oh snap

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sometimes you just have to eat the cake

Take that cyclists!!!

lol

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2014 --> IMFL 70.3 / IM Augusta 70.3 / IMFL

By the way, which triathlete runs 40 miles in a straight line? That would be one hell of a race!

Pop Quiz. Is this from WTC website or the Tough Mudder Website?

"although you can skip the water obstacles"

I recently did a Warrior Dash, and overall I thought it was pretty dumb, but an insanely great way to make money. A local tri may attract 500 people, but the Warrior Dash had 10,000.

I'm really dumbfounded by the types of crowds these types of events draw. 10k people for an event is pretty huge by my standards. How many running/cycling/tri races pull those type of numbers?

This sounds like they've talked to cross-fit and got told the secret to free publicity. Poke the triathlete and tell em they suck

I dont know if it was an actual "tough mudder" race, but a few weeks ago someone died/drown in the water part of a endurance mud challenge type of race (I cant remember who actually put the race on). I started reading some of the back stories and some of the FAQ's about the races. It actually stated, one didnt have to know how to swim in order to complete the event. It actually stated that, I couldnt believe it. I guess you technically dont have to know how to swim to do an IM, but I'm not sure it's ever been stated that not knowing how to swim (in a part of the race that has you in water) is ok.

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@brooksdoughtie
USAT-L2,Y&J; USAC-L2
http://www.aomultisport.com

That is so much shit. Tough Mudder, Viking/Warrior Dash, Urban Racing. All fad/gimmick.
C'mon:
"Run through FIRE!!!" And they show a picture of a 13 y.o. girl jumping over a BBQ grill? Oooooo, neat-o...
BTW, how does one train for that??
Edit to add : Warrior Dash

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It's simple, but it isn't easy.

The fact that they get 10k people at most events tells you that it is really not that tough.

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RON ARTHUR

/shrug it's simply their way of drawing attention to themselves and make it seem edgy. Why ride your bike in the pouring rain or run a marathon starting at 2 pm when it's 90 degrees out when you can run through an electrified mud field?

to each their own, there's plenty of room in the asylum for all of us crazies.

What part of that is not true?

x2

exactly. We did a run yesterday here in VA Beach called Color Me Rad (not Bad). 5k run no timing, no awards. At a number of spots on the course they threw colored powder at you or sprayed colored water at you it was lots of fun. This RUN sold out at 7700.

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All I Wanted Was A Pepsi, Just One Pepsi

Team Zoot, Team Zoot Mid-Atlantic

exactly!!!

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M.S. x 2; CSCS; ATC/LAT, Functional Movement Specialist, USA Track and Field Level 1

Hot lava walking, anaconda wrestling, and precision wingsuit flying or total bs.

I am a pretty slow triathlete but the Tough Mudder was a joke. I finished first overall... oh wait they don't time anyone so who knows where I placed (in reality MOP). The majority of the guys were tools, eg. wearing eye black while overcast weather. It was a wave start, with pretty big waves so you would all run through the woods and then stop and wait in line when you reached an obstacle. There was more walking then I expected since you had to wait for people and for me it was faster to just walk through the slick mud then try to run through it and slide/fall everywhere. Obstacles were not extreme and did not challenge my strength or balance or whatever else they claim.

It was fun and I would do one again for fun but it was not that hard.

Who over at the Mudder House do I ask to marry me?

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

Had a pretty detailed convo with some people who just raced tough mudder, so I got as much info as I desired. Few things popped out:

1) You can pass any/all of the obstacles that you want - I was pretty shocked at that.
2) Most of the people don't do "water". I then asked, what he meant, and he said, many people don't like going into water, so many people skip any obstacle that involves swimming. He didn't know how to swim "well" - aka he doesn't know how to swim.
3) There really is no timing or racing. There are some people that actually try to go fast - but people tend to gawk and yell at them because these "fast" racers ask to cut the lines (probably the few triathletes that do the event), but for the most people there is a lot of walking, laughing, waiting, standing around.
4) There is a big community feel to it. Helping people up walls, ropes, etc.
5) You usually have to wait "in-line" to do an obstacle.
6) As for training for the event: "I ran a couple times these past 2 weeks" and " I did some push ups"

After said conversation, I pretty much determined that tough mudder is indeed mostly a joke and I wasn't just rushing to judgement to quick. It's just something to do on a Saturday/Sunday with your friends.

