Tough Mudder Training

Joshuaak

I'm starting this post to keep track of my training for the Indiana Tough Mudder on 11/19/11. Today was the first day, and I am beat. I have been working out with P90X and Insanity on and off since Christmas, but decided to combine them and add a couple of runs each week until the event. I am not a runner. I ran 28 min in the park and did the Insanity Fit Test. Also I'm on day 53 of a 100 burpee challange here on MFP. So I'm tired. My goal is simply to complete the race. Hopefully all goes well.
I'm going to try to check in Mon-Fri to keep myself honest.

Pinky67

Fantastic! Good luck :0)

cwestcott01

No need to practice running, you will be in woods, rough terrain, hills, mud and probably swamps. I did the warrior dash and spartan this summer each I trained running and all I can say is there is no real training for what you are going to experience. Just go into to have fun and complete it. In spartan if you can complete an obstacle they make you do 30 burpees thats alot when you come to 15 obstacles and by the end are so tired you can't complete them. Have fun, drink lots water before you go into it, wear shorts not long pants because if there is mud they will get wet and weigh you down. BTW mine were in Boston area. Good luck!

Christine

tgh1914

I'm getting ready for one myself, on Oct 8th here in TX. Well, actually, I need to start changing my workouts to help me get ready. I was in great cardio shape a couple months ago when I signed up. I've since stopped running & been focusing only on heavy lifting since then. Seeing as my 10 mile Tough Mudder is only a month away, I need to pick up the running again or I'll be hating life when it comes.

Good job on your training!

MamaBear05

I started training about 4 weeks ago for the Tough Mudder. I am signed up for one in mid-January. It has become my reason to get in shape. I used to lift and have quite a bit of strength, but I have never been able to climb a flight of stairs without huffinh and puffing.

I am doing 3-4 days a week of circuit/HIIT. I have friends who teach Crossfit and do personal training so they helped me develop "stations" for various tabata/HIIT workouts that I can do at the park next to my house. I also am on week 5 of the C25K. My Tough Mudder is in the desert and I understand it has a pretty lengthy run through open desert. I do my runs in the wash to help prepare. Both have already helped immensely. I do feel like I am missing out a little by not doing the heavier lifting that I used to do but I am more interested in just generally being in good shape.

My plan once I am in better general shape is to continue the HIIT and to work on running hills and trails. I have heard that the event is more about teamwork and having fun than anything else so I am not training to climb 12 foot walls by myself. I just want to be able to complete it without having a heart attack during it.

I am so excited! Good luck to everyone!

Joshuaak

Day 2 complete. Only did Chest and Back from P90X (also my 54 burpees). I was going to run again but my legs just were not up to it. I am using the C25K program for my running, and I hope it will be enough. I'm following the Jamie Eason diet plan on Bodybuilding dot com. It seemes pretty good as long as I don't get board with it. Thanks for the comments and good luck to everyone else training. Keep up the good work!

Scorpioangel

I'm starting this post to keep track of my training for the Indiana Tough Mudder on 11/19/11. Today was the first day, and I am beat. I have been working out with P90X and Insanity on and off since Christmas, but decided to combine them and add a couple of runs each week until the event. I am not a runner. I ran 28 min in the park and did the Insanity Fit Test. Also I'm on day 53 of a 100 burpee challange here on MFP. So I'm tired. My goal is simply to complete the race. Hopefully all goes well.
I'm going to try to check in Mon-Fri to keep myself honest.

Too cool! I am going to sign up for the Tough Mudder on this day probably also!!!! I do P90X, running, zumba and Insanity. I am not sure how to exactly train for this either! Are you in a group already or are you going solo???

hk714

I did the mudathlon in cinci about a month ago. I am not a runner either but if I had it to do over (I will next year) I would have run a lot more just to get my lung capacity up a bit. It is such a blast and you should try to "win!" :happy:

UltraRunnerGale

The Tough Mudder is a trail run from what I understand. I am a road runner turned trail runner. Trail running is NOTHING like road running. If you can, get out on hiking trails (the hillier and more technical the better) and train. You need to get used to rougher terrain and learn how to pick your feet up, to avoid tripping and falling, when you are tired. Falling is pretty much unavoidable if you do much trail running. Doing some road runs, in addition, will help as well.

Good luck and have fun!! :drinker:

Joshuaak

Day 3 down. Insanity Plyo Cardio Circuit and a six mile walk today. Not as tired as I thought I might be, so that's good news. Thanks for all the tips people!

Joshuaak

Ran 28 min and did P90X Sholders and Arms. I'm not dead yet so I guess it's going well. Any tips on gear for the big day.

MamaBear05

Great job joshuaak. I completed W5D3 of C25k today with a 20 minute straight run. I am starting to feel like I will be in the kind of shape I need to be to complete the Tough Mudder. I was very nervouse because I was very out of shape when I first heard of Tough Mudder and signed up. 5 weeks of hard work is really paying off. I still have a ways to go but I am much more confident that I will be good to go come January.

I don't have any suggestions for gear as I will be new at it to, but I have read several blogs by people who competed it and they have gear suggestions. Just google tough mudder and read the blogs that pop up.

peteb79

Great Job! Keep us posted! I have not signed up for a Tough Mudder yet, but have been thinking about doing the April 2012 Michigan/Ohio event. That should give me plenty of time to drop the weight and train.

hk714

Gloves! not leather since they will get wet. I had suede type weigh lifting gloves and my friend and I decided that was our smartest move. We had to do a lot of rope stuff and we came out without the rope burns unlike many of our unfortuneate comrades.

paulmmichaud

I just signed up for the Tough Mudder event in April for Michigan/Ohio...I'm hoping to get training tips from this thread.

Should we be focusing on building up our cardio levels or our over-all strength?

I have not done one of these before but I have competed in two 25K races, 1 10k, 1 5k, and a marathon....and having done all those I am expecting this to be the hardest thing I've ever done...


Any advice greatly appreciated...


Paul

engineman312

awesome dude!! i'm doing rugged maniac, its a 5k in brooklyn. can't wait! tough mudder next year!

peteb79

I would love to do one of these, but I do not think I will be ready for the Michigan/Ohio event in April. Instead I am thinking about doing a the Zombie Run (Indiana) and the Warrior Dash (Michigan). But both of these are only 3 miles.. much shorter than the Tough Mudder.. I figure by 2013 I should be able to do a Tough Mudder.

AlsDonkBoxSquat

I did a Marine Corps Mud run a few weeks ago, that was 7.2 miles plus 40 obstacles. I didn't think I'd be ready for it, I was. I found a park and ran 400 - 500 yards, did an obstacle from the list, ran 400 - 500 yards, did another obsticale. Those things are interval training, you have to get used to getting your hr up, and then hitting the dirt or swinging from monkey bars or climbing stuff. Good luck.
I also suggest that you try to train your body to active rest on your runs, go fast and push your hr, then slow down to get your hr at a managable level.