This coming weekend I will be participating in my second Tough Mudder. I am going up to Mt. Snow in Vermont to run it. The exciting aspects of this year's event include the fact that I know what I am getting into, so my training has been better targeted, and I am doing it with a team rather than by myself. Both of these are key to me actually deciding to run it again.
Tough Mudder is a 10-12 mile obstacle course. There are a bunch of locations worldwide which sponsor these runs. I, of course, would rather stay in New England, so I have limited options. Like last year, my Mudder event is at a ski resort. Last year I was at Gunstock. This year Mt. Snow. We will be going up and down ski slopes for the majority of the event. It will be painful. The obstacles will be fun diversions from the pain. there will be lots of mud. What's not to love?
Last year, I signed up to run it with a friend from Norton High School. I did not know what I was getting into, but it seemed like a good idea. Halfway into training, my friend dropped out, so I was forced to train and run the event by myself. I can unequivocally state that doing a Tough Mudder by one's self is torture. But, I learned a lot about my own limits. I was able to move at my own pace. I was forced out of my comfort zone to ask others for help. And, I finished.
This year, I am running with family and friends. I have been using the Mudder as a fitness goal, and I do feel in better overall health. My siblings have also been using the event as an excuse to get into better shape. We also have found that having this has given us excuse to be in more regular contact with each other, and that has been nice, especially sending out weekly scary emails to them about what awaits them on the course.
I especially like the basic values of TM as are stated in a vow before every race:
I understand that Tough Mudder is not a race but a challenge.
I put teamwork and camaraderie before my course time.
I do not whine – kids whine.
I help my fellow mudders complete the course.
I overcome all fears
That pretty much sums it up. It's is not about the race. It is about the event.
Tough Mudder is a 10-12 mile obstacle course. There are a bunch of locations worldwide which sponsor these runs. I, of course, would rather stay in New England, so I have limited options. Like last year, my Mudder event is at a ski resort. Last year I was at Gunstock. This year Mt. Snow. We will be going up and down ski slopes for the majority of the event. It will be painful. The obstacles will be fun diversions from the pain. there will be lots of mud. What's not to love?
Last year, I signed up to run it with a friend from Norton High School. I did not know what I was getting into, but it seemed like a good idea. Halfway into training, my friend dropped out, so I was forced to train and run the event by myself. I can unequivocally state that doing a Tough Mudder by one's self is torture. But, I learned a lot about my own limits. I was able to move at my own pace. I was forced out of my comfort zone to ask others for help. And, I finished.
This year, I am running with family and friends. I have been using the Mudder as a fitness goal, and I do feel in better overall health. My siblings have also been using the event as an excuse to get into better shape. We also have found that having this has given us excuse to be in more regular contact with each other, and that has been nice, especially sending out weekly scary emails to them about what awaits them on the course.
I especially like the basic values of TM as are stated in a vow before every race:
I understand that Tough Mudder is not a race but a challenge.
I put teamwork and camaraderie before my course time.
I do not whine – kids whine.
I help my fellow mudders complete the course.
I overcome all fears
That pretty much sums it up. It's is not about the race. It is about the event.
We completed the course successfully on Saturday. My sister Kate is one of my new heroes. We found out on mile 5, on a downhill, that Kate was limping on all the downhills because of extensive cartilage damage to her knee. The pain was so bad that she had to go down backward the last two slopes on the course.
ReplyDeleteThe course was pretty interesting. Lots of up and downhill. Lots of mud. But, they had a few new obstacles that challenged us. I also got to participate in the Legionnaire's Loop, which is for veteran mudders. The highlight of that was the Fire in Your Hole, which was a trip down a 25 foot slide, through fire, and into a pool of water. Very cool, especially with 16' of air before hitting the water.
I recommend Tough Mudder for anyone looking for a real fitness challenge and a good look at how nice other people can be in a physically taxing environment. Everyone there was open to helping everyone else.