I thought Tough Mudder was for a bunch of bar yahoos to compare tool sizes instead of racing their cars or swinging their fists in anger. :-)

er... some of us don't have a lot of time? or money?

Oh good - the new American sport.

It is hard, but you dont have to do it.

Perfect. And then we wonder why there is no score keeping in little league and dodgeball is banned - where do I get my finishers medal? I will skip the rest - can I get a poster too? I have to get the shadow box made.

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

Fixed your post.

I have now done two TM's, had a blast doing both of them with some buddies. I did the first one sober and was really looking forward to the challenge. After that disappointment, I did the second one drunk and had a blast laughing at the in shape (rounds a shape, right?) crossfitters huffing-and-puffing their way through the run sections. I would not be surprised if they have Seque's for those portions by this time next year.

Take home message, TM makes its money by promoting itself as the toughest race around and being easy enough that huge numbers of people can actually do it. Their races are a lot of fun to do with friends but by no means a challenge.

You have no idea what you are talking about. Shit man, the name is "Tough Mudder" (and it sounds tougher with a slight drunken slur). You can tell me that these clown shoes ass' walking to a finish line at Midnight at EyeUrnMan gots a Gawd damn thing on the Tough Mudders. Where is my beer? I am going to slap that bitch if she took my beer...

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

I think many of these cross-fit people think that triathletes are just these wimpy, linky armed and legged, long-distance runners that could run for 30 hours straight but are unable to lift a 25lb weight above their head.

I am a triathlete... I no longer have any of the above.

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________________________________________
http://www.jennyslight.org Offer help. Get help.

Maybe you should start dating an Endurance Geek? ;-) That is, if you have the time.

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

I dunno, if that were the case everyone would be racing bikes

Just did the Tough Mudder PA two weeks ago. They specifically make it so that it is not a race. The one I did, the run parts were mostly so rocky that you could not event run if you wanted to. You really don't need to be able to swim, there was only one thing where you jumped into deep water that you couldn't touch the ground. I do have to say that it was a really tough even to get through. Jumping into ice water. climbing up walls, etc are not easy. But it is an "event" but not a race. You don't have to fast, or tough, or sane. If they want to really test people, then don't let people skip whatever they want to. And don't do stupid stuff like electrocute people.

Triathlons and marathons are harder,

Ah the Kenny Powers mindset.

When I start seeing tough murder types win triathlons, I will believe their words. Heck just show up and racing would be a start.

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You will remain the same person, before, during and after the race. So the result, no matter how important, will not define you. The journey is what matters. ~ Chrissie W.

Hmmm, that sounds a lot like my tri training schedule.

Tough Mudder should be applauded! They are filling their races, providing an enjoyable time to their customers, and filling their own pockets. That's the American Dream, isn't it?

So in the process they sling some mud at marathoners and triathletes. And they overpromote their "toughness" because that is what their customers want to hear.

Where are all of those people on here that were bashing ZackC for his lack of business sense? The same people should be commending TM, Muddy Buddy, Warrior Dash, and others for branding themselves and becoming main stream events.. I hope for their sake they sell out before the fad dies!


This whole thread reminds me of a few elementary school arguments I had, they all ended kind of like "yeah, well, my dads tougher than your dad".......................

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Austin Hardy -

I did the Colorado one last year. It's held at beaver creek. Anyone that could run the uphill parts probably had at least one mountain goat for a parent. It was fun but not particularly tough. Although I did fail at the monkey bars. I sure as hell didn't just go around them though.

It's twisted, isn't it: People feel they have to carry a bigger cross than everyone else. Kind of like an existential version of "How much 'ya bench?"

But hey, whatever gets you up in the morning....

...and that is why I was surprised that Tough Mudder actually wrote what they did. Why belittle endurance athletes while trying to build up your own cross?

says the company that charges for parking and guest entry.

FWIW, I signed up for one with a buddy and ended up spectating due to a sports hernia. He is a 9-time IM guy and thought the TM was "tough". He ran hard, played hard, but waited in line like everyone else. Definitely seemed like an event best enjoyed with a group of friends that aren't in a hurry. I can see why type A triathletes wouldn't like these types of events and TM is smart not to market to that demographic. FWIW, after watching that one while having a hernia I decided that I won't ever be participating in a "muddy" event. I get phantom pains every time I think about my right foot slipping.

