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Hmmm. Any MPers ever participated in Tough Mudder? I need tips. : )

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Dirty Gri Gri, or is it GiGi? · · Vegas · Joined May 2005 · Points: 4,115

The reason why I'm asking is because I was lured into Tough Mudder by some friends of mine, and it's just around the corner (and I'm a bit intimidated). We're all new to a Tough Mudder obstacle course, so we don't really know how we'll do, although we're excited about it. We are also happy that it's for a good cause (Supports the Wounded Warrior Project).

My teammates are all athletic; two runners who do crossfit, an advanced snowboarder/gym rat, a hiker/gym rat, a gym rat/bicyclist with a really great sense of humor, a Marine (who I haven't met yet), and myself with a fairly good tolerance for pain, and suffering. My friends, and I don't have any health issues. With all of our busy work, and life schedules we've been doing our own thing with training. As the event is nearing,(just one month away-yikes) I'm hoping to get a few tips on the most beneficial types of work-outs that I should focus on for this military style obstacle course, as I've never experienced a course, or event like this.

Besides my normal weekend activities of hiking, kayaking, easy-moderate climbing, and biking, followed by being lazy during my work-weeks, will the simple addition of pull-ups, and marching up steep hills be enough, or do I need to train a lot harder than that? I want to do well, and not embarrass myself by slowing my team down (plus we're pretty competitive at heart, although we're not sayin'). I checked out the Tough Mudder website, and it looks hardcore, but wondering how hardcore from a climber's perspective (if any fellow MPers have done an obstacle course like this, either in a Tough Mudder, or in the military).

Thanks for stopping by.: )

Tim Stich · · Colorado Springs, Colorado · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 1,520

You con do eeeeet, Gi Gi!

Colonel Mustard · · Sacramento, CA · Joined Sep 2005 · Points: 1,241

They almost got me too! But then the steadily rising fee schedule (pay increasingly more the later you register) gave my poor ass the out I needed.

Good luck! I'm sure you'll do great.

Steve J · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Feb 2010 · Points: 0

Yeah, I agree with livinontheledge. The image is what makes this event seem so tough, but it's really not bad. I did the Tough Mudder last year in Beaver Creek, CO, doing little more than bouldering and endurance mountain bike racing. My partners were a Marine in pretty good shape, and his wife, a runner who needed quite a bit of help on obstacles requiring any arm strength. Like previously mentioned, they market it as the toughest race on earth - it may be the toughest race of its kind, but it's not the toughest race on earth, in my opinion, anyway. (I just rode the whole Colorado Trail. Now, that is hard.) If everyone's in it for the team to finish, you'll be totally fine - we just wanted to finish, and we ended up finishing with a time that qualified for the ridiculous 24 hour Tough Mudder in New Jersey last December. Personally, I think the 24 hour race sounds absolutely insane(so i passed on it), but I've already got the regular Tough Mudder behind me, so take it for what it's worth.

I don't know what your race will entail, but be prepared to get wet, do a bunch of obstacles, drink beer, and make muscle-bound meat-heads look ridiculous. A costume is a great idea. The part that had me most anxious was the "electro-shock therapy." Maybe that have that sweet obstacle for you, too. ;)

Good luck, Gi Gi!

Larry DeAngelo · · Las Vegas, NV · Joined Nov 2002 · Points: 5,285

Gigette-- best of luck; if anyone can do well there my money is on you!

For inspiration and a little historical connection with Red Rock: I have lost track of him, but for many years Las Vegas was home to legendary ultrarunner Ed Furtaw. Frozen Ed had a Captain-Ahab relationship with a truly hard race, the Barkley Marathons, of which he was the the first person to ever finish. The Barkley is so hard that many years nobody finishes, and I think it was only recently that more than one person made it to the end. Ed has written a book about the race: createspace.com/3427508

In the ultramarathon community there is an informal tradition to run a "Recover From the Holidays Fatass 50" on the first weekend after New Years. Back in the 90s, Ed rounded up the few local Las Vegas trail runners for a 50k outing he had plotted and we always had a good time.

(A little search indicates that this outing has survived! -- and expanded in size if not distance) iantorrence.blogspot.com/20…

Dirty Gri Gri, or is it GiGi? · · Vegas · Joined May 2005 · Points: 4,115

Thanks for all the great info., and encouragement guys- That's music to to my ears, and really helps my psyche. Now I'm starting to see it as a fun time with costumes, booze, and shenanigans, instead of something so serious that I would have to stress over it, and put a damper on my routine weekend activities this month.

Now off to climb Bruja's Brew in this extreme heat today (not for the Tough Mudder training), but for fun, because that's what we desert rats do ; )



PS,Scary Larry, thanks for the link, and info. ! I'm not a runner, especially not to your level of fun with runs, but my runner friends will probably love something like that, I bet. I'll be sure to let them know!

