The annual Tough Guy race is coming up shortly and it gets ever more popular, despite being one of the hardest, wettest and dirtiest races on the calendar. It's a race that makes it to the top of many racers 'To-Do' list and where success earns major bragging rights!

It's a unique race, making it difficult to prepare for. So for those first timers (or past racers with selective memory or cold-induced amnesia), here are some tips to help you along the way to receiving that big, brass Tough Guy finishers medal.

Read the Tough Guy Website
The race has it's own very unique ethos, an uncompromising attitude to keeping everyone in order and it's own vocabulary created by race organiser Billy Wilson (aka Mr. Mouse).

All this is reflected on the website and it can take a bit of getting used to. However, it is very comprehensive, reflecting years of organising experience, and is full of sound advice and has all the instructions you will need.

It's important to work your way through it and to take heed of all race-day instructions.

In places you'll have to work out for yourself how seriously to take things. Their training guide is a good example … it suggests curling yourself up in wheelie bin to practice for claustrophobia in the tunnels, and crawling through nettles to toughen yourself up!

The essential reads are the last minute instructions and the course details which illustrate each obstacle in turn and offer some tips on how to best approach them.

Get Organised
Tough Guy is a huge event and with thousands of people descending on some fields in the West Midlands countryside you can expect it to be busy.

- Get there early. Despite the best efforts of the TG staff there will still be queues to park, register, start – pretty much for everything! Allow yourself enough time.
- Plan ahead. Note where your car is parked as you may be tired and flustered by the finish! Have a meeting place/time arranged if you are with a group of friends or club.

- Bring a supporter. The race is a great day for supporters of those running and having a non-competing friend to keep your kit bag and car keys, help out at the finish and cheer you on is a real bonus.