Tough Mudder

[SDHNTR]

Any Tough Mudders here? I have been asked to assemble a team of co-workers from my office to take on a Tough Mudder event. I know very little about the event, other than they exist, and the obstactles, and it's hard and miserable. OK, check.

What I need to know is does a team complete each part of the course together, so that each team member completes 100% of the course? Or is it done in a relay fashion, where team members are stationed at different places along the course and they take over once their fellow team member arrives at that station? In that manner, each team member runs only a portion of the course? Or can you do it either way?

Is there an optimal number of team members? Anything else I need to know?

Thanks.

 

[2rocky]

You all complete the full course. Many obstacles require team effort. I had some training partners do the Squaw Valley event. 10 mile course with lots of elevation change. Some wait time at obstacles. It is not a race. It is an experience.

check out the pictures from previous events to get a feel for it. https://www.facebook.com/toughmudder/photos_albums

 

[RosinBag]

Nate, Tough Mudders are not tough unless you run in the competitive portion, first or second waves of participants. The Team event is the entire team running it together completing all the obstacles together. The Team is only as fast as their slowest portion. On the other side, the ones in Norther Califronia were having 10,000 plus each day. If you start after about 10 or 11 in the morning it can become a long walk in the park. The obstacles at times will have 30 minutes wait to get on and in the end, when the course turns to single track, it is a stacked with people and at best you can march along. It is very difficult to pass people in the single track due to the surroundings. It is fun though. You can also look at Warrior Dash and the Spartan Challenges. The are similar but different.

 

[SDHNTR]

Ok thanks, I was just reading that the courses are 10-12 miles long, plus the obstacles. So what you are saying is that it is really not as hard as it sounds because there is lots of wait/rest time as people get stacked up?

I'm having a hard time getting some folks to commit because they see the 12 mile run and a bunch of obstacles on top of that and don't think they can do it. I need to convince them it is not as hard as it sounds.

 

[Arrowslinger]

Tell your co-workers that Oprah ran a marathon once and they need to suck it up..... Panzies! Tough Mudder is only as difficult a you make it.

 

[2rocky]

If your co workers have never done anything like a trail race, or obstacle course I can see how 10-12 miles might be intimidating. Maybe you introduce them to a Warrior dash. It is just 3 miles. Obstacles aren't that hard... Once they figure out it ain't that big a deal then it will be easy to get them in for a TM. Apparently people think more than 5 miles is a long ways...

 

[tstowater]

I need to do one. I did a short "mud event" in September and that lit the fire to do a TM'er. I'm looking at the one by Minneapolis next year. My older brother says he will do it also. He likes to do P90X for fun. Should be a blast. I don't have any patience so I need to be in one of the earlier waves.

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

5 miles is a really tough mental thing to get past.

 

[RosinBag]

Tough Mudders can take between 7 and 9 hours depending on your start time. If in early or competitive waves, not that that long.

 

[diggerson]

Everything stated above is fairly accurate. Tough Mudder is not a timed event, nor is there anybody checking to see if you and/or all of your teammates completed all the obstacles or finished together as a team. Hell, they don't even really check if you start at wave time you signed up for or were assigned. All accountability is on you and your team. If you want to be considered for thye World's Toughest Mudder competition (happening next weekend in PA), you have to finish in the top 5% of your event, but all of this is self reported! If you wanna cheat your way into WTM, by all means...

There is a lot of info on the TM FAQ website http://toughmudder.com/faq/

I did the CO Tough Mudder last year. It was definitely a challenge at the elevation Beaver Creek is at, but shouldn't be too tough for individuals that train for or maintain their fitness for mountain hunting. As far as the team thing goes, I suggest you really evaluate what is important to you as far as finishing and making it a challenge, before deciding who/how many to team up with. Last year, I did it with two other guys. One guy was a hulk of a man as far as strength goes, and he dominated the obstacles, but the cardio and distance killed him. In keeping with the teamwork/camaraderie aspect of this event, myself and the thrid guy on our team did a lot of walking and waiting on this guy. Took us 4.5 hours to finish. I think we could have done it in under 3 hrs, and this year, myself and the third guy may just do a team of two.

Have already signed up for CO 2013! Wish they would let us know where the event will be held.

 

[SDHNTR]

Good info all. I need to get some of these wimps to man up. Thanks. I was thinking of this thread while on a hound dog chase after a big bear taht wouldn't tree last week. Many miles, up and down a couple peaks, busting snow covered brush, on hands and knees, soaking wet, made the thought of this seem easy!

 

[Aron Snyder]

If your co workers have never done anything like a trail race, or obstacle course I can see how 10-12 miles might be intimidating. Maybe you introduce them to a Warrior dash. It is just 3 miles. Obstacles aren't that hard... Once they figure out it ain't that big a deal then it will be easy to get them in for a TM. Apparently people think more than 5 miles is a long ways...

I would be on of those guys that thinks anything more than 5 miles is toooo far

 

[BigWave]

Hey Nater,

We have a team signed up for the So Cal event in early Feb, pretty sure its at Vail Lake. I think we go on the 9th? Do it! We go at 11am. The "Arctic Enema" sucks!!!! Its an experience, no biggie! We'll do it, then drink beer until its gone! Get signed up dude!

 

[outdoor hunter]

Ok thanks, I was just reading that the courses are 10-12 miles long, plus the obstacles. So what you are saying is that it is really not as hard as it sounds because there is lots of wait/rest time as people get stacked up?

I'm having a hard time getting some folks to commit because they see the 12 mile run and a bunch of obstacles on top of that and don't think they can do it. I need to convince them it is not as hard as it sounds.

If you have an early start time there is no waiting.

 

[CtP]

I'm in a Spartan Race near Atlanta in Feb and a Tough Mudder in april. these will be my first of each event and it should be a good time!

 

[RosinBag]

The Spartan Beast just finished in Sacramento last week. I was working, but they reported 14 people by ambulance to the hospital for a variety of reasons. Most were weather related due to the cold rain and wind. Sounds like a good time. I am doing the next Spartan Beast in Sacramento early in 2013.

 

[dcestnik]

I did the CO tough mudder solo last year as well as the CO spartan race. Anyone who can do a 5K at any sort of light jogging pace can finish the race with a little help and persistence. Regardless of shape I recommend getting an early flight.

 

[dcestnik]

Also because of the obstacles its more like 12 - one mile runs with a bit of recovery time in between. At least in CO the elevation change was the ass kicker.

 

[Travis1984]

I did whistler and Seattle this last year. Ran competitive, if you are taking seven hours to do tough mudder, you are doing it wrong. Finished both events in about 3.5 hours. Whistler was insanity. They said it was the hardest course they have ever created...it was my first one. Seattle was a joke in comparison.