the freestyle family

I'm new to this world of OCR (Obstacle Course Racing) completely, having never heard of "Tough Mudder" competitions other than seeing friends on social media crawling on their hands and knees through nets, with massive smiles on their faces. I've never wondered why they do it, how they get started, how they keep motivated and get strong. But with the new obstacle course coming to the farm, I'm having to learn what this is all about. 

Opening in August 2018, the team will be training on authentic terrain, hopefully giving them an edge against the competition. And there's going to be opportunity for others to train here too, we have a small campsite and will be able to offer short stays for training. Mark is raring to go, eager to train the next champions of the Freestyle Family as well as folks like me just out there to better their fitness levels. Are they your tribe? Are they your people? Read on.

To tell you about Team Freestyle, I thought there'd be no better way than for the team to tell you (and me!) themselves.

1. "It never gets boring." Laura Antonacci

"Freestyle has helped me achieve a much higher level of fitness since I joined a year ago and it never gets boring! Every single session is different. Mark supports every individual whatever level they're at. I'm inspired by others in the group which makes me push myself harder especially when I've entered a race. I love the encouragement that others in the group give me." Laura Antonacci.

2. "I have made friends for life." Donna Laidlaw

"I felt stagnated at my old gym and felt I needed a new challenge. I went along to a session with my partner and I became instantly hooked. Everything I thought would be my worst nightmare from spartan burpees, press ups, to trail runs and being chest high in muck ... I absolutely love it. Looking after my mental health is equally important. I remember my boss once asking me how I feel with stress at work. I told her I have a great training facility. I have a great sense of pride because my kids are able to come along to train and have participated in family events that Mark has organised." Donna Laidlaw

3. "Great training methods." Kirsty Marchbanks

"I joined in 2015, Mark is the best coach, he pushes us to our limits, improving our fitness getting us race ready with his great training methods. All the team support each other on their fitness journey which makes it unique and a pleasure to train. I had been doing OCRs for a good few years before joining Freestyle, since joining I feel as fit as I have ever been. I feel privileged to be part of the team." Kirsty Marchbanks

4. "I could hardly walk, now I'm doing OCR races." Laura Hislop

"I had a very bad back I could hardly walk and was off work for months. I started from scratch with my fitness. My partner Kirsty and I started going to Mark's Friday night classes, where he tailored training to suit my back. The strength and conditioning Mark does is spot on, I have went from strength to strength since. I signed up for my first Spartan in 2015 and I have been hooked. Mark is a top coach and I can't wait to see what the future holds for Team Freestyle." Laura Hislop.

5. "I've achieved a weight loss of three stones." Gav Robson

"Mark and Team Freestyle have helped me achieve a weight loss of three stones and got my fitness levels to a stage where I can compete in OCR events. I never thought this would even be possible. Mark is always supporting and encouraging me and the rest of the team." Gav Robson

6. "We support each other over every obstacle." Dianne Murphy

"The Tough Mudder event with Team Freestyle was great fun. We all stuck together through eleven miles of mud and heavy rain but this didn't dampen our spirits. We chatted, laughed, encouraged and supported each other over every obstacle. Everyone had to face their own personal fears of going through small spaces or immersing our whole bodies under iced water. The running was tough the last mile or two as our legs were getting tired and we were still having to put one foot in front of the other through thick goopy mud. But we did it. When teammates achieved the big tricky obstacles you could have heard the roar of delight from us all back in Hawick. There were happy tears. What a fun day and fab team. Its really something special." Dianne Murphy.

7. And a word from the coach ... "No one gets left behind."

"I've been coaching sport and fitness for over twenty years. I started at the bottom, coaching from a garage I built in the back garden, and progressed to where we are today. For me, its about the people. I strive to help them physically and mentally to improve their wellbeing. I know what works and how to get the best out of people. I believe I'm a good motivator and everyone has something to offer. We are more like a family than a team. No one gets left behind." Mark Huggan, coach, trainer, Team Freestyle.

I'm excited about this. Mark has been arriving with van loads of donated wood and other items to build the course. We've started clearing out the sheds to make a space for tables, chairs and a barbecue so this will be another space for the team to share some great memories. A good excuse to get the place looking ship shape!

For more info about Team Freestyle, and please, enquire about signing up to this great team, contact Mark through the Team Freestyle Facebook page click here

And watch this space for updates on the course being built and the big launch date!