Tough Guy Nettle Warrior (summer 2001)
July 29 Wolverhampton

Report by Ade Clift

And so to the day after Tropicana …………….

Having competed in the 'real' Toughguy event last January in weather conditions bordering on insanity, the other two musketeers (Phil McConnell and Lee Rankin) decided it would be a good idea for the team to have a go at the Summer event. After all, the weather was obviously not going to be so much of a factor. Seemed like a good idea at the time!
Having competed last year in the 'Last man standing' event, placing a very creditable 3rd behind Hywel and one other, Lee had persuaded Phil and I to have a go in the LMS event this year and at the time of entering the event, we hadn't realised that it would be on the day after the Tropicana Champs. (To find out a little more about the Toughguy go to www.toughguy.co.uk).

Most of the guys from the team who braved the Winter event, also took part in this one with the exception of Phil's wife (currently with child) and his brother in-law Donnie (currently injured). They were both on hand with the food and drink thank goodness, as we all completed the one-mile laps of the obstacle course.

The big factor once again on the day proved to be the weather. It was so hot, that most of us were suffering with dehydration and cramping and it didn't help much that when I went around on the second lap, got to the drinks station and they had run out of water! It's not much fun being '50ft' in the air hanging on to ropes, whilst both legs continue to cramp up big time and so I reluctantly retired on the third lap around after 3hrs and 20mins.

The fastest time of the group for the two lap race came unsurprisingly from Lee who clocked 1hr to place him 32nd (not bad when you consider that he missed the start of the race due to cutting down his LMS tee-shirt). Second to finish the two laps was Lee's brother Jimmy (something in the jeans? They obviously both have 501's.) Jimmy was 50th with just over 2hrs. Phil wasn't far behind Jimmy in 55th , baring in mind that Phil was doing the LMS comp and so pacing himself somewhat.
Next to finish were Andy Coleman and Rich Vidgen who clocked just over two and a half hours and finish near the top 200 places. Then came little old me in 497th place with just over 3hrs. I did try to carry on for the third lap but with excessive cramping setting in, decided to call it a day after 3hrs 20mins.

The Future Fitness ladies all crossed the finish line together in 3hrs 54mins. Pretty damn good considering they had to wait for Diane to get some St Johns treatment after a nasty fall on one of the obstacles. Thankfully Di was all right and finished the two laps with Lorraine Huggett and Gill Slater.

The Stars of the weekend (for my money) had to be Lee and Phil, who after their efforts the previous day at the Tropicana event, continued lap after lap in pursuit of one Hywel Davies, who had amazingly lapped me twice during my first two laps!! Lee incredibly managed the same 4 laps total as last year and Phil, who now is becoming a bit of a demon endurance athlete recording a brilliant 5 laps total.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Hywel won the Last Man Standing competition again and rapped it up by telling the officials after he had completed 7 (yes seven) laps, that they had better declare him the winner else he will keep going all day!!

So that's it, another one done.
Roll on the Winter event and the -9 degrees water temps ------- ' Can't wait!