Gill Watson

How do you fare this to your Adventure Racing?

This is a different kettle of fish altogether - a different kind of fitness, the intensity of it in such a short period of time is the major difference and really hard to cope with.

What would you say to those on the Adventure Racing Circuit about X Training?

Have a go out at it. It's really good for training and improving your fitness, especially if you haven't got much time to train - just throw one of these in and you will really notice the difference.

What about your gym - Virgin Active in Derby. Do they do any gym challenges there ?

The occasional challenge now and again but nothing serious. I have been telling them about this for ages. And as I am a personal trainer there I have given today's challenge to some to try. I have tried to push it as I think its very valuable and a great way to train. It would be nice to see something going on at our place.

As a personal trainer how do you see the benefits of this for your clients?

It's really good for the time limitation training. If you haven't got a lot of time to train this is ideal. The intensity really gives you a good work out. It's very rewarding as well as you get see yourself getting fitter.

Are you following the trend of intensity, mixing weights and cardio together rather then duration for training?

Definitely , I am a firm believer in quality not quantity. I have seen people train for seven hours a day, there's no need when you can do something, that is quality training and packed into an hour, your fitness soon soars and if you are a runner, or a cyclist you will very quickly feel the benefits of X Training.

What were your views on today?

Well, to everyone that was here - well done. They have traveled a long way in some cases and given it a try - well done to everyone really, especially the first timers, just seeing what it's like, there is pain and suffering, but to get results it's not easy and it goes with the territory, you put in what you get out. It's an amazing feeling crossing that finish line,

Popping back a few years, you won SAS Are You Tough Enough (Jungle Version) give us a a few memories of that.

Just the hardness of it and the suffering we went through. cos it's TV people may have not believed how hard it was, but I can tell you it was very very hard. Ad that's what I remember most about it. In fact Eddie Stone who was SAS Are You Tough Enough added me on Facebook and he still won't talk even on there ! He hasn't changed (laughs) I lost a lot of weight on that show and it was amazing that a female won it and it proves that women and endurance and strength can sometimes overcome what the males have to do.

Are you still in contact with anybody from the show?

Oh yeah, my good friend Suzy , who is a female scrum half for England and a lot of the lads on the Adventure Racing circuit quite a lot. So yeah, we are all still contact.

Steve Dowse

What are your views on today?

As always a good competition, well run. Good judging and a tough course. Some really good close races too, like Jamie Spencer any myself, Simon Bellinger and Craig Horsfield and Richard and Kirk - that was amazing. So some good well matched races and well dome to the organisers. I have really enjoyed it.

How about your race? describe that.

Well I felt a bit tired during it (laughs) I had  dreadful treadmill. The plan - well actually, it didn't go to plan ! I started off slower then i should have and I started to walk because I saw Jamie walking. But apart from that I got a pb and got under 21 minutes for the first time and Im pleased with that.

How about Becky - your fiancee?

Yeah, she did brilliant, she was aiming for a top three finish and raced really well and got the fastest female intermediate on the day. She has dipped in and out of X Training and recently did a marathon, but got a couple of injuries from that, and X Training seems to work better for her, with less injuries. Beck trained really hard for this and to get her first place I am really chuffed for her.

How about the Fitness Challenge in Club Le Santa in Lanzerote. You have set a record out there?

It's similar to the old Ultrafit X Training Challenge, there's a few differences because of equipment that they haven't got over there. Basically there is three levels to it, Green Blue and Red. lee Rankin had the record since 2004 and once you have taken the challenge on you get a diploma, so its quite popular. I did it a few years ago and I was way off it - by at least one and half minutes and thought I am never gonna beat this , I mean this is Lee Rankin we are talking about a X Training legend and in 2004 he was good and in his prime at X Training. So last week when I was there I thought I would give the blue one a go, as I was close to beating the blue time last year. I have picked up my training since Luton in May so I was in pretty good shape - did the blue one and beat that by almost a minute and thought Id give the red one a go too, so I did it the next day. The run on the red course is 10% for 800 m and I managed to run at 13 kph, which for me is really good. So I was chuffed when I found out that I beat the old course record by 59 seconds. The old record stood at 14:58 and its now 13:59. Just amazed to get a sub 14 minute time in and for a record to stand so long it was good for me especially as a lot of top athletes try it at all different sports and abilities. Andy Ashurst another X Trainer came close recently , so I'm just pleased I managed to do it.

