After a group of like minded souls from Labman completed the UK three peaks challenge of climbing Ben Nevis, Scarfell pike and Mount Snowdon in 24hrs thoughts turned to the next adventure we could undertake. During a lunch time at Labman one of the group suggested attempting summer Tough Guy “The safest most dangerous event in the world!” consisting of a cross-country run followed by an assault course, claimed to be tougher than any other worldwide, featuring 25 obstacles, including a slalom run up and down a hill, ditches, jumps, freezing water pools, fire pits and so on. After a little research, some boisterous enthusiasm and lots of naivety on how difficult it would be we decided that the winter version of the event would not be much harder to complete. Little did we know!!
Well the event took place at the weekend and I’m happy to report we managed to drag ourselves around, bruised and battered but in one piece. Months of heavy rain in the UK had taken its toll on the route with tracks turned it into muddy bogs just waiting to relieve you of a trainer. The cold snap during the previous weeks had also created the extra challenge of a 2 inch layer of ice on all the water sections.
I would like to say thank you to Labman for providing our Tough Man tops and also to the other two members of Team Labman. Tom Smith who didn’t look too happy in some of the deep water sections and Joe Riley, who admirably stood in for his brother who unfortunately had to go on holiday to Cuba instead.
I don’t mind admitting now that just growing a beard probably wasn’t enough preparation for the event and I did find it tough going, hence the name of the challenge I suppose. Without the support of being in a team I could well have been joining the hundreds who pulled out with hypothermia or worse.
Although the sense of achievement will stay with us I think the jury is still out on attempting Tough Guy 2014. If anybody can think of anything else to undertake though we would be happy to listen to your, sensible, suggestions………….