We recently had the chance to interview Hayley Black from Super Hero Mums (a terrific trio working hard to raise awareness for a plethora of worthwhile charities) about her journey into obstacle course racing, her motivation and her excitement at being part of the Dirty Dozen Races London South event. 

Today, Hayley offers up her best training tips for those of us too busy with the chaos of everyday life to be able to make the gym on a regular basis. After all, they may call themselves Super Hero Mums, but they’re regular folk who just love a good challenge!

Here are their top five training tips for those with limited access to a gym: 

 

1) Find some steps and practice running up and down those badboys to exercise the muscles that you need to clamber over and through some obstacles.

2) If it’s raining (and when isn’t it at the moment?) don’t stay indoors – Put on your trainers or wellies, grab the kids, find a muddy field and run, slide and glide your way through the puddles. The deeper the better for building up leg strength ready for those boggy bits!

3) If you have kids, set up an agreement with friends to take turns looking after each others’ children so you can get out and train. You may have a busy life, but you have to make time for the things which are important to you.

4) Climb over walls and fences – but not in stranger’s gardens! This will help you practice an essential strength for obstacle races and the dreaded Big Wall.

5) Go to a kids’ playground with monkey bars and climbing walls – everything you need to train for a Dirty Dozen Races course is right there in the great outdoors, and best of all it’s free!

5b) Yes, I know it’s the Friday Five, but one last thing – ensure you embrace the insanity and the fun of it all. That’s what makes it oh-so-worthwhile!

 

 

Super Hero Mums run for the charities Unique, The Indee Rose Trust, The Danny Green Fund, Little Havens Hospices and Macmillan. They don’t ask for donations, but instead to spread the word about their causes. You can find out more about them on their .

- Words by Cerian Jenkins

- Picture courtesy of