BTW, Stich, re: your picture of the Mudder who looks like she's having a really good time... The electroshock obstacle is one thing I'm looking forward to the most. I'm serious, can't wait! Maybe I'm in need of it. You know, how like women crave chocolate during certain times, and men crave a big, juicy steak- it's always for some good reason, right? ; )

A side note: Tough Mudder is being held in Beatty, NV. I guess my main concern should be all the exposure to arsenic, and other mining tailings we're going to swallow in the water, and mud. LOL. ; /
David Appelhans · · Broomfield, CO · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 410

That is awesome that it is in Beatty! I grew up there! Gateway to Death Valley, have fun.

Sometimes the flash floods would come in and we would play in the giant mud puddles that would form in abandoned lots. I guess we were having our own middle school "tough mudders"!

Dirty Gri Gri, or is it GiGi? · · Vegas · Joined May 2005 · Points: 4,115
David Appelhans wrote:That is awesome that it is in Beatty! I grew up there! Gateway to Death Valley, have fun. Sometimes the flash floods would come in and we would play in the giant mud puddles that would form in abandoned lots. I guess we were having our own middle school "tough mudders"!
That's awesome! Did you know the Bowditch family? My good friend Stan, and his family grew up there. He also enjoyed playing in all that desert, racing BMX bikes, and partying. They've all sinced moved from Beatty.

BTW, Beatty seems to be making a killing! My friends can't even find a motel room there, and the rates were well over $125/night at the cheapest rate during the event. This one staff member of a motel in Beatty told me she just had to open up 12 more rooms that aren't fit to be open, but one group was desperate to get rooms so they will settle for less than fit rooms. She seemed to be tickled by it when I was talking to her.

Of course, there's plenty of free camping around, on all that BLM land that surrounds Beatty, but the Mudders probably want a good nights sleep before, and after the event, and to shower off all that mud, and sweat!
Joe Kreidel · · San Antonio, TX · Joined Dec 2007 · Points: 1,495

Yeah, don't sweat it. My wife and I both did it off the couch with no problem. I probably ran a cumulative total of 20 miles in the three months leading up to it as my training (I really hate running....). I was a little worried that I hadn't trained enough, but it was no problem. It was a lot of fun, though, and between all the crazy obstacles, the electric shocks, and the teamwork and camaraderie along the course, it was a very cool experience.

Bootz Ylectric · · Las Vegas, NV · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 165

My dad did it with me. He has a fake knee. He crushed it actually, but he's in decent shape minus the fake knee. His chainsmoking alcoholic buddy who is literally falling apart from hanging drywall his whole life did it with us as well. He was hurting the next day, but he finished it and had a blast.

Dirty Gri Gri, or is it GiGi? · · Vegas · Joined May 2005 · Points: 4,115

Much thanks to you fellow MPers for the tips, reassurance, and encouragement! I had so much fun at the TM 2012-Las Vegas event in Beatty, that we're already looking forward to the next one. That shit was hilarious, and didn't feel much different in the end from say, a normal canyoneering, or climbing weekend of mine, but with the added bonus of awesome camaraderie, and shenanigans with good friends. Beatty was super good to us, and it was so fun to hang out, and cook-out in the ghost town of Rhyolite after the event too.

BTW, David- it was held at the Spicer Ranch-you probably know the area growing up there, and all.

A few pics of us Mudders. : )

Mudders- I'm the one with the biggest ears.

TM LV 2012

TM LV 2012

TM LV 2012

D'OH!! All the mud smelled, and tasted like burro, and horse shit. Seriously!

Sunset in Rhyolite, NV. Taken 10/5/12.

Tim Stich · · Colorado Springs, Colorado · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 1,520

Go, Gi gi!

David Appelhans · · Broomfield, CO · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 410

Oh wow, that statue looks familiar. I'd forgotten about that! I haven't been back to Beatty since I was 9 yrs old, but we used to go to the ghost town of rhyolite every so often when I was there. I loved the old abandoned bank and glass house, and weird sculptures. Glad you had fun.

Dirty Gri Gri, or is it GiGi? · · Vegas · Joined May 2005 · Points: 4,115

Thanks!

Side Note-
I think I saw old man Spicer riding along us on a quad several times just a grinnin'. I was wondering if he got a kick over seeing folks wallow in the same mud, and ponds that his animals probably enjoyed pissing, and shitting in throughout the years. Everyone was complaining (to themselves, and teamates, of course) that they were having us in almost constant excrement. It really was smelling that bad! I'd imagine it had to be from generations of ranching out there. We saw tons of animal shit all along the banks of the wet mud we were bathing in. THAT AIN'T RIGHT!!!

And Tim, you couldn't scare me with the pic you posted of the woman crying under the electrodes. We ran right through that shit! Here's another Tough Mudder pic to prove it. I'd recognize my ears, and awesome team anywhere!: )

Electro-shock to the finish line! Ahhh, I needed that!

My friend in the Spicer Ranch excrement. It got waist deep at times.

Hank Caylor · · Livin' in the Junk! · Joined Dec 2003 · Points: 643

Love it Gi Gi!!

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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