TM on 1/29/11

I have a very bad memory.  In 15 years, I will have totally forgotten about the Tough Mudder '11.  Here are a few photos and descriptions to help jog my memory in the future years.  The first photo is one of the first of 19 obstacles you had to tackle in this 10 mile challenge.  It was about a 15'x15'x4' deep hole full of ice water.  The outside temp that morning was in the 50's and during the previous nights, it had been dipping down in the upper 30's.  Even without the 18 wheeler truck load of ice dumped into this obstacle, the water alone would have been plenty cold.

This picture was taken about mile 8.  I'm in the red to the left.  At this point, I feel defeated and tired, but have to push forward.  I'm glad I ran this with a team, they kept me motivated the entire challenge.

This is me jumping off the 15' high obstacle called "Walk the Plank."  This was the second real obstacle that you came to along the course.  When I hit the water, it's the first time I can say I felt like I was in shock.  It was a mental challenge to make my limbs start moving when in the water.  If that wasn't enough, when you hit the water, you still had to swim about 100' to get out of the water!



This was the tight rope obstacle.  I gave several people many laughs on this one.  The girl in the picture was taking it an inch at a time.  I got up to her and she said to go around her if I could... well.... I did, but it wasn't pretty!  She probably could have had me arrested for assault if she wanted it!  She was a really good sport, she was laughing the whole time.

We finished!  They say only about 75-78% of the people who start this challenge finish it.  If you do finish, they give you a headband, t-shirt and a beer.



When I finished, I was really glad I did this challenge.  It is the most I have ever pushed my body.  I really, REALLY hate cold water and cold temperatures.  I'm glad I faced something I hate, head on.  I don't think I realized it at the time, but I think I was the "old guy" on the team.  I am 31, but feel in better shape than I did when I was 21.  I think Tom Petty said in a song, "You never slow down, you never grow old."  While I don't care to be this cold again any time soon, I wouldn't mind trying it again in my 40's.  I hope this blog is still around in 10 years to remind myself of that!

On a parting thought for today, I want to remind myself of the hard work and a few lifestyle changes I had to make to be able to complete a challenge such at the Tough Mudder.  For the past 4-5 months, I have hit the gym at least 2 times a week, but more like 4 times a week.  Here is a picture of how I have changed in the past several months...