Tough Mudder!!

R1otgirl · September 2013

Hey everyone!
So last year I watched my brother (who is in great shape) complete a tough mudder (10-12 mile obstacle course). I thought it was the coolest thing ever and was saddened at the fact that I was too heavy and out of shape to ever think about doing something like that. Here was my conversation with myself "I wish I could do that, but I'm too fat... "why am I too fat? because I don't exercise... "well why don't I exercise?" Because I feel too fat to exercise, I will look silly and it will be tiring.
Now that is just the stupidest thing ever.
I decided that I...little miss chunky monkey who never exercised in her life, was going to run and do a *gulp* Tough Mudder.
I was tired of being fat, tired of looking at all the things I CANT do because of my weight. So I started training, 2 hours every day. Running, climbing, swimming, jumping... all these things I would groan at, i grew to love and crave. and what do you know... I dropped 35 lbs.

My tough mudder is on Nov. 2nd and I need some advice. I am the fittest I have been in my life and will be running tough mudder being around 170 lbs (which is still very heavy for someone who is 5'2) So I want to hear other peoples experiences!
Did you complete tough mudder being a bit heavier? what sort of things did you do to prepare? Did you injure yourself during the course? My two biggest fears are the Berlin walls and Everest. Did you conquer them?
I would love to hear from all of you!

ChelleBalady · September 2013

I ran my tough Mudder in the 180's. It was difficult but so much fun!! I trained with a trainer 3 days a week did cardio 5 days a week. My biggest regret was not running outside. Ran on a treadmill it's a big difference. My team helped me with the Berlin Walls. Sadly I attempted Everest but it was at the end and I was unable to make it. I will be participating in my second TM in April. Compression socks help a lot too. Have fun!

RobotMil · September 2013

I completed it at ~160 pounds, I wasn't the heaviest there. Definitely not the fittest though heh!

My tips would be:
- do as much upper body stuff as you can to build strength to pull yourself around
- run outside, run hills
- incorporate some sprint intervals into your training
- try and get a supportive team together, you will need physical and mental help

TM was very tough physically, but I paced myself, took it slow and I didn't get injured. There were some obstacles I couldn't complete - not strong or light enough I reckon. I attempted everything though and that's all I wanted. I didn't conquer either the berlin walls or everest

By the time I got to berlin walls my calf was cramping up which really hampered my attempts, and there weren't many people around to heft my *kitten* up! With everest I just couldn't get the speed to get high enough up the wall to be grabbed.

arghbowl · September 2013

I've done 2 Tough Mudders and have a 3rd coming up next month. A few tips...

1.) Be able to lift your own body weight (or as close to it)
2.) Run on the treadmill with weights on your ankles. You will be AMAZED at how much extra weight the mud on your feet will weigh.
3.) Get a team together if you can. The more, the better.
4.) Half of TM is mental... When you get on a stretch of no obstacles in sight and your cold, cranky, etc... you have to find the drive to keep going. This is part of where the team is super helpful.
5.) Don't be afraid of an obstacle. Sure, the smoke chute may be tall. Everest may look scary. That's the point. Overcome your fear of the obstacles.

Most importantly...
6.) Remember to have fun. Everyone out there on the course helps everyone else.

Berlin walls aren't that bad once you figure out the trick to getting over them (pull yourself up and swing to the side at the same time). Everest is truly more about teamwork than anything else. I made it almost all the way up before I slipped, and had someone not grabbed my hand I would have been toast. At my second mudder I made it all the way up by myself, but I'd also been training for it for nearly a year.

Personally my least favorite is the electric eel... water and electricity HURT!!!

ElliottTN · September 2013

I want to do this so bad but can't find a team around me. My friends are too flaky when it comes to this stuff. Good luck OP.

Bumping thread for you.

chrissiev89 · September 2013

Running is the best advice i can give you!

i did TM when i was at my heaviest of 190lbs and it was tough but i had a great time doing it.

running will help you immensely, run every day and add some upper body workout to be able to lift yourself as this will be a repeated task for many of the obstacles.

over all, dont worry about your time or how everyone else can be passing you. you are doing this to have fun, so make the most of it!

rachelmorgan77 · September 2013

I did it around 160-170. You'll be fine. My biggest advice? Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. I cramped like nobody's business and it was tough to complete the course when your legs are knotted up. I sprained my foot, have some scars, but nothing you can't recover from. Be careful going down Berlin - I was so worried about getting UP the wall, that I tumbled down (hence the sprain and scars). Learn to love freezing cold water, work your upper body, and be sure you have a team.

TM is mental - just go into it thinking you can do it. Don't second guess yourself. Yes, you may get shocked (three or four times) but you'll live, you'll survive and you'll have some grand stories to tell.

shawnakrebs · September 2013

I did mine last October at 6 weeks pregnant. It was the worst and best time of my life.....my advise, don't be in a hurry. Work on your long distance jogging. I did some uphill jogs and a 5 mile jog. I was also working on Tae Bo to get some balance. There are a ton of people along the way to help you over the walls, I had zero upper body strength and the wall scared me to death, but friends below and strangers above helped me over them. Its is all about team work....even if you don't have a team.
I was really bruised up on my legs following my Mudder run and could barely walk for a day or two being so sore. The most nerve wrecking part for my was the electricity obstacles, and mostly Eloctroshock Therapy at the very end. I was knocked out for about a second or two. Not long, but long enough I was having a vision of going over another obstacle with my team. When I looked up in my vision, I was looking at the hay bale in front of me. That freaked me out since I have never passed out or blacked out in my life.
If for some reason you are not comfortable about certain obstacles you can go around them. The Balls to the Walls was one I tried, but having no strength (and it being in the 40s and rain), I didn't want to get 8 feet up and fall down, so I walked along with many others.
Most of all HAVE FUN!! I am planning on doing my second one next summer in North Lake Tahoe!

R1otgirl · September 2013

thank you so much for all the tips and help everybody! you guys are such an inspiration and I have never been more excited for anything in my entire life

I swear I dream about tough mudder almost every single night lol. sadly I do not really have a team to run with but my brother will be running with me.

RobotMil · September 2013

thank you so much for all the tips and help everybody! you guys are such an inspiration and I have never been more excited for anything in my entire life I swear I dream about tough mudder almost every single night lol. sadly I do not really have a team to run with but my brother will be running with me.

I was meant to be running as part of a team of around 6, but it ended up just being myself and my boyfriend as he got injured a little way into it and we had to go slower to make it to the end. That was tough because it was unexpected, but we managed it anyway with a lot of motivating each other! There are plenty of people around so be friendly, help others where you can and I'm sure you will get help and support in return. Good luck!!

Tough Mudder!!

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