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The Tough Mudder

I did it. I ran the Tough Mudder yesterday. It was seriously the most physically demanding thing I have ever put my body through - and it was AWESOME. I'm not going to talk about every obstacle - most were pretty simple and self-explanatory. One thing to note, by the way - I studied the online map over and over again so I would have an idea of the order of obstacles. Some of the obstacles I expected (like the hay bales, which looked like a lot of fun) weren't there. Most of the obstacles were out of order.

A Not-So-Quick Note on Expectations

First, let me start by saying that my husband just did a Mudder back in November. The two events were very different. One of MY teammates was on Chris's team (Devin) and so it was easy to make comparisons. For one thing, the November TM was held in New Jersey. It was pretty flat and all the hills were man-made. For instance, they had to run up and down a motocross track and a giant hill of dirt that you basically had to take a running start to get up - especially since it was being constantly sprayed with water. To even out the differences in terrain, it seems like the Jersey TM had more obstacles and it was a longer track.

My Mudder - the Poconos Mudder - was in the mountains. Because of it, some of the obstacles were literally to just run.Run up this steep-ass hill! Run down this rocky terrain! Run 'til your legs fall off! There was so much running.We had this idea in our minds that we would have to run a few miles and then hit an obstacle. There were definitely fewer "traditional" obstacles than the Jersey Mudder, however. Because of the terrain, the course was really spread out and a lot of the obstacles you'd expect to find were concentrated into one area. All this to say, if you're doing the Mudder for the first time in the next few months, be prepared for anything.I thought I had a pretty good idea of how it was going to be because Chris and Devin had done it before. I was very, very wrong!

Start

Every Mudder starts with running. But did you know that some Mudders start with a freaking Berlin Wall first? In order to get into the area where the pep talk happens, my team had to host ourselves and other Mudder runners up a wall. Once we jumped down and got our motivation on, we started to jog.

I was able to run about half of the Mudder. I had a pretty good pace going, and was actually out ahead of my team almost the entire course. All that running did a number on us, however. About halfway through, all the boys got really bad cramps in their calves. Devin was especially hurting. When we dropped down off the Berlin Walls (yeah, plural), his calves seized up and put him through a lot of pain. I was experience a lot of fatigue. I would start to run and, after about ten steps in, my legs would start feeling like jelly. I felt like I was literally just going to fall over.

About three quarters of the way in, I got a bad cramp in my groin. It made a lot of the climbing obstacles very, very difficult. Greg's knees were giving out on him and Dong kept having to stop to take a piss. We were a mess. So we did a brisk walk and ran whenever we could for the rest of the Mudder. I'm a little disappointed that my body couldn't handle running the whole thing, but I'm really proud of my pace and endurance for the first half.

Berlin Walls

We all agree that the Berlin Walls were probably the hardest obstacle. And man, does the Tough Mudder love those freaking Berlin Walls. We had to climb four of them. One at the start, one towards the beginning and two in the middle. The further into the course, the higher they got. I have very little upper arm strength so I had to be hoisted up. I'm nursing some injuries to my finger and arm today because of these stupid things. Best advice? Help each other out - and help other teams around you.

Kiss of Mud

This was pretty easy, but it was dirty. You're crawling under barbed wire through some very rocky mud. You just have to remember to keep your butt down and prepare for some very sore knees and cut up elbows for the rest of the day (and most of the next).

Arctic Enema

This was one of the first obstacles we did. It was awful. There is really no other way to describe it. If you are on the smaller side with little body fat (like moi), you are going to be instantly sent into a near-hypothermic state. You will start shaking, your brain is going to feel like it will explode and you might make some involuntary noises. Chris got video of me doing this. There were literally sounds coming out of me that I couldn't stop myself from making. It is cold and you will have a killer headache afterwards. My best advice is to keep moving once you get out. Get your body temperature back up and MOVE. Your head will hurt, you'll probably be shaking, but you need to get your temp up, especially if you're running during a cold month.

Mud Mile

I took this one slow and steady. The ground underneath you will be constantly changing. There are tons of pits and drop offs. You just have to keep moving and hope you don't fall face first into the water.

