Cheltenham Saracens' players enjoyed a change of scenery during their pre-season training as they prepare to take on a Cheltenham Town XI at Petersfield Park on Tuesday night (7.30pm).

Most of the Hellenic League club's squad completed the Devil Mud Run, which was not only a chance for the players to bond ahead of the new campaign, but it also put their teamwork skills to the test.

The Mud Run is a hardcore, hilly course just outside Winchcombe featuring obstacles designed to challenge both physical and mental strength.

Event organiser Dan Harvey is a former Cheltenham Saracens player.

"We took on various team building and leadership exercises, starting the day with a team log run," Saracens' joint boss Ryan Betteridge said.
"We then tackled sections of the mud run course in the afternoon, which is about 5km of the course including the swamp.

"The highlight was Jamie Martin losing his trainer in one of the water pits and the whole team back in hunting for it!"

Midfielder Luke Finch was one of the players to enjoy the challenge.

"It was an absolutely brilliant day out," he said.

Harvey played for Saracens during the managerial reign of Gerry Oldham, between 2004 and 2011.

"We hold big events three times a year and have just this year started doing team building and leadership days incorporating the course itself as well as putting teams through fitness drills and exercises to bring out he importance of working as a team," Harvey said.

Article by Jon Palmer for Gloucestershire Live