People who do a Tough Mudder without training
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Those who complete have done better than those who don't and those who don't still do better than those who never got their butt off the couch. Means nothing to me if someone doesn't go through it all. Guess because I have knee issues and it took me over 14 hours to complete the Rachel Carson Challenge last year, it doesn't count because I couldn't stay with the ones who completed it in 7 hours. Honestly don't care about that - I did it for myself, and talked with a lot of people that day that were doing it for the same reason - to complete and challenge themselves. That is what it should be about in the long run - competing against yourself and your goals. If you want to compete against others, feel free.0
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I don't see it much as an issue. People challenge themselves up to and beyond what they normally do in their day to day. Heck, I'll be completing my third this year and I'm no Olympic athlete.
And while there is some risk, most injuries seen are minor. Personally, I've done things which I consider significantly riskier.
In the last event, one of our teammates was woefully underprepared. The result was that she slowed us down a lot, had to skip whole sections and, yes, injured herself. But she hobbled with good attitude to the end. Did it cheapen the event for me in anyway - nope, she's aware of her limitations and doesn't come close to my level. Just like I don't come close to any of the event leaders. If you feel general participation cheapens the event then this isn't the one for you. Stick to Spartans or playing survivor in the woods. TM are about teammate spirit and not leaving anyone behind. It is awesome to help others and be helped.
TM isn't a race. It isn't timed, your number is for photo-op not to win a doohickey.0 -
This seems like a case of you focus on you and let other people focus on themselves. An untrained person participating in a Tough Mudder should not detract from its significance to you. If it does, then that is because you are choosing to let it. Your life will be easier and more enjoyable if you mind your own business.0
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Last time I checked Tough Mudder is not a race, it is not timed and they focus heavily on team work and helping your fellow Mudder regardless of ability. These events don't have to be hard physically, for some the challenge is mental.
If you want a race / to compete, sign up for that - something where they have heats for those specifically trying to achieve a best time. (Spartan Elite Heats as an example)
If someone else, who has not trained for the event you are also participating in, has "cheapened" the experience for you - you are clearly focusing on the wrong person on the course.
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BWHAHAHAHAHA
I know a girl that did it 5 months pregnant.
But hey, if you want to as the poster above mentioned "get your panties in a wad" over it have at it. There are way more important things in the world to worry about though.0 -
AllanMisner wrote: »You said it yourself, they are skipping the most challenging obstacles and deep inside know they didn't make it. But they are out there, which I am so happy to see. You and I don't know their story. We see generally untrained individuals, but they may very well have dropped 60 lbs in preparation and from a 320 to a 260 are feeling quite spry.
I imagine there are quite a few people wondering what I'm doing out there. I'm obviously not a long distance runner and I'm obviously not built to climb. None of the events require someone to deadlift anything, so each event is a thorough challenge for me. I'm a high challenge guy, so I keep signing up for them. Sludge through and am happy to drink a beer or four at the finish.
This^
I just signed up for Foamfest and I don't plan on doing any "obstacle" training. But I'm going to do it, hopefully finish it without injury!
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See, that last part is exactly what I'm talking about. When these untrained people dismiss Tough Mudder-like events by saying "I didn't prepare at all and I finished anyway," I'm likely to give them the same kind of side-eye that you're talking about.ThickMcRunFast wrote: »I just don't get it. Its a mud run. Why get your panties in a twist that people aren't taking a mud run seriously enough? I mean, if you don't train and do something stupid, well HA! You're stupid. But why does that affect me? Say i win a 5k. Does it mean less to me because someone didn't train and walked in the back? Nope. They gonna get some side-eye if they come up to me and start bragging about how they run 5ks, but that's about it.
I get that it's not a race, which is why I personally made no mention of finishing time. It's also why I give props to the guys who do train hard and tackle these challenges, even if they aren't in great shape. Treating it as though it's something that anyone can get up off the couch and do, however, doesn't fit the spirit of the event -- certainly not in the manner that the organizers try to promote. It's also unsafe and encourages other people to attempt these challenges without preparation.
I don't say the same thing about family-style 5Ks, for example, where people will often finish in a leisurely stroll. Those are sold on an entirely different basis, and the potential for injury is virtually nil.
