Get to know your mud run and bring friends!
Growing up as a dweeb, I knew nothing about the outdoors, nothing about dressing for the weather, and definitely nothing about exercising. As a newby to Tough Mudder (and mud runs in general) I highly recommend volunteering for Tough Mudder so you can see what you're getting into. The first thing you check out is the weather and location. You need to learn what kind of weather conditions you'll be dealing with when you run yours the following year, what the terrain will be like, how far you'll have to run, how long it will take, and what kind of obstacles you'll have to get through. Volunteering gets you a front seat to all that and prepares you for what kind of training you'll need (even though the obstacles change from year to year). I also recommend going with a few friends so you can all get into the spirit and mindset together.Start training together and alone!
The next thing to do is start training with your team and on your own. Now that you've seen Tough Mudder for yourself, you know this won't be a walk in the park. You need to be strong, agile, and have great endurance. And you need to be able to do all this as a team. Hitting the gym once a week, once a month, hi-fiving each other every blue moon isn't going to cut it. My friends and I met 2-3 times a week (Saturday, Sunday, Monday) for calisthenics and running, for at least 1.5 hours each time and we increased our goals each time. We started at 1 mile, then 2 miles, all the way up to 10 miles. We increased weight each time we did weight lifting. We incorporated monkey bars, bear crawls, agility ladders, and Indian runs. I had to take some swimming lessons with a couple team mates because I never learned to swim. We also made sure to work out on our own time so we could maintain our gains. Working out alone made sure we were accountable for our own performance. Working out together made sure we were synchronized.
Get support! (You're gonna need it!)
You really will need to make sure you can handle Tough Mudder with all its mental and physical demands. Nothing gets you through like proper support. On your own you will only get so far (before and during). Having a team with you makes sure you have the encouragement to get up and exercise when you'd rather watch tv, they push you to go farther when you'd rather stop and turn home for the day, they peer pressure you into lifting heavier when you think you haven't got it (but really do), and they help you find solutions when you're sick, achey, or stuck at a plateau. On run day, they lift you up, push you forward, and carry you through a lot of those obstacles. The more people you have with you, the easier the job gets done (most teams are about 4 people, but there were about 30 of us). You just need to make sure you can do your part too and not get scraped up too much along the way. That's where proper gear comes in.
How to dress (Batman or Robin)?
A lot of debate arises over what to wear for Tough Mudder. Tape this, skip that, carry these... I actually got berated by my trainer the night before my 2nd Tough Mudder for making gear suggestions to the newest team members. He didn't want me scaring them off. I can understand that. Name too many items and it'll look like you're heading into war or a Batman fight. You don't need to dress like Batman, but after going through TM twice and having the newbies confirm I gave sound advice, I can say a few things are a good idea and a few things are definitely a bad idea. So what's a bad idea? Cotton. No matter what you wear, do NOT wear cotton. No cotton clothes, underwear, socks, or bras because cotton droops, drags, and wicks horribly. You also don't want to wear waterproof shoes. You WILL be immersed in water. Waterproof shoes keeps water out AND in, so wearing waterproof shoes would end up like running with buckets of water on your feet. What about costumes? Some people wear them, some don't. Whatever you wear will get drenched in mud and dangle off of you.
Should you wear runners pouches with snacks or hydration backpacks with water? I can admit I got a little hungry and a little thirsty during both my runs, but I really didn't need to carry anything. The volunteers at Tough Mudder have water stations set up every few miles along the course. They have snacks like bananas, MetRx gummies, protein bars, electrolyte sports drinks, and yes water set up in disposable cups so you don't have to starve while you run and you don't have to dirty up anything you get ready to consume. Also, this second year running Tough Mudder, I stashed a double-bagged ziplock with Jelly Belly sport beans in the hem of my running leggings. This has worked for me on shorter mud runs, but those weren't as rugged as Tough Mudder. Once I hit Mud Mile 2.0 and fell onto my stomach, I crushed the bag and mud leaked into my stash. You do not want to eat muddy snacks. Bad idea. Leave the mud to your clothes.
