Rampage – What to wear and what do I bring?

So you’ve bit the bullet and signed up for this year’s Rampage Weekender event. With the thought of a gruelling 5K or 10K obstacle mud run looming, you’ll want to be as prepared as possible. If this is your first mud run type event and you’re thinking ‘what do I wear?’ or ‘what should I bring?’ or even, ‘what have a let myself in for?’, then this handy guide will help ease the stress of how to prepare and let you get on with your training. Even if it’s not your first and you’re a seasoned pro, you might pick up a few tips below you hadn’t thought of before.

Trail running or running shoes

Obviously Trail Running Shoes are the ultimate choice, as they are designed for this type of event, where you’ll face different landscapes, as well as water and heaps of fresh mud. They’re built with stability and comfort in mind when dealing with hills, rivers, ravines and other tricky terrains. They will let your feet breathe and stay cool and will usually be quicker to dry and let out water more efficiently than normal shoes or trainers. They will also have superior traction and grip than most other trainers and will cushion the uneven ground better than other footwear.

However, if you don’t have a pair and don’t want to neglect your beloved and trusty running trainers, then dust off the old favourites and bust them out on the course. Running shoes will also keep your feet well ventilated, allow water to drain out quickly and can usually handle most terrains.

We’re not gonna lie… your trainers will take a battering. We wouldn’t recommend bringing any footwear that you are attached too. They will get covered in mud and will not finish the course in the same condition they started. In saying this, most trainers will be able to be washed and a good pair will persist through a number of these events.

Finally, we recommend tying the laces firmly. They will have to resist the pulling force of thick mud in some areas and will need to be tightly secured, although not too tight that they’re uncomfortable….obviously.

Sports Clothing

The right clothing will make the whole experience that little bit easier. We recommend substance over style on this occasion. While we don’t necessarily favour any particular clothing choices, we would mention the following:

• Tighter fitted clothing – loose clothing will weigh you down and hold more mud and water and will generally be a bit more annoying when cold and wet.
• Fast drying active wear – now is the time to break out your Clima Cools and Dri Fits. Tops and bottoms with quick drying technology will be beneficial in that it will provide greater ventilation and also will dry quicker, so you won’t be weighed down.
• Clothing which let’s you move – your complete range of motion will be tested on the course, so we recommend wearing active wear clothing which will let you be as flexible as you need to be.
• Socks – the optimal choice would be socks designed with some sort of quick-drying technology. If you don’t have these, then most sports socks will do the trick. Your feet will be pretty important during the course, so we recommend taking good care of them and showing them some love!
• Gloves – not a necessity, however could give you that extra bit of support or grip on some of the tougher obstacles. Again, hard wearing and breathable gloves like cycling or weight lifting gloves may be the best option.

Accessories

• Sports watches and timers – if you want to accurately record your time we recommend a durable sports watch or device like a FitBit or other exercise monitoring device. Make sure they’re waterproof and can take a bit of wear and tear.
• Headbands – good for keeping the sweat, mud and tears out of your eyes. For return runners, we hope to see the Rampage headbands from last year proudly on show!
• Goggles – again not necessary although could help in the water obstacles and Slip N Slide.
• Armbands – not at all necessary, but it’d give us a laugh!

Notable mentions

Maybe your made of stronger stuff and don’t want to look like Mo Farah stepping onto the starting line. For those mavericks who defy normal social conventions, we encourage you to get as creative as you like in choosing your race day attire. If tackling the course dressed as a Giant Hotdog, the Milky Bar Kid or Elton John is your thing, more power to you!

Once the Rampage Course has been conquered, the post-race endorphins and adrenaline buzz will only keep you warm for so long. We recommend bringing the following:

• Warm jacket or coat – an old and warm jacket, fleece or coat that you don’t mind getting dirty and you can pull on straight after the race is useful to help bring your body temperature back up. Rampage is held in April in the unpredictable Northern Ireland climate… be prepared.
• Towel – hot showers will be available for everyone at this year’s Rampage. Bring a towel to dry yourself off after your comforting shower. We have installed a brand new shower facility this year so we can offer even more showers. This will decrease waiting times, however please bear in mind there may be short queues for the showers, hence why we suggest bringing a jacket also to keep you warm while you wait.
• Change of clothes – self-explanatory really. No one wants to go home or sleep in a tent in a set of muddy and wet clothes.
• Toiletries – shower gels and shampoos will help get the dirt and mud out of every nook and cranny and deodorants will have you back being so fresh and so clean in no time.
• Post workout supplements – you will be served some well-deserved tasty hot food after the run, however if you have your own preferred supplements or food to replenish energy stores, body salts or boost protein for quicker muscle recovery, remember to bring them with you.
• Extra cash – we will have T-shirts available to buy on the day. You will also need a couple of £1 coins for the bag drop area, should you wish for us to look after your belongings while you’re on the course. There will also be a fully stocked bar at the after party, so you’ll need some extra cash for that, as well as the BBQ Hut.

For those who are staying on and partying the night away with some live music and themed ‘Jungle Fever’ After Party, we have a few suggestions:

• Tent – from the big to the small, it doesn’t really matter what tent you bring, but something easy to assemble would be the obvious choice.
• Airbeds/sleeping mats – the camp site is located on a lush and soft grassy area, however after the race your muscles may be sore and to get through the night contentedly an extra comfort would be an airbed or sleeping mat. You’ll thank us for that one!
• Sleeping bag – an obvious one, however essential to keep you warm as the temperature drops in the evening.
• Camping chairs – if you’re finished the race early and want to gather in the camp site with your friends and fellow Rampagers to reminisce over the course and get to the bottom of exactly who was the best, a few chairs might help during the debate!
• Disposable BBQs – we are permitting disposable BBQs in the campsite this year, however we remind you to be respectful, safe and sensible when using them. Don’t light them close to tents or anything flammable and always keep an eye on them when lit. Alternatively, forget about them and get some Hot Food from the onsite BBQ Hut which will be serving hot food right into the night.
• Other camping accessories – whatever other accessories it takes to make your camping experience the best possible.

The theme for this year’s Rampage After Party is ‘Jungle Fever’. We will leave the finer details up to you as to what exactly this entails. We expect to see some animal print, maybe some leaves or greenery or even the odd Gorilla or Lion….who knows. We can’t wait to see some of the creative ideas you Rampagers dream up.

It is not required that you wear fancy dress, but we reckon it gives the party a fun and entertaining vibe!