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See, that last part is exactly what I'm talking about. When these untrained people dismiss Tough Mudder-like events by saying "I didn't prepare at all and I finished anyway," I'm likely to give them the same kind of side-eye that you're talking about.ThickMcRunFast wrote: »I just don't get it. Its a mud run. Why get your panties in a twist that people aren't taking a mud run seriously enough? I mean, if you don't train and do something stupid, well HA! You're stupid. But why does that affect me? Say i win a 5k. Does it mean less to me because someone didn't train and walked in the back? Nope. They gonna get some side-eye if they come up to me and start bragging about how they run 5ks, but that's about it.
I get that it's not a race, which is why I personally made no mention of finishing time. It's also why I give props to the guys who do train hard and tackle these challenges, even if they aren't in great shape. Treating it as though it's something that anyone can get up off the couch and do, however, doesn't fit the spirit of the event -- certainly not in the manner that the organizers try to promote. It's also unsafe and encourages other people to attempt these challenges without preparation.
I don't say the same thing about family-style 5Ks, for example, where people will often finish in a leisurely stroll. Those are sold on an entirely different basis, and the potential for injury is virtually nil.
I can see this. If someone says "I love racing half marathons" but it turns out all they do is run/walk without an eye towards time, well then they get side eye because they aren't racing. But that's me thinking that words mean specific things.
I also don't think that someone who decides on a lark that they are going to run an untrained marathon and comes in near 6 hours (a thing that happens often enough on MFP that I'm starting to think that 5:45-6:00 is just the time it takes an untrained human to cover 26.2 miles) should be bragging about their marathon expertise.
But it doesn't cheapen my experience. Its just dumb. It certainly doesn't bother me enough to start a thread about it.0 -
I'm signing up for the Mudathalon in Cincinnati, OH on August 1st, and I'm not doing it for anything other than to test myself while not giving a single care to time. Although, I am going to be "training" for it in that I intend to keep working on my cardio, and then jump into weights when my shoulder heals, I am absolutely positive that I will be very slow.
But, I guess that I shouldn't even try, eh?0 -
gettinthere wrote: »AllanMisner wrote: »You said it yourself, they are skipping the most challenging obstacles and deep inside know they didn't make it. But they are out there, which I am so happy to see. You and I don't know their story. We see generally untrained individuals, but they may very well have dropped 60 lbs in preparation and from a 320 to a 260 are feeling quite spry.
I imagine there are quite a few people wondering what I'm doing out there. I'm obviously not a long distance runner and I'm obviously not built to climb. None of the events require someone to deadlift anything, so each event is a thorough challenge for me. I'm a high challenge guy, so I keep signing up for them. Sludge through and am happy to drink a beer or four at the finish.
This^
I just signed up for Foamfest and I don't plan on doing any "obstacle" training. But I'm going to do it, hopefully finish it without injury!
You're not going to practice running through bubbles?0 -
For me, it's less about the person than it is the mindset. Events like TM are about the team, comradarie, and simply finishing. I know what to expect from events like those, and I don't care how untrained the person is. Races (events where finishing time matters, or events like TM that you treat as a race), people should train for. If you're racing, act like it. If your not racing, then that's fine, but get the hell out of my way.
Having done some of these types of events, I would also add that I really view them as "fun" events vs. going out and really trying to be competitive, etc. I've seen people walk courses and skip obstacles, etc...it doesn't really bother me because I don't view it as a truly competitive event I guess. I'm mostly there for the fun (and beer tent)...and I like the challenge too, but really you can dictate how challenging you want to make it for yourself.0 -
The only person who should be affected by not training is the person who didn't train. If they're miserable, it's their fault.
We certainly can't assume someone who skips an obstacle or is slower than the pack didn't train or put effort in.
We do these races for ourselves for whatever reason at whatever pace. We can't judge the person next to, in front of or behind us because we're all there, doing it.0 -
gettinthere wrote: »AllanMisner wrote: »You said it yourself, they are skipping the most challenging obstacles and deep inside know they didn't make it. But they are out there, which I am so happy to see. You and I don't know their story. We see generally untrained individuals, but they may very well have dropped 60 lbs in preparation and from a 320 to a 260 are feeling quite spry.
I imagine there are quite a few people wondering what I'm doing out there. I'm obviously not a long distance runner and I'm obviously not built to climb. None of the events require someone to deadlift anything, so each event is a thorough challenge for me. I'm a high challenge guy, so I keep signing up for them. Sludge through and am happy to drink a beer or four at the finish.
