Am I able to do Tough Mudder?

teachermegan
teachermegan Posts: 68 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
By the time TM hits Portland on June 16th I will be in the 150's (I have been consistently losing 2lbs a week for the past 7 weeks).
Just yesterday my friend asked me to join their TM team, as her husband is injured and they already have his spot paid for.
Here is what I am currently able to do.

Run/Jog at a 4.0 -4.5 pace for a half hour
I take Les Mills Body Combat 3 xs a week
I take Les Mills GRIT cardio or HIIT 1x a week
I lift ("heavy") for 4 x/week

Water doesn't bother me, of course cold/FREEZING, isn't ideal, but that's not what TM is about. I just don't want to be completely over my head. But I really would like to have that feeling of accomplishment when it is all over.

Also, any training advice? Thanks!

Replies

  • Coyoteldy
    Coyoteldy Posts: 219 Member
    keep training and get some upper body training and you can do tough mudder. I have been training for tough mudder for weeks doing P90X for upper body and then they cancelled it (ACK)...make sure you have upper body strength to do this. You should be fine and remember you can go around any obstacle that is too much.. no sense in injury.
  • merinabullock
    merinabullock Posts: 9
    I am running the TM in Las Vegas in 2 wks. I've been training for 10 weeks. As Coyoteldy said, you can opt out of any obstacle you don't want to/can't do. But you can't not complete the length of the run. TM challenges range from 10-12 miles with the obstacles throughout. It is generally recommended you be able to run 6 miles without dying. I'm not sure you would be able to get to that point by June. ?
  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
    You are more than capable. If you have the mentality, you can push through it. Don't listen to anyone that says you can't. Keep doing what you are doing. Don't be someone who doesn't try because they are limiting themselves.

    Oh, and I could only run three miles at the time of the event. I finished without a problem. Seriously, don't listen to people that say you have to be at a certain point before you can attempt it.
  • polo571
    polo571 Posts: 708 Member
    If it were easy it wouldn't be worth doing. Every once in awhile in life you need to test yourself. Go for it! Worst thing you can do is fail.
  • pobalita
    pobalita Posts: 741 Member
    I did Seattle Tough Mudder last year and plan to do it again this year. You should be able to run at least 5 or 6 miles to be able to do the distance portion which is up to 12 miles long.

    Upper body strength, agility, and the ability to jump are also needed. Practice the monkey bars. Practice lowering down pull up style so you don't fall off the back side of the walls and hurt your ankles. Practice jumping far - there are open trenches full of mud.

    Don't worry too much about the obstacles though, as Tough Mudder is really a TEAM event. Only a few of the obatacles are really difficult and you can opt out or just do your best (I ended up swimming because I couldn't do the rings and fell in the water.) Your team mates and total strangers will help you out. I did not have a team and did it alone and never once was there a time when people weren't willing to give me a hand or a lift.
  • KJLIII
    KJLIII Posts: 225 Member
    YES !! I did it last October in our area, and I'm 52 years young!! LOL ! !

    I had been running up to 7 miles (thinking it would be 10 miles and I could push it a bit if I needed to) but it ended up being almost 12 miles!! That was a killer. Plus, it was freezing cold here. But you can do it!! It's best if you have a support system, and the team aspect of the race is awesome!! Honestly, the obstacles are tough, and upper body strength is needed!! I'd encourage you to keep on pushing in your workouts - get yourself conditioned for it as best you can, and you will have it made !! (Also, there are tons of workouts online that you could do at home to prepare... just google it!)

    If I can do it, YOU CAN DO IT !!

    I'm cheering for ya!!:flowerforyou:
  • teachermegan
    teachermegan Posts: 68 Member
    Wow, thanks for the support and encouragement. I am so looking forward to this and will be working on upper body. I did my first run and did 3.5 m without stopping, should be able to do 5-6 come June. :)
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Yes. You'll be able to do it. Did mine with some awesome MFP friends this past February and it was great. You can run it, you can walk it, you can hobble it (that's what I did) and you can finish it. Sign up and go for it.
  • DontStopB_Leakin
    DontStopB_Leakin Posts: 3,863 Member
    If you can put one foot in front of the other, you can do it.
  • 1ConcreteGirl
    1ConcreteGirl Posts: 3,677 Member
    Yup, you sure can.

