Tough Mudder

Joocey

Hey, doing a TM or Spartan race is my goal for next year. I've only just started running and working out so i think next summer is a reasonable goal. I kinda have the mentality of training right now coz when i do do it, i am gonna friggin smash it!!

(Also plan on doing normal races once i finish C25K in about 2 weeks)

Anyway, would love some friends in 'training' to see what you guys do

get those normal races out of the way now. after a spartan or a tough mudder, 5ks and half marathons are just boring.

and i think that if you find a race for end of september/beginning of october, you could totally be ready for it in time.

This. Obstacle course events are the only ones I do. Running is boring for me unless I know that I will be swimming in ice or electrocuted at some point.

Haha you guys are nuts! (i think we all are) i'll have a look and sign up for one! Bring it on! Thanks guys >.<

I've yet to be shocked in any of the TMs I've done, so I'm not looking forward to the karmic payback when it happens.

In the meantime, I will continue laughing at all my friends who have yelled and screamed and failed in the mud after being zapped. :laugh:

Flab2fitfi

Hey, doing a TM or Spartan race is my goal for next year. I've only just started running and working out so i think next summer is a reasonable goal. I kinda have the mentality of training right now coz when i do do it, i am gonna friggin smash it!!

(Also plan on doing normal races once i finish C25K in about 2 weeks)

Anyway, would love some friends in 'training' to see what you guys do

I second that you should be ready by October - I'n just starting W4 of zombie 5k training this week and have a TM in October.

Must admit I've not done one yet but can not see me signing up any marathons. Since signing up for TM I've also got a Colour race (will be my first 5k), Spartan Dash, Zombie 10k and then a slightly normal 5miles night time Halloween run. Already trawling websites to find a new race to do in december/jan.

dxtra30

So, I know there was a Tough Mudder event this weekend. For those that did it, any advice to those who have one coming up?

I did Tough Mudder Philadelphia on Sunday and the best piece of advice that I can give anyone is to do a gear check. Get the sneakers, shirt and pants that you intend to do the TM in. Then, put on all your gear and completely soak yourself - socks, shoes, everything. Then go for a 3 mile run. Seriously. If anything feels remotely uncomfortable, chuck it and try something else.

Otherwise, have fun and don't overthink the obstacles. Just do them, don't think about it, because thinking about getting shocked, or jumping into a bin of ice water or making a 15 foot jump doesn't make it any easier. Just know that you'll get through it. Yes, it will suck for a second. But then you'll feel like a champion once you're heading home with your beer and your orange headband .

^^ - THIS ABOVE
Also I did my 1st Tough Mudder this past Saturday June 1st in Philly and in the 90's temp and the water felt great.. However the Arctic Ice Bath was VERY COLD! Like the poster said above don't think about it and just get it over with. The more you hesitate the more you won't do it.. It's NOT a race to see who finishes the best, it's just a challenge for you.. Everybody there helps you and is so NICE!.. I couldn't do some of the obstacles without my teams help.. It's a team effort IMO..

Another poster said get your OUTFIT before hand and try it out (Shirt, Shorts, Sneakers) before the mudder.. Last thing you want us to be uncomfortable on Mudder day.. Your knees and legs will take a beating however with the adrenaline going and having fun you won’t' really feel it IMO

The best thing to do is have fun with the team, help each other out and do what you can.. Hope you enjoy it like I did mine!
I feel REALLY sore the 2 days afterwards but again it was a GREAT accomplishment and it feels great when you complete it!

Capt_Apollo

So, I know there was a Tough Mudder event this weekend. For those that did it, any advice to those who have one coming up?

I did Tough Mudder Philadelphia on Sunday and the best piece of advice that I can give anyone is to do a gear check. Get the sneakers, shirt and pants that you intend to do the TM in. Then, put on all your gear and completely soak yourself - socks, shoes, everything. Then go for a 3 mile run. Seriously. If anything feels remotely uncomfortable, chuck it and try something else.

Otherwise, have fun and don't overthink the obstacles. Just do them, don't think about it, because thinking about getting shocked, or jumping into a bin of ice water or making a 15 foot jump doesn't make it any easier. Just know that you'll get through it. Yes, it will suck for a second. But then you'll feel like a champion once you're heading home with your beer and your orange headband .

^^ - THIS ABOVE
Also I did my 1st Tough Mudder this past Saturday June 1st in Philly and in the 90's temp and the water felt great.. However the Arctic Ice Bath was VERY COLD! Like the poster said above don't think about it and just get it over with. The more you hesitate the more you won't do it.. It's NOT a race to see who finishes the best, it's just a challenge for you.. Everybody there helps you and is so NICE!.. I couldn't do some of the obstacles without my teams help.. It's a team effort IMO..

