Getting Tough
“Probably the toughest event on the Planet. Tough Mudder events are hardcore 10 – 12 mile obstacle courses designed by British Special Forces to test your all around strength, stamina, mental grit, and camaraderie.” I’m at my laptop skimming the first few sentences on the Tough Mudder website. It is a week before the event and after agreeing to take part in what i thought would be a weekend of cross-country running I finally decide to check out what is this thing called “The Tough Mudder” I have been drafted for.
This is not a silly endurance event.
To say that this is an endurance event would not do it justice. In contrast to other events of similar terrain and distance (half a marathon), the emphasis is very much on team work and having fun. At times you will find yourself lending a shoulder to stand on in order to help some one get over the “Berlin Wall” and on occasions you may find yourself being pulled the last meter from under a canopy of electrically charged wires having almost (but not quite) made it through the “electric eel”.
What to expect.
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Over the course of a weekend The Tough Mudder event attracts in the region of 15000 – 20000 participants. After a quick registration the Tough Mudders are herded in waves into a pre race enclosure for a traditional Tough Mudder pledge. They are then let loose on an obstacle course that in my subsequent flashbacks had everyone manically grinning through every swim, climb, haul, leap, dive, sink, crawl, slide, face plant and an occasional convulsion.
It is all about team work and having fun.
The variety and the number of obstacles add to the demanding nature of the run itself. From swimming under the barbwire through an ice cold “Arctic Enema” to walking a narrow plank over 10 metres worth of murky river below, from running through the woods with a log across your shoulders
to running up a muddy half pipe with a last second leap for the edge to get on top of of the “Everest”.
It is challenging but one of the most enjoyable and rewarding fitness days I can recommend. Walk if you want to or run all the way to the finish (we run for a time of 1hr 55min), the objective is to make it to the end and have fun.
After the final dash through the finishing line you will be rewarded with the legendary Tough Mudder head-band, a T-shirt and a complementary beer.
Tough Mudder events take take place UK and worldwide through out the year. If you are interested in joining the Epoch Fitness team send us an email or simply look out for our team (Epoch Fitness) when doing the registration. See you at the London South event on the 27th of September 2015 or go to www.toughmudder.com/events for your nearest.
With Healthy Wishes,
Dmitri Tkatchev