- The Tough Mudder combines the distance of marathons with challenging obstacles and plenty of mud.
- Individuals can sign up for Tough Mudder and get help from other contestants while they go along, but it's more fun when you have a team to train and do the race with.
- The obstacles are much easier if you do your research and train appropriately beforehand.
What is the Tough Mudder?
The Tough Mudder is an obstacle course racing event that invites participants to run, crawl, and overcome obstacles covered in mud. The participants, called the "Mudders", inevitably get covered in mud, too. Aside from running and crawling, Mudders may also have to battle their way through live electrical wires and freezing cold water.
Tough Mudder engages its participants in a fierce yet friendly competition. Organizers not only motivate Mudders to push their physical limits and chase their personal goals, but also encourage them to help out fellow Mudders when they struggle with certain obstacles.
Background
British gentlemen Will Dean and Guy Livingstone are the brilliant minds behind Tough Mudder. The idea of creating this synergistic race came into Dean when he joined a triathlon in the USA. He was in the middle of the race when the zipper on his wetsuit got stuck. He then asked the man running next to help him zip it up. The man gave him an angry look and ignored his request.
Dean says, "I thought it was interesting how everything is now so hyper-competitive and we constantly benchmark ourselves against each other. I realized it was a lot more fun doing something with other people." He wrote up a business plan and showed it to Livingston, and the two headed to New York to start the company.
Tough Mudder have attracted much attention online, and as its list of commercial partners grew, so did rates of registration. This was due to a combination of new recruits and repeat racers who couldn't get enough. Livingstone says the reason why many Mudders come back for more is "the power of human touch." He says, "On a lot of the obstacles you need to be pushed or pulled over and you definitely need to be supporting other people. There is something very powerful about that tangible sense. It's very visceral."
Should I sign up with a group or go solo?
Erin Beresini, author of Off Course: Inside the Mad, Muddy World of Obstacle Course Racing, states, "Doing it alone is nearly impossible. Tough Mudder ditches the every-man-for-himself mentality in favor of a leave-no-man behind mantra that has inspired a new wave of endurance fanaticism."
While it's true that Tough Mudder is all about teamwork and mutual support, there's nothing wrong with signing up alone. If you don't bring a team with you, the other Mudders on the course will give you a hand. Some people register, show up on race day, and join a group right there and then. Like every other OCR event, Tough Mudder is a sufferfest. Going through it with a support system can ease that suffering a bit.
Examples of Tough Mudder obstacles and how to pass them
The Tough Mudder organizers dream up and introduce new obstacles every year. Most of them can be overcome with preparation and strategizing.
Berlin Walls
Walls are familiar territory for almost anyone who's ever done OCR. Berlin Walls consists of two 10-foot-high walls in a row, usually placed towards the end of the course.
Start preparing to conquer the Berlin Walls by incorporating pull-ups into your OCR training. If you still struggle with it on the day of the race, you can always ask your fellow Mudders for help. Get a boost by having two Mudders lean against the wall with their legs slightly bent so that you can climb up and push your way to the top. Get extra pull from the Mudders who are already at the top of the wall.
Cage Crawl
To get through the Cage Crawl, you need to drag yourself through a ditch of cold, dirty water. There's a fence above your head for you to grab onto and pull yourself along. Note that this can be a stressful obstacle for people who are claustrophobic or uncomfortable in water.
If you're facing these problems, do your best to stay calm and to not rush through this obstacle. If you aren't careful, you might lose your grip and fall into the water. As you drag yourself along, keep your head and body as high as you can.
Dead Ringer
The Dead Ringer requires all of your strength and body coordination. You have a ring in each hand, and you need to use these to climb along a series of slippery pegs. The pegs stick out sideways and are sometimes positioned ascending or descending to add more difficulty to this already challenging task.
It's essential to have a firm grip on the rings. If you feel confident relying on your strength, use each peg one at a time so that you don't swing too much. Manage your use of energy by keeping your arms slightly bent. This technique takes a while, but it will get you there with a minimal risk of falling down.
However, if you think you have a better chance using your coordination skills, you can use fewer pegs to surpass the obstacle much quickly. As you reach for your next target peg, swing your body and stretch your arms. Since the pegs are slippery, so only use this technique with confidence.
Electroshock Therapy
One of the last obstacles you may encounter is the Electroshock Therapy. While it calls for less strength and endurance than the other obstacles, you do need to have an extra threshold for pain. In Electroshock Therapy, you run through a field of hanging electric wires.
Most Mudders agree that the best way to get through Electroshock Therapy is just to move as quickly as possible. The faster you run, the less likely you are to get electrocuted. Before you make your sprint, protect your face with your arms. Then clench your teeth and just go for it.
Everest 2.0
Long-time OCR enthusiasts might have encountered the halfpipe called Everest. Its successor, Everest 2.0, is 20% steeper and almost impossible to accomplish without help. Participants must run up the halfpipe, battling a slippery surface and their own exhaustion.
Hype yourself up, take long steps, and grab the arm of a Mudder who's already reached the top. When it comes to Everest 2.0, every inch counts, and even just one can make the difference between passing and failing.
Fire Walker
Even the most intense thrill-seekers might feel intimidated by the sight of the Fire Walker. This obstacle calls for running though pits of fire with flames that can go all the way up to four feet high until they reach the pool of water at the end.
If the smoke bothers you, try to squeeze your eyes and take shallow breaths as you run. It's normal to be scared of fire, but the Fire Walker doesn't pose a real threat. Nevertheless, fire-fighters are on standby for emergencies.
Skidmarked
Skidmarked is a unique wall in that it's set at a 45 degree angle. In this course, you can also incorporate pull-ups in your OCR training. When you're faced with the real thing, try to maintain control by moving up with an explosive movement and getting a leg over the wall as quickly as you can.
Training tips
Tough Mudder employees are reliable sources for advice. Here are little things to remember that will up your game straight from Tough Mudder experts.
Run
Tough Mudder coach Jim Nix sums it up quite simply: "If you lack the cardio aspect of conditioning, you're gonna struggle." He recommends a cardio program with about eight miles of running to prepare you for the run through the mud and up and down mountains.
Wear gloves
Both your training and your race day apparel should have a pair of gloves for a better grip. As Tough Mudder's emcee and chief marketing officer, Alex Patterson recommends that you should use gloves "with open tips so the water drains out of them [to] help you grab onto things when you're wet and doing the obstacles."
Train outside
Experience the challenge for real by doing OCR training outdoors. Andy Thom, a six-time Tough Mudder achiever, states, "Don't sit at the air-conditioned or heated gym and do bench presses and curls. Go to your local playground and climb around on the monkeybars. Get out in the fresh air, run up a hill, or climb a freaking tree."
Upcoming 2019 races
Are you ready for a bigger challenge? Be part of the Tough Mudder Philippines 2019 on August at Amore at Portofino in Alabang. Teams can expect 13 obstacles over five muddy kilometers.