tough mudder question

Options
caitlinrn83
caitlinrn83 Posts: 178 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am registered for the TM in NOLA in March. I started running about 8 weeks ago and am currently consistently running about 2.5-3 miles 3x/week, and I just (as in this week) started incorporating Les Mills BodyPump classes 2x/week (LOVED it). I am a complete novice to both--my upper body strength is pretty much zero at this point.
For those of you who have done a TM or other OCR, is this going to be sufficient, with plans to increase my mileage each week and continue to the BP classes, to complete the race? Or do I need to focus my non-running days on something else?
«13

Replies

  • kota4bye
    kota4bye Posts: 809 Member
    Options
    I would increase your running up to at least being able to run a 10k comfortably. You'll definitely need upper body strength, body pump will help, but I'd add push ups/burpees/pull ups to your training as well. Also, grip strength. Do farmer's carries and just practice hanging from a pull up/monkey bar.

    See you there!!
  • spartan_d
    spartan_d Posts: 727 Member
    Options
    Not enough running. TM recommends being able to do at least six miles continuously. Personally, I recommend eight.
  • caitlinrn83
    caitlinrn83 Posts: 178 Member
    Options
    caitlinrn83 wrote: »
    with plans to increase my mileage each week
    I realize that I have to increase my mileage-I started running the end of March, and have worked up to a 5k so far and am working toward being able to complete a half in January.

    Thanks for the feedback! I'm completely out of my comfort zone here, so I'm thankful for the responses!


  • caitlinrn83
    caitlinrn83 Posts: 178 Member
    Options
    Sorry. I sounded kind of snarky. Didn't mean to!
  • spartan_d
    spartan_d Posts: 727 Member
    Options
    Not snarky at all.
  • Escloflowne
    Escloflowne Posts: 2,038 Member
    Options
    Depends what you want to accomplish in this TM, Tough Mudder is just a fun OCR, I don't find them hard, there are no time chips and no penalties for skipping or failing obstacles.

    Just keep up the good work, enjoy the tough mudder and if you want to test yourself on an OCR course, do a Spartan Beast or something, it's much more competitive
  • caitlinrn83
    caitlinrn83 Posts: 178 Member
    Options
    Escloflowne wrote: »
    Depends what you want to accomplish in this TM

    In the future, I may look to something like the spartan, but this time around, it is simply about having fun and crossing the finish line :smile:

  • Ngegee
    Ngegee Posts: 35 Member
    Options
    Don't be put off by the "not enough" comments. Sure, it would be good to get lots of training and miles in but these obstacle events don't have to be raced round, just finishing is a great feeling. Just go and enjoy yourself, it's even better with a few friends
  • oh_happy_day
    oh_happy_day Posts: 1,138 Member
    Options
    TM is a fun OCR, there's no penalty for missing an obstacle and people help each other out. You could literally just walk the course and skip obstacles as required. There's also waiting time for obstacles so you get some recovery time between runs. Upper body strength is very helpful, as is grip strength. I would add in exercises like push ups, pull ups (or dead hangs), farmers carries etc. If you take your kids to the playground, have a go at the monkey bars!
  • caitlinrn83
    caitlinrn83 Posts: 178 Member
    Options
    oh_happy_day wrote: »
    If you take your kids to the playground, have a go at the monkey bars!

    This is EXACTLY what made me start going to the bodypump class-the monkey bars! I didn't realize just how little upper body strength i had!
    Am going to start incorporating farmers carries and dead hangs!
    Thanks!
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    Options
    it depends on how well you wanna do. I've been to TM's where people take 8 hours and walk the whole course. Heck i've seen people in wheel chairs do the mudders. But if you wanna be first place or run it several times that day (and yes people do run it multiple times) then you gotta be strong and be able to run like the wind forever. Or you can do anything in between. Most people i know walk and run , and skip hard obstacles and just have a great day overall. Although i do know some of the worlds toughest mudder runners and they are insane maniacs and run 30 miles a day and spend 4 hours in the gym every single day for months and then spend a month sick in bed and wake up and start over again. i dont recommend that. but to each his own.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Options
    oh_happy_day wrote: »
    TM is a fun OCR, there's no penalty for missing an obstacle and people help each other out. You could literally just walk the course and skip obstacles as required. There's also waiting time for obstacles so you get some recovery time between runs. Upper body strength is very helpful, as is grip strength. I would add in exercises like push ups, pull ups (or dead hangs), farmers carries etc. If you take your kids to the playground, have a go at the monkey bars!

