1st timer to Total Warrior and Tough Mudder.

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Hi all,

This year have booked in for Total Warrior beginning of August, then Tough Mudder end of September. TW there are about 4 of us, but for TM we have at least 12.

Any advice or help you could give it greatly appreciated.

Happy I am in, I know I will love this, get fit and happy at the same time, BUT nearly 42 and thinking am I truly going to do this to myself ;) x

Replies

  • LadyMud17
    LadyMud17 Posts: 193 Member
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    age has nothing to do with this, mentality is everything,, oh and lots of prep work!!! :)
  • Adrenaline_Queen
    Adrenaline_Queen Posts: 626 Member
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    Lets hope so, there are several who make me look young in our team. Any hints would be greatly received x

    Meeting up with a couple of them in a childrens play area to get out swings ;) Also to go out and do a little bit of jogging together.

    I know we need to do soooooo much more, so please please please feel free to share any tips.

    So far we have been told, tight trainers so they dont get sucked off in the mud. x
  • LadyMud17
    LadyMud17 Posts: 193 Member
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    I personally run in five fingers,, (toe shoes) and have never had a problem. If you are at a play ground,, monkey bars!! you will see them. Also if you do running, I would do speed intervals, and also every half mile or so do 20 jump squats 15 to 30 burpees (build up :) and 10 to 20 push ups,, again build up. Also, hill work,, find the hardest hill you can (perferable unpaved) and run up and down it, for a half hour. Also I love kitty litter, like the 42 lb size,, great for weighted squats, and dead lifts (yep picking up and putting down heavy things,, great for the buns too :) and getting used to carrying odd shaped heavy things :) If you have more questons,, friend me :)
  • doggiesnot
    doggiesnot Posts: 334 Member
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    I'm a first timer also. Kansas City tough mudder in Sept. 2013.

    I'm 42 going on 18. I found some recommended training on the toughmudder website. Can't say if it's any good or not.

    Scary, isn't it? Most of it is the unknown that is scary, and the length of the course, and the obstacles.
  • vharding7
    vharding7 Posts: 48 Member
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    I personally run in five fingers,, (toe shoes) and have never had a problem. If you are at a play ground,, monkey bars!! you will see them. Also if you do running, I would do speed intervals, and also every half mile or so do 20 jump squats 15 to 30 burpees (build up :) and 10 to 20 push ups,, again build up. Also, hill work,, find the hardest hill you can (perferable unpaved) and run up and down it, for a half hour. Also I love kitty litter, like the 42 lb size,, great for weighted squats, and dead lifts (yep picking up and putting down heavy things,, great for the buns too :) and getting used to carrying odd shaped heavy things :) If you have more questons,, friend me :)

    Great tips! I'm going for my first tough mudder in August and have been having trouble figuring out how exactly to train for it. I run five miles now comfortably a few times a week and I lift 2-3 times a week as well.. Can't wait till it's a little warmer outside to do the monkey bars! :)
  • jma789
    jma789 Posts: 2 Member
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    running first race in March 9th in conyers georgia spartan race.
  • pobalita
    pobalita Posts: 741 Member
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    I ran my first tough Mudder alone at age 45 last Sept. it was amazing and I plan to do it again this year. Lessons I learned:

    Don't worry too much about the running. You don't need to go that far at a time. Less than a mile. If you can do a 10k you can do this.

    Practice jumping. Jump high. Jump long. You will need to do both and be comfortable with it. I'm only 5'3" and had to really go for it on some of the obstacles. Height was an issue.

    Practice monkey bars and rings. Practice anything that improves agility.

    Watch for hypothermia. You are wet for a long time. I got super cold the last couple of miles.

    If you can do another run with the ice water obstacle before tough Mudder, do it. This obstacle can knock the cr*p out of you if you don't know what to expect. Gladiator Rock and Run had that obstacle last year and I'm glad I could experience it before tough Mudder. If you can't, then stay focused and just get the heck out as quickly as possible.

    Heve fun. Don't feel like you have to do every obstacle - especially if you think you will hurt yourself.

    I did this run alone because I didnt know anyone else willing to do it with me. I never felt alone in the race. There was always a hand willing to help me out of the mud, help me reach the top of walls, and pull me over the half pipe. Even at the end of the race, when I was shivering uncontrollably, strangers wrapped me in their own space blankets.
  • nhradeuce
    nhradeuce Posts: 168 Member
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    I think TM has a work out of the day, sign up for that and do it every day. If they don't I know that the Spartan Race has an excellent WOD. Those work outs focus on agility and body weight exercises. Those are MUCH more important than the running part. The obstacles are the hard part of the race, the running between in the break you get from the obstacles. If you have trails near you, practice running in the dirt. It's definitely different than running on the pavement. You will want to get some trail shoes, most running shoes do not really provide very good dirt traction.
  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
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    I did my first TM in Dec 2011 and signed up for another this year. TM website has some great circuit workouts. Honestly, when I signed up I had planned to be so much farther along than I was, but I was determined to do it. After surgery, I could only run about three miles but still completed it.

    The comradarie (sp?) is incredible. I am 5'2 and had trouble with the Berlin Walls. I heard someone behind me yell "help her up, help her up" and then all of a sudden someone picked me up so I could grab my teammates hand and get over the wall. It's one of the best experiences I've ever had. I saw a man in a wheelchair crawl up Everest. Seriously still gives me chills and makes me tear up. Watch it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8frxQQBTZ9M

    My first was in FL and half of our was in swamps. Everyone was falling, but there was always someone to help you up, whether you were on the same team or not. Run and train and do it whether you feel ready or not. I can't say enough about it. it's like tattoos, they're addicting.
  • StarChanger
    StarChanger Posts: 605 Member
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    I'm 42, way out of shape, overweight, and I just signed up for my first TM too....Seattle - Oct 2013. It will be hilly, cold, and rainy....miserable. And I can't WAIT! I've been working out, and eating clean, for about a month now, and say an add for it last month and KNEW this is what I've been looking for. I NEED to do this race, and I WILL finish (even if I can't complete every obstacle!)!
  • Sean195
    Sean195 Posts: 17 Member
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    My first one is in August, and I'm 45! It should be fun....
  • pobalita
    pobalita Posts: 741 Member
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    I'm 42, way out of shape, overweight, and I just signed up for my first TM too....Seattle - Oct 2013. It will be hilly, cold, and rainy....miserable. And I can't WAIT! I've been working out, and eating clean, for about a month now, and say an add for it last month and KNEW this is what I've been looking for. I NEED to do this race, and I WILL finish (even if I can't complete every obstacle!)!
    [/quote







    I'll be there with you!! Seattle Tough Mudder 2013!! Last year it was as a coal coking facility and the mud was abosolutely black. It took a month to get it the coal dust out from under my toe nails.