Mad Monk - Done!

Time taken to complete Mad Monk: 01:33:12 (My target was to complete it in 2 hours!)
Amount of cuts & bruises gained from Mad Monk: Too many to count!
Amount of calories eaten after completing Mad Monk: Thousands - Sausage Rolls, Pizza, Garlic Bread, Roast Beef Dinner, Snickers, Profiteroles & Easter Egg!

So, after so many months of talking about training and annoying people to donate to the Stroke Association, its all over and I'm so relieved! I've been on the edge for the whole week worrying about Mad Monk, not sure what to expect and reminding myself that its all for the charity!

Sunday morning, I was actually quite calm! Chris was absolutely brilliant and so supportive before I had to head to the start line at 9.45am for the warm up.

The Warm Up

The warm up was pretty intense & I was shattered before I had even passed the start line. One minute I was doing Jumping Jacks and press ups, the next the horn had gone before I had time to get my breath back.

Off we go...

That's when it hit me how far I'd come! A few years ago, I would've been on the floor hyperventilating from just doing that warm up. Now I was off on a 10k run & swim with obstacles randomly placed on the route too! I ended up lagging at the back not wanting to push myself too far as I knew I had a long way to go. It wasn't long before the whole group had left me behind & I was jogging at a slow pace on my own. I've been so used to having my ipod playing & listening to music so it was really strange having to cope with my own thoughts as I was running along. I kept on repeating the same thing over again, '£700!' and the stewards were brilliant at giving me a good push too!

The first obstacle I hit was the 10 foot tall cargo nets. It wasn't that bad climbing them, it was the getting over that I seem to struggle with. My fingers are covered in carpet burns, I have cuts all over them too & I'm sure a few of the bruises on my legs were caused by falling down them too.

A few metres after the cargo net was the mud slide or as my dad called it, the dust slide.

The Mud Slide

The Mud Slide was basically a 100ft nearly vertical hill that you had to climb with a rope. Most definitely the obstacle I struggled with the most. I was hyperventilating both times I did it wondering how I was going to continue. But I managed it!

Next on the lap was the hills. Each lap, we had to run up a hill then run down then run back up it and back down. Not the best fun after you've just done the Mud Slide!

Down the hill I come!

As soon as the mud slide & hills were done, I have to admit the rest of the lap felt easy compared to that!

The next main obstacle was swimming across the River Derwent. It was most definitely the part I'd been most dreading after all the teasing I'd had. "Look out for the water rats", "Hope you don't get leeches covering your legs when you come out of the river", "Make sure you don't get any used condoms in your hair", etc, etc. It was absolutely freezing though but luckily I had my cheering squad shouting me on. Although I could hear my dad finding it all absolutely hilarious!

So pleased I'm nearly at the end!

Running when you're shivering cold and soaking wet is not the most fun i've ever had & yet again I had to keep on saying to myself "£700."

Off I go again now feeling very cold & wet!

The last part of the lap was the assault course arena. Climbing hay stacks, going over & under, crawling under nets and trying to get over a huge wall I have to admit also broke me.

Climbing the Hay Stack Wall

According to Chris whilst I was trying to get over the huge wall, I looked like I was about to burst into tears and he really didn't think I'd be able to do another lap. The huge sign ahead of me read 'Quit' when I finally got a leg up from a lovely steward over the wall but it didn't even cross my mind. I knew i'd be absolutely devastated if I hadn't managed the 10k so off I went again for another lap. I stuck my thumbs up to Chris to let him know I was ok and even though my dad tried to talk me out of doing another lap, I just shouted back 'I have to do another lap, i've made £700!' 

I nearly did the second lap as quick as the first, I was only a couple of minutes slower. As soon as the mud slide & hills were done, I knew i'd nearly done it & managed to run most of the lap to the finish line. Imagine my surprise to find that my cheering squad were no where to be found. Luckily Lou had nipped to the loo & noticed I'd finished. When she called them they were taking a leisurely walk back to the finish line expecting me to be ages yet which explains why there are no photos of me finishing!

Done!!

I was muddy, I was cold, I was shattered & I was & still am covered in bruises & cuts but I did it & I'm never, ever doing anything like it again! Thank you to everyone who has sponsored me & sent me good luck messages! It has meant so much to me & I don't think I would've been able to have done it without your support! I've been completely overwhelmed with how everyone has been behind me with this from the start, I honestly didn't think i'd do it! 

I'd also like to say thank you for my cheering squad for pushing me throughout the 10k at random points of the race. Thank you so much Chris, Mum, Dad, Carly & Lou for being absolutely amazing & supportive!

The current total that I've raised for the Stroke Association is £745.00 and all in memory of my Nan & Grandad. Amazing! I really hope they are proud of what I've done & its been a fitting tribute to them.

Thank you again everyone!