This^
I just signed up for Foamfest and I don't plan on doing any "obstacle" training. But I'm going to do it, hopefully finish it without injury!
you'll be fine. Foamfest doesn't require any training. If you're able to walk 5k, you're good. Enjoy - Foamfest is a lot of fun!0 -
^ This.OK I didn't exactly mean that to sound snarky but it kinda came out that way.
My (perhaps slightly douchebaggy) opinion: completion of a short distance race is not an accomplishment. Completion of a long distance race in a ridiculously long amount of time is also not really that great of an accomplishment. I will use my experience in running and triathlon as an example.
An out of shape person can train themselves up to a 5k distance using the C25K program. Is that cool? Absolutely. Should that person feel proud that they "completed" a 5k at the end of the program? Sure. But remember that this is a race. The goal is to go faster. If your "main accomplishment" is to cover the distance, well, that is kinda lame. If your goal is to use it as a stepping stone for longer distances, ok. But the real point of a 5k is to race it. That is why it is called a race. It *should* not be some massive undertaking to cover the distance for any able-bodied adult human. Once you do it, give yourself a pat on the back but realize the work isn't done. Pick a time goal (you can compete with yourself if you like) and beat it. Then do it again. Set PRs. I would guess the same thing happens in the OCRs. Just about anybody that has all of their limbs intact *can* complete it, trained or not. That is *not* the point of the event though.
I could not imagine stepping up to any starting line thinking I don't care about time, I just want to finish. Instead, I'm looking around at all the people that I'm going to beat during the race.
But... maybe I'm hyper-competitive. If I'm out for a jog around a lake and someone is running in the same direction as me, it's a race. It doesn't matter if they know it or not. I will catch and pass them. That's my motivation when training. Pick a person, pass them. Pick another, pass them. Wash, rinse, repeat. That mentality led me to win my heat at last year's warrior dash (5k OCR).
Of course, the person I'm most competitive with is myself. I always want to do a little bit better than I did before.0 -
peachyfuzzle wrote: »I'm signing up for the Mudathalon in Cincinnati, OH on August 1st, and I'm not doing it for anything other than to test myself while not giving a single care to time. Although, I am going to be "training" for it in that I intend to keep working on my cardio, and then jump into weights when my shoulder heals, I am absolutely positive that I will be very slow.
But, I guess that I shouldn't even try, eh?
I won't try one because of my shoulder...but not because I'd be slow
I don't care what some douchebro thinks of me getting out and having some fun with an obstacle course.
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And let me put this out there. The only people cheapening the event are those that say it doesn't count because I didn't finish in x time or because I skipped (extra) Everest and any other obstacles I might have chosen to.
What next? Does my bike ride not count because I didn't sustain Tour de France power levels?
I've personally rode up Iseran, I didn't do it in under 2 hrs. Fail?
Climbed Mönch but used the southeast ridge. fail?
Used a guide for Chadar ice walk. Fail?
Didn't use a single speed for RAGBRAI. Fail?
I'll gladly take my fraud badge. I had fun with my friends.
<come at me bro meme goes here>0 -
Ive done two TM's (Patterson and Tahoe). Im overweight, I run and lift but didnt train specifically for these. I skipped 'walk the plank' cus I cannot swim and i will not risk drowning. I did the monkey bars but fell in half way not knowing how deep it was (it was deep, i freaked!) so I skipped that the second time around. Doesn't mean i didnt deserve to be there and it sure as hell doesnt mean I didnt try my hardest. As for my team mates, it did bother me that they didnt even attempt to get in shape for the event. It held some of us back by waitin for them. But like somone else said, its not a race. we got through it together, although i'll never do it with them again Also, just because I didnt finish it in 2.5 hours doesnt mean it doesnt count. I had the bruises to prove it! 0
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I could not imagine stepping up to any starting line thinking I don't care about time, I just want to finish. Instead, I'm looking around at all the people that I'm going to beat during the race.
But... maybe I'm hyper-competitive. If I'm out for a jog around a lake and someone is running in the same direction as me, it's a race. It doesn't matter if they know it or not. I will catch and pass them. That's my motivation when training. Pick a person, pass them. Pick another, pass them. Wash, rinse, repeat. That mentality led me to win my heat at last year's warrior dash (5k OCR).
