“this event is the most dangerous taste of physical and mental endurance pain in the world, I’ve endured three months of hard training to prepare for these sub-zero conditions and breaking through ice made this years event feel extra-tough, but despite the cold and pain, I fully intend on competing and fund-raising for next years event!”

Through fund-raising and donations, I’ve raised £600 which will be split between ToughGuys’ Horse Sanctuary, Prospect Hospice and Naomi House Charities.

Thank you to everyone for helping with my Training and Sponsorship – already looking forward to next years event!

Darren

Notes & Further Information

ToughGuy, organised by Billy Wilson (aka Mr. Mouse) was first staged in 1986 and held on a 600 acre farm in Perton, Staffordshire and raises close to £200,000 for charity per event.

It is by far the most original and toughest test of its kind anywhere in the World. Run on the last Sunday in January, you will need every last ounce of mental and physical strength you can muster to rise to this challenge. Your fear of heights, tight spaces, fire, water and electricity will be tested to the max. Everyone bar the very toughest will be beaten!

For more information please visit www.toughguy.co.uk

Networking Fundamentals Ltd is an independent company supplying outsourced IT support and services to SME’s across Wiltshire and Hampshire. For more information please visit www.nefu.co.uk or call 01264 721680

Darren’s online website is www.crannis.co.uk raising £340 online with a further £300 offline in private and business donations

50% to The Horse Sanctuary (Tettenhall) – Registered charity no. 1102444 – www.toughguy.co.uk

25% to The Prospect Hospice (Swindon) – Registered charity no. 1494909 – www.prospect-hospice.net

25% to Naomi House (Hampshire) – Registered charity no. 100283 – www.naomihouse.org.uk

OK, not quite national television, but clearly visible training hard for this years forthcoming Toughguy challenge at the end of January.

See the gruelling pain I put myself through at my bi-weekly Body Attack class in this SwindonWeb Video

Remember – there is still time to sponsor me – it all goes to charity!

More about Body Attack: BODYATTACK™ is the sports-inspired cardio workout for building strength and stamina. This high-energy interval training class combines athletic aerobic movements with strength and stabilization exercises. Dynamic instructors and powerful music motivate everyone towards their fitness goals – from the weekend athlete to the hard-core competitor!

Body attack runs at the Swindon Link Centre on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, for more details click here.

On the 31st of January 2010 I will again embark the ToughGuy challenge – a punishing 8 mile mix of cross-country, water course and SAS designed assault obstacles designed to physically and mentally exhaust you.

“This event requires you to sign a DEATH warrant”

Having completed this for the first time last year in temperatures of -5 and finishing 1,139th out of 3,500 runners in a time of just over two hours, I have been training furiously over the past 3 months and my aim this year is to finish even higher up the field with a sub 2 hour time.

This year as well as setting myself a new personal best challenge, I would also like to raise sponsorship in the process.

50% of money raised automatically goes to the Horse Sanctuary, who rescue and look after retired horses and donkeys, it is also their land we are taking-over for the event and so seems fair we give something back.

The remaining 50% I have decided to split equally between The Prospect Hospice who bringing dedicated end of life care to the people of its community in Swindon, and Naomi House, who provides support to children, with life-limiting conditions, and their families from across the Wessex Region.

If you would like to sponsor my attempt, please visit the on-line link below:

http://www.crannis.co.uk

or if that link is broken please go direct to:

https://www.charitygiver.com/index.php/charity/darren-crannis-toughguy

I cannot stress enough, please note the word ‘attempt’, as ever with this event I cannot guarantee that I will actually be able to complete the course as its very tough, but in the spirit of fund-raising I will take you hard-earned money anyway!

If anyone does fancy helping my training, I intend to run the Stockbridge 8 mile on Sunday 17th January 2010.

Update 18/01/2010 – I successfully completed the Stockbridge 8-mile x-country event in 64 minutes

I will of course update you on my progress once I’ve recovered from the event in the first week of February.

More information about the event and chosen charities can be found on their respected websites listed below

www.toughguy.co.uk
www.prospect-hospice.net
www.naomihouse.org.uk

Thank you for your support,

Darren

The month of November has been interesting – I’m actually finding training harder as my body and mind know what to expect, so as I run I’m visualising the course from memory.

I’ve continued with Body Attack, plus I ensure that each week I complete at least a 4 mile run, this weekend I ran inside on the treadmill for the first time in about 3 years and completed 5.6 miles and then went on the stepper to simulate hill-running (there are 12 of them in a row on the course), plus I went out with a fellow Toughguy on Sunday for a x-country run of 7.25 miles across the Wiltshire/Berkshire border – so my legs now feel like jelly!

So onto December, and as any athlete knows, training will be disturbed by the Christmas festivities, so I’m having to re-arrange my training a little, but Santa has come early in the form of a new pair of x-trainers (wore through the last pair) and some new training vests to keep me going (and warm) over the winter months.

I’ll update my progress in a few week!

Darren

As some of you may know, I usually spend twice a week down at the local gym exercising to the Les Mills Body Attack class for general fitness, but now the hard work starts!

Over the course of the next 3 months I’ll need to continue general fitness work plus add:

1. Mileage – both on and off road, dry and wet – up to 8 miles
2. Swimming – I underestimated how much time was spent in the water last time!
3. Cold weather (lots of nice ice-baths!)
4. Power – a bit of weight training to help with the SAS assault course!
5. Increase PAIN threshold

I’ve started on a couple of 4-5 mile runs already, mixed results as I’m just not built to run any distance over 400m – and even that was a struggle in my 400m Hurdle days!

After my successful year last year, I’ve decided that I would set a few of goals, first is to raise money, this year as well as raising for the nominate Toughguy charities, I’ll also be joint fund raising for the Prospect Hospice (Wiltshire) and Naomi House (Hampshire) one to finish in the top 300 and with a time of less than two hours (I’m trying for 1.5 hours, but recent training would show that this may be a little far-fetched!).

To help launch my sponsorship, North Hampshire Chamber of Commerce & Industry (NHCCI) have written a small piece in their great monthly newsletter (page 13), feel free to have a look, its a good read and I’m very grateful to the team for getting the sponsorship ball started.

After two weeks of training my legs already feel dead, so I’ll update you on my progress leading up to and at the event.

Darren

After recovering, you will be pleased to hear that I have already entered the January 2010 event, where as an official “Toughguy” I can now start in the first 1/3, so depending on training and preparation I hope for a top 200 finish.

This event is not for the faint hearted – it’s very tough, the course is designed by former SAS members, if you think you up for the challenge, then visit the Toughguy website and enter!