Another poster said get your OUTFIT before hand and try it out (Shirt, Shorts, Sneakers) before the mudder.. Last thing you want us to be uncomfortable on Mudder day.. Your knees and legs will take a beating however with the adrenaline going and having fun you won’t' really feel it IMO

The best thing to do is have fun with the team, help each other out and do what you can.. Hope you enjoy it like I did mine!
I feel REALLY sore the 2 days afterwards but again it was a GREAT accomplishment and it feels great when you complete it!

ehh, i don't necessarily agree with the whole "soak yourself and go for a training run" idea. i didn't do it for any of my races, and i was fine. compression shorts are key. spandex is great. water-wicking dri-fit clothing is a great investment.

i will agree that you should not race in anything new, and that you should race how you train. for instance, i don't run in socks, because i don't do my races in socks. they just get so wet!! you could try those dri-fit wicking material socks though.

also, the race will have the variables you just can't prepare for. the temperature might jump 15 degrees in two days, it might get cold. i actually liked the Arctic Enema in october because it was already cold out, so i didn't notice a difference. the arctic enema i experienced in the desert was incredibly cold!!!

micheleb15

Again, I suck at quoting.

micheleb15

Duplicate

micheleb15

Duplicate post.

micheleb15

^^ - THIS ABOVE
Also I did my 1st Tough Mudder this past Saturday June 1st in Philly and in the 90's temp and the water felt great.. However the Arctic Ice Bath was VERY COLD! Like the poster said above don't think about it and just get it over with. The more you hesitate the more you won't do it.. It's NOT a race to see who finishes the best, it's just a challenge for you.. Everybody there helps you and is so NICE!.. I couldn't do some of the obstacles without my teams help.. It's a team effort IMO..

Another poster said get your OUTFIT before hand and try it out (Shirt, Shorts, Sneakers) before the mudder.. Last thing you want us to be uncomfortable on Mudder day.. Your knees and legs will take a beating however with the adrenaline going and having fun you won’t' really feel it IMO

The best thing to do is have fun with the team, help each other out and do what you can.. Hope you enjoy it like I did mine!
I feel REALLY sore the 2 days afterwards but again it was a GREAT accomplishment and it feels great when you complete it!

ehh, i don't necessarily agree with the whole "soak yourself and go for a training run" idea. i didn't do it for any of my races, and i was fine. compression shorts are key. spandex is great. water-wicking dri-fit clothing is a great investment.

i will agree that you should not race in anything new, and that you should race how you train. for instance, i don't run in socks, because i don't do my races in socks. they just get so wet!! you could try those dri-fit wicking material socks though.

also, the race will have the variables you just can't prepare for. the temperature might jump 15 degrees in two days, it might get cold. i actually liked the Arctic Enema in october because it was already cold out, so i didn't notice a difference. the arctic enema i experienced in the desert was incredibly cold!!!

Agree with this. Definitely make sure you are comfortable in your shoes, but you don't need to go jump in a pool and then run around. Seems excessive. Dress the way you normally would for your workouts and weather. I agree with compression shorts/capris and a dri-fit tank or long sleeve depending on your location. You can't prepare for everything, unless you like taking ice baths and sticking your finger in sockets. Don't over think it, just do it and have fun.

Chieflrg

Doing one in Sept.

dxtra30

My post above was not meant to say "Soak" yourself or take an ice bath.. Just wear your Mudder outfit for a casual run so you know everything feels fine and is not uncomfortable.. I was mentioning that arctic ice bath obstacle at the Mudder event.. You can't practice that , at least I didn't.. I'm saying all the 22 obstacles at the TM don't hesitate just do it!

If you have been practicing months in advance (running, strength training , etc) then you will be fine.. Again it's NOT a time race event it's just a challenge. If you can't do an obstacle then you don't have too, nobody forces you to do it..

This is all for fun and for a good cause.. It's a team effort and team event IMO and like I said it feels great when you complete it. Sorry for any confusion.

csuhar

I was signed up to do one in 2011. Unfortunately, I was side-lined at the last minute, so I wound up with a really expensive spectator ticket. Still, I took the opportunity to walk around most of the course while playing "camera guy" for my team.

Physically, I'd say having a basic level of fitness helps. When it comes to running, as long as you can run / jog for about a mile, that's probably the longest distance you'll cover in a single shot. Then, you'll have a chance to rest while waiting for an obstacle. There was, however, one individual who pretty much walked the entire thing. But that was not a problem. The objective was to get through.

What I liked about the TM was that it was all about community, which makes sense given it's military obstacle course origins. It was heartening to see people helping strangers. I actually lost track of my group because they spent about 10 minutes simply helping people on a single obstacle.

In part, it can be summed up by the pledge at the beginning of the race:

As a Tough Mudder, I pledge that
I understand the tough Mudder is not a race, but a challenge.
I put teamwork and camaraderie before my course times.
I do not whine.
Kids whine!
I help my fellow mudders complete the course.
I overcome all my fears.