I have done the Pendleton Mud Run 5 times. It is a blast (mostly because there are some pretty good looking girls covered in mud. And there is a massive, co-ed, cold shower at the end). It is a 10k and while not nearly as "tough" as any triathlon that I have done, it beats a lonely training day and the cost is reasonable. And they serve beer afterwards.
I have also done the Boot Camp Challenget at the Marine Base in San Diego. A 5k run thru the boot camp training course. Also fun, but not particulary "tough". We ran as a team a few years ago and we won the 5 person team division. And the other 4 guys on my team were in terrible shape.

Tough Mudder:

They offer haircuts:



and long-lines to climb up piles of snow. (reminds me of triathlon lines for the toilets pre-race)

BECAUSE IT SELLS...

Lets assume that everyone wants to be tougher than everyone else. I think this is a fair statement, we all want to feel special.

So, now lets take a few minutes to look at the potential market of folks who might be potential TM customers.

1) Probably not overly athletic, maybe some varsity sports along the way, but I think we are talking about mostly "participators"
2) On the younger side, fans of other sports
3) Socio economic they are mostly white, suburban, middle income.. Probably a similar college rate to triathletes.
4) very social

There are other traits I am sure, but I feel pretty safe assuming these four to be accurate.

So, as a marketer you feed them a line about being tougher than those rich geeks with too much time on their hands.

It's almost as if they are calling out all the generation X and Y folks saying "Hey guys.. We know your overpayed jerk bosses race triathlons and marathons, but that stuff is for weenies.. Come hang out with us Saturday and you can prove to yourself and your buddies that you are tougher than the stupid boss!".

Its great marketing.

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Austin Hardy -

"The guilty take the truth to be hard"
-Nowhere in this does it say triathlon or triathlete. Triathletes and Ironmen do not run 40 miles... Maybe they are comparing Tough Mudder to ultra running?

Sounds to me like you read that quote in red and thought of yourself? Just saying...

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"I wanna go fast!"

u made spit my coffee! LOL

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The entire event (IM) is like "death by 1000 cuts" and the best race is minimizing all those cuts and losing less blood than the other guy. - Dev

These obstacle races make me chortle. My unathletic (well he did play HS football and basketball) borderline-alcoholic brother, who has said he would love to do a triathlon but doesn't think he can make it is actually signed up for one of their races. He will probably finish strong; that tells me all I need to know. Perhaps one day I'll do these for a kick, but don't blow sunshine up my arse and tell me the event is more difficult that an ultramarathon or an Ironman.


Edit: I will train for this type of event using only CF or CFE, but only to prepare myself for the mentality of the organizers and competitors.

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It seemed like a good idea at the time. . .

That's the beauty of what they are doing!!! They are NOT blowing sunshine up YOUR ARSE.

They are blowing it up the arses of lots and lots of people that are ready, willing, and able to BELIEVE it! Deep down inside everyone wants to be special. Tough Mudder is exploiting that by allowing THOUSANDS of people to pay to be "tough" and feel special.

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Austin Hardy -

1. TM's are cool for fat people.
2. TM's allow many to participate; few will ever race.
3. TM's are trendy and the TM trend will go away.
4. TM people will never race a triathlon as good as a triathlete will race a TM.
5. TM is NOT as hard as running or as hard as triathlon or as hard as cycling or as hard as swimming.

If "cycling & triathlon" is like "apples & oranges," "endurance sports and TM's" are like "apple pie & horse shit."

That's all I needed to read.

You can't buy tough. But you sure can get rich selling it.

No way can a mudder compare to a tri. Most people Iknow that do these couldn't swim 800 meters.

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RON ARTHUR

A single tough mudder is probably not that difficult. But if you are in the top quarter or something you can go to the "World's Toughest Mudder" where you do a tough mudder with more obstacles for 24 hours and the winner is whoever makes the most laps. That sounds much more like an endurance sport and much more difficult than an ironman. I don't think many people finished the full 24 hours, but the guy that won made it through like 7 times or something.

let me guess, his name was Lance?

That wasn't TM, it was some other race.

IIRC, the organisers offered something like $100k to anyone who could win 10, and when this guy hit 7 they put up another offer of $25k to anyone who could break his winning streak.

Edit - found it, it was the Spartan Race series. Hobie Call was the guy http://www.outsideonline.com/...-Force.html?page=all

For your reference: http://toughmudder.com/...udder-series-finals/


I don't just post shit without knowing what I'm talking about.

This is a single day event. No one won 7 in a row, the guy that won made it through the course 7 times in 24 hours.

I have no idea what you are talking about.

Ah OK, I stand corrected then.

http://toughmudder.com/about/

follow the link and read Fact #1.

