This weekend I tested my mental grit and my physical strength by participating in Tough Mudder (emphasis on the mental grit). Staged across a series of ski mountains, Tough Mudder Toronto presented a gruelling set of obstacles over a 16.5km course, check out the map below:
What this map failed to mention was the obstacle "Hold your Wood" which I'll get to and the general treachery of the course due to torrential downpour and thunder storms
As a result, we had a bonus mud slide obstacle 
Meet my excellent team! My husband Rob aka gimp, my cousin Jason and my friend Jason (because why get confused with names?
)
Look at how clean and cute we were and how dry it was
We were delayed at registration due to technical difficulties but despite it being cold and sprinkling on and off, we were in good spirits and ready to get started! Our wave start time was delayed by about half an hour but when they called us, we were ready! On our way to the start line, we had to scale a 7 foot wall just to get to the start line (for funsies). Once there, the emcee proceeded to get us 'warmed up' and we recited the Tough Mudder Creed
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.
and then we were off... UP A FREAKING SKI HILL. So this is the part where your brain just likes to mess with you and your flight instinct kicks in. It sounds a little like "omg what are you doing, you can't do this, your lungs are coming out of your mouth, you are going to die". It takes a lot of effort to get your fight instinct to respond but once it does, it's glorious!
We had an amazing friend with us who spectated and took some great pictures and a video along the way. Jess is a rockstar for enduring the weather and she even climbed one of the ski hills just to get this shot:
Now let's get to those crazy obstacles!
1. Glory Blades - Successfully completed - Learn More
Glory Blades are 2.5 meter walls that are slanted.. toward you.
I used the support beams to get leverage and successfully got over these.
2. Mud Mile - Successfully completed - Learn More
It is what it sounds like, a series of waist deep mud pits that you need to slosh through and over to get to the other side.
3. Just the Tip - Attempted not successful - Learn More
In this one, you scale a wall using just the tips of your fingers. While I was doing well, I couldn't see past the guy in front of me and failed to see there was a transition coming and when I missed it.. I landed in the water below
One to learn from!4. Hold Your Wood - Successfully Completed - Learn More
You grab a log from the pile and with a partner or by yourself (depending on how big your wood is
) you carry it along a path until you get to the end of the obstacle. I did this one with my friend Jay with a log that I would have loved to have shrunk 5. Devil's Beard - Successfully Completed
As you can see it's a cargo net that you need to navigate under to get to the other side. We had a moment of brilliance with this one and opted to run it backwards so the back end of us forced the net up and it was much easier, save for a little rope burn, heh.
6. Arctic Enema - Successfully Completed - Learn More
This obstacle sucks. It's a giant bin of ice water with a wooden divider in the middle. You jump in, swim under the dividing wall and come up the other end. Everything goes to hell after this because your body doesn't know what to do with itself. Enjoy the video:
7. Bale Bonds - Successfully Completed
This one consists of rows of 4 foot tall bales of hay that you need to climb over. With a bit of a running start, this got to be not too bad.
8. Warrior Carry - Successfully Completed (admittedly I did nothing but hang there
)This is just a fireman's carry and I had the honour of being the passenger as Rob just threw me over his shoulder. I think you're supposed to switch off but A> I can't carry 210lbs on my back and B> I never saw the switch-off point
Next year, I think Jess will join us and I can make up for being a pansy on this one lol.9. Berlin Walls - Successfully Completed - Learn More
This obstacle is a series of 3 meter wooden walls. You need teamwork to get over these, unless of course you're part kangaroo, or 12 feet tall. With a little boost from my friends, I was up and over all of them!
10. Walk the Plank - Successfully Completed - Learn More
First you climb the ladder.. and then you jump 12 feet down into a muddy pool of water. I am not a fan of heights but I did it and I'm tougher for it
11. Ladder to Hell - Successfully Completed - Learn More
Ladder to hell is a giant climb up and a giant climb down. It's really nice if you have long legs but for those of us on the 'fun-size' scale, it's a feat!
12. Everest - Successfully Completed - Learn More
If you've ever watched "American Ninja Warrior" you've seen the Warped Wall. This is the Warped Wall but it's been greased because.. why not? I successfully grabbed the top of the wall but I did require some assistance to get my footing to get up top. I'll need more training for Ninja Warrior
13. Balls to the Wall - Successfully Completed - Learn More
This is a wall scale using a rope.. covered in mud
Upper body strength is an absolute must for this one.14. Funky Monkey - Attempted not successful - Learn More
These are monkey bars on a steep incline and greased. So I had a couple of problems here, first, they were greased and my hands were freezing due to the weather, so my grip was questionable. I did try to get a swing going to give me momentum but it just wasn't enough, after 4 bars I hit the muddy water below and had to swim to the other side. More upper body strength training and possibly gloves, will help next year!
15. Kiss of Mud - Successfully Completed - Learn More
Barbed wire hangs above you and you have to belly crawl through the mud to complete it.
16. Electroshock Therapy - Successfully Completed - Learn More
This obstacle is no joke. You run through a series of live wires to complete the course. I got hit by two wires at once, in the thigh and it was not a tickle. My knee buckled but I managed to hop onto the other foot, get hit by another in the arm before getting out the other side. This is the one obstacle I'm not sure I would attempt again.
And there you have it! Tough Mudder achievement unlocked and another thing off my bucket list. We're already signed up for next year so I guess I should start working on that upper body strength!
Be fearless, it's far more fun
Would you/or have you participated in an adventure/mud run?
Which of the obstacles looks the hardest to you?
Which one looks like a piece of cake?
What's the last thing you did that scared you?
Skin by Dan Leveille
