When you think of running a Tough Mudder, do the words “yeah, right” come to mind? If so, you’re far from alone. We are always shocked to discover just how many Tough Mudder finishers thought they wouldn’t be able to finish a Tough Mudder before signing up. The takeaway here? We’re all stronger and more capable of accomplishing lofty goals than we think. And to help prove that, we’ve gone ahead and crafted a list of the top five myths about completing a Tough Mudder.
5 MYTHS ABOUT DOING TOUGH MUDDER
1. YOU NEED TO BE SUPER-JACKED
If you have a 12-pack and chiselled arms, more power to you. You probably look great in that tank top–and that’s worth something to some people. However, you don’t need all those bodily bells and whistles to achieve Tough Mudder glory. What you do need is some workout regularity and a whole lotta mental grit and determination. You have to really want to cross that finish line and accept that you’re going to have to get out of your comfort zone to get there. After the first obstacle, you’ll feel the adrenaline rush and encouragement from other Mudders helping push you through.
2. YOU NEED TO TRAIN FOR 10 HOURS A WEEK
You know those people you always see working out at your gym, no matter what time of day you go? Well, you don’t have to be one of them to run a Tough Mudder. Most of our past participants worked out 4 to 6 hours a week during training. Besides, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be dedicating at least 1/42 of your week to staying fit anyway. As an added bonus, you don’t always have to train at the gym: you can run outside, sign up for a local boot camp or play a sport on your off-days.
3. YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO RUN 10 MILES
A Tough Mudder course is interspersed with awesome obstacles. For the most part, you run one mile and then face an obstacle–run another half mile and face another. Another thing to keep in mind is that Tough Mudder events are not timed, so whether you’re taking on a 5K , 10K, or 15K, if you can’t go on and need to take a break, walk for a bit. We’re not going to judge you.
4. YOU HAVE TO COMPLETE ALL THE OBSTACLES
You can skip obstacles. Yeah, we said it. If you are severely claustrophobic and can’t swim, don’t be a hero and attempt a water obstacle where you’ll be confined to tight spaces. On the other hand, if you can’t physically complete an obstacle, you can always ask your teammates or other Mudders for some assistance. Whatever your fitness level, you should try to complete as many obstacles as you realistically can.
Tough Mudder is about trying things that challenge and sometimes even scare you. Sure, you have the option to skip, but facing your fears is way more badass than standing on the sidelines. When it comes down to it, silently repeat your favourite motivational quote, throw caution into the wind and do it for the story.
5. YOU CAN’T RUN TOUGH MUDDER ALONE
Don’t have any teammates? Fear not. While it’s true that you can’t complete certain obstacles on your own (we’re looking at you, Pyramid Scheme), you can absolutely sign up and run a Tough Mudder on your own. Other Mudders on the course will have your back – it’s what they do. Plus this year you can sign up to join our Solo Runners Wave, that’s basically a ready made team just for you.
No matter what your limitations or reservations may be, you can push yourself to be better than you were yesterday. Everyone has that ability – you just have to choose to do it. Go ahead and tap into that potential of yours. Once you complete a Tough Mudder, you’ll be shocked at how easy it is to do other things you didn’t think you could do.
Ready to commit to a Tough Mudder event? Sign up to a Tough Mudder ticket today and get muddy.
