Tough Mudder - Round 2!

On June 1st, 2013 I completed my 2nd Tough Mudder. There were so many differences between this one and my first one. But, for the purpose of this blog post, I'll focus on the ones that I remember most vividly.

Completed this obstacle on my first try
this year. Last year, it took 3 trys
to get up that wall!

I completed the course in 90+ degree heat.
Last year, it was 30 degrees when the race started, and there were icicles all over the barbed wire. Every time I completed a water obstacle (and there are a ton of water obstacles in Tough Mudder,) I was more and more chilled to the bone. I don't think I've ever been as cold in my life as I was at my first Tough Mudder!

This year, I was sweating in 90+ degree heat, but the sun was shining, and those water obstacles were fabulous and refreshing. I was actually happy that I couldn't get all the way across the monkey bars or the rings this year, because that meant I got to fall into a cool and refreshing (although somewhat smelly) water pit. I didn't even care that several people had probably used those water pits as their alternate port-a-potty option for the day. That water felt soooo good!

I didn't train nearly as much this time.
When I registered for my first Tough Mudder, I was seriously concerned about injuring myself, and I had doubts that I'd be able to complete the course. It looked so crazy and difficult, and it was something I couldn't picture myself doing well. I had no idea how those people in the videos were able to get through those obstacles, and I wasn't taking any chances. I trained like a maniac, attending every Tough Mudder class I could fit into my schedule at the Y and I even hired a personal trainer for extra help.

After having completed the Tough Mudder once before, along with several other races, I got a little lazy with my training. I was was a little nervous about how I'd do this time with less training, but I still got through the course without too much trouble and kept up with the people in the front of our group. I even did better on some of the obstacles this year. Maybe it was because I wasn't fighting hypothermia!

The Electric Eel was completely different!
The Electric Eel is an obstacle where you army crawl on your belly through a pond of water with live electric wires dangling throughout. There's no way to avoid the wires and no way to know which wires are live. So, you randomly get shocked throughout this obstacle - and it HURTS! Some people even black out from those shocks. Last year, I got shocked like 5 times during that obstacle. 

This is a picture of me getting shocked last year!

This year, I didn't get shocked once going through The Electric Eel. Some people said they got shocked, but most people said they didn't feel anything. There was a lack of water in parts of the pond this year, maybe that's why. The water kept evaporating from the heat, so during much of this obstacle, I was army crawling over black tarp that was a zillion degrees from the sun and burned my arms like crazy. Last year, I was screaming from the shocks, and this year, I was screaming from the burns on my arms. I must say, I prefer the burns to the shocks though.

Walk The Plank was much more controlled.
The "Walk The Plank" obstacle is an obstacle where you climb up to a 15-20 foot platform and jump into either a natural or man-made lake. Last year, the volunteers/staff at the top of the plank were yelling at everyone like drill sergeants, and telling them to "find some real estate and jump."

After a Tough Mudder death in West Virginia a few months ago at this very same obstacle, it appears Tough Mudder has made some changes to how this obstacle is run. This year, I think the plank was closer to the 15 ft. height than the 20 ft. height. Also, when I got to the top of the plank, there was a volunteer/staff member in between each platform, who looked you in the eye, asked you if you knew how to swim, asked you if you were OK, and told you to wait until the person in front of you surfaces and starts to swim away before jumping. It was calm on top of the platform this year, but still very scary!

I finished the course in significantly less time!
This year, I was running with the group at the Y who takes Lindsay Peters' boot camp class. These people are beyond fit, because Lindsay kicks their butts on a weekly basis. She also has a great fitness blog. Running with the boot camp crew made a huge difference in my time this year, because they were always moving and doing their best to get through the course as quickly as possible. I have to say, I prefer the constant moving and running, as well as the added bonus of finishing much more quickly.

All in all, I have to say, I enjoyed this Tough Mudder significantly more than my first one, but that first Tough Mudder will forever hold a place in my heart. It's what drove me to start becoming active and helped me to find a healthy way to relieve stress during a difficult time in my life. That first event gave me the confidence to attempt and finish a Marathon that year, which was something I would have previously thought was never possible for someone like me. And for that, I'll be forever grateful.