So we can see Steve Dowse firmly back in the X Training scene?

Yeah, definitely - had a good race at Luton. Looking forward to the next one which Becky will take part in too ....

Becky ... How did you enjoy today ?

I was extremely pleased. Been out of X Training for almost a year now and to come back and get a win absolutely fantastic.

Did Steve help with your training and tell me about his web site?

Yeah, he pushes me and motivates me and his web site definitions 4 fitness.com is out there for those that are looking for a lifestyle change that incorporates not only fitness but also so much more.

Ben Stroud

Give me the thoughts of the course and how you dealt with it?

It went exactly how I wanted it to go, I wanted to get the shoulders out in two with a minimal rest, that was where I knew I would make up time - the row was a bit hard! My heart rate was high... my heart rate was really high on the run, but I was quite pleased as i’m not hundred percent.

When you was looking at your heart rate what sort of figures were you getting?

At the end there on the sprint over 180 that is really high for me, I'm not normally that high and I was pleased how much I pushed myself.

You have come into this with a few injuries, was that scaring you before you went ahead?

I am always worried, especially after Alex putting in a really good time before in Luton and knowing the way Kirk and Richard were performing - what an awesome runner's Richard and Alex are. I knew Alex might be able to get about a minute out of that so I knew I had to really go for it in the first bit and hold back on the last bit.

This is your first event in how long?

About a year , I did Gorton last year.

Do you think sub 17 is possible?

Definitely if I could run like I did, the speed that I was running last year, without a doubt I would of been able to push a bit harder at the beginning and held on harder at the run at the end, definitely sub 17 .

It will be slightly controversial, because they are going to take the upright rows out, so what ever comes in place of that will set a new course, how do you feel about that?

What ever comes in place will be easier, because nothing quite takes it out of your shoulders like an upright row, so whatever it is I have no doubt the time will come down.

As chairman of Facebook Group X Training Association how do you see that going at the moment?

I think it is serving the function of proving a forum so people can chat, talk and air their views honestly and how they feel, which is great, from that side of it. I think its great and if we get people come to us with a problem or they don’t like a particular exercise or they feel they were judged  very harshly then we can go and speak to the organisers on their behalf for them, so from that side of it its very good.

Does it take up much of your time?

It takes up a lot of my free time in the evenings, which I should be dedicating to other things, I also get up early and get on the computer to check for things before I leave for work.

Kelly Friel

How did you enjoy today?

Loved the race today. There was a bit of pre race banter on the web site which added slightly to the tension, but great race.

You have developed very quickly - Is this down to you? Or is there a personal trainer you use?

Mainly down to me. I train by myself at the Hampshire (Sport) or occasionally with Simon, and a few tips from Ty Whitlock (organiser of the Xmas Cracker) and Stuart Leng, but mainly down to hard work by ourselves. We don't have anyone who physically trains us.

This is quite interesting because you are achieving great results, without using a personal trainer.

There is a personal trainer at our gym who teaches X Training, but we don't use him.

What's on the horizon?

We are doing the summer tough guy next month, so that will be interesting, new for me, but Simon has done it twice before, and then obviously we will see what XT Events there are after that.

Jill Bellingham

Tell me about your involvement in sport and fitness.

For the past 25 years I have been teaching pop mobility. I have my own Company, Exercise Express, which incorporates dance into stretching and aerobics. In Medway where I teach, I have had more or less the same instructors with me throughout that time and many of my clients are also still with me. It's been lovely and we have a really close friendship - where I like to think because of the time scale of things, I'm not just there as an instructor but also as a friend and when we are in class, the reaction and results I get from those who attend is magical. I love what I do and I am inspired by what I see at class and what I see in X Training, it has taught me a lot about myself.

What's the largest class you have taught.

The Black lion leisure in Kent centre had over 250 members in one class.

What have you enjoyed about today?

Some of the close races have been amazing. Richard Vint and Kirk was incredible. I couldn't take my eyes off Richard ! He was catching all the way, but Kirk held on , it was amazing! I am getting to see some of the fittest people in the UK and for someone who knew little about the sport only a year ago, I am warming to it very quickly and meeting the people who do it and chatting to gym athletes, the wives, girlfriends and supporters is something I like about these events , I'm a very sociable person.