Banna Beast Challenge 2016

Saturday morning arrived and having slept in I headed with out too much delay back to North Kerry. Susan and my parents came to lead the support crew and to enjoy the sea air. As we drove towards Banna, I could see a scrap of blue amid the grey sky. Arriving at the registration hotel,  I was all set for the adventure ahead.. Meeting up with Bernie, Michelle and Siobhan I had a much needed coffee, we put on our warpaint and headed towards the beach..

It was about a 10/15 minute walk down to the beach. As we arrived at the beach the second wave was heading out, we watched them warming up as the rain..

Some of us braved the elements, some of us didn't no names mentioned.. 

We were in the next wave so we headed to the holding pen. It was cold and damp by this time. I met Cyril from CrossfitKillarney, I was hoping my crossfit would help with the obstacles and I it did.  Someone shouted out various exercises in a warm up which included push ups in the wet sand, fun. They 1,2,3 and we were away, over the hay bales and a run across the sand to the first obstacle troughs and peaks. Our hands were fairly cold at this stage..

Next we headed up into the dunes, over a hay bale, under some netting  and then we hit our first set of monkey bars. They were wet and it was impossible to hang on.. Next up was an obstacle called the 'hangover cure' were you had to hang on with your arms while going from one step to another. Done! Next up was the bouncing castle which was fun in itself. We headed into the dunes under the nets one after each other like a well rehearsed troop. We then met our first fence and with a leg up I was over. After a bit of  run we had to climb up over scaffolding covered in netting, I was a bit shaky about this one as I am not great with heights. But through the encouragement and direction of the other girls I got it done. That was a real buzz,  a fear conquered and deserved a group hug, which it got. Over some tyres, through some tyres and then onto the beach again

Then there were more round bales to go over. I pulled myself over without to much bother. We then had a run a long the beach which is an obstacle in itself. Running on the beach really works the legs. At the half way mark, we headed into the dunes once more. The fun part of doing a course like this is that its not a race, there's no clock so you can slow down when you need or you take a moment to take in the fabulous view.

I am trying to remember the obstacles and the order they came in, I think generally I have them covered.
Next up was the marshy watery part of the course. Which wasn't bad until we had to wade into dark black rank smelling water, to get on to the next obstacle which was to hang upside down on more bars.. I went along the side hanging on the bars upright.

My smile says how much fun we were having..

Climbing over the plastic tubing,  we then had to run in wet squelchy runners. Ughhh..  Even at that I was really enjoying the experience. We then ran on for a while, before long I could see Susan in the distance so I knew we were nearly back at the beach.

Next up were the Monkey bars moving across them offered much laughter

Hanging round

We then had to on up a sand dune, down the sand dune, through the tyre pit and up the highest sand dune..a great workout for the quads and gluteous maximus.

Then down onto the beach, through the plastic tubing. WHAT!!!  I bent down, started and said no no not for me but the girls urged me to give it another go, which I did and as I crawled through the reasonably short tube, I heard everyone urging me forward. Done! There was only one or two more obstacles left, down on my belly I had to crawl through puddles under logs and then more running/walking along the beach. Next up over a fence

Climbing these fences etc.. may not seem too tough to some but I a year ago I wouldn't have enough upper body strength to carry me over. And then through some more tyres,

and then the final obstacle the 'Half pipes from Hell'. After an an attempt or two in some cases, Bernie was first to make it up, then Michelle, then Siobhan and then I nearly made it up.
I was there I left go and down onto my foot. I got up though and after a few minutes thought I was OK. I was disappointed, it was the only obstacle I hadn't completed I wanted to try again only my support crew wouldn't let me.

All blinged up..

To reflect on the Banna Beast Challenge it really was great fun, you need a group that you can be silly with and have a laugh with me. I will definitely sign up again for next year. And I will conquer the 'half pipes of hell'.

High on adrenaline ...

On a side note my little mishap at the end resulted in a Saturday evening spent in the A&E. A suspected fracture which turned out to be damaged ligaments means I'm out of action for a week or two. I am now sporting  a very fashionable black boot..