Are you a Tough Mudder?

Are you a Tough Mudder?  Do you know what it means?  I didn’t until recently.
Tough Mudder is hardcore – a fierce challenge designed by the British Special Forces that requires lots of team spirit for sure!
LaDawn and her team’s name was “Dura Maters”…. in Latin this means Tough Mothers!
Read about the Dura Maters Team experience and how they trained for the Sacramento Tough Mudder below:
Here’s an excerpt from one of her teammates, Robyn, and her BLOG of the event – to read more, click here:  http://toughmudderduramaters.blogspot.com/
HOW I HEARD ABOUT TOUGH MUDDER
Last year, our dear Jamaican friend SN explained an event called “Tough Mudder” to me and invited me to join him.  At the time, my husband GS was training for his first Ironman.  So, I supported GS by taking on most of our parental duties.  I was also out of shape, so doubly uninterested in training.  I forgot entirely about SN’s invitation.
Then, this last Spring, my friend, NH, invited me to join her.  I researched the event and literally obsessed about it for an entire week. I realized that GS would be finished with his Ironman in time for me to train for Tough Mudder NorCal
(Tahoe) later that Fall. When NH popped her head into Primary at church the next Sunday and said, “I registered!”, that clinched the deal.  I was in. I registered that night and created our team online.  Then, I emailed each of my
girlfriends and family members with whom I had previously talked about doing a running event together.  I wanted to form an all-girls team.
  

I explained to them the event the way the website describes it:

Tough Mudder events are hardcore 10-12 mile obstacle courses designed by British Special Forces to test your all around strength, stamina, mental grit, and camaraderie. As the leading company in the booming obstacle course industry,
Tough Mudder has already challenged half a million inspiring participants worldwide and raised more than $3 million dollars for the Wounded Warrior Project. But Tough Mudder is more than an event, it’s a way of thinking. By
running a Tough Mudder challenge, you’ll unlock a true sense of accomplishment, have a great time, and discover a camaraderie with your fellow participants that’s experienced all too rarely these days.

FACT
#1 – Marathon running is boring.

And the only thing more boring than doing a marathon is watching a marathon. Road-running may give you a healthy set of lungs, but will leave you with as much upper body strength as Keira Knightley. At Tough Mudder, we want to test
your all-around mettle, not just your ability to run in a straight line, on your own, for hours on end, getting bored out of your mind. Our obstacle courses are designed by British Special Forces to test you in every way and are meant only
for truly exceptional all-around people, not for people who have enough time and money to train their knees to run 26 miles.

FACT
#2 – Mudders do not take themselves too seriously.

Triathlons, marathons, and other lame mud runs are more stressful than fun. Not Tough Mudder. As hardcore as our courses are, we meet you at the finish line with a laugh and a rockin’ live band. It’s pretty hard to take yourself seriously when you’re covered in mud and have just finished an obstacle called ‘Walk The Plank’, so please don’t show up at a Tough Mudder without a sense of humor.

FACT
#3 – You cannot complete a Tough Mudder course alone.

To get through mud, fire, ice-water, and 10,000 volts of electricity you’ll need teammates to pick you up when your spirits dip. To get over 12 foot walls and through underground mud tunnels, you’ll need teammates to give you a boost and a
push. Tough Mudders are team players who make sure no one gets left behind. To that end, all Mudders are expected to uphold our ideals and exhibit teamwork and camaraderie both on the course and off it. All participants are asked to join us in reciting the Tough Mudder pledge before starting each event.Eight women (NH, LS, SC, SK, KB, BN, ES and myself) joined our all-girls team:  Dura Maters.  Translated from Latin to English:  tough mothers.  We figured that if we had delivered babies, endured postpartum, and
survived the terrible two’s, we could definitely conquer this event.We also allowed five men (GS, JS, JP, RN & BB) to join us and assist us on the toughest obstacles.  We lovingly called our men our “Fairy God Mudders”.  Then, together, we enjoyed a couple of lazy Sunday afternoon potlucks to plan our next
few months of training.

TRAINING

Over 16 weeks, I did mainly three forms of training.
1: Running 4-6 miles over 10 times.
2: Attending over 15 boot camp classes, including cleaning my bathrooms
like crazy and helping GS dig holes for the foundation for our new chicken coop
that our son RSS is building for his family life merit badge. And yes, I DO
count cleaning and digging as training for a Tough Mudder since a BIG part of
this event is getting outdoors.
3: Running 7 times on local trails or hills.    Did I feel prepared during the event?  YES!  Could I have beeneven more prepared?  ABSOLUTELY!