Nettle Warrior: probably the most sadistic running race out there. Nettle Warrior is the summer edition of the infamous Tough Guy obstacle course race (OCR), and lives up to its painful reputation.
“We don’t actually want to kill them, but if they come here and die? That’s no problem.”
-Billy Wilson (a.k.a. Mr Mouse): Race Director
The humble nettle plant is familiar to most people for its ability to sting and induce a rash, and is something we learn to avoid from a young age. Growing up to 2m tall, the plant is covered with toxin-filled needles that inject their liquid into anything, or anyone, that touches the plant.
The organisers at Tough Guy use this natural property of the plant to create a simple, but fairly horrendous challenge. Let huge patches of nettles grow at the venue, and set a running course route right through the middle of them. Twin this with their permanent obstacle course – the Killing Fields – and you have a trail run from hell. Electric shocks, water submersions, claustrophobic tunnels, mud, fire, huge climbing obstacles – the course is designed to scare and wear down runners.
I could write a lot about the origins and organisers of Tough Guy, the birthplace of obstacle course racing, and the donkey sanctuary which doubles up as one of the worlds’ biggest permanent obstacle courses. But that’s for another time – it deserves its own post. All you need to know is that their 35 year old course is carefully designed to push every participant to their absolute physical and mental limits.
The “proper” way of running this race is to just go for it in shorts and t-shirt: leave long sleeves at home. Want an easy life? Stay away. And the winter edition of Tough Guy is arguably even worse: trading nettles for ice, snow and lots of hypothermia cases.
Winning Nettle Warrior also goes against the norms of the running world. The leading runner has the hardest job of all: the unenviable task of trampling a path through hundreds of metres of nettles and thorns for other competitors to follow. To win, you really have to want it, or be naive enough to think you do.
And you’d be forgiven for thinking this is all pointless, sadistic punishment. The ethos behind Tough Guy, despite the name, isn’t all bravado and macho culture. It’s a place you can face adversity in a (relatively) controlled environment, face your demons, reset your mind, and put life into perspective. A fucked-up form of therapy where you go through hell and come out beaten, bruised and broken but a little wiser and, in my experience, a happier person.
But regardless of whatever light you shine on it, Nettle Warrior is one event that really makes me question my sanity the night before.
Continue Reading: Nettle Warrior – Race Weekend