TOUGH ENOUGH?

Team G-A-Y and Team QX are attempting to complete Tough Mudder, the army-style assault course that features up to 25 challenges over 12 miles, as part of G-A-Y’s fundraising for the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Last week, Personal Trainer of the Year, Stefan Chiriaco, put them through a training session to give them a taste of what’s to come. This week, the Tough Mudder team share their fears and doubts of the forthcoming challenge… 

 

JEREMY JOSEPH
G-A-Y & Heaven owner

I think I realised from Stefano’s training how far behind I am from the rest of the team. It doesn’t help that new team member Patrick is near f**king perfect – thanks Cliff for that intro! I’ve spent last the months concentrating on the London Marathon and not at all all on my upper body. The problem for me is, if I had failed the marathon I would only be letting me down, but now if I fail Tough Mudder, I’m letting a team done, so no pressure there then! I’m not a gym type of person, and I’m in a team with four very strong women trapped in men’s bodies. This training session has knocked my confidence because I’ve seen how much stronger than me the rest of the team are. Let’s see if they are strong enough to carry me. A chaise lounge would be nice.

 

SLIM
G-A-Y Head of Security

My fitness level and my knee are my biggest worries!

 

CLIFF JOANNOU
QX Editor

You would think two weeks in the dungeons beneath Heaven being tortured by Jeremy Joseph until I finally agreed to take part in Tough Mudder would have surely prepared me for the challenge ahead. Hell, even growing up in a Greek Cypriot household with my own ‘tough mother’ rulin’ the roost should have meant Tough Mudder would be a walk in the park. Then I went for a run in the park, and I realized my fitness level was waaaaay below standard. Sure, I can make it through a few nightclubs in a weekend, or a couple hours in the gym. But twelve miles and 25 military designed assault courses? Let’s just say I’m currently enjoying my state of deep denial…

 

MICHAEL MITCHELL
Jeremy’s Assistant

So after last week’s training session for Tough Mudder I am now shitting myself. Instead of being like Action Man, I’m more like Mr Muscle. My upper body strength is nowhere near as good as it should be, and after a few miles running I’m gasping for water. My biggest fear is I fall flat on my face in the mud and everyone then uses me as platform across the mud. For me, this is the biggest challenge of my life and I really don’t want to let anyone in my team down.

 

PATRICK CASH
QX Editorial Assistant

As pictures and adverts started infiltrating my Facebook of men slithering through mud and hanging from ropes over icy lakes, I began to think I’d better investigate what I’m letting myself in for. Twelve miles of an obstacle course designed by the Special Forces? Wow. I mean I do enjoy my fitness and sports, but still twelve miles is a fucking long way and I’m not exactly Arnold Schwarzenegger (as in the Terminator-era Schwarzenegger, not the Governor of California-era). As the reality is becoming clearer and I’m stepping up my weights training, I’m worried I don’t have enough time to make a significant difference. However, it is a team challenge, so let’s hope Team G-A-Y/QX can help each other through it!

• To see what Team G-A-Y have signed themselves up for check out www.toughmudder.co.uk.
• Please show your support for Team G-A-Y and donate to the Elton John AIDS Foundation at www.justgiving.com/G-A-Y – let’s get to a quarter of a million!
• Stefano Chiriaco is an award winning Personal Trainer available for private PT sessions. For more info visit www.sctrainer.co.uk or email him direct at [email protected]

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