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“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.” - Plato

Tough Mudders (and the like) have been around for thousands of years. The only difference is that, in previous incarnations, entrants were obligated to carry a weapon and defend themselves against the competition - or risk being stabbed, shot, blown-up, left for dead, and possibly returned (in part) to their families. It even had a cool name: WAR.

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"The right to party is a battle we have fought, but we'll surrender and go Amish... NOT!" -Wayne Campbell

I just finished the Ironman St George and I'm pretty confident, few if any, Mudders could have done the same. Most would have sunk on the swim.

My next race is the Spartan Beast in Utah. A 12 mile race with all the obstacles a Mudder has. I'm going to enjoy beating all the 20 year old chest thumping gym rats as they try and stumble thru a 12 mile footrace. I'm sure they'll do great in miles 3,4,5. But ultimately, it is lean fitness that will prevail over bulk in a 12 mile race like this.... even if we have to throw some sandbags and climb ropes along the way.

Bring it!

___________________________________________________________________________

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This is ten percent LUCK, twenty percent SKILL
Fifteen percent concentrated POWER OF WILL
Five percent PLEASURE, fifty percent PAIN
And a hundred percent reason to be IN THIS GAME!

You do realize that tough mudders are 12-14 mile races too right? You may be thinking of warrior dashes as they are only like 3-4 miles.

"Our obstacle courses are designed by British Special Forces to test you in every way and are meant only for truly exceptional all-around people, not for people who have enough time and money to train their knees to run 26 miles."

That's right...anyone with time and money can run a marathon (I mean train your knees to run one), but you have to be truly exceptional to run a mudder. The British Special Forces designed it that way!!!

Personally, I say good on them. It's a win-win-win situation. Arm-chair endurance athletes get attracted away from triathlon, leaving the racing to those who actually care about racing, while giving them something they can actually do and feel good about and making some other people some money. If that's what it takes, I'll concede to not being a "truly exceptional all-around person".

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sometimes you just have to eat the cake

"Our obstacle courses are designed by British Special Forces to test you in every way and are meant only for truly exceptional all-around people, not for people who have enough time and money to train their knees to run 26 miles."

Apperantly the British Special Forces are a bunch of Nancys! I just did the one in Vermont with my fiance' yesterday and while running up and down a mountain for 10 miles isn't the easiest thing on the planet. I'd do that course 5 times around before I ran Boston as it was this year again. Let the mudders have their fun. You can smokethem at the next marathon they run aka local 5k that they call a marathon

I did the Tough Mudder last year in Florida...............it is a cakewalk compared to a longer distance triathlon..............requires basically no physical fitness or toughness of any kind...............it is basically a money making joke.............and a profitable one at that.

I did the Arizona spartan race in February: it was tough, and it was fun. It was more triathlon-ey than what I hear about tough mudder - there was competition, they celebrated the winners, they most certainly timed you (and had backups in case your chip fell off), and the obstacles were fairly challenging (and were all solo obstacles). The jumping over fire bit is a bit of a gimmick (though the fire is certainly big enough to burn you severely if you fall), but it sure makes for a cool photo afterwards.

Also, the only way to skip an obstacle was to attempt it and fail - and then do 30 burpees. 30 burpees, unless you're a professional burpee-er, will always take longer and take more out of you than the obstacle would have.

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STAC Zero Trainer - Zero noise, zero tire contact, zero moving parts. Suffer in Silence starting fall 2016

I did Tough Mudder Wisconsin last year. I also did Ironman Wisconsin again. So I have been on both sides of this fence recently. The day I did TM was 90+ and humid as hell. The ambulance siren was going all day. I saw some fit looking crossfitters puking all over the place. I did every obstacle except one we would have had to sit and wait ~45 minutes for. Running up ski hills several times sucks. A lot. Running down them sucks too. However, it is absolutely no comparison to the Ironman distance triathlon. It's not even close. The culture, the fitness levels required, etc. are very, very far apart. Also, for me, the novelty is gone. One and done on the TM circuit, or anything like it. There is no way the popularity will hold up, IMO.

If you competed in the TM Florida, it was actually cow shit, as it was conducted entirely in cow pastures. The smell was, well, bovine as we started, and to told everyone around me to NOT run or take obstacles with their mouth open unless they LIKED the taste of cow patties.

It was funny to watch the expressions on those who did not hear, understand or believe that warning. Me, I spent too much time in rural farmland and running around in foul environments in the military to worry too much about a little cow poo.

