So now that TM is over....

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oumick03
oumick03 Posts: 29 Member
I figured I'd start a topic that would allow people to share their experiences. My TM was June 29. I have very mixed emotions about it!

(1) If you don't have a team - find one! I was the only person in my heat going solo which made a HUGE impact at the end when I was exhausted

(2) I thought 85% of it was a BLAST. Even without a team I had SO much fun. It was hard, dirty, and took a lot out of me, but wow was it fun.

(3) Then there was the 15% that was impossible for me (the final walls which I skipped and I could not get up the half pipe)...and the electroshock therapy that SUCKED SUCKED SUCKED...in my opinion. I felt like a failure at that moment because I half tripped/ got smacked in the face by a shock and fell. Could not get back up because they were hanging over me and I was TERRIFIED. They didn't want me crawling (which I thought was weird) so they shut it off.

Would I do it again? No, because I never want to go through electroshock therapy again (electric eel sucked too....) I may try a spartan race instead. But again, the first 10 miles of it were a HOOT! So much fun.

Good luck to all who have TMs coming up, and please post to tell me about your experiences!

Replies

  • whitney_simpson
    whitney_simpson Posts: 77 Member
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    I'm doing san diego in november. I've got 4 of my friends, 3 of them guys luckily, doing it with me. I feel like I'll be in the same boat as you. I'm fairly short so i always have a hard time with walls, even with help. The one thing I am absolutely not looking forward to is the electroshock therapy.
  • kels1152
    kels1152 Posts: 74
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    I figured I'd start a topic that would allow people to share their experiences. My TM was June 29. I have very mixed emotions about it!

    (1) If you don't have a team - find one! I was the only person in my heat going solo which made a HUGE impact at the end when I was exhausted

    (2) I thought 85% of it was a BLAST. Even without a team I had SO much fun. It was hard, dirty, and took a lot out of me, but wow was it fun.

    (3) Then there was the 15% that was impossible for me (the final walls which I skipped and I could not get up the half pipe)...and the electroshock therapy that SUCKED SUCKED SUCKED...in my opinion. I felt like a failure at that moment because I half tripped/ got smacked in the face by a shock and fell. Could not get back up because they were hanging over me and I was TERRIFIED. They didn't want me crawling (which I thought was weird) so they shut it off.

    Would I do it again? No, because I never want to go through electroshock therapy again (electric eel sucked too....) I may try a spartan race instead. But again, the first 10 miles of it were a HOOT! So much fun.

    Good luck to all who have TMs coming up, and please post to tell me about your experiences!

    Did you do the MI event? I was there too!
    I'm sorry to hear that the end didn't go all that well for you :( I guess everyone responds to the electtric shock differently. Thats weird that they wouldn't just let you crawl to get out of all the wires.
    I ran solo last year and just ended up meeting with people along the way. Were people not helping you or anything? I've thought of trying the spartan races too but I like TM too much! haha.

    I ran the 1:40 wave and that was RIGHT when it started downpouring..it was crazy and the course was extra muddy from it! :) It was a blast though and I'm ready to do it again next year at a different location :)
  • Laurochka
    Laurochka Posts: 140 Member
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    Hey there,

    I did a Tough Mudder in August - also alone.
    I agree that some obstacles you really needed help. I was pretty lucky and loads of great people in my heat helped me over the Hero Walls and other wall like obstacles.
    Also could not get up the final Half Pipe - tried like 5 times and was just exhausted.

    I would defo do it again but try and put a team together. Also I think I'd do more specified training.
    I LOVED it though!
    Lx
  • patrickblo13
    patrickblo13 Posts: 831 Member
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    I just registered for the Upstate New York for next July. I did it this past July and had a blast. I was on a 4 person team which was perfect. I think too many people will slow the team down and may cause issues. I think 3-6 people team is perfect. I am definitely going to focus on running more. I had no difficulty physically with any of the obstacles but started to cramp half way through which made the last 4-5 miles pretty brutal. I still managed to push through and finish ALL obstacles.

    Can't wait, training begins now.....good luck everyone!!!
  • Flab2fitfi
    Flab2fitfi Posts: 1,349 Member
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    Glad I'm not the only one who hated the electric shocks.

    The worst one for me was the electric eels as the fit guys in front me moved much slower and then stopped at the end so I ended up going round them and getting shocked 6 or 7 times in a few seconds.

    I did enjoy the feeling when done but dont think I'll do it again.
  • ChangingAmanda
    ChangingAmanda Posts: 486 Member
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    I did mine this past weekend and agree that having a team is helpful not only on the physicality of the event but also for support. That said I ran alone and had no problem finding folks to help with the walls and hay bales. The obstacles I had the biggest issues with were Just the Tip and Funky Monkey. My upper body strength just wasn't where it needed to be able to even get far enough away from the platform to fall safely in the water. I also didn't get up Everest but gave it 3 good runs. I think this would have been where having a team cheering me on (not those there weren't but it's different when someone you know is doing it, calling you by name, etc) would have really benefited. Part of me wishes I had gone back to the back of the line and tried again, but I'm fairly certain with the way my hip flexor was hurting and the state of my shoes that even a 2nd go round wouldn't have changed the outcome. This year I'm going to focus on the upper body and running. And have a better pair of shoes

    As for Electroshock - they were mean to us. We were on a cattle farm and they took two of those huge round hay bales and set them up on end in the middle of the wires so you had to jump/climb/crawl over them. If you went around, the DJ called you out on it. I don't think I army crawled as fast as I did through Electric Eel, lol.

    I'm definitely doing it again next year if they have one close enough to me. Before this weekend my city was listed in the "Late 2014" category on the website but a couple days before it was no longer listed. Hopefully it'll be back up shortly.
  • ToughMudderAddict
    ToughMudderAddict Posts: 290 Member
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    Now that TM is over for the 3rd time I have signed up for #4. I have 308 days until the next one, better get my *kitten* in gear!
  • Laurochka
    Laurochka Posts: 140 Member
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    I'm excited that dates for Scotland for nest year have just been released - 6 months to get training!
  • ChinoHDT
    ChinoHDT Posts: 17 Member
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    I did the North West Oct TM and I was amazing.. Since then though I have been in a strange place.. I went from Months and Months of cardio and conditioning to get ready for it and it payed off but now I feel that I can only either get fat and just not train or aim to train for another even... but I don't think i could commit again to the same TM level as I did.

    I aim to just try and gain a better look and maybe try and do smaller challeneges like a 5k or 10k obstacle run that isnt as taxing .. other options have me looking into just aiming for a cross fit style place to do circuits so I can maintain my level of endurance

    but right now I'm just training with the mind frame that i might do another TM