Of course, the person I'm most competitive with is myself. I always want to do a little bit better than I did before.
The only thing passing me did was allow you to get to the beer tent before me. As long as they don't run out of beer before I get there, I don't care.
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AllanMisner wrote: »I could not imagine stepping up to any starting line thinking I don't care about time, I just want to finish. Instead, I'm looking around at all the people that I'm going to beat during the race.
But... maybe I'm hyper-competitive. If I'm out for a jog around a lake and someone is running in the same direction as me, it's a race. It doesn't matter if they know it or not. I will catch and pass them. That's my motivation when training. Pick a person, pass them. Pick another, pass them. Wash, rinse, repeat. That mentality led me to win my heat at last year's warrior dash (5k OCR).
Of course, the person I'm most competitive with is myself. I always want to do a little bit better than I did before.
The only thing passing me did was allow you to get to the beer tent before me. As long as they don't run out of beer before I get there, I don't care.
I don't even want the beer. But there'd damn well better be cold water available.
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I have a coworker that did Tough Mudder last weekend, all he did to train for it was work on the elliptical a bit here and there, while the other guys doing it were talking about how they were working on lifting and running and setting up obstacles. On Monday he was talking about how he barely crossed the line and near had to be carried. I hope he learned his lesson, but I'm not holding my breath. I didn't go and I learned a lesson, don't team up with people you don't know are going to put in the effort. I give him an A for effort and getting out there and doing it, and I hope that he got some enjoyment out of it all the same.0
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peachyfuzzle wrote: »I'm signing up for the Mudathalon in Cincinnati, OH on August 1st, and I'm not doing it for anything other than to test myself while not giving a single care to time. Although, I am going to be "training" for it in that I intend to keep working on my cardio, and then jump into weights when my shoulder heals, I am absolutely positive that I will be very slow.
But, I guess that I shouldn't even try, eh?
In my book, you deserve props for doing it! You're working on cardio and on your strength, presumably to the best of your ability. As long as you keep an eye on safety, you deserve a high five.0 -
Well... I do get pretty thirsty after a race...AllanMisner wrote: »I could not imagine stepping up to any starting line thinking I don't care about time, I just want to finish. Instead, I'm looking around at all the people that I'm going to beat during the race.
But... maybe I'm hyper-competitive. If I'm out for a jog around a lake and someone is running in the same direction as me, it's a race. It doesn't matter if they know it or not. I will catch and pass them. That's my motivation when training. Pick a person, pass them. Pick another, pass them. Wash, rinse, repeat. That mentality led me to win my heat at last year's warrior dash (5k OCR).
Of course, the person I'm most competitive with is myself. I always want to do a little bit better than I did before.
The only thing passing me did was allow you to get to the beer tent before me. As long as they don't run out of beer before I get there, I don't care.0 -
I'm not sure I get how finishing something on "sheer tenacity" is a negative.
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I have a coworker that did Tough Mudder last weekend, all he did to train for it was work on the elliptical a bit here and there, while the other guys doing it were talking about how they were working on lifting and running and setting up obstacles. On Monday he was talking about how he barely crossed the line and near had to be carried. I hope he learned his lesson, but I'm not holding my breath. I didn't go and I learned a lesson, don't team up with people you don't know are going to put in the effort. I give him an A for effort and getting out there and doing it, and I hope that he got some enjoyment out of it all the same.
I don't understand this post at all. The person you're talking about did it - you didn't - I'm not really sure he's the one that needs to be learning a lesson here....?
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dawnmcneil10 wrote: »I wondered how this thread was going to go. I'm proud of anyone who attempts a tough mudder type of event. I did mudderella last year and there were lots of people on the course that I worried about crossing the finish line on their feet. I won't do the tough mudder myself because there's an obstacle where water and electricity mix...........ummm hello! I hear it's low voltage but seriously I'm not willing to chance it. For me personally if I can't complete every obstacle then I didn't complete the event. That doesn't mean I failed if I only got half way across the monkey bars, it means I have to work harder for the next time. I'm talking skipping an obstacle, to me that means you did not "complete" the course.