I did the TM just because I had run a Warrior Dash before and wanted to know if the TM was really a test of anything. It was, a test of enduring idiots and intentionally unfit exercises. Things like randomly placed 4' deep holes in an otherwise 6" deep water crossing. Idiots like a few crossfitters who decided the best way to cross a rope net was to fling themselves halfway across the net. Unfortunately several people were halfway across the net at that time, so they jumped on top of those people. At least one was unable to finish the race. The crossfitters ran away like the puzzys they really are, despite all their boasting.

I have not done a 140.2 event yet, but I have completed a 70.3 race (IM Augusta) and several Olympic distance races. I would equate a TM with an Olympic triathlon with a twist; add volunteers to knock you off your bike, assault you in the swim and throw gatorade at you at the aid stations. The ambulances made a ton of money at TM Florida, they had at least a dozen there, all cycling to the local hospital in a constant cycle.

Add to that it costs money just to watch the race, and after your 1 beer at the end, even more money to continue imbibing more beer. Overall, I was disappointed, finished well ahead of the group I started with, and will not enter another TM as my enjoyment of stupidity is not as tolerant today as it was when I was 20.

Edit - found it, it was the Spartan Race series. Hobie Call was the guyhttp://www.outsideonline.com/...-Force.html?page=all[/quote[/url]]

This Hobie Call guy is a beast. Did you read this interview? Says he can break a 2:00:00 marathon? All he needs is $80k for two years in sponsorship so he doesn't have to work!

"I can break two hours. I have the knowledge. I have the discipline. I have the right attitude. All I need is the opportunity to train full time for one and a half to two years. Eighty thousand dollars is nothing. Countries and organizations have spent millions trying to accomplish what I can do for mere pocket change."

I've got $5.00 on it, tell me where to send my donation.

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"Damn homie, in highskew you was tha man, homie..what the F*** hapened to you?"

But it's the baptism of being a degenerate--gambling even when there's no clear sign of a winning side.

lol

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Trying to find that old 60 min / 40k tt split!
http://www.supergosam.blogspot.com

Until being a deadbeat bogan/redneck becomes an olympic sport, anything they say will just get ignored by the sporting community.

Heh, if you do the Superhero Scramble and tattoo their logo on your body, you get to race for free at any of their events for life.



I did one of their races recently. It was a lot of fun, but also very easy.

well... tri wasn't an Olympic sport for many years, and they still have the pentathlon so ya never know!

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Trying to find that old 60 min / 40k tt split!
http://www.supergosam.blogspot.com

DISCLAIMER: Newbie Here!

So I've got a foot on both sides of this fence and that kinda hurts...

I love tri's and races, but I also had fun during the TM. Sure it wasn't a race and didn't really satisfy my need for finish time validation but the event took me back to my gun dog days of CQB and running the obstacle course (lest my gear & carbine) Granted I didn't get to do any shooting along the course, and I had to tolerate some d-bags who would skip every 'hard' obstacle, but the TM does raise ALOT of money for Wounded Warriors, a charity very near and dear to my heart. And the free haircuts, that raises even more money for WW with each haircut given. By the end of TM I was bruised, bloody, and mildly hypothermic, yet both the wife and I enjoyed the TM and will probably do another eventually but in a warmer climate... If you get the chance, grab a friend or two and give it a try, you may actually have fun but if you're a serious athlete with a busy race season planned I wouldn't exactly recommend a TM because the chance for injury is very high.

Was TM as 'tough' as a long distance tri, I don't think so. But it takes a completely different type of mindset to low crawl through water and under electric wires when you can't stop shivering, then it does to keep pedaling and/or running when your legs say "F*#k you, we're taking the hamstrings and going home".

Bottom Line: Different strokes for different folks, the TM people may have tried to call triathletes out, I doubt many folks who completed a TM could complete anything longer then a sprint tri, and most triathletes could complete a TM (if they learned to play well with others) but in the end its all just a different type of crazy, no need for the hate. And after having done both, I do like triathlons better

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Slainte!
-Sea Dog Sends

I actually like and regularly do CF workouts (I think for those of us who do triathlons non-competitively, it is a great way to ensure overall health). In general, I just can't stand most of the other people who do it. This is why I really enjoyed seeing them struggle during the TM. Though my personal favorite happened post-race.

