Color Obstacle Rush

Team IlsonGlowsticks love a random run, something a bit different to a 5/10/half marathon event. We've done a few mud runs :- Mens Health Challenge, Water Wipeout etc.

Paint Runs :- Color Run and Blacklight Run.

Also a Santa Dash.

Now it's time to combine a few events into one with the Color Obstacle Rush a nice mixture of paint, foam, 5km running and obstacles. The event we ran was at Uttoxeter Race course but there are others around the country, check out their website for more details. 

We had a team of 7 all looking to have a blast. I did take the GoPro with me to this event so check out my videos of the event on YouTube - Color Obstacle Rush Playlist.

But here's a little clip of what to expect.........

It took us about an hour to do the event because we ended up trying different moves in the paint stations from paint swimming, to crab walks, making snow angels and just having massive paint fights with each other.

I won't give the obstacles away, you need to watch the videos to see them but here are a few photos to see the before and after look for us.

Ilson Glowsticks before the paint.

After the run, now a nice mixture of colours.

JustGiving Pages - Adam Fretwell PT for Cancer Research UK

Rob JustGiving Page for Cancer Research UK

Danny JustGiving Page for Crohn's & Colitis

Jo JustGiving Page for Get Kids Going

Awsworth 5K

Once again I've been neglecting my blogging as this should have been written in May.

Sunday 10th May Awsworth 5K was a good day for myself and clients. in the 2014 5 clients entered the race all setting really good times. This year there was 7, including one who ran it last year walking this year while pregnant.

Read to go!

I went into the run with a 5km PB of 22 minutes 30 seconds from the previous year. The weather was warm but really nice for running. Once again it was a really well organised event down to the Notts & Lincolnshire Air Ambulance flying over to start the race.

I felt like I go off to a good start and by the half way point I was feeling good. However by the 3.5km point you hit the last hill back up to the finish line, clients all think the hill goes on forever! When you drive up it, it takes all of 2 minutes, running it is a different task. I was at a faster pace than last year and by time I hit the hill my legs were starting to feel it. At the end I had no sprint finish left which disappointed me but I managed to set a new PB! 21 minutes and 31 seconds, finishing 23rd of 566 entrants.

With my clients there were a few new PBs beating last years times, a few people setting their first ever 5k time and Jo walking it with Lauren in fancy dress while pregnant and Jack running around in his Lightening McQueen outfit.

Jack with his sprint finish in the style of Lightening McQueen.

Lauren, Jo & Bump!

Once again it was a brilliant run, and really well organised. Bring on 2016 for my 4th run at the event and some clients 2nd.

Awsworth 5k Facebook Page

My JustGiving page for Cancer Research UK.

Blacklight Run UK

Following on from last years random running events like Wild Warrior, Santa Dash and this years Winter Warrior it was time for the next adventure with clients while helping raise money for Cancer Research UK. Blacklight Run UK at Donington Park on Saturday 28th February was the challenge.

The Blacklight Run is a 5km fun run with neon paint thrown at you. The run taking place at night with black-lights so all the neon glows. Basically a variation on the Color Run at night.

Now we know after a few winters of outdoor training sessions I've got some clients who really don't care about getting wet, muddy, dirty in any way shape or form as long as they can have a laugh. That's sort of important for this type of event because you're going to get mucky.

A brilliant group of about 15 of us all met up picnics ready for a brilliant afternoon and evening. We had our neon clothing at the ready, face paints, and white tops. The rest was just pure carnage!!! Once the picnic had been eaten it was time to get ready, putting on face paints quickly ended up in a paint fight with hand prints all over the place, lots of hugging to mix paints and just a brilliant laugh.

Face paints went wrong!

Once it started to drop dark we went over to the main area for the pre-race party and enjoyed the blacklights and the way we looked. We may have got some funny looks but we didn't care we went for it and had a brilliant time!

Neon Happiness

Once we started the fun run we split into our little groups of joggers, jog/walkers and walkers. We made sure everybody had a friend for the 5km and we all got round the course  to the best of our abilities. It was a brilliant feeling being with the joggers seeing 3 people finish the 5km jogging all the way (apart from paint stations) and the achievement they felt after.

Post Run Mess!!

I do think there are too many running events now all trying to draw in the same target audience and some events will become watered down, or prices will go up as fewer competitors enter but hopefully this is an event that can keep going. We all had a great time and if they had another event in the East Midlands before the end of the year I think we would all jump at the chances to do it again.