I don't believe that runners need to set times to beat, that's a personal choice. I personally enjoy the fact that I can run at all, I strive to increase my distance but I don't care how long it takes me to get there I just like to keep a steady pace. I have friends that love to be first and that's fine, we agree to disagree and cheer each other on as friends should.
My honest opinion is that if you sign up for an event and don't train (no matter what the event is) then you're asking for an injury.
I didn't. I had no doubt.0 -
People do these races for different reasons. Who are you to decide if their reasons are the right ones?
I don't think it's wise to go in cold, because of fear of injury, but that's their choice, not mine. I don't need to compare myself to them.
As many have said, TM is not timed, it's about camaraderie, team work, and overcoming obstacles / fears. Some people are terrified of heights - they may appear out of shape as they climb that cargo net to get to the top, but rather they're shaking inside because they're going higher than they've ever gone before. I know people who had to fight every demon they had to get to the top. And while others got mad at them for taking too long, I clap for them for the sheer mental fortitude it took to get to the top, and then actually jump.
You cannot look at a single person and know the struggles they're overcoming, and with that knowledge, I choose to focus ONLY on me.
Could I run a TM cold? Yeah, I probably could. I could probably do it pretty well.
Do I want to? NO! I am training however and whenever I can, with the intent and desire to do the best I possibly can. THAT is my motivation, and that is the only one I'm concerned with.
When I get that orange headband, I will be proud of myself because I will know I pushed my hardest and did my best.
And as for the ones who run it unprepared... well, they may have done it, but it probably cost them some emotional and mental effort as well, and therefore I congratulate them too.0 -
My daughter did a tough mudder in Austin and she was so scared because she is not an athlete. She walks each day but that is it. She completed more obstacles than her husband who lifts and runs marathons. He is afraid of heights so he skipped four obstacles and she skipped one. She fell into a cactus bush on the very first obstacle and still finished. She was so proud of herself. Tough Mudder is for anyone that is brave enough to try.0
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OK I didn't exactly mean that to sound snarky but it kinda came out that way.
My (perhaps slightly douchebaggy) opinion: completion of a short distance race is not an accomplishment. Completion of a long distance race in a ridiculously long amount of time is also not really that great of an accomplishment. I will use my experience in running and triathlon as an example.
An out of shape person can train themselves up to a 5k distance using the C25K program. Is that cool? Absolutely. Should that person feel proud that they "completed" a 5k at the end of the program? Sure. But remember that this is a race. The goal is to go faster. If your "main accomplishment" is to cover the distance, well, that is kinda lame. If your goal is to use it as a stepping stone for longer distances, ok. But the real point of a 5k is to race it. That is why it is called a race. It *should* not be some massive undertaking to cover the distance for any able-bodied adult human. Once you do it, give yourself a pat on the back but realize the work isn't done. Pick a time goal (you can compete with yourself if you like) and beat it. Then do it again. Set PRs. I would guess the same thing happens in the OCRs. Just about anybody that has all of their limbs intact *can* complete it, trained or not. That is *not* the point of the event though.
Wow! I totally agree with you. It is a really douchebaggy opinion.0 -
This is silly. I am not a runner. I'm a cyclist. I do play pickup soccer and have been a lifetime athlete (soccer, volleyball, fencing). I refuse to comply to your "standards".
I did a Spartan Beast, about 12 km. I didn't do crossfit, or lifted milk crates, or did 1,000 burpees in training. I failed at some obstacles like the rings and the monkey bars. And I succeeded at stuff like the rope pull, ammo carry, spear throw, triceps crossing, and so on. And I finished in the top 95th percentile, because the thing is so damned long and included so much climbing that my cardio fitness trumped the crossfitter's. So it is when you have 500+ m of altitude gain.
And you know what? I still cheered every single person I passed. They were all trying. You speak of tenacity like it was worthless. More power to them. I hope they were having fun and managed their effort to avoid injury.
As for "racing" - 99.5% of you guys are kidding yourselves if you think you'd win an elite race on foot, anything from 100m to a marathon to a Spartan race. Our true aspiration is to be better than we were yesterday. And there's nothing wrong with that except when you belittle others doing the exact same thing you are doing. Now, if you're a pro-mudder (or pro-Spartan, or Pro-adventure racer, that's another thing. But I doubt it because those guys know that their entrance money depends on the common couch joe or jane giving it a go and signing up.
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