Here at TMHQ we’re all all about teamwork (did we mention?) and making Mudder Nation an extraordinary place that anyone and everyone can be a part of. A big part of that is having fun and not taking ourselves too seriously and everyone from TMHQ, genuinely loves being at our events and having a laugh with all of you. For the fun community award, nominees had to be Mudders who also bring the party atmosphere, a big smile and always contribute positively to Mudder Nation.
We’d like to recognise the shortlisted nominations for this award, and thank them for always bringing the fun.
These were:
- Sam Hopper for brightening up every event with his muddy hugs
- Andrew Cook & Simon Bridgewater for both taking any opportunity for having fun and including everyone
- Amanda “Pinky” Neil for always making everyone smile
- Joe Palladino for always bringing the fun in the form of ‘Rosie’ or his Seymore Mudd alias
WELCOME TO THE HOUSE OF FUN
The 2019 Fun community award winner is…… another dramatic pause ……. Chris Hill.
Chris always has a huge smile on his face, no matter what. He often volunteers on the information desk at Tough Mudder UK events and is always welcoming to first timers and returning Legionnaires alike.
This is what Chris had to say when we asked him about Tough Mudder and winning the Fun award.
WHAT GOT YOU INTERESTED IN TOUGH MUDDER IN THE FIRST PLACE?
Back in 2013 a colleague of mine did Tough Mudder as a challenge to lose weight. He was featured on a Channel 4 documentary about weight loss and told me all about it. At the time I weighed almost 23 stone. So the year after, I did my first Tough Mudder at Yorkshire and loved it. It kick started my own weight loss regime which saw me lose 7 stone over just 6 months. I worked hard on calorie control and increased my fitness. At that time I didn’t realise that Tough Mudder had more events all over the country and it wasn’t until returning to Yorkshire in 2016 that I found out. When I did, that was it. I was hooked.
WHAT KEEPS YOU COMING BACK?
I love the challenge that Tough Mudder provides on course both physically and mentally. By travelling around the country doing each event I am able to set myself a challenge, particularly when new obstacles are revealed. At first if I can’t complete an obstacle, I come back to the next event with the determination to succeed. Each event gets you closer to success until eventually you complete the obstacle and get such an amazing sense of achievement.
Headbands… patches… legionnaires… they’re what makes me want to be there at every event. I’ve done 35 events including Europe’s Toughest Mudder twice and hope to do World’s Toughest Mudder one day. The Legionnaires are something else. A family. A community. On and off the course, in the camp site, in the Facebook groups and meeting up between events, Tough Mudder has seen my friendship circle grow exponentially and that’s great. It’s a brilliant opportunity to meet some of the weirdest, obscure but always genuine and amazing people that quickly become very close friends.
WHAT DID WINNING THE FUN COMMUNITY AWARD MEAN TO YOU?
It was a shock. I’d seen that the awards were being voted on and had cast my own vote for a friend of mine in one of the other categories, but I had no idea that I was even nominated for an award. On the night, I remember driving home from work and it [World’s Toughest Mudder brunch] was live streaming via Bluetooth to the radio in my car. It was great to hear all the amazing achievements from everyone at World’s Toughest Mudder and others who had won awards that they so deserved. I had to pull over when Giles came on and announced my name, so that I could watch the video as it was broadcast. It was crazy as I was receiving so many texts and messages through to my phone as it was announced from people both at the event and also watching online. It was surreal. I am well known for the camp BBQs where my famous or infamous saying goes ‘You bring the meat, I’ll bring the heat’. I bring my gas powered barbecue and cook for all on the campsite at Yorkshire and North West. The sausage fest goes down well and everyone has a great time, despite the usually inclement weather that Yorkshire never fails to deliver each year.
AND FINALLY…. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE OBSTACLE AND WHY?
I have 3 favourites. Block Ness Monster – I can stay on there all day, ‘riding Nessy’ and helping fellow Mudders. In Germany last year our group went back into Block Ness to help out for a second time as the route double backed past it and the weather was glorious.
Arctic Enema – the feeling of anticipation and nerves as it appears behind the articulated lorry on the horizon, the sudden dread and fear as you climb the scaffolding to the top and then the heart stopping adrenaline that pounds your veins as you slide and hit the freezing cold water. What a thrill.
And then there’s Funky Monkey… absolutely love it. The tension mounting as you swing from pole to pole to the apex of the frame before gritting teeth and reaching out for those rotating wheels on the descent.
WHAT MUDDERS HAD TO SAY
“Chris attends the majority of UK events and regularly is the soul of the party, helping to organise events and encourage people to take part. At several events, he has organised waves to bring people together (London South Frozen Wave), social events for people to come along too and has BBQ’d for people. He is also the founder of Team Squid Hats, where you wear a squid hat around events and raise money for animal welfare.”
“Chris, aka “info Chris”, works tirelessly with a number of different teams in the UK to bring out the best in folk and helps organise various different fundraising activities every year. He can always be found with a smile on his face, a squid hat on his head or dressed up as his favourite Frozen character on course.”
“He is just hilarious”
Like us, Chris loves to bring the fun to events, and values the friendships and sense of community that Tough Mudder has created. We know that lockdown is hard, and the thought of a BBQ with all our friends might seem like a faraway dream, but if you have been inspired by Chris and the way he likes to bring some general cheerfulness to the Tough Mudder community, check out our #HelpAHundred project. We have plenty of other ideas that might just make that small but positive difference in people’s lives right now so why not get involved and share your acts of kindness with us on social media using #HelpAHundred.
We’ll continue to bring you our other well deserving 2019 Community Award winners over the next few weeks. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up to date.