Funky Monkey & Rings

Our mystery obstacle was a lot like the Funky Monkey - minus the butter. I got about three rungs into the Funky Monkey before I fell into the water and, as a result, lost the shirt I had shoved inside my pants. A little further down the course there was a ring obstacle over water. My suggestion is that you really work on upper arm strength. My life would have been made so much easier (and much less wet) if I had stronger arms to pull my body across these obstacles.

Walk the Plank

I've seen Walk the Plank done two different ways. In Jersey, you jumped down and swam across the entire river. In the Poconos, you jumped down and just swam to your immediate right. It was much less swimming but the same amount of cold. I was really terrified to do this, so Dong and I just decided to jump together. Right before I hit the bottom, my stomach flipped inside out like I was riding a roller coaster. A crazy feeling, but awesome when it's all said and done. I would highly, highly suggest pulling your knees up a bit as if your doing a cannonball when you jump. I've heard stories of people breaking their legs because they held them straight and it torpedoed them into the water, straight into the bottom. Our water seemed pretty deep - people were actually doing back flips off the platform - but you never know what the bottom will be like until you hit the water.

Fire Walker

I knew from the beginning that there was no way I was going to be able to just run continuously through this. When we got there, I knew I was right. We had just finished trudging up this giant hill and I was completely out of breath. So we rested for a second, then took a giant breath and ran through. It would have been a lot easier if I could have gotten past a slower team ahead of us. Once I felt my lungs giving out, I slowly released my air until I was at the end. Piece of cake!

Hold Your Wood

I would say this obstacle was one of the hardest. You grab a log (or in some cases, a tire) and carry it along part of the track. Apparently, some Mudders require you to do this through waist-deep mud. Our track included some incline so I'm sure we're even. At first, a had my log across my back and behind my neck. It was rubbing so hard on my skin though, so I took my shirt (which I hadn't lost yet, thankfully), and put it on my shoulder. I had Greg place the log for me so that it was comfortable. I'd say I split the track half and half between those two positions. Some people were carrying them in front of their chest but I would suggest just carrying it on your shoulder with a shirt underneath.

Electric Eel

I really lucked out on this one. The Electric Eel required you to slide on your belly through a pool of water - and across a canopy of electric wires. Like I said before, I have a small frame and was able to maneuver myself in between the wires without getting shocked. I got a bit of some residual shock from a guy behind me but I was lucky. My teammates decided to go the fast route. They plowed through the water as fast as they could, getting shocked the whole time but not caring because it was over so fast.

Twinkle Toes

We are dumb asses. Of course my team picks the one piece of wood that is warped beyond recognition for this challenge. Twinkle Toes requires you to walk across a slippery balance beam over freezing cold water. Three out of four of us (including me) made it across but it was made so much harder by the fact that our board was bent in the middle. And it was the only one like that.So, scope out your choices before you get in line, folks.

Everest

It took me two tries to get up the half pipe. The first time I lost my grip on the hand I managed to briefly grab. The second time I grabbed someone hand and someone else pulled my legs up. A lot of people seemed to do that method so make sure you give it a try.

Electroshock Therapy

Again, I lucked out. I somehow managed to run in between the wires without getting shocked. I'm a little bummed, but I guess that form of torture was not in the cards for me!

The Aftermath

It was a two hour drive from the Poconos back to my hometown. I fell asleep in the car and woke up completely cramped. I'm nursing a sore finger, blistered heels (wear high socks!), cut up elbows and a weird rash/rug burn under my right arm that I'm pretty sure started on those fucking Berlin Walls. My body is completely stiff - I haven't even tried to get out of bed yet. I'm also sun burned. Remember that sun screen, folks. I ended up taking off my shirt and just running in my sports bra, which worked out for me because I used the shirt to cover up my "injured" arm (I just needed something to keep it from rubbing on my clothes) and to cushion the log on my skin. If you're more body-conscious, I would suggest bringing a hand towel or something that you can pin to the inside of your pants. It might come in handy down the line. And if it doesn't, you can throw it to the side at one of the aid stations.

Speaking of aid stations, take advantage of the gummies and bananas they offer. Towards the end, those bananas were pretty warm and gooey but at the time, they were the greatest thing I've ever tasted. I was just shoving them in my mouth as quick as I could and washing them down with water. My body was so, so tired even with the bananas. I don't know how I would have managed without them.