    One of the TM I did was with someone that was completely untrained. She walked the obstacles and that was completely miserable because given the time it took her to complete (6+ hrs) and unpreparedness she was extremely cold and injured.

    The goal to complete is good. And the advice given makes sense - work on getting to 10K, work on hills and upper body strength, balance, jumping and landing.
  • kota4bye
    kota4bye Posts: 809 Member
    Options
    ^^ You'll enjoy it much better if you have the stamina to move quickly from obstacle to obstacle.....the running is the "easy" part of the OCR.
  • oh_happy_day
    oh_happy_day Posts: 1,138 Member
    edited May 2016
    Options

    I agree and I've seen the same thing, it may not be particularly enjoyable if you haven't trained sufficiently. The upside is that you're not penalised with burpees for obstacle failures like in Spartan races. It is less competitive generally and people will give you a hand on the obstacles.
  • mhealea
    mhealea Posts: 56 Member
    Options
    With a tough Mudder your mileage should be fine. The most you run between obstacles is a mile. Upper body strength is good thing to have and good team mates. There are obstacles that you will need help with but there is plenty of people that help out.
  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
    Options
    I did a TM with very little training. Took about 4.5 hours, and I could barely move the next day.

    Being able to run a 10k sounds a good aim, but strength and agility are your key things - you WILL be helped by others, and don't forget to help others back. I made about ten attempts at Everest, I was exhausted and just couldn't throw myself up. Eventually someone was dangled by the ankles to grab me. But I did it!

    Don't be afraid to go around obstacles. No one NEEDS electric shocks, but try as many of the ones that take strength as you can. It's great fun.

    I wish I'd trained more for mine for sure, I've done a shorter OCR since then (10k) and more running training helped me loads. Still couldn't do the monkey bars so that's something I'd work on.
  • MudRunChica
    MudRunChica Posts: 24 Member
    Options
    I do OCRs competitively, but have never done a TM (it's on my list). For training, I run three times a week (two 3-milers (T and Th) and a long run of up to 10 miles (Su)) and do crossfit four days a week (M, T, Th, F). I have two rest days, one is a total rest day (Sa) and the other is an active rest day of swimming (W).
  • ganzelly
    ganzelly Posts: 302 Member
    Options
    I did my first mudder last October and am signed up for another in September. I was able to run 6 miles but wasn't prepared for the hills, running on grass (all my running was on roads) and running on sides of hills. Don't just run treadmills or roads, get some trail running. My hips and ankles were so sore I could barely walk for days.

    And as others said, upper body strength is super important. I can do pull-ups and chin ups and still couldn't complete all the obstacles because I just didn't have the upper body strength. Monkey bars!!
  • slowbubblecar
    slowbubblecar Posts: 91 Member
    Options
    I've done a few and agree with some of the others. You need to increase your running. On the running side, I would work up to the point where I would run at least an hour daily (6-7 miles/day) without being tired or sore the next day. I never ran longer than an hour a day to prepare. At that level of fitness, I was able to run the races without issue and the terrain still didn't get to me.
  • caitlinrn83
    caitlinrn83 Posts: 178 Member
    Options
    girlinahat wrote: »
    I made about ten attempts at Everest, I was exhausted and just couldn't throw myself up. Eventually someone was dangled by the ankles to grab me. But I did it!
    But you did it! If I can cross the finish line and say that I tried and that I was a prepared as I can be, I'll call it a success.

Categories