Tough Mudder

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  • Joocey
    Joocey Posts: 115 Member
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    I didn't want to toss my shoes so I wore trail running shoes. They helped a lot, especially on the muddy surfaces where other people were sliding all over the place and I was walking across with impunity.
  • RoseTears143
    RoseTears143 Posts: 1,121 Member
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    I didn't want to toss my shoes so I wore trail running shoes. They helped a lot, especially on the muddy surfaces where other people were sliding all over the place and I was walking across with impunity.

    How do trail running shoes differ from regular running shoes or crosstrainers? I didn't even know they had specific trail running shoes - that's good to know!

    I'm a complete noob with running shoes lol TIA
  • Joocey
    Joocey Posts: 115 Member
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    I didn't want to toss my shoes so I wore trail running shoes. They helped a lot, especially on the muddy surfaces where other people were sliding all over the place and I was walking across with impunity.

    How do trail running shoes differ from regular running shoes or crosstrainers? I didn't even know they had specific trail running shoes - that's good to know!

    I'm a complete noob with running shoes lol TIA

    Generally they have a thicker sole and tread, as well as a different tread design more for gripping and running on slippery/uneven surfaces. In other words, a Tough Mudder. :wink:

    For example, http://www.columbia.com/The-Ravenous-|-Product-Spotlight/Pinnacle_Product-Ravenous,default,pg.html
  • RoseTears143
    RoseTears143 Posts: 1,121 Member
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    I didn't want to toss my shoes so I wore trail running shoes. They helped a lot, especially on the muddy surfaces where other people were sliding all over the place and I was walking across with impunity.

    How do trail running shoes differ from regular running shoes or crosstrainers? I didn't even know they had specific trail running shoes - that's good to know!

    I'm a complete noob with running shoes lol TIA

    Generally they have a thicker sole and tread, as well as a different tread design more for gripping and running on slippery/uneven surfaces. In other words, a Tough Mudder. :wink:

    For example, http://www.columbia.com/The-Ravenous-|-Product-Spotlight/Pinnacle_Product-Ravenous,default,pg.html

    Seems legit :smile: thanks for the info!
  • Flab2fitfi
    Flab2fitfi Posts: 1,349 Member
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    I'm doing a TM in July at Lake Tahoe. My sister talked me into it after she ran one last September. I am so excited. My 13 y/o is counting down the time until he can run it with us.

    Ditto my 13 y/o want to do it too. All my kids thinks its great (although my daughter is convinced I'm going to die) and are coming to cheer me on.

    Luckily the 10k Zombie run I'm doing later in the month has a 5k junior run so he is doing that.
  • caviggia
    caviggia Posts: 63 Member
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    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!

    More than anything, it's stories like this that inspire me to register and try for the tough mudder, although I first need to try my abilities at the gladiator one with some friends to get a feel for it.

    Thanks for the inspiring post! Truly an awesome story
  • Joreanasaurous
    Joreanasaurous Posts: 1,384 Member
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    I wanted to do one this year, but right around when I was about to register I fell and hurt my ankle pretty badly. About 4 months later and I just recently was cleared to start SLOWLY running again. So there is no way I could do this year. But next year I am so excited to do it. Group joined. I'm excited. Everyone I know looks at me like I am some crazy idiot when I mention how much I want to do it. It will be nice to have a way to share my excitement and interest.
  • patrickblo13
    patrickblo13 Posts: 831 Member
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    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?
  • donnacervelli11
    donnacervelli11 Posts: 109 Member
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    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 :).
  • frugalafterfifty
    frugalafterfifty Posts: 240 Member
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    My nephew just did one in PA this past weekend in 90+ degree heat. Sounded really interesting tho with the course they made. Good luck to you.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    i've done two tough mudders. the first was in october in new jersey. the second was in may in nevada. both are very different. nj was very very flat. no hills. part of the race was on a competitive dirt bike course, but it wasn't the steep and long steady hills that the nevada one had.

    i like TM and spartan races both for different reasons. i like the competitiveness of a spartan race, and i like the camaraderie of the tough mudders. yes, the TM's don't focus on your finishing time, and there is no timing chip.

    TM's are different than spartans. the tm course is 12-14 miles long, and has about 20 obstacles. a spartan sprint race is only about 4 miles, and has 15 obstacles, a super spartan is 8-10 miles and about 20 obstacles, and a spartan beast is 12-14 miles and about 25 obstacles.
  • RobynLB83
    RobynLB83 Posts: 626 Member
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    I'm doing November in San Diego.
  • rjmudlax13
    rjmudlax13 Posts: 900 Member
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    I did the Tough Mudder Boston which was actually in New Hampshire at the Gunstock Mountain Resort yesterday. The first quarter mile is straight up the mountain. After that it was relatively flat for about 6-7 miles. At about the 7.5 mile mark, the first of 3 mountain climbs began. Some parts were so steep that you had to get on all fours. Going up the mountain coupled with the 85-90 degree heat and high humidity made the last 4-5 miles absolutely brutal. It probably took me the same amount of time to do the last 4 miles then it did to do the first 8. My calves were cramping up a lot toward the end. I ended up coming in just under 3.5 hours.

    I did the Tri-State Mudder in New Jersey last year which seemed like a cake walk compared to the one I did yesterday. I spoke to some of the people who do mudders all over the place and they said that the Mt. Snow one in Vermont is probably the hardest. So, looks like that is my next challenge!
  • abideedum
    abideedum Posts: 71 Member
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    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 :D
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    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 :D

    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.
  • EmilyWest1919
    EmilyWest1919 Posts: 25 Member
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    I did the Warrior Dash this weekend. I had completed the C25k in order to prep for it, plus the weights that I do just for exercise in general. I've gotta say, the hills (it took place at a ski place) were the worst part. I did hear a lot of women (and men) complaining about not having enough upper body strength for the walls and nets, so I would concentrate on that. The obstacles were pretty easy, minus the slippery mud. Some were a bit tougher for those of us that were vertically challenged. Most people in ours were walking a good majority because of all the big hills. Happy training! Be sure to get pictures...
  • Bealach_Bug
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    Currently training for TM in August in Scotland. There's a group of us working with a trainer on a Thursday and also on the beach on a Sunday (using the sand dunes to run up with sand bags)
  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
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    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 :D

    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.
  • annieu613
    annieu613 Posts: 143 Member
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    I just did the Philly TM last weekend. The heat made it rough (it was in the low 90s), but I had a really fun time. It took us about 4.5 hours to finish, but one of the girls on my team hurt herself and had to stop halfway through.

    The obstacles were really fun, and I at least attempted them all, even though there were some I couldn't complete (the monkey bars and rings were hard!).

    My favorite ones were the climbing ones and anything with water or mud, since it was a chance to cool off. I'm totally sore today, but I want to do another one next year!
  • abideedum
    abideedum Posts: 71 Member
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    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 :D

    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 >.<