So, if you're running the Mudder in the near future - train. Train to run, lift, jump - it will take you all day to walk something like this. Work on your upper body strength and your endurance. And remember - it will suck. You will be tired. You will feel miserable the next day, even (I do!). But it will be so worth it. Because you will be one Tough Mudder.

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W6-D3

My final workout before THE TOUGH MUDDER! An outdoor run with my entire team, plus Tommy and Chris. We did part of the path that Devin and I did Sunday and it was aaaawesome.

Length

3.2 miles in 30 minutes

Method

We did a portion of the trail that had a giant hill (that I walked up) and lots of mud/grass. It wasn't as wet as Sunday (we ran in the morning so it was very dewy last time) but there were plenty of puddles and lots of horse crap everywhere. GREAT!

Feeling

I felt really stiff. My knees and hips especially. And of course, my calves have been pretty sore since Sunday so I'll be doing a lot of work for the next two days to stretch them out for Saturday.

Improvements

I ran the entire path until we got to the hill. I ran a little bit on the hill but it was really steep. Once we got to the top of the hill, I ran the rest of the way.

Next Goal

Finish the Tough Mudder without dying.

Next Workout

No working out until the Mudder! Just eating well, sleeping lots and prepping my body for pain.

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W6-D2

Last night I did Zumba. I never got the opportunity to try the ropes, but that's OK. I found out the ropes are rope ladders, which is much different.

Length

One hour.

Method

Lots of jumping.

Feeling

Really good! I am not dripping with sweat when I leave anymore, which I am choosing to take as a good sign. It means my lungs are stronger and my legs are stronger. I'm not modifying as much, either.

Improvements

I've vastly improved since I first started Zumba. I had to keep taking breaks and I threw up in 2 of my first 3 classes, so....yeah.

Next Workout

I'm going for a run on the same land I did on Sunday. Not sure what path I'll take but we'd like to keep it a little bit lighter since the Mudder is in 3 DAYS. I'm pretty sore in the calves from Sunday, too, so no more workouts after tonight so my body can recoup and prepare for the torture.

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Weight Check

I had a doctor's appointment this morning so I had an opportunity to weigh myself.

Last Weigh In

2 weeks ago - 131.8 pounds

Current Weight

132 pounds

So basically, I'm maintaining and/or gaining muscle. I can already tell I am trimmer than usual. My legs feel leaner and I'm feeling stronger in general.

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W6-D1

I got some bad news last week and it totally derailed my workout plans for Thursday night. Friday was a scheduled day off and Saturday I woke up puking my guts out. It was AWESOME, especially since Saturday marked a WEEK until the Mudder! Luckily, I woke up feeling OK on Sunday and picked it up with an intense outdoor run.

Length

6 miles in 1 hour, 10 minutes.

Method

My teammate Devin and I drove up to this nature preserve by his house. The county has mowed different trails with different difficulties throughout the land so you can get an idea of how much you've run. I forgot my arm band but we marked our start and end times, and used the map to figure out our distance.

Notice I said "mowed" trails. This was not pavement. This was wet grass, mud, creeks, etc. It was PERFECT practice for the Mudder. We got a really good idea of our pace and how often we'd need to stop, etc.

Feeling

I felt really great. The first 2 miles were probably the worst. Just getting myself started and breaking through the mental block of "oh my God, I'm out here running 6 miles" was the worst part. After that, it was actually pretty fun looking around and going through all the mud and gunk. The hills were pretty gnarly, though. Devin and I suck at hills.

Improvements

The most I've run is 3 miles. So I've doubled my overall distance and picked up the pace to 5 mph.

Next Goal

Do the trail again in an hour.

Next Workout

I'm going to go to the gym tonight and practice climbing up the ropes. My husband is a Marine and knows some good methods so I'm going to learn how to do it the right way - the Marine way!!

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On Saturday it will be a week until the Mudder.

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W5-D3

I did more Zumba last night.

Length

1 hour.

Feeling

I feel like I am either in much better shape or the class was easier this time around. Maybe both!

