Connah’s Quay endurance racer clocks up triple Spartan success

A truck driver from Connah’s Quay has clocked up a stunning success at tough endurance races to land himself a coveted medal.

Grant Mooney, who works for delivery company Delsol, has leapt over fire pits, launched himself from 30 feet high walls, braved barbed wire and electric shocks, run with heavy sand bags and tackled muddy obstacle courses to gain the Spartan Trifecta medal.

The honour, made from three interlocking pieces, is awarded to athletes who complete the triple Spartan challenge. Across three races in a year, they put their mental and physical strength to the test by running a total of 38 kilometres at three different locations and overcoming more than 65 obstacles.

DELSOL…… Pictured is Delsol HGV driver Grant Mooney who has raised hundreds of pounds for charity with his Ironman challenges.

Grant, who lives in Dodds Drive, has also taken part in five Tough Mudder challenges around the UK, which helps raise funds for Help for Heroes.

Now the 34-year-old’s gearing himself up to take part in more endurance challenges in 2017 – and a possible place at the World Tough Mudder event in Arizona.

“I just love doing the training and the races – the tougher the better,” said Grant.

“It takes me about two and a half hours for each race, depending on the different obstacles the organisers have thought up. However, it’s not about winning, for me it’s all about setting yourself the challenge and then doing it. There’s great teamwork as well between everybody who is taking part.

“Every race is across tough terrain and is exhausting, but I love it – it really makes you feel alive. I was very pleased to be awarded the medal as it means I am part of the special worldwide Spartan Trifecta Tribe.

“Now I would like to take part in the World’s Toughest Mudder in Arizona, where you aim to complete as many laps as possible in 24 hours – and each lap can be 10 miles long.”

The Spartan races were launched in America in 2011 and are now sponsored by sportswear firm Reebok, and classed as some of the toughest in the world.

Competitors – dubbed warriors – must overcome obstacles and challenges including spear throwing, monkey nets, tyre pulls, wall or hay bale jumps, barbed wire crawls, carrying 30lb sand bags, jumping over a fire pit and wading through muddy water.