    But you MUST do hilly trail running to really be prepared. I can't stress that enough. It's an endurance event and trail running is totally different from running on the road or (god forbid) a treadmill.
  • cmcollins001
    cmcollins001 Posts: 3,472 Member
    I'm signed up for The Warrior Dash in May....if I can do it anyone can do it. My goal is to finish...period. I don't care about running the whole thing (I've been told there's not point since you have to stand around and wait at the obstacles) and my goal is to complete every obstacle.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    If you can put one foot in front of the other, you can do it.
  • Pimpmonkey
    Pimpmonkey Posts: 566
    If it were easy it wouldn't be worth doing. Every once in awhile in life you need to test yourself. Go for it! Worst thing you can do is fail.

    this!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    While they are a challenge, I've seen some people of questionable fitness knock out a Tough Mudder. Now, a Spartan Race on the other hand is a different story. You seem more than capable for a TM.
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    Yup, you sure can.

    But you MUST do hilly trail running to really be prepared. I can't stress that enough. It's an endurance event and trail running is totally different from running on the road or (god forbid) a treadmill.
    I may have to find some hilly terrain around here to train then.
  • lachesissss
    lachesissss Posts: 1,298 Member
    Yes. The answer is always yes.
  • Going4Lean
    Going4Lean Posts: 1,078 Member
    do you have to do this as a team or can you go alone ?
  • pobalita
    pobalita Posts: 741 Member
    do you have to do this as a team or can you go alone ?




    I did it alone. Complete strangers helped me out and many asked me to join their team.
  • elizak87
    elizak87 Posts: 249 Member
    While they are a challenge, I've seen some people of questionable fitness knock out a Tough Mudder. Now, a Spartan Race on the other hand is a different story. You seem more than capable for a TM.

    Wish you told me this before I did Spartan to warm up for tough mudder. On the other hand my partner who vomitted his way through Spartan may breath a sigh of relief.
  • determinedbutlazy
    determinedbutlazy Posts: 1,941 Member
    Some of the answers on this thread are inspiring. I'm interested to see that you can skip obstacles... I really don't feel like getting electrocuted.
  • EllaIsNotEnchanted
    EllaIsNotEnchanted Posts: 226 Member
    the electro shock part is more "shocking" than painful.
    The harder obstacle for me that TM has is the tub full of ice that you have to dunk your head under.
    You can skip obstacles if you want.
    TM, as mentioned previously, is more about testing your 'mind.'
    - going through tunnels/narrow passages, jumping from high heights, going into extreme cold, and going through electric kind of stuff.
    Bummer thing about TM is that time is not recorded. So if you turn into a repeat TM participant--time yourself.

    or do Spartan races.

    Spartan races (I did the beast, so I don't know about the other ones) are more challenging on strength. Spartan races do not tell you the obstacles and if you fail or skip out on an obstacle you have to do 30 burpees.


    Either one is a good time. Do it. Have Fun. Use TM/Spartan/Mud Runs/Any Cardio Events as a motivational tactic to improve your fitness and get a PR (personal record).
  • teachermegan
    teachermegan Posts: 68 Member
    Good call on the hilly trail runs. Now, finding the time with a toddler and working full time will be a challenge. At the gym I can put my daughter in daycare and get my workout in. Time to line up some babysitters!

    For those who have done it, do you stay cold the whole course after the ice bath and other cold water obstacles?
  • abbyrae1
    abbyrae1 Posts: 265 Member
    You can definitely do it! My fiancé and I did last year and it was the most mentally and physically challenging thing I have done in a loooong time!

    What I learned:
    --wear clothing that will dry quickly/moisture wicking fabrics, it will pay off in the long run.
    --gloves aren't necessary--mine got soaked as soon as we went through the first water obstacle so they were pretty useless for me after that
    --try to get your cardio stamina up (my advice, be able to go for a 6mile run by race time--you never have to run more than about a mile at a time but having the endurance for 6 will be great)
    --make sure you are comfortable with your team and/or strangers helping you out

    The race is all about helping out others so have fun, get dirty and be safe!
  • helyla
    helyla Posts: 162 Member
    If you're not sure, try seeing if there is a Warrior Dash or Spartan Race in your area before that. Those are kind of toned down versions of Tough Mudder, but same general idea. Use those to work your way up to TM. Whatever you do, good luck! And let us know what you decide to do, and how you do!

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