The Marines were there to volunteer on the course and had a pull-up challenge afterwards. If you could do 25, you got a prize. My buddies and I were waiting to try with some other guys and the Marine informs us, "the goal is to do 25 pullups. That means all the way down and all the way back up with minimal motion of the rest of your body. I don't know what is wrong with people today but I don't want to see one more person thrusting their hips trying to make love to my pullup bar."

One of the CF guys waiting with us goes off about the "value" of kipping pullups and how work is work. The Marine was not impressed.

How are you still around idiots and unfits after say 2 miles? The TM is just like a tri, it is what you make it.

Sure there are overweight people downing beers and jogging/walking the 20k or so in a TM, but in case you haven't noticed there is a pretty big group of people jogging and walking the average tri or half marathon too. All it is, is an obstacle course. If you grab some buddies and run a few 5 minute miles there won't be many jogging idiots around and you'll have a fun obstacle course.

I think this should be their motto;) LOL. I think if it is a good time, they do these type of events. I am only laughing at the idea that they have to make it sound all macho, when it is basically just horsing around in the mud (and only if you want to). I will at least give the Spartan Race series some credit (haven't done a race, but checking out their website), because they have some longer races (20K) with real timing, etc.

For some, I'm sure it beats sitting on the couch eating chips and watching TV. I think it is great that people want to get out and enjoy the outdoors and leave behind the luxuries of modern living if only for an afternoon. A lot of people are just out there dieing for adventure... heck, this is a quick way to escape the mundane routine of suburbia.

I have done 5 marathons, 2 sprints, a 100 mile kayak race (by far the hardest thing I have done), and one 70.3 with another this coming weekend.

When I did the TM, it was last fall in Texas. The last real physical thing I had done was the Austin Marathon in February and 1 Army PT test. The TM was a complete joke. The only thing that made it slightly difficult was my huge hangover and lack of (none) hydration before or during the event.

I was lucky that I did it on Saturday and not Sunday because apparently their "Death Waiver" doesn't cover a rain storm. Yes you read that right. They canceled the even on Sunday because of rain. Not a thunderstorm. Rain.

Also, it was by far the least mentally challenging event I have done and was quite expensive (at least I didn't see $140 as "relatively low prices"). People getting tattoos of their logo is even more retarded than getting an M-dot one. Disclaimer - I don't have any tattoos, and I don't plan on being a corporate billboard. I have no problems with tattoos and I could see myself getting some, but I can't think of something that I want to have on my for the rest of my life. I guess if an even that takes you ~3 hours to complete is the "toughest" thing you will do, then by all means, let everyone know just how "tough" you are.

I will say that the people who did the World's Toughest Mudder (run a TM course for I think it was 24 hours or something for however many laps you can do), or whatever it's called, are great athletes.

One more thing. Does anyone know how much of their profit they give to Wounded Warrior Project?

1) You can pass any/all of the obstacles that you want - I was pretty shocked at that.
2) Most of the people don't do "water". I then asked, what he meant, and he said, many people don't like going into water, so many people skip any obstacle that involves swimming. He didn't know how to swim "well" - aka he doesn't know how to swim.
3) There really is no timing or racing. There are some people that actually try to go fast - but people tend to gawk and yell at them because these "fast" racers ask to cut the lines (probably the few triathletes that do the event), but for the most people there is a lot of walking, laughing, waiting, standing around.
4) There is a big community feel to it. Helping people up walls, ropes, etc.
5) You usually have to wait "in-line" to do an obstacle.
6) As for training for the event: "I ran a couple times these past 2 weeks" and " I did some push ups"

After said conversation, I pretty much determined that tough mudder is indeed mostly a joke and I wasn't just rushing to judgement to quick. It's just something to do on a Saturday/Sunday with your friends.

This post nailed the tough mudder. I did one a couple of months ago and for the most part it was a joke. What made it kinda cool for me was the fact that I ran it with a group of awesome athletes which really turned it into a challenge. Based on our calculations we finished an hour to an hour and a half ahead of most of the participants. We didn't make any friends out there though as we seemed to be the only ones that were actually "racing." I didn't know until after I had signed up that they don't time anyone. That pissed me off. A lot of fat out of shape people finished it....so what does that tell you. Not that tough! Just another fad that has tapped into the crossfit community (who really sucked at this by the way...they were toast after the first three miles).

The Super Spartan though...I've heard that it is a true and very tough course, and is ran as an individual with age group awards. Eh, I'll give it a try. Still cheaper than any tri around.

