This is a high-octane running event with obstacles designed to keep you on your toes. The Survival of the Fittest course will take you from the Start line in the hustle and bustle of the event village onto an unforgiving 10km course interspersed with obstacles every kilometre. You will negotiate urban and rural landscapes throughout your travels on the course, armed for unexpected twists and turns at every corner. Train hard, front up and come and tackle the Men's Health Survival of the Fittest. Race solo or as a team and enjoy the camaraderie of the route, the pain of the burn and the challenge of our gruelling and engaging obstacles. This is a unique format which will challenge both seasoned runners and rookie challengers alike. Open to male and female competitors, we offer solo entry or pairs in male, female and mixed categories. Excellent prizes await the winners of each class as well as a smattering of "spirit of the event" prizes for those who show true fortitude and courage out there on the course.

Nottingham is the venue and the event will start and finish in Victoria Park, beside Trent Bridge. Click here to see a map of the start/ finish location. There will be free parking available at the event centre.

Our map above shows a little of what you might expect on a route that follows the river out of the city and back in again. On the training page, you will find training tips revealed each week on each of the obstacles. And in MH magazine, the September issue (on sale from 04th August) outlines a full 6 week training plan as well as giving a full-scale picture of the route.

Some facts:

• You will get wet
• You will get muddy
• You will ache
• You might hit the wall
• You will be going up...
• ...but what comes up must come down
• Nottingham is the home of Robin Hood. You might meet him
• You will get wet. Again.

OK now for more information on the course itself. Bear in mind, this information is subject to change and there might be variation in the obstacles you actually face; either in the order in which you face them or certain amendments or modifications made to the obstacles themselves for weather or other reasons.

The Survival course is part urban and part "rural". Nottingham has been chosen for the inaugural event on account of the specific routing we are using; it's a really pleasant run out of the City Centre, along the river Trent using paths and minor roadways, connecting you with the National Watersports Centre at Holme Pierrepoint and back into the city again.

The event will start in waves and you will be allocated a starting wave, which will be communicated to you via a starting list posted on this website 2 weeks prior to the event. You will start with 200 others in this wave and the waves will depart between 1000 and 1230 (exact times TBC). You will burst out of the starting line and even before leaving the event village the first obstacle will present itself - "Farmer Giles" - the hay bale wall. Once you have scaled it, you will run out of the event village to cheers from other racers and your supporters, cross the river Trent and front up to the next obstacle in the vicinity of Lady Bay Bridge. This is called "PK:" It's fast, fun and extremely entertaining. Having free-run through the parkour zone, it's out into the fields and along the southern side of the River Trent until you come face to face with the Army assault course. We have enlisted the help of The British Army who will be out there with you, all the way through. You might see soldiers guarding the route here and they are there to motivate you through what will be a grueling set of structures. Don't be put off by the military hardware either - you're in the Army now!

Following the Army assault course, it's time to get wet. Very, very wet. You will enter the National Watersports Centre (www.nationalsportscentres.co.uk) and proceed to the white-water descent, a series of foaming rapids. This is the Land Rover "Slipper when Wet" challenge. The sight of these might scare you. Not as much as jumping into them, though. You will be given a buoyancy aid and off you go. NOTE: This obstacle is subject to change if the water quality is judged to be poor or if the level is too high. Your alternative is sure to be just as wet though!

From here you will find yourself perching with many others on the Land Rover Postman's Walk. Keep it steady; if you fall off it's time for another dunking! You're half way round now and it's time to turn around, towards the city.

Out of the Watersports centre now and back onto minor roads that bring you back into the city. Next stop will be the Roadworks slalom. Our team of engineers and tradesmen will be on hand to coax you through the roadworks; don't be caught out by the traffic lights and make sure you are focused on finding your way through the Herras fence maze.

You'll then come out into the open expands of parkland again and find yourselves at the "Kings of Dogtown." For those of you who have seen the cult film which has inspired our obstacles, don't worry - you won't be skateboarding empty swimming pools. You WILL be negotiating an urban streetscene over parked cars, under urban street furniture and maybe even coming head to head with the street artists, BMXers and skaters of the area too.

Having re-claimed the streets, it's down to Notts Forest for the For Goodness Shakes stadium climb. Notts Forest is not the highest stadium in the land, but it DOES have a huge amount of steps. Enjoy the peacefulness of the place and imagine the roar of the terraces as you literally roar over the terraces!

Now you are homeward bound and you proceed back over the river on the route you left on; the final 2 obstacles await you in the event village itself. Having exerted yourself physically all the way here, you will now have to focus mentally on the penultimate obstacle; Under Armour's "Little John." This is Nottingham after all and although the Sheriff has outlawed it, we will be bringing the archers of Sherwood Forest within the City Walls once more. You must hit the target before moving on. Once you have done, you're on a glory lap of the field until you see quite possibly the most intimidating obstacle of the lot; the Men's Health Wall. This is where it all comes to a head; 10km of hard fought terrain, 9 obstacles and 1 to go. It's big, you are tired but the crowd are spurring you on. Conquer the wall and cross the line. You have done it.

Congratulations - you have crossed the line and have completed the inaugural Men's Health Survival of the Fittest.

You will be able to trace your progress through the course by KM markers positioned every kilometre. Prior to approaching each obstacle, you will also see motorway-style approach markers warning you of 300, 200 and 100 metre distances to the obstacles. Don't be surprised if there are a few "mini" obstacles thrown in along the route, out-with the main stations, to keep you on your toes. These are little stocking-fillers for you.

To re-cap on the current obstacles then:

1. Farmer Giles
2. PK
3. You're in the Army Now
4. Land Rover Slippery when Wet
5. Land Rover Walk the Walk
6. Roadworks Slalom
7. Kings of Dog town
8. For Goodness Shakes Roar of the Terraces
9. Little John
10. The Men's Health Wall

Administration information for those who have entered

If you have entered the event, you will have received a confirmation email. This is your confirmation that your place is safe. You will then receive an event info email 4 weeks prior to the event and another one 1 week prior to the event. Nothing will be sent through the post. The race will be electronically timed and you will be issued your timing chip, together with your race goody bag and official race technical Under Armour shirt at Registration on the day. You will state your shirt size at that time. All starting times will be posted to this website 2 weeks prior to the event.

The above info is designed as an overview of the route and the obstacles. There is more information contained within the September issue (and subsequent issues) of MH, on sale the 4th of every month. There are also training notes given on the Training page of this site. For general enquiries, the race organisers are happy to help at info@allinthedetail.com and on 0845 009 4365. Please note the obstacles and route are subject to change.

Training

The page of this website entitled Training will release full training tips per obstacle each week preceding the event. Click here to go there. MH September issue (on sale since August 4th) also contains the definitive MH Survival training plan.

Join us in Nottingham this October 11th. Only the Fittest will Survive.

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