Check out my GoPro video below of the post run party. That is just one of five videos made from the event. If you enjoy running, enjoy mucky fun, and want to do a 5km fun with with a difference I would recommend this straight away.

Color Run - Birmingham

This run wasn't about recording a fast time at all as shown by my time on MapMyRun - 45 minutes 38 seconds for the 5km. It was all about having a good time, getting nice and colourful and doing a bit of exercise. The run is advertised as "the happiest 5k on the planet" as it's all about fun.

A nice drive to Birmingham NEC where the Color Run was based, with the route going around the NEC complex. People turned up in the thousands all starting the day looking very white, but they didn't stay that way for long. The day got even better when we found the Dulux Dog!!! This really was going to be "the happiest 5k on the planet".

Such a soft dog.

Over the course there was 4 different colour stations then a massive paint party at the end. Each station you got covered in a different coloured powder paint. The volunteers at each station looked incredible as they were either bright pink, green, orange (Oompa Loompa style) or Blue (Smurfish). 

Time to be a Smurf.

Post run, gutted lots of the paint blew off in the wind. 

Nice shades of purple created on my back from the blend of different colours, Rob's just a mess haha. 

This was a nice relaxed little stretch of the legs before the hardcore events of the Isle of Wight Challenge and Robin Hood Half Marathon take place.

Bring on Color Run 2015 as hopefully I will have a massive group of clients all looking to paint themselves while exercising. 

That's now 8 races down, 4 to go for Cancer Research UK in 2014.

Derby 10k - 45 minutes 11 seconds.
Awsworth 5k - 22 minutes 20 seconds.
Hull 10k - 45 minutes 46 seconds.
Wollaton 10k - 44 minutes 53 seconds.
Twin Peaks Midnight Walk - 8k. - 2 hours 37 minutes.
Leeds 10k - 46 minutes 8 seconds.
York 10k - 46 minutes 31 seconds.
Birmingham Color Run 5k - 45 minutes 38 seconds.
Isle of Wight Challenge 56k
Wild Warrior 10k
Robin Hood Half Marathon 21k
Men's Health Challenge Nottingham 12k

If you wish to donate please visit www.justgiving.com/adamfretwellpt

Wollaton 10k

Less than a week since the Hull 10k it was time to change the standard running shoes to the trail running trainers for the Wollaton 10k. At School I didn't actually enjoy cross country, I preferred 100m, 200m, 4x100m and triple jump. But things change and I was really looking forward to a bit of cross country around Wollaton Park the home of Batman.

After Derby 10k being a PB at 45min 11sec, then Hull being slightly slower at 45min 46sec. I wasn't expecting a quicker time at Wollaton with it being a combination of grass and gravel paths with a few hills that are nicer to roll down as a child, not run along.

The weather was spot on for running, cooler than the weekend before in Hull with a nice light breeze. a much smaller event with 477 runners on the day rather than Derby and Hulls 5000+. There was still a great atmosphere and it looked as if we were all celebrating Holland's trashing of Spain from the night before in the VERY bright orange running tops we were given.



Tops provided by Sytner Nottingham MINI!

The run is organised by Bluecoat Academy PTA and they did an amazing job. Really well organised parking on arrival, friendly marshals and easy to follow route round Wollaton Park. Great seeing loads of kids there on stalls helping being involved with the run.

 

Once the run started I just tried to find my running rhythm, if I actually have one. I think I'm more Forrest Gump style just keep running. One of my aims for the year is to record my first sub 45 minutes 10k and with Derby I had been so close. I didn't expect this route to be a fast course with the hills and terrain.

- At the end of the first 5k lap I was at 22 minutes 30 seconds, bang on time for a 45 minute 10k.

- By 7km I was 31 minutes 20 seconds.

- Same as in Hull I seemed to hit a little wall around 8km and slowed slightly but I entered the last km with just over 4 minutes to finish to be around a 45 minute 10k.

- As I crossed the line running as fast as my leg could take me I saw the clock at 45 minutes 22seconds.

At first I was gutted to have missed out on a sub 45 minute by a small margin again! Then I realised that was the gun time and having not started the run at the front my chip time was going to be faster.

 

 

It was going to be a long wait to see the results posted online to see if I had managed a sub 45 minute 10k or not. Seeing as it was a nice day I had a walk to look around Ilkeston Carnival then down to watch Nubtrook CC 1st team in action. On about the 40th time pressing refresh on my phone the results were posted. 44 minutes 53 seconds!!! Whoop my first ever sub 45 minute 10k on a course I wasn't expecting to do it on. For the rest of the day I just had a huge smile on my face. The smile only went at 1am Sunday morning as England lost 2-1 to Italy, even then England lost but played very well and hopefully they can win the next two matches and make it out the group stage of the World Cup.