 
Tough Mudder is probably the target race for all those out-of-shape tubbies I see in Hyde Park with the boot camp instructor wearing army fatigues barking exercise commands.
I usually giggle when I run by.

If I want tough and mud with obstacles, I'll just go hike the 100 mile wilderness in Maine.

Cross fit's ugly cousin.

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100 mile kayak race (by far the hardest thing I have done

Where did you do this? I am just starting to kayak, but something that crazy might be something to aspire to.

How long did it take? 25+ hours or did the current help you along?

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Swim - Bike - Run the rest is just clothing changes.

One day all the tough mudders, Ironman and all those sports competitors will realise that being muddy, skinny or fat and even really really fit or good at swimming, cycling or running doesnt in fact make you tough.
makes me giggle everytime.."tough!" pow bang etc

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http://longwaytogo-ironman.blogspot.com/

Sadly, i'll be doing a TM event this summer because the girl thinks it will be fun to do it with a bunch of friends.
A full report will follow, but i'm pretty sure it is going to be a piece of cake based on my current training and level of fitness.

:)

It's more of just a silly marketing ploy. It's a different sport altogether, with it's own seperate challenges requiring completely different training. Training tri will better prepare you for tough mudder than specific tough mudder would prepare you for a tri though. The only commonality is running. All sports require their own toughness so it's stupid to compare that too.

I say we (ST'ers) revolt!!!!

Everybody grab your compression socks! Slap them and your HR monitor on. (HR monitor is so we dont work to hard.)

And lets go raise HELL!! But not to much hell, because I have a long brick tomorrow.

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When all is said and done. More is usually said than done
Ba Ba Booey

It was in Texas. From Bastrop to Columbus on the Colorado river. It's called the cr100. It took me 18 and a half hours. I got 7th and was the second to finish in a plastic boat. There is another race called the Texas water safari that is from San Marcos to Seadrift. It is much more difficult because there are dams and stuff that you have to get around. Another race is the MR340 on the Missouri river. It's a little longer than the TWS, but it flows faster and there aren't as many obstacles.

Why so much hate?

Tough Mudder attracts a completely different crowd than the endurance sport crowd.
Nothing wrong with that.

I just finished the Tough Mudder at Mount Snow in Vermont last weekend.
The people at my wife's gym convinced her to do it, and I said I'd go along.
My wife's idea of endurance training is running 1 mile around the gym parking lot.
One month before the race I tried to get her to do a small 5k in town, and her answer was "no its too hilly". The irony of a road 5k being too hilly when we were going to a ski area to do a 10 mile "event" was completely lost on her.

It was a piece of cake compared to triathlons. Walking 10 miles took a while by never got hard.
It was also lot of fun. There was a lot of teamwork between both the teams doing the race together, and even between total strangers.
My wife is on cloud 9 at having finished. She's never tried anything like this and is very proud of herself to have finished, as she should be.

Could it have been tough? Absolutely. If you tried to race, it would have been very difficult with the hills & terrain.
I really don't see the point in racing this solo, though.
Getting a group of fast friends together, and pushing the pace on the course I think would be a lot of fun and difficult as well.

Did it specifically mention triathletes anywhere? The way I read it, I assume they are talking about ultra-trail runners. I think us tri geeks get our panties in a bunch over any perceived slight. Heck, they (the TM website) could just as easily be slamming adventure racers, not triathletes.

That being said, last year I did the BEaver Creek CO one. As one of the previous posters mentioned, there wasn't ANYONE running up those hills. They are fun events, I did it twice on Saturday (no one pays attention if you are stupid enough to get back in line), and once on sunday. I am not some super athlete either, was just a good excuse to go out & have fun.

How can this many people in one thread not understand MARKETING vs REALITY?

Beat me to it.

This one is 340 miles. Starts Tuesday morning 8am, cutoff is Friday midnight. Most of the good/serious people do it non-stop.

Sorry for the tangent, back to the "OMG, we are better than them!" discussion

I did Tough Mudder and thought it was one of the funnest days that I have had as adult. Personally, I did not find it to be that hard at all. The hardest part BY FAR was the ice dumpster that forced you to go under the ice in order to get out. I actually forgot my name under that water. Beyond that, it was all I could do to actually "run" the course because of so many people standing in the way at the various obstacles. I would not call this an endurance event by any means. More like interval waiting around. There is really no way to navigate the crowds to the extent that you could run straight through without getting jammed up somewhere- unless, I guess, you ran for time in one of the first waves which I guess I might try next time.

