Obstacle Mud Runner - issue 6

obstaclemudrunner.co.uk 26 ForEliteAtheletes toFunRunners I’m not the fastest runner but I love climbing, crawling, and jumping over obstacles, OBSTACLES ARE MY THING!! My Mum entered myself and my sister into Mini Mudder in 2016 and although I loved it, it was TOO EASY! I’m an average teenager who lives at home with my family. I have a 10 year old sister who is crazy about OCR too. I attend a secondary school in Derbyshire where I try and study really hard but my favourite part of the school day is when we play sport... any sport. I have played hockey since I was 6. I’m part of the school team, Matlock Baleans Hockey Club (Juniors and Seniors) and I represent Derbyshire. During the hockey season I train three times per week and play matches on Saturdays and Sundays, it has always been my ambition to make the England Hockey squad BUT then I started taking part in OCR. I have always been involved in Sport as my Mum’s job is in the Sport and Fitness industry, I have sat on the side of a hockey pitch in my pushchair watching my Mum play since I was 6 weeks old and ever since my Mum gave up hockey and started taking part in OCR 5 years ago I have attended every event with my Mum, Dad and little sister. I have marshalled with my Mum and sat there thinking, ‘I can’t wait until I’m old enough to take part.’ My Mum entered myself and my sister into Mini Mudder in 2016 and although I loved it, it was too easy, so she looked at other events for us to enter. Since then I have completed Iron Run twice, Reaper, ran the adult course of the World Team Championships and completed Mactuff (with my mum running alongside me). I’m not the fastest runner but I love climbing, crawling, and jumping over obstacles, obstacles are my thing!! Mactuff made me realise that I loved the challenge which OCR offered as I discovered I was strong and actually quite good at obstacles which some of the adults found difficult. At 13 years old, in the UK we do not have any races which will qualify us for the Euros or the Worlds so when I asked my Mum if I could compete in the 13-17 year age category we had to prove I was capable of completing an adult course. We did this through a verification process. We had to prove that I could complete adult races, through photographs and a testimonial. My application to the Euros was supported by Tony Campbell and Kirsten Whitehouse and luckily I was accepted. I have been training so hard with extra running and training sessions at Cliff Lakes. Evie I’m Evie, aged 13 years. I love OCR!!   RACE : JUNIORS age is no obstacle Proving you’re never too young to start.