So as I said before I am not the kind of girl to do a Tough Mudder Half. Being honest I would rather get my nails done and a blowout before getting into muddy waters or running. I never thought I would complete a tough mudder, but guess what? I did it. 5 miles of running through the mud and up and down hills and 13 obstacles. I am so proud of myself and I just wanted to share my story with you all.
The first thing I noticed at the start line was:
“Try something new every week. Tough Mudder is about getting out of your comfort zone, living life to the fullest and connecting with others in that pursuit.”
This was the best thing to read as I started out my first ever obstacle course. I was so nervous and I kept telling myself that if I felt uncomfortable then I would just skip the obstacle, but I am proud to say that I completed every obstacle course and tried to run as much of the 5miles that I could. Going into the race I told myself that I didn’t have to do every obstacle, but when I got to each obstacle I realized it was more of a mental challenge than a physical one. Don’t get me wrong parts of this course was a physical challenge as well, but I completed everything thank sheer willpower and my amazing teammates!
Speaking of teamwork, that is what Tough Mudder is all about. Whenever I completed an obstacle I was there to help my teammates out and vice versa. I was also so pleasantly surprised by how much support came from strangers as well. My team consisted of 4 women and I am a big believer that we are just as strong as the guys, but some of the obstacles were tall and we just couldn’t get over them without the help of some of the other male Mudders. They were awesome. Never questioned helping, just did it. It was such an amazing feeling to be around so much positive energy.
At first, I thought I would hate going through the muddy obstacles, but I that was totally the best part. I found running the hardest part. I have weak ankles and running up and down hills was really tough for me. The mud and icy water was actually a nice break from running and even though my face is totally unhappy with the muddy waters, the end of the race I loved that I got down and dirty and completed the entire course.
By the time we reached the finish line my team and I was more than ready for our cider/beer and of course food! Not only did we complete the course but we got some beautiful May sunshine as well! Aside from the cider we also got finisher t-shirts and our first ever Tough Mudder Half headband. I felt so proud and accomplished.
If you are considering running a Tough Mudder Half, here are my 3 reasons you should:
- I didn’t end up getting as many bruises or scratches as I had expected. The event (which is not a race) utilized my strength and not just speed. I also have to give credit to my Merrell shoes, which made getting through the mud much easier and also meant less falling down for me. Thanks to the Tough Mudder Half team that gifted me the shoes for this race, not sure I would have gotten through without them.
- Teamwork brings people together and that doesn’t happen in a typical race, but it has to happen in Tough Mudder Half. Participating in any Tough Mudder means you have to give someone a step up or grab a hand to pull yourself up. This event does not end up being completed on your own. It will get you out of your comfort zone of independence. I am used to training alone and doing things on my own, but for this event, I had to heavily rely on my teammates and I was so glad to have them around!
- The Tough Mudder Half was the perfect first event. It was just enough to be tough, but also not too tough where anyone can do it. If I can crawl around in Mud, anyone can!
