Fall 2014 - Tough Mudder Canada

[Beck Fallowhide]

Hey everyone. Beck here, Canadian newbie bound and determined to be a rebel extraordinaire, and hopefully bring a few people along for the ride. Here's how:
 

There's this crazy obstacle course, and I do mean CRAZY. "10-12 mile obstacle courses designed by British Special Forces to test your all around strength, stamina, mental grit, and camaraderie" -Tough Mudder website [ http://toughmudder.com/about/ ]

Crazy is good though, right? Or at least a whole lot of fun.

 

It has accountability: NO REFUNDS. NO GIVING AWAY YOUR TICKET. When you've payed for your ticket, that's that. You don't show, you've basically piled up some money and set it on fire.
Also the earlier you pay, the cheaper it is. The price range generally is somewhere in between $80-$200, so paying earlier is better for sure.

 

Rewards! A free beer at the end of the course! How cool is that?! Plus beer you can buy, food, partying, ect.

 

A high fitness level is not required, but is definitely recommended. The lowest amount of training recommended is 3 days a week/40 minutes a day. That is where I will start, and will work my way up the ladder.

 

Another thing suggested but not required is a team! And you, my fellow nerdites, are the very first people I thought of.

My reasons for wanting to do something like this is because I used to do things like this. I know there's a golden rule of not looking back here at nerdfitness, but that's exactly where I want to get back to fitness-wise. Back to the days where I had 4-pack abs and could climb all the things without thinking twice or breaking a sweat. It was awesome. And I had fun with it by doing stuff like this.

 

So all in all, I'd like to build a team for the Fall 2014 Tough Mudder course in Toronto Ontario CANADA, but it would also be ridiculously cool to hear about other NF fighters/rebels/whathaveyou toughing this course out around the world.

Let me know what you think!

[illc]

I'll be running the Mudder this year on May 11th.  I suspect I won't have a team - though stranger things have materialized at the last minute!  It would be great to have an NF team to go with next year.

[Barmacral]

I am also running the one on May 11th this year, have you considered doing one sooner than Fall 2014? I am totally down for a NF team for future tough mudders.

illc - PM'd you regarding team stuff for this month's.

[Beck Fallowhide]

I'll be running the Mudder this year on May 11th.  I suspect I won't have a team - though stranger things have materialized at the last minute!  It would be great to have an NF team to go with next year.

 

 

I am also running the one on May 11th this year, have you considered doing one sooner than Fall 2014? I am totally down for a NF team for future tough mudders.

illc - PM'd you regarding team stuff for this month's.

 

 

Sorry I missed you guys! I didn't have enough money to go this year. How was it?

[illc]

I had a great time!  The day was cool (cold?) and grey but people were stoked.  My heat was early on the first day, 8:40am.  This meant some of the obstacles and sections of the course were a little more intact and less muddy (though still pretty damn muddy) than they would be later in the day and day 2.  I ran solo, and while the camaraderie of doing the course with a team of friends looked like a great experience and one I'd like to be part of some time (GoRuck Challenge June 20th!) going on my own let me push and unleash myself to my limits.  I got to run fast and pass obstacles as my abilities allowed.  The difficulty really made the course.  It was steep and involved 3 at least partial ascents of Mt. St. Louis Moonstone.  I don't remember the exact series of obstacles but in hindsight they were excellent - a fun variety, if a little focused on dunking participants in cold, cold water.  I'd practiced monkey bar crossings and was very happy to make the Funky Monkey crossing successfully - which I wasn't sure if it would work since I'd never made an attempt with cold, wet hands.

[Beck Fallowhide]

I had a great time!  The day was cool (cold?) and grey but people were stoked.  My heat was early on the first day, 8:40am.  This meant some of the obstacles and sections of the course were a little more intact and less muddy (though still pretty damn muddy) than they would be later in the day and day 2.  I ran solo, and while the camaraderie of doing the course with a team of friends looked like a great experience and one I'd like to be part of some time (GoRuck Challenge June 20th!) going on my own let me push and unleash myself to my limits.  I got to run fast and pass obstacles as my abilities allowed.  The difficulty really made the course.  It was steep and involved 3 at least partial ascents of Mt. St. Louis Moonstone.  I don't remember the exact series of obstacles but in hindsight they were excellent - a fun variety, if a little focused on dunking participants in cold, cold water.  I'd practiced monkey bar crossings and was very happy to make the Funky Monkey crossing successfully - which I wasn't sure if it would work since I'd never made an attempt with cold, wet hands.

 

That sounds amazingly fun, can't wait to try it out. Can I bother any training tips from you?

[Barmacral]

Although I never ended up meeting up with illc (we talked about it and exchanged numbers, but it didn't work out) he does remember seeing my group out on the field, which is pretty cool. Also my friends calculated it out to something like 7 total ascents of the mountain, adding up all the partial ones. I loved it though and will certainly be back next year. Not this fall due to other commitments unfortunately, but next year for sure.

 

Training tips... do lots of walking and running on the steepest longest inclines you can find, both up and down them. Find a hill and run up and down it 20 times every day. Well, that might be overkill especially at first, but it will make a huge difference. I think the treks up and down were by far the worst part.

 

For the obstacles themselves focus on upper body strength and grip. And for the obstacles like the berlin wall or the half-pipe don't worry if you can't reach the top on your own, somebody who is there can and will boost you, most likely they'll offer without you having to ask. Be more concerned with the ability to pull yourself up and over once you get to the top. At the half pipe I was able to get ahold of my friend's hands, but a second person had to help me up because I could get no purchase with my feet and I lacked the strength in my arms to get myself higher with just them. Grip will also help a lot with the monkey bars and the rope climb.

[illc]

For sure ! "Mudder She Wrote", I Remember the shirts well!

[illc]

Geeze.  That was 7 ascents all together.  I love hills.