Tough Mudder and CapTex Training Begins

I took this week off in preparation for tomorrow's beginning of my CapTex Triathlon training program. I'll be doing another Matt Fitzgerald program (he got me through Ironman) from Training Peaks. It's an advanced Olympic distance training program built around the number of hours I can give to it on a weekly basis. And thanks to Training Peaks' new iPhone app, I have access to my workout anytime. The program ends on May 30th: race day.

The following is my overdue report on Tough Mudder. Hope you guys enjoy it.

http://www.brightroom.com/go.asp?93480064

Here are some pics of me at the Tough Mudder. Found a few more in the "lost" photos, too. As you can see, I had a big smile on my face most of the day. It was a great event.

http://toughmudder.com/events/texas-dallas/texas-course-map/

The above is a link to the map of race day.This was actually borrowed from a proposed map and doesn't accurately portray our course. A couple of the obstacles we had were different and a couple others were in a different order than they are listed here. Our course was 12 miles long, so you averaged an obstacle every mile. Water was provided every four miles.

The day started by getting your number marked on your forehead, a Tough Mudder tradition. We then walked to the starting line and took the Tough Mudder pledge:

As a Tough Mudder I pledge that…

* I understand that Tough Mudder is not a race but a challenge.
* I put teamwork and camaraderie before my course time.
* I do not whine – kids whine.
* I help my fellow Mudders complete the course.
* I overcome all fears.

After the pledge and a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem, we heard the cannon signaling the event had begun.

The course was built partially on a motocross course, so it started with a lot of up and down running. They try to fatigue you right off the bat...and they do a good job of it.

The first obstacle was a huge pit filled with iced water (literally, they had an ice truck parked next to it and they kept it filled with ice throughout the day.). We had to jump in and then crawl out. Jumping in took your breath away immediately and it numbed your body. On the good side, it was a quick ice bath for the fatiguing legs. We had to run around to the left and hit that same obstacle again before running off the motocross course into the neighboring ranch.

The next obstacle was a mud crawl under barbed wire fencing. All of the crawling obstacles were too low to be crawled on your knees. It was a "plank" crawl all the way across. You'd come out and your core would be "screaming."

The third obstacle was a 15-foot rope climb up a plank. The wood was so wet and muddy, you couldn't get a foot-hold. You'd have to pull yourself up solely by your arms and count on your fellow participants to push and pull you up. Once at the top, Mark and I counted to 3 and jumped the 15 feet down into the freezing pond below. Then it was about a 150 meter swim to the other side.

Next came the Devil's Beard, a spider rope that you had to walk under while walking up a muddy incline. Once at the top, you had to help hold the rope for the next person. The entire day was a real team effort and you could feel the camaraderie.

Next for us was the Cliff Hanger, a climb/crawl up a steep hill of slick mud. If you were lucky and found a few foot and hand holds, you could make it up alone. Otherwise, you needed the assistance of your fellow participants to help push and pull you up the slope. Once at the top, it was a fun slide down the other side.

Next were two different mud crawls under spider nets. One was packed mud and the other was a mud soup. And then it was a long run until the Texas Bale Bonds. This reminded me of growing up on the farm in New Bethel. Marked and I played in hay bales all our years growing up and we had no trouble making our way over two and then three hay bales stacked on each other.

After another long run, we hit the Berlin Walls, a series of four walls to climb over. We then had to run to our second water stop and the awaiting Boa Constrictor. If you have claustrophobia, this was not for you. This was a long tube underground that you had to "plank" crawl your way across. My obliques and elbows were blown up.

After an uphill run and more running through a brushy ranch trail, we arrived at the Creek Crusade. This included several miles of running through muddy creek beds, jumping over brush and logs, and wading through freezing creek water while crawling over and under brush and logs. From here we went through the Mud Mile, a mile of continuous mud pits that you had to jump into, wade through, and crawl out of.

As we came out of the mud, we could see smoke in the distance. It was our "mystery" obstacle awaiting us. This was a shed, with only two windows for entry. As you entered the shed, it was pitch dark inside plus they kept blowing smoke into it. We had no idea what awaited us as we carefully made our way inside. After taking two small steps into the darkness, we fell a few feet into a pit of cold, muddy water that we had to wade through and then crawl out of up a small incline on the other side of the shed. There was no climbing up the incline alone. It took the assistance of your fellow racers to get out. After getting out and helping the person behind you, we then crawled out a door on the other side into the sunshine. It was time to run to our next obstacle.

We arrive at Hold Your Wood and Mark and I chose to share carrying a large log around a few thousand foot trail of inclines. We were very happy to drop that log off on the other side.

About this time, we all began feeling the effects of no electrolytes (they only provided water...nothing else.) after being out there for about 2 hours. Everyone of us began to cramp; some in the calves, some in the hamstrings, I even had cramps in my feet. We took turns walking/running from here to the end of the race.

After another run, we arrived at a pond we had to jump into and swim across. Once again, the water was so cold and it took your breath away to get in. Swimming with your muddy clothes, gloves, and tennis shoes on makes for a long, tiring swim. I could barely walk out when I arrived at the other side some 100 meters away.

Immediately upon exiting the water, we had the Ball Shrinker awaiting us. This was mostly a matter of upper body strength and balance. I got lucky and chose a rope where my fellow competitors and I got across pretty easily. One of our teammates, got stuck on a rope with a couple of girls who kept pulling the rope back and forth until most everyone fell off the rope into the cold water below.

After the Ball Shrinker, we jogged over to the Twinkle Toes. I fell off once but was able to get back on and across. Mark got the Twinkle Toe prize on our team for making it all the way across without falling.

It was then back to the trail for another run to the Funky Monkey. I made it through three bars before my muddy, wet gloves lost grip and I fell into the cold water below for a swim to the other side. Unfortunately, none of our group made it across the Funky Monkey, the only obstacle we didn't "master."

It was another jog/walk (the cramps are really getting us at this point) to the School of Tough Knocks. Ours did not involve a bus. It was a cargo net climb up to a bridge and a plank walk down the other side into more cold water. After wading out of the water, it was a short run to the final obstacle: Electroshock Therapy. Men, if you've never been hit with a 10,000 volt shock, then let me tell you what it does to you. It locks your body at the knees and you are luck to make it out without falling flat on your face in the mud. Our team made it across but not without one guy falling down, all of us letting out screams of pain, and one guy taking a volt hit to the forehead.

After making it out alive, we stopped to hold hands and cross the finish line as a team. We got our Tough Mudder finisher's headband and t-shirt, drank a Honey Milk (or two), and got our free Dos XX for a toast to an epic afternoon.

I was sore for two days and my knees were scraped and scabbed. These were a welcome reminder of another fulfilling accomplishment and a celebration to enjoying the health and ability to conquer the Tough Mudder.

Kia Kaha!