So what's a good idea to wear? Compression gear or rash guard gear. Depending on the weather you'll be running in, you may want long-sleeved shirts and ankle-length leggings for cold temperatures or sleeveless shirts and shorts for hot temperatures. Baggy clothes will hamper your movement, so you want to keep loose-fitting clothing to a minimum. Our team shirt was a dry-fit (polyester) t-shirt and that was all the bagginess some of us ladies could tolerate. Most of the guys loved it though. What about shorts? If the temperature is comfortable enough, ladies may like compression running shorts (like Nike Dri-Fit Pro). Guys may feel a little less manly wearing tight-fitting bottoms so, fellas, you may want basketball-style running shorts or board shorts. You definitely want shoes with good tread. Check out shoes that have some kind of bumpiness on the bottom (long before run day) and run them through wet grass, gravel, mud, mulch, on sand, pavement, wood, and hard-packed dirt. Some people like barefoot trail running shoes (like Merrell Pace Glove or Trail Glove shoes), some like regular trail running shoes (like Reebok Realflex TR shoes), and some like heavy duty trail running shoes (like Salomon Speedcross 3 shoes). Whatever you prefer, you just want to make sure you don't slide all over the place or get any aches from running in them for long amounts of time. Buy them early, see what feels best, and try train in them regularly. Underclothes designed for being wet are a great idea. Ladies can try cheap string bikinis (so after Tough Mudder they can pull on bra and panties, untie the string, and pull the bikini out). Fellas can try Dry Dudz compression shorts. They're designed to fit just like Hanes boxer briefs, but they're meant to get wet. Perfect combo for TM!
Now we get to the optional stuff, the things people argue about the most. Gloves are a good idea if you hate dealing with splinters. There are a few obstacles involving hemp rope and if you don't already have calloused skin, you probably don't want splinters on run day. Where would you find the time (or tweezers) to get them out? One of my teammates caught a splinter on Balls Out (that's the name of the obstacle) and we had to wait while he got the wound cleaned enough for the medic to dig the splinter out. What kind of gloves are good? As a lady used to tight-fitting gear, I prefer batting gloves (from Easton or Franklin). They're lightweight and don't have much room for mud and sand (though some will go in and out of the ventilation holes). They also have hook-and-loop tabs around the wrist to make sure they stay on nice and tight. Men may prefer looser, denser protection like mechanic gloves or fishing gloves. Some have suede like your gym gloves (Grease Monkey gloves), some have an extra-grippy latex coating (Rapala gloves), and some have a thick rubber coating (MadGrip Pro Palm gloves). Goggles are a good idea if you want to keep mud and fumes out of your eyes. Knee and elbow pads/sleeves can help protect you from all the bumps and bruises you get crawling and hauling. I wore both and came through without any damage. A friend just wore knee pads and got her elbows bruised up. These are probably the best small things to pack for run day. Just make sure you store them in a bag with your clothes so you can easily find them while you're getting dressed that morning.
Should you check your bag in at the Bag Drop? It's a very convenient service. Once you finish Tough Mudder, there's a zone set up for showering off and the water is ice cold. If you leave your bag in your car, it's a long walk to get to the parking lot and every step of it could be uncomfortable for you. If you want some immediate comfort after your run, I suggest using the Bag Drop. Pack both gear and snacks for after Tough Mudder. You'll want a way to clean off any mud the showers missed, clothes you can pull on easily (considering how tired you'll be), and protein, carbs, and electrolytes (considering how much fuel you'll have burned and how far away decent restaurants could be). I recommend packing a beach towel, Cottonelle flushable wipes, a t-shirt, leggings/sweat pants, Oberto all-natural beef jerky, Jelly Belly sport beans, Gatorade, and flip flops. I like flip flops. :-)
Should you wear runners pouches with snacks or hydration backpacks with water? I can admit I got a little hungry and a little thirsty during both my runs, but I really didn't need to carry anything. The volunteers at Tough Mudder have water stations set up every few miles along the course. They have snacks like bananas, MetRx gummies, protein bars, electrolyte sports drinks, and yes water set up in disposable cups so you don't have to starve while you run and you don't have to dirty up anything you get ready to consume. Also, this second year running Tough Mudder, I stashed a double-bagged ziplock with Jelly Belly sport beans in the hem of my running leggings. This has worked for me on shorter mud runs, but those weren't as rugged as Tough Mudder. Once I hit Mud Mile 2.0 and fell onto my stomach, I crushed the bag and mud leaked into my stash. You do not want to eat muddy snacks. Bad idea. Leave the mud to your clothes.