Improvements

I am keeping up with the steps pretty well and when I'm not quite getting it I don't just stand in place - I quickly run in place or do something similar to the instructor so I still get something out of the routine.

Next Goal

Keep up the good work!

Next Workout

Outdoor run!

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W5-D2

After a bit of a hiatus, I headed back to Zumba class.

Length

1 hour, 10 minutes.

Method

Moderate-high intensity!

Feeling

I felt great! I was able to keep up and didn't have to chug nearly as much water as I usually do. My legs weren't as tired and I wasn't as winded afterwards.

Improvements

I am keeping up much easier and learning the moves faster. I haven't modified as much.

Next Goal

Keep up the good work!

Next Workout

More Zumba!

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W5-D1

On Monday I went for a run outside with the hubs.

Length

1.64 miles in 21 minutes.

Method

We ran the same path I did back in W4. It's very hilly, so pretty challenging. This time I was able to get a much better pace. Chris and I sprinted out the last block just for kicks, too.

Feeling

I have been really exhausted lately but I felt pretty good on the run.

Improvements

Much better pacing. Knocked about a minute off my avg. mile.

Next Goal

Do it again, but faster!

Next Workout

Zumba!

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W4-D4

Like I mentioned before, I was supposed to do bodypump and yoga on Saturday but both of the classes were cancelled for various reasons. I forgot about this until I actually got to the gym so Dong and I worked on my leg strength.

Length

About an hour.

Method

I can't remember the exact order of this, and I'm pulling it off of Fitocracy so here goes.

Dumbbell Squat

3 sets of 10 @ 15 lbs 1 set of 10 @ 20 lbs

One-Arm Dumbbell Deadlift

3 sets of 10 @ 15 lbs 1 set of 10 @ 20 lbs

Running (treadmill)

1 :15 min mile.

Dumbbell Lunges

1 set of 10 @ 15 lbs 2 sets of 10 @ 10 lbs

Leg Press

1 set of 20 @ 30 lbs 1 set of 20 @ 50 lbs 1 set of 15 @ 70 lbs 1 set of 12 @ 90 lbs

Barbell Squat

1 set of 12 @ 30 lbs 1 set of 10 @ 30 lbs

Body Weight Lunge

2 sets of 10

Feeling

My legs were like jelly! But I was only a little sore when I woke up. I'm not used to feeling OK after working out. It almost makes me paranoid that I'm not getting any stronger but I know I am.

Improvements

I used much more weight than last time!

Next Goal

Maybe an additional set?

Next Workout

I'm going to go for a run tonight. Not sure if it will be outside or at the gym, I haven't decided.

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W4-D3

For my W4-D3 workout, I did an at-home workout. I reblogged some for your reference, but didn't do any of the ones I reblogged, HAHA. SYKE! I did some workout I found on pinterest, actually.

Exercises

2 sets of: 50 jumping jacks, 5 kneeling push-ups, 20 mountain climbers, 30-sec plank, 20 knee-hug sit-ups and 7 burpees.

Feeling

This workout wasn't too hard, but it definitely got my heart going and I was sweating towards the end. I tried to do regular push-ups but I'm just not strong enough. It made the burpees hard, but I did the best I could!

Improvements

I wasn't as winded afterwards. Can't tell if that's because it wasn't hard enough or if I'm just getting stronger. Maybe both?

Next Goal

I'm not doing this workout again.

Next Workout

I was supposed to do bodypump and yoga but the classes were both cancelled so I went for some weightlifting.

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50 Bodyweight Exercises You Can Do Anywhere!

Read More

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2.5 weeks til the Mudder.

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W4-D2

I was supposed to do Zumba last night but forgot my workout clothes. There wasn't enough time between work and the class to run home for them so I went for an outdoor run instead.

Length

1.69 miles in 21:51 minutes.

Method

My pace was about 12:52 mins/mile.

Feeling

My legs were SO SORE from lifting the past few days. I felt so stiff the entire run and couldn't get a good pace going. I feel better today though. My legs and muscles are much less sore so hopefully my next run goes better.

Improvements

None, really. Boo.

Next Goal

If I do that track again I'd like to run it straight through.

Next Workout

Tonight I'm doing an at-home workout. It might be bodyrock or I might try something else, I'm not sure yet.