Visually, it can be summed up in this video from the day after ours:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8frxQQBTZ9M


It's definitely worth doing once, and once you've done that, you'll probably do it again.

micheleb15

In part, it can be summed up by the pledge at the beginning of the race:

As a Tough Mudder, I pledge that
I understand the tough Mudder is not a race, but a challenge.
I put teamwork and camaraderie before my course times.
I do not whine.
Kids whine!
I help my fellow mudders complete the course.
I overcome all my fears.

Visually, it can be summed up in this video from the day after ours:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8frxQQBTZ9M


It's definitely worth doing once, and once you've done that, you'll probably do it again.

That was my TM event!!! Wish I could have seen it in person. Video is absolutely amazing!

Capt_Apollo

When it comes to running, as long as you can run / jog for about a mile, that's probably the longest distance you'll cover in a single shot. Then, you'll have a chance to rest while waiting for an obstacle. There was, however, one individual who pretty much walked the entire thing. But that was not a problem. The objective was to get through.

while the goal is to make it across the finish line, i think you need to have more endurance then just being able to run a mile. the website itself recommends being able to run about 8 miles. you do get a chance to rest at the obstacles, but you are not sitting down with your feet up. you are hoisting yourself over a wall, or through some tunnels, or what ever. yes, people bunch up and slow you down, but it still does not make it so slow that you don't need any endurance.

RoseTears143

I love all the advice given from those who have completed a TM - thanks for chiming in!! Any of you are of course welcome to join the group I've created to chime in on any questions or train along with us, give pointers, etc.

The stories were great as well. Congrats to you guys that have recently completed your race too! That's so fantastic!!

JusticeGirl25

Participated in the Tough Mudder last year and that was so much fun. Depending where you live, if you can't handle the humidity, could be a long race for you. That ice swimming was a little bit of a shock but when you don't even think about it, honestly.

donnacervelli11

Some others may not agree, but I still stand by at least doing a trial run with your sneaks and socks wet. The first TM I ran was doubly uncomfortable because the shoes I chose constricted when they got wet and started pinching my toes at mile 1. I thought it would be fine since they were my regular running shoes, but I had never gotten them wet before.

I do agree with what hte others said - spandex, and dri-fit clothing are your friends. Just choose your shoes wisely. That's all.

JusticeGirl25

Definetly agree with the spandex shorts.

HermioneDanger118

If anyone has any questions or needs tips, please feel free to ask. I love Tough Mudder. I do those and Spartans and I will tell you, Tough Mudder has the most amazing amount of camaraderie that I have ever seen.

In April I did Tough Mudder Austin and saw something that nearly made me cry. At the rope wall (Wall 10-12 ft tall with a rope to climb up), there was a heavy man struggling to get over the wall. It was obvious that he wasn't in great shape, but he was giving it his all. Basically everyone stopped what they were doing and stood there to cheer him on. Two people he didn't know got below him to help with his footing and another man got up to the top of the wall to help him up. As he neared the top, the hundred people standing there were yelling and screaming and cheering. Once he made it, the crowd went absolutely insane. It was a "movie-moment" and something that was completely inspiring. This event was the weekend after the Boston tragedy and the West, Texas explosion. I was feeling sad and down because of all of the tragedy in the world. Seeing this lifted my spirits and made me realize that there is still good in the world. We just have to find it. Tough Mudder is a great place to find this.

Good luck to you all!

I came to this thread because I'm debating joining a team with an MFP pal, and I think that sealed it for me. Thanks for the post.

RobynLB83

Some others may not agree, but I still stand by at least doing a trial run with your sneaks and socks wet. The first TM I ran was doubly uncomfortable because the shoes I chose constricted when they got wet and started pinching my toes at mile 1. I thought it would be fine since they were my regular running shoes, but I had never gotten them wet before.

I do agree with what hte others said - spandex, and dri-fit clothing are your friends. Just choose your shoes wisely. That's all.

I saw some guy around mile 6 running in socks. I wonder if he made it with all those rocks and sticks and things. Lol. Yeah, if you aren't used to running with wet socks and shoes, and you think it might give you a problem, try it. Make sure you're wearing old, well worn shoes. And don't wear vibrams unless you don't mind a nasty heal bruise.

Capt_Apollo

Some others may not agree, but I still stand by at least doing a trial run with your sneaks and socks wet. The first TM I ran was doubly uncomfortable because the shoes I chose constricted when they got wet and started pinching my toes at mile 1. I thought it would be fine since they were my regular running shoes, but I had never gotten them wet before.

I do agree with what hte others said - spandex, and dri-fit clothing are your friends. Just choose your shoes wisely. That's all.

I saw some guy around mile 6 running in socks. I wonder if he made it with all those rocks and sticks and things. Lol. Yeah, if you aren't used to running with wet socks and shoes, and you think it might give you a problem, try it. Make sure you're wearing old, well worn shoes. And don't wear vibrams unless you don't mind a nasty heal bruise.

if you get a heel bruise from vibrams then you are doing it wrong.