So what's a good idea to wear? Compression gear or rash guard gear. Depending on the weather you'll be running in, you may want long-sleeved shirts and ankle-length leggings for cold temperatures or sleeveless shirts and shorts for hot temperatures. Baggy clothes will hamper your movement, so you want to keep loose-fitting clothing to a minimum. Our team shirt was a dry-fit (polyester) t-shirt and that was all the bagginess some of us ladies could tolerate. Most of the guys loved it though. What about shorts? If the temperature is comfortable enough, ladies may like compression running shorts (like Nike Dri-Fit Pro). Guys may feel a little less manly wearing tight-fitting bottoms so, fellas, you may want basketball-style running shorts or board shorts. You definitely want shoes with good tread. Check out shoes that have some kind of bumpiness on the bottom (long before run day) and run them through wet grass, gravel, mud, mulch, on sand, pavement, wood, and hard-packed dirt. Some people like barefoot trail running shoes (like Merrell Pace Glove or Trail Glove shoes), some like regular trail running shoes (like Reebok Realflex TR shoes), and some like heavy duty trail running shoes (like Salomon Speedcross 3 shoes). Whatever you prefer, you just want to make sure you don't slide all over the place or get any aches from running in them for long amounts of time. Buy them early, see what feels best, and try train in them regularly. Underclothes designed for being wet are a great idea. Ladies can try cheap string bikinis (so after Tough Mudder they can pull on bra and panties, untie the string, and pull the bikini out). Fellas can try Dry Dudz compression shorts. They're designed to fit just like Hanes boxer briefs, but they're meant to get wet. Perfect combo for TM!
Now we get to the optional stuff, the things people argue about the most. Gloves are a good idea if you hate dealing with splinters. There are a few obstacles involving hemp rope and if you don't already have calloused skin, you probably don't want splinters on run day. Where would you find the time (or tweezers) to get them out? One of my teammates caught a splinter on Balls Out (that's the name of the obstacle) and we had to wait while he got the wound cleaned enough for the medic to dig the splinter out. What kind of gloves are good? As a lady used to tight-fitting gear, I prefer batting gloves (from Easton or Franklin). They're lightweight and don't have much room for mud and sand (though some will go in and out of the ventilation holes). They also have hook-and-loop tabs around the wrist to make sure they stay on nice and tight. Men may prefer looser, denser protection like mechanic gloves or fishing gloves. Some have suede like your gym gloves (Grease Monkey gloves), some have an extra-grippy latex coating (Rapala gloves), and some have a thick rubber coating (MadGrip Pro Palm gloves). Goggles are a good idea if you want to keep mud and fumes out of your eyes. Knee and elbow pads/sleeves can help protect you from all the bumps and bruises you get crawling and hauling. I wore both and came through without any damage. A friend just wore knee pads and got her elbows bruised up. These are probably the best small things to pack for run day. Just make sure you store them in a bag with your clothes so you can easily find them while you're getting dressed that morning.
Should you check your bag in at the Bag Drop? It's a very convenient service. Once you finish Tough Mudder, there's a zone set up for showering off and the water is ice cold. If you leave your bag in your car, it's a long walk to get to the parking lot and every step of it could be uncomfortable for you. If you want some immediate comfort after your run, I suggest using the Bag Drop. Pack both gear and snacks for after Tough Mudder. You'll want a way to clean off any mud the showers missed, clothes you can pull on easily (considering how tired you'll be), and protein, carbs, and electrolytes (considering how much fuel you'll have burned and how far away decent restaurants could be). I recommend packing a beach towel, Cottonelle flushable wipes, a t-shirt, leggings/sweat pants, Oberto all-natural beef jerky, Jelly Belly sport beans, Gatorade, and flip flops. I like flip flops. :-)
So, what did I wear to Tough Mudder? Our trainer had a guy make us matching polyester short-sleeved shirts (like a uniform) all with the same logo. One set of colors for the primary members, another set of colors for the frat brothers. With that I wore Game Gear compression leggings and a Game Gear compression sleeveless shirt (perfect material for sliding around in mud and drying off quickly), a string bikini top and bottom (so I could change clothes inconspicuously after TM), Uxcell knee sleeves (for my patella injury), Saucony cross country flats (perfect tread on all terrain and as lightweight as socks), McDavid elbow pads (they make compression knee sleeve-pads too), Speedo goggles, an Armitron waterproof watch, and Fruit Of The Loom no-show performance socks. My husband and I also had waterproof iPod + earbuds (which you can get from Audioflood, Waterfi, Underwater Audio, or Swim Audio) because we need music when we run. Where can you buy