How do you feel about jumping into an artic bath full of freezing water, or pushing your body through an electroshock therapy? Are you tough enough for this event?
This may be the toughest event on the planet..It’s name: Tough Mudder.
It is a hardcore 10-12 mile obstacle courses designed by the British Special Forces to test your all strength, stamina, mental grit and camaraderie. To this day, Mudder has challenged over half a million participants worldwide, while raising mire than $3 million for The Wounded Warrior Project.
Tough Mudder isn’t just a race, but a way of challenging yourself and your team. When you cross that finish line you feel a sense of accomplishment and pride in your team. Yes, it’s rough at times but it’s a great time and you discover a camaraderie with your team as you face some of the hardest obstacles that are being continuously thrown at you.
You might now be wondering how I know what it feels like to run this event, well just this past weekend I tested my ability at the Tough Mudder event in Poconos Pennsylvania. It was definitely more than I expected, don’t get me wrong I knew it was going to be hard and physically tiring, but I didn’t know ho close it would bring my team together. We amped up before the event with loud chants and high spirits, we pushed through the courses no matter how physically hard they got and we never left a man behind. This event truly showed how individuals can work together, and not only your team, but complete strangers.
The feeling of crossing that first obstacle of the 21 ahead of you is exhilarating, but not as much as passing the sign for the 8th mile. Over 600 participants surround you at a time, with more ahead and behind you. What you have to keep reminding yourself is: “it’s not a race, it’s an event that tests you and your strengths in everyway.”
The most rewarding of the whole event is standing at the last obstacle chanting with your team and completing the last obstacle together and crossing that finish line with huge cheers coming from the side. There is no other feeling then complete success and happiness knowing you pushed not only yourself, but also your teams through a physically and emotionally demanding event. But, your body and mind are so proud you don’t even have time to sit still you just continuously jump around in excitement which is exactly what we did for the 2 hours after we completed the course.
I would definitely say I would do this event again, not because of the rush of excitement it gave me, but because of the charity it supports and the bonds you share with your team and strangers around you.
Do you think you can be a tough mudder?
If you think marathon running is boring, because it is. And you want to test your upper strength and not just your running ability, then this event is definitely for you.
If you think marathons are too stressful and serious, because they are. And you want to have fun while you run, and then this event is completely for you. It turns hardcore courses and running into a humorous event that lets you have a great time with your team.
And lastly if you hate individual activities and love the team bond then Tough Mudder is your event. How else could you get through mud, fire, ice-water and 10,000 volts of electricity without your teammates to pick you up when you fall? To get you over 12-foot walls and underground tunnels, your teammates are there every step of the way to make sure you never give up.
If you think you portray these qualities then this event is right for you. And it is not just for men; I was one of the many women there who was showing men off because it’s not all about the muscle and strength but about the endurance and motivation.
Here is Tough Mudder’s Pledge.. If you can follow these rules then sign up!
-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.
I overcame my fears and finished strong. Can you?
Here is the link, check it out!
http://toughmudder.com/events/