as French Maids but not sure how much of a hindrance that would be!

The 8 mile run is mostly x country type running. Grass, bracken, hills, some mud, stiles etc. But they do have a section with logs you have to go over or under very early on, and deep mud filled ditches a mile out which fill your shoes with water and mud, and you get wet to at least your thighs. You do the tigers teeth midway through the run, iirc, then again at the start of the killing fields. Its mostly running, but with lots of surprises thrown in, so not just an 8 mile run, no.

Dunno about the costumes, if you were female it would mean youd get lots of help over the obstacles , but your nick sounds male....

cloneslad

Oryx wrote: »

In case you didnt realise, the sky climb is 3 stories high, and consists of foot wide planks youve got to walk along for about 60 feet, with nothing to hold onto and a cargo net about 20 feet under you. All while you shiver in the wind. Looking down is not an option, in fact crawling might be the only option... Enough psyching you out, but hey, forewarned is forearmed!

If I was a mod I would ban you from this thread and from my life. The sky climb sounds glorious, I will **** myself.

I jumped off the top of a pirate themed ship before but that was into the mediteranean sea to my girlfrienddown below who is a qualified lifeguard so it was a much more appealing leap of faith :rolleyes:

Oryx

Dont stress too much. you can go along the cargo net lower down on that obstacle. And think of the pride and kudos when you finish, no pint you ever have will taste as good as the first one that evenin. Right i consider myself banned now, and wont say no more!

cloneslad

Oryx wrote: »

, no pint you ever have will taste as good as the first one that evenin.

you're more right about that comment than you will have ever thought. I don't drink, never have and I've never had a pint

I will unban you know and let you back to scaring the hell outta me

Oryx

cloneslad wrote: »

you're more right about that comment than you will have ever thought. I don't drink, never have and I've never had a pint

I will unban you know and let you back to scaring the hell outta me

Aww gee thanks.

Just keep telling yourself its only 2+ hours... and you want the medal.

Instea of a pint, you can enjoy your cup of cocoa afterwards then. The warm up barn is hilarious, lots of muddy competitors shivering in foil recovery blankets, looking shattered. All you can hear is rustle rustle rustle. They half fill the cups of hot drinks because noone can hold a full one without spilling it.

cloneslad

Oryx wrote: »

Aww gee thanks.

Just keep telling yourself its only 2+ hours... and you want the medal.

Instea of a pint, you can enjoy your cup of cocoa afterwards then. The warm up barn is hilarious, lots of muddy competitors shivering in foil recovery blankets, looking shattered. All you can hear is rustle rustle rustle. They half fill the cups of hot drinks because noone can hold a full one without spilling it.

it's gonna be a good way to die

Oryx

What squad have they got you in? Usually says at the top of you confirmation letter?

cloneslad

haven't a clue what squad we are in yet, one of the lads is organising it, I just sent him the money. It was easier to do it collectively rather than everyone doing it individually!

Think he said we were the third group going from what I remember though

Oryx

Squad starts are roughly like this, I say roughly cos they dont do it as an exact science and they add some squad names to confuse people.:)

First gun:
Front squad
Tough guy squad

Two minutes:
Wobblemuckers (previous entrants)

Five minutes later:
Wetneck bucket squads (new teams)

Five minutes later:
Wetnecks (new entrants)

7 minutes:
Ghoons (new entrants who paid less)

8 minutes:
Dickheads
Late buggers.

The first two squads start at the top of the hill, all others group in the pits in the yard and move up later. If youre a strong runner you should pick up places on the run. Dont rely on doing it on the slalom, that thing is killer.

cloneslad

Think we are in the wetneck bucket squad group.

I am not too fussed about positions or anything like that, but I would like to move up a bit to avoid waiting around too much to go over the obstacles while slowly freezing my balls off

eoin4789

just booked today!! 150 euro and were doing it for aware ireland, all NUIG students!! Should be brilliant, did tetrathlons and triathlon!

Cant wait for it now! full trainin in order, flights returna 8€
thank you o leary!

Who else going~?

Oryx

eoin4789 wrote: »

just booked today!! 150 euro and were doing it for aware ireland, all NUIG students!! Should be brilliant, did tetrathlons and triathlon!

Cant wait for it now! full trainin in order, flights returna 8€
thank you o leary!

Who else going~?

What training are you doing Eoin?

Oh and good luck!

kildara

Cheers for the link Oryx (although now having read your first hand experience I'm not so sure!).

Quick question - the slaloms; it says there are 8 to do - is that 8 up and eight down or 4 up and 4 down?

I would say I'm looking forward to it - but I won't lie!

Oryx

kildara wrote: »

Cheers for the link Oryx (although now having read your first hand experience I'm not so sure!).

