Always on the look out for a new challenge, last year several of the Jones & Co team signed up for XRunner, a 10km obstacle race in the heart of the Derbyshire countryside.
Race-day dawned on Saturday 24th March and nine of us, including several friends and family, assembled at the start line ready to take on 33 different obstacles and lots and lots and lots of mud! Over to our compliance manager and XRunner finisher Shannan Pool-Gorman for a race report…
“Our wave began at 11am and, despite the grey and gloomy weather, we all ran enthusiastically towards our first obstacle; the woods and a barbed wire fence, talk about breaking us in gently!
“We then tackled everything from large A-frames with cargo netting, mud swamps (smelling of eau de cow poo!), water hurdles including floating blocks and a huge slide (my favourite bit!). Jumping over fire and wooden walls was just like you see in military training exercises – there really was something for everyone!
“With varying fitness and stamina levels in our group, we had already agreed the only way to get round would be to work as one team and we did just that. If someone got ahead, they would wait at the end of the obstacle and we all helped each other out whenever required. This was particularly necessary when we had to wade waist-high through the mud swamp!
“We all had such a good time, laughing, joking and getting covered head-to-toe in mud throughout the whole course. Despite a few comments about there being “too much mud” and “never again!”, I’m now on the lookout for our next team challenge…we’re open to any suggestions!”