So, I was terrified to run this, though I was no stranger to mud runs, obstacle course races and even marathons. For some reason, the idea of electric shock and jumping multiple stories into water (I'm not what you would call a "strong swimmer") scared me more than lacing up the Brooks' for a jaunt of 26.2.
But, here's the deal. Tough Mudder wasn't hard. It was fun. It was inspiring. It was dirty. It was work. But it wasn't hard. I never wanted to quit. I never thought "I can't do this". And, it seemed that no one around me did, either. It was about teamwork, camaraderie, and overcoming fears.
The second obstacle was probably the worst for me. I hate being cold. I'm scared of water. And I don't like small spaces. Enter: arctic enema.
I cannot tell you how glad I was to be out of that ice-bath. And... yes... that's an ice-cube on my head.
A few more miles, a lot more obstacles and I was feeling great. The only annoying thing was during the single track trail through the woods. I was only in the 3rd heat of the day (9am) and it was already backed up. People were walking and there was no way to get around them. My team spent a good 15 minutes playing the "hurry up and wait" game.. and, being one of little patience, that is not a game at which I excel.
One of the more challenging obstacles was the hill. It was long and it was steep. In places, there were cargo nets because the grade required it in order to get up it. By this point, we were roughly 8 miles in and my legs were burning - worse that 500 airsquats at CrossFit. In fact, I don't think I saw a single person running up this hill...
A few more miles and I was on the home stretch. Through a creek, up Everest (the giant, greased half-pipe) and then... the mother of all obstacles... electroshock therapy.
I stood and stared at the gauntlet for about 30 seconds and watched others go through. Some guys fell, some ran right through. I knew I just had to suck it up and run. And, in my surprise, it wasn't that bad. I got shocked. My body tensed up, but then it was over. No lingering pain, no severe damage done. Just a really funny picture...
Then, across the finish line (in just under 2 hours) and on to the free beer and orange headbands. It was a great experience and one I would gladly do again.
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