 

Just approaching the 5km point, feeling good so far!

 

Post run, sweating like a beast but that run felt good!

Quick change of top to show the reason for running. Support Cancer Research UK.

For more photos from the weekend visit my Instsgram account or Facebook page.

That's now 4 races down, 8 to go for Cancer Research UK in 2014.

Derby 10k - 45:11
Awsworth 5k - 22:20
Hull 10k - 45:46
Wollaton 10k - 44:53
Twin Peaks Midnight Walk - 8k.
Leeds 10k
York 10k
Birmingham Color Run 5k
Isle of Wight Challenge 56k
Wild Warrior 10k
Robin Hood Half Marathon 21k
Men's Health Challenge Nottingham 12k

If you wish to donate please visit www.justgiving.com/adamfretwellpt

Awsworth 5km

Today was the Awsworth 5k and I was really looking forward to it. I don't think some of my clients were thinking the same, waking up to tx, tweets and Facebook comments of "Why did I sign up to this?" and "Have you seen the weather!"


Apart from the bottleneck out the gates when the race starts the course is really nice. The signage was great and the marshals were amazing. Especially considering it was throwing it down for a few minutes early on in the race.

Once the race started I think all the worrying vanished and the focus on finishing took over. For a couple it was their first 5km, others it was the first for the course. This meant there was some good PB setting happening.

Overall there were 425 runners which is amazing considering it's a small village and the events organised by the Primary School. It shows how last years successful event helped this year's be just as successful.

So the important part, how did we all do?


I finished 28th of 425 with a time of 22 minutes and 20 seconds. PB
Rob came in 94th in 28 minutes and 49 seconds.

Ian & sons 106th, 107th and 108th in 29 minutes and 50 seconds.

Joanne finished 118th in 30 minutes and 5 seconds. PB

Laura finished 268th in 40 minutes and 48 seconds. PB

Amazing results for everybody involved, I'm not only happy finishing in the top 30 but I'm thrilled to have clients who performed outstanding and really pushed themselves to limits they didn't realise they had. I can go to sleep tonight one happy trainer knowing my clients are amazing!






Just before the finish line.




Rob, Myself, Joanne and Laura.

                                                              



















That's now 2 races down 10 to go for Cancer Research UK in 2014.

Derby 10k - 45:11
Awsworth 5k - 22:20
Hull 10k
Wollaton 10k
Nottingham Colour Blast 5k - Cancelled so I will run a 5k that day and post my time.
Leeds 10k
York 10k
Birmingham Color Run 5k
Isle of Wight Challenge 56k
Wild Warrior 10k
Robin Hood Half Marathon 21k
Men's Health Challenge Nottingham 12k

If you wish to donate please visit www.justgiving.com/adamfretwellpt

Fitness for charity

The last two years I have held a Fancy Dress Circuit Training session just before Christmas and all the money from the sessions has gone to Cancer Research UK. I support Cancer Research UK for a number of reasons and probably feel the same as a lot of you out there, too many loved ones have been lost to cancer and it would be amazing to see a cure discovered in our lifetime. www.justgiving.com/adamfretwellpt
 
This year I've been recruiting clients who want to go that extra mile and really test their fitness level. Danny did amazing beating his target time for the Awsworth 5k and hopefully this coming Sunday I can help Eran beat her target time for the Underwood 10k.
 
Next month I will be trekking up Mount Snowdon with a few clients/friends, I think after the 10 mile trek our tents will look very appealing even if it is raining.
 
In August I will be hosting the first Fancy Dress Boot Camp, just to mix it up from the Christmas theme and that will be at Nutbrook Cricket Club.
 
I will hopefully manage to assemble a small team to do the Nottingham leg of the Men's Health Survival of the Fittest.
 
 



Fancy Dress 2011

 



Fancy Dress 2011

 
 



Survival of the Fittest 2012

 
 



Fancy Dress 2012

 



Fancy Dress 2012

 






Fancy Dress 2012



Awsworth 5k 2013



Photos from future events will feature on their own blog, so look out for a sweaty picture uploaded soon from the Underwood 10k.

If you wish to donate to such a good cause as Cancer Research UK please visit www.justgiving.com/adamfretwellpt