It was extremely well organized, very safe obstacles- all EXTREMELY well built, and was a tremendous amount of fun. I will go back.

I remember around mile 8 there was an aid station and after it a kind of road bordered by a high grassy field. By this time in the race, the distance was getting to those "less in shape" than others, and there were people that had fallen out all over the field and road. It made me laugh a bit because it was sort of an out-of-shape, pussy-style, Civil War battlefield scene of sorts. Just struck me as funny.

Anyway, like I said SO FUN, but not as hard as I had hoped it would be. If it gives any perspective, I ran a 1/2 mary the day after, and this Tough Mudder course was supposed to have been 14 miles in total.

I met my personal goal for the event which was to finish as quickly as possible and then walk as slowly as possible through the gauntlet of Taser wires at the end with my arms out-stretched so I could feel every one, and make sure the race knew that it would have to do better next time in order to break me.

Strongly suggest trying one on a lark if you are looking for a day of fun- BUT, run your own race and stay away from the crowds. They will double your time "helping you" climb these little silly walls. Really saw just how out of shape and sissy a lot of people are these days. Also saw some pretty tough guys knocking it out.

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"What do you mean your running shoes don't match your bike?"

Somewhat totally agree with you here, but I did have fun. There were a TON of ambulances and cops everywhere. I did think those 4' holes were funny since they were totally unexpected, and also think there were more like 6' deep in some cases! The mud before that balance beam across the tank thing was unlike any mud I have ever seen. It was the finest mud in the state for sure.

I had a great time, but I agree that it was not hard at all- except for that ice bath right out of the gate. That took my breath like nothing I have ever done before- but, it was over as quickly as it began, and the rest of the course was pretty simple- minus the people standing around all over the place in the way "helping".

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"What do you mean your running shoes don't match your bike?"

Not sure what % of their profit, but I did just read that they have given over $3M to WW.

I'm also not sure why so many people's panties are in a wad over this. Who cares? Are you really upset that someone said something in jest about "your" sport? It's just a marketing ploy...every company says their product is the best/toughest/fastest.

The idiots were pretty much throughout the event as evidence by a guy walking around mile 8 smoking a cigarette, people who brought alcoholic beverages and drank them throughout the race, the guys who jumped on top of others in the cargo net around mile 7, and a few guys pushing others out of the way around mile 9 on the hay bale tower.

Not everyone was a jerk though, and a lot of people were pretty cool about helping others make it over/through obstacles. I both received and gave help in most of the obstacles, and the only one I bypassed was the 1/4" wall ledge I was supposed to "walk" down. It was so muddy and wrecked by day 2 of the event that I gave up after a couple of tries just to stand on the ledge.

I agree about the "Chernoble Swim" ice tank being the worse of the obstacles. Had I not survived U.S. Navy cold water survival training, it might have been pretty bad for me as well. As it was, I KNEW how cold it would be, and how my body would react, so it wasn't that bad for me. About the worst part of the ice bath was trying to push a young lady out who was nearly passed out from the cold shock. No one would catch her when I was pushing, so she hit the ground like a rag doll when I finally had no choice but to push her out of the tank.

LOL, that just made my morning... couldn't have summed it up any better than that

HA!!

And they made it look so inviting, right? Looked like a big Slurpee- actually quite inviting. Jumped in, OK not that bad, moved forward, getting more serious, went under thinking "ok just get under it" and while underwater I basically forgot my name and where I was or who I was or what I was doing and all I knew was "must get out of here".

I do not in any way think it was all that hard to complete, though in general. Just a WHOLE LOT of fun.

SM

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"What do you mean your running shoes don't match your bike?"

So I just found this thread via search because I was curious about what triathletes thought of this "mud run" trend.

I'm not surprised to see this opinion. And while I haven't done a mud run, my guess based on its target demo concurs with the opinions I'm seeing here. It seems aimed at people who want to get off the couch/barstool and tell their friends they're tough. It's pure silliness.

I know somebody who announced recently she's doing Tough Mudder in October. She's not in bad shape, but she's under 5' and the limit of her time spent exercising is 75 minutes in the spinning studio. So I'm not sure what she thinks running through a field of live dangling electric wires is going to prove to herself about her "toughness."

Based on the marketing and proliferation of all these mud runs, its hard to escape the idea that all people are paying for is the right to tell their friends they did one and post pics on Facebook of themselves covered in mud, without a lot of athletic achievement. I don't really mind it, per se, but I just wanted to get the Tri community's take on it, and now I have.

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