So You're Doing Hell And Back Apollo???

This weekend, the 25th and 25th of June is Hell and Back Apollo in Kilruddery House and I'm pretty much bricking it! The weather has been awful this week, and as a perpetually cold human I'm trying to figure out the best active-wear to tog out in to keep me warm. I'm posting this with a couple of days to go in case you need to go shopping, so read on!!

Image: wherearethepancakes.wordpress.com

I was inspired by the video below, by Clare Cullen (Clisare) who went through what might be useful to wear to Hell And Back if you haven't done it before, and how to improve your strategy even if you have! Today I'm gong to talk you through what I'm wearing, what I'm taking with me for after and little things you might not have considered.

What I'm Wearing: 

• Under Armour Sports Bra: I have to keep my tatas in check, they may be small, but they bounce when I run. A decent sports bra is absolutely necessary.
• Bikini Bottoms: In place of regular underwear, these will be better suited to the water obstacles, they wont soak, they wont sag, they'll stay comfortable. 
• Pro Touch Socks: These are moisture wicking, seamless and keep in the heat very well. Cotton socks will lead to squidgy feet, so these are the perfect options. 
• Canterbury Heat Tec Undershirt: I'm always cold. Ask anyone. I'll be the girl wearing a hoodie in the height of summer. This is absolutely necessary. Tight fitting, warm as toast, and old enough to allow me to throw it out if it's destroyed. Grand! 
• Primark Running Tights: Another cheap, but functional item. These will keep my legs warm, and if they get ruined, I wont be too sad about it. 
• Ireland Jersey: I'm wearing a well fitting sports top that I got from a friend years back! 

As for runners, I am going for my Asics GT 1000 runners from two seasons ago. These are supportive, comfy, and again, old enough to be tossed if they are ruined by the end. 

The Hell And Back people recommend that you avoid cotton, long fingered gloves and that you wear long sleeves and bottoms to protect your knees and elbows. 

Avoid bringing valuables. Don't bring too much cash, just enough to see you through. Don't bring a load of tech. There is a secure area for your bag but again, I'd avoid bringing too much, a backpack is plenty. Don't go wearing your grandmothers last dying gift to you.  

Image: Pinterest/Google Images

Other Stuff I'm Bringing: 

It's not just about wearing warm, comfy active clothing. You need to think about other things too. You might want to wear GAA gloves (they're not going to soak up water, and they dry quickly) like Clare mentioned in the video, you might need some headbands to keep your hair off your face or to bring an extra couple of bobbins. 

• Fingerless cycling gloves: I really really want to keep my hands protected. I've seen them in Tiger for less that €4. They're going to protect your hands, keep them a little warmer than they would be if they were bare and allow you grip with your fingers. 
• A bandana: My hair isn't long enough to tie back. I'll wear a bandana to keep it out of my eyes, and hopefully, it'll protect my tunnels and conch bar too. 

For After The Race: 

There are showers at the venue, so you'll  be able to at least rinse off to make yourself look a little less like something that crawled out of an Orc pit. Realistically, all you need to do is get home to some quality facilities... So, you'll definitely need the following: 

• A towel: Obvious reasons. 
• A washcloth and some soap: Again, obvious reasons. I'm going to bring a mini shower-gel. 
• Warm, comfy clothes to change into. This would easily be weather dependent, if it's blazing hot out, you could opt for shorts or something. 
• A decent plastic bag to put the destroyed race gear into. You wont want to put your stuff right into a backpack. 
• Clean, dry shoes. Squishy feet are gross, cold feet are gross, dry footwear is pretty great!

I'm not sure if there are any things I've missed, but to be fair, this is a steep learning curve for me. I'm terrified of deep water, and I've barely trained. This could well be the last post you ever read from me!! If I survive, and I do another one of these, I'll make sure you learn from any mistakes I've made today!

If you're going to do Hell and Back this weekend, good luck, and godspeed! If you're not, and you want to see some of the action before and after, follow me on Snapchat, my details are below!

Amy

xx

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