Quick question - the slaloms; it says there are 8 to do - is that 8 up and eight down or 4 up and 4 down?

I would say I'm looking forward to it - but I won't lie!

There are between 10 and 15. Noone ever seems able to count them. Thats ten ups and ten downs.

kildara

What would be best to wear?
Would gloves be of any use as they will get saturated pretty quick.

There is an article about it in this months Mens Fitness magazine if anybody gets it.

Oryx

Youll need gloves to avoid rope burn, if nothing else. I cant recommend any in particular cos i wore fleece ones last winter and they were useless.

cloneslad

got my pack in the post last week, I'm one of the 'late buggers'.

I wonder if rugby gloves would be good to have for it? fingerless but have a bit of grip for the palm.

Where are you flying from and too eoin? I checked ryanair a while back dub-brimingham and hink it was €35 return.

Gotta start doing some training for this thing, been far too busy lately and have had no time to commit to the training, I usually take december off training so it's hard to get back into it.

kildara

Got a pair of those fishing gloves in Aldi for a fiver. They are waterproof and kept the fingers warm last night even after plenty of crawling, push-ups etc in the snow! Might be worth the investment (although they were quite warm while running only).

For those interested, and if you havent started any training yet, Vito Graffagnino (3 time Tough Guy winner) had a 6-week training plan in the article I mentioned above - may of some use as to what fitness levels should be up to...

Mon 21 Core Stability for 20 minutes
Tues 22 Off Road running at level 4 for 30-60 minutes
Wed 23 Indoor bike intervals: 1km at level 4 followed by 1km at level 8. Do this three times
Thurs 24 Upper-body training for 30 minutes
Fri 25 Rest
Sat 26 Hill intervals in the threadmill. Run on an incline at level 8 for 750m, then at level 2 for 750m. Do this four times.
Sun 27 Swim at level 4 for 30 minutes
Mon 28 Lower-body training for 30 minutes
Tues 29 Off Road hill run at level 6 for 30-60 minutes
Wed 30 Cycle at level 4 for 40 minutes
Thurs 31 Core Stability for 20 minutes
Fri 1 Rest
Sat 2 Hill intervals in the threadmill. Run on an incline at level 8 for 750m, then at level 2 for 750m. Do this four times.
Sun 3 Off Road run at level 6 for 60 minutes
Mon 4 Upper-body training for 30 minutes
Tues 5 Off-road run including hills at level 7 for 60 minutes
Wed 6 Indoor bike intervals: 1km at level 4 followed by 1km at level 8. Do this four times
Thurs 7 Rest
Fri 8 Gym Circuit training. Alternate between upper and lower-body moves and use high reps.
Sat 9 Swim (front crawl) at level 5 for 20 minutes. Run at level 6 for 40 minutes.Rest and have a light meal between these sessions.
Sun 10 Hill intervals in the threadmill. Run on an incline at level 8 for 750m, then at level 2 for 750m. Do this five times.
Mon 11 Rest
Tues 12 Indoor bike intervals: 1km at level 4 followed by 1km at level 8. Do this five times. Core stability for 20 minutes.
Wed 13 Run at level 6 for 40 minutes.
Thurs 14 Recovery rowing machine at level 4 for 25 minutes
Fri 15 Off road running at level 7 for 60-90 minutes. If possible choose a woodland route with rocky paths.
Sat 16 Rest
Sun 17 Off road hill reps: run up a hill, then jog back down to recover before running up again. Do this 10 times.
Mon 18 Upper-body training for 30 minutes
Tues 19 Off road run including hills at level 6 for 60 minutes
Wed 20 Indoor bike intervals: 1km at level 4 followed by 1km at level 8. Do this five times.
Thurs 21 Swim front crawl at level 5 for 20 minutes
Fri 22 Rest
Sat 23 Hill intervals on the threadmill. Run on an incline at level 8 for 750m, then at level 2 for 750m. Do this six times.
Sun 24 Off road run including hills at level 7 for 75 minutes. If possible choose a woodland route with rocky paths.
Mon 25 Rest
Tues 26 Hill intervals on the threadmill. Run on an incline at level 8 for 750m, then at level 2 for 750m. Do this six times.
Wed 27 Rest
Thurs 28 Cycle at level 4 for 45 minutes
Fri 29 Core Stability for 20 minutes
Sat 30 Off Road run at level 4 for 20 minutes
Sun 31 Race Day

Effort Level
1-3 Easy to a gentle pace
4-5 Able to have a conversation
6-7 Getting out of breath
8-9 Can't talk, uncomfortable
10 Flat-out sprint


Upper-body training - For the strength to pull yourself out of muddy holes, do pull-ups, dips and press-ups
Lower-body training - Get hill-running leg strength with squats, calf raises, lunges and dead-lifts
Core stability - Do lower back extensions, planks and crunches

Oryx

Thats a really good post, thanks for that kildara. Written down like that it actually sounds quite easy and doable.

