Sparta!

If I didn't work shifts I would run every muddy, obstacle race that I cold get too. 

I have been as far as Nottingham to run these events and now more and more are opening closer to where I live making my life more convenient.

Sadly work and playing rugby sometimes stop me from partaking in all these brilliantly silly and sometimes grueling races.

To be honest I love running these; getting filthy and while doing so pushing myself to the limit.

I love jumping over crap and then climbing ropes to ring bells and being electrocuted and swimming through icy water.

There are so many these days that it can be a hard choice as to what ones you do and do not do.

The competition is fierce and now many events clash.

Some have gimmicks to get you involved and some claim to be the toughest, hardest and fiercest ones out there.

In truth some can all be quite samey.

Some however are utterly brilliant and offer real challenges.

I love hurtling along with no regard for my safety lunging from tree stump to ditch and splashing through pools of stagnant water.

Although I will never understand why some people do these races when they try to not get dirty and complain when you splash past them.

Recent;y I did the spartan sprint in Cambridge, which randomly wasn't in Cambridge but was in Saffron Walden in a completely different county.

I was running with some mates and lost hem after 2 minutes.

As we were in the 11.30am group heat I started to catch the stragglers from the 11am heat and then the people from the 10.30 heat. Why some of these were in this race I will never know.

I am all for entering something different and pushing your body and trying to get fit. But tiptoeing along and squealing at cold water is ridiculous in an event like this.

Especially as I splashed past a woman who screamed at me for getting her wet! For fuck sake you are in a sodding adventure race. Expect to get muddy or piss off back to your air conditioned gym and pose in front of a mirror with all those other gym wankers that seem to be multiplying these days.

And breathe! Sorry gym rant over.

Anyway where were we? Oh yes, running along. I caught up loads of people but alas some obstacles were single file and impossible to pass people.

I could have broken into the top 100 if I had barged people out of the way but alas it was not to be and I finished in a very respectable position just out side the top ton.

I don't know what it is about these races that appeal more to me than normal running, cycling, swimming or anything else really. 

Maybe it is the unknown factor of what to expect and the hidden obstacles that lie ahead waiting to pounce.

In a way it is like a rugby match as you never know how much of a limp or black eye you will have after or which finger will pop our first.

Honestly I think it is basically not only because I love fitness and randomness, I think it is because I am one big kid and I still love playing in the mud!

Explains a lot really!