This weekend saw the first of many muddy obstacle races in March with the Nuts Challenge catering for 2,600 mud hunger runners. As well as the much loved fun runners this was the first event this year that saw the Elite’s battle it out for top Nutter credentials.
The 28km offered the most feistiest of races with Team Inov-8 OCR putting forward their best racers in Jon Albon, Ross MacDonald and Claire Miller. Team RPCC brought the Sam Cherry and Ross Phelan who were seen across the Spartan events last year taking podium finishes. James Appleton, previous Tough Guy winner, also made an appearance after what seems to be a UK comeback after success last year at the Spartan World Championships finishing in 6th place.
In a particular wet event Jon Albon, who DNF last year due to the cold, took the win relatively comfortable finishing in 3 hours and 47 minutes, 16 minutes ahead of his team mate Ross Macdonald. James Appleton came through in third place with a time of 4 hours 12 minutes. Sam Cherry finished in 4 hours 35 minutes.
Albon commented on how tough the course was this year due to the weather.
This year was different It was warmer but lots wetter and muddier. The win took every ounce of energy I had. The amount of mud and water on the course really made things difficult with my finishing time being nearly an hour longer than in September!
A new female Elite has emerged in Clare Miller who finished in 4 hours and 36 minutes, and overall fifth place. A great result for the Team Inov8 OCR member, with only one other female finishing the course on the day in 5 hours and 22 minutes.
Elsewhere in the Sunday 14km event, Spartan Champ Thomas Blanc came back from injury to win the 2 laps and Rachel Aldridge came in as first female. The Saturday version saw Adam Teszke and Jayne Rayby take first places. In the 21km saw Nathan Davies took first place and Steph Weaver first female.
Youngster Caine Johnson won the 7km in the 14-19 age category for Team Wild Forest Gym and Laura Dudley took first female
Wild Forest 