Oryx

Just bumping this to see how everyones training is doing? And if this cold spell has yiz worried.

kildara

Oryx wrote: »

And if this cold spell has yiz worried.

Hope this global warming kicks in soon! Looks like it will be a cool one this year if current weather is anything to go by.

Oryx

kildara wrote: »

Hope this global warming kicks in soon! Looks like it will be a cool one this year if current weather is anything to go by.

It snowed last year for it, and still it wasnt this cold. Brrrr.

kildara

And you're doing again?!!
I haven't done any training at all over the christmas. I think I will suffer tonight as a result.

Oryx

kildara wrote: »

And you're doing again?!!
I haven't done any training at all over the christmas. I think I will suffer tonight as a result.

Only two/three weeks full on training left. That thought frightens me.

cloneslad

booked flights and hotel for it. all set to go, except for the training part.

Haven't been able to consistently train for it, I even chickened out of running outside today and went to the gym instead, got a little reality check when I went for a swim in the pool after it and shivered when I hopped in.....it's prob 30 degrees warmer than it will be for tough guy.


Going out running in rosses point in sligo next week and gonna hop in the sea for a bit of a swim.....the g.f is goin to film me for her pleasure!!!

Oryx

Well at least if we survive we can boast that we did tg during the coldest winter in forty years. And that sea swim aint so bad. Try running when you come out tho!

cloneslad

Oryx wrote: »

Well at least if we survive we can boast that we did tg during the coldest winter in forty years. And that sea swim aint so bad. Try running when you come out tho!

You're underestimating how much of a fairy I am

Think I will go for a bit of a run afterwards, but not too long, don't wanna get sick!

Cool Running

cloneslad wrote: »

Going out running in rosses point in sligo next week and gonna hop in the sea for a bit of a swim.....the g.f is goin to film me for her pleasure!!!

I was swimming in Rosses in May this year training for Tris and it was FREEZING.......and I had a wetsuit aswell which I presume ya wont have.

All i can say is fair play and GOOD LUCK:)

Oryx

cloneslad wrote: »

You're underestimating how much of a fairy I am

Think I will go for a bit of a run afterwards, but not too long, don't wanna get sick!

I suppose as long as you arent getting more chilled as you run you should be ok. A towelling bathrobe is a great yoke to throw on straightaway afterwards to dry and get warm quick.. I gotta do a run in the sea too.. But ill just run along in the surf to numb my feet. Not goin in again.
When I came back last time, I read up on the stages of hypothermia. Think its no harm understanding that so you know whats happening to you on the day and you can kinda keep a check on yourself.

eoin4789

Well havent been on this since before christmas, but despite heavy beering the training still went on. Now off the beer till after the race!

This week i have done a 4 mile run along side the river Clare and then crossing the river at the end. DId this on Mond and this morning. The water is ridiculous cold and couldnt move on monday after, not able to run after but this morning was much better.

In a nearby forest we set up about forty cut down and knocked logs over a water drainage drain. We crawl along this six times up to our gabhails in mud doing an up hill sprint inbetween each crawl. this is torture but has seriously helped.

Over the christmas we have been swimming in salthill at blackrock and running the prom afterwards trying to accustom our muscles to the cauld.

We are eating well now too and not usual studnet **** Gyming a huge part ino our training, benching, squats, leg development and core work. Rope climbs and pullups have been key areas.

We seem to fairly set so long as we keep it going, but then again we dont know how our bodies will react on the day, be it the cold, nerves or general physique. How is everyone else doing??

cloneslad

eoin4789 wrote: »

We seem to fairly set so long as we keep it going, but then again we dont know how our bodies will react on the day, be it the cold, nerves or general physique. How is everyone else doing??

'

Feck all that training, just turn up one day and suffer, better than suffering for an entire moneth before hand :P

Cool Running wrote:

I was swimming in Rosses in May this year training for Tris and it was FREEZING.......and I had a wetsuit aswell which I presume ya wont have.

All i can say is fair play and GOOD LUCK

yup will be wet suitless but I will be wearing some nike tights and rugby underarmour, can't imagine it's going to help me much but I doubt I will go out too far incase I happen to just shut down and die (on the upside my g.f is a qualified lifeguard)

Oryx wrote:

I suppose as long as you arent getting more chilled as you run you should be ok. A towelling bathrobe is a great yoke to throw on straightaway afterwards to dry and get warm quick

I intend on chasing, catching, and hugging my g.f so that she can suffer alongside me. the drive back to gurteen could be long and very quiet though