Tough Mudder

Last weekend I finished one of the most unique races I've ever done. I was going to say the toughest race I've ever done, but I think the marathon is still winning in that category!

Have you ever heard of Tough Mudder? It's a 10-12 mile race full of obstacles inspired by the British Military special forces. Sounds awesome right?

I drove up to Pennsylvania where the race was with 2 of my coworkers and a long time friend of mine. I was excited about the race but not excited that I was leaving my husband again after a week of being gone and having to get back in the car after doing so much traveling the week before. Thankfully my husband is supportive of me and all of my bucket list races that I want to do this summer!

I was out on the course with my team of 4 for about 3 and 1/2 hours. No shade. Running (sometimes walking) up and down hills for 11 miles. Not to mention going over insane obstacles. We scaled 12-15 foot wooden walls, jumped off a +15 foot wall into freezing water, crawled through a series of tunnels in mud and water, carried large, heavy logs as a team, swung across monkey bars and rings over freezing water (i definitely fell into the water on this one!) and crawled and ran through live wires emitting strong electrical shocks if you hit the wrong one! Does it sound crazy? Why in the world would I do that?! Even as I list it all out it sounds ridiculous! It was hard, no doubt about it. It challenged me mentally (I'm a tiny bit scared of heights, so heights without any safety netting on those walls was definitely a mental struggle!) and physically, but I had a blast. And Tough Mudder emphasizes that this is an event, not a race. Everyone helps everyone. We lifted each other up over the walls and I had people I didn't even know pull me up over the dreaded "Everest" half pipe. Even when I missed it the first time, they stayed and helped until I made it up and over. No one cares about their time, everyone is a team encouraging each other to finish.

But still... why would I do this? I think its because every once in a while its good to face fears, push your body hard and complete things with a team. It builds character. :)

 Unfortunately we didn't get many pictures of us out on the course : / and the ones we did get from the professional photographers weren't worth the money they were asking for them. But here are a few from before and after...

My team. 

Yes. They wrote our numbers on our foreheads and our arms!

After finishing! We got our orange head bands!

The orange head bands are the medals for this race.

They're never sold, only earned by completing this event.

I was pretty pumped after finishing. 

Right at the finish line is the electro shock obstacle. I got zapped right at the end smack dab between my shoulder blades (OUCH!) and as I reacted to the sting of the shock I lost my footing and pretty much fell face first in the mud! What a way to finish the muddiest run ever! I would pay money if I found a picture of that, haha.

Tough Mudder Finishers!

For one final hoorah we all jumped up on the back of this wall for a picture!

There was nothing on the back of this wall to help us, we just jumped up and hung there until the picture was over. We're all smiling but I probably would've fallen off the wall backwards if the guy taking this picture wasn't awesome and snapped it in like 5 seconds.

I was so sore the next day. Not to mentioned scraped and bruised up from the obstacles. But the experience was totally worth it. I know I said it was a "bucket list" race, but I would totally do it again... if the race comes closer to home and requires less traveling that is. ; )

My next "bucket list" race is coming up at the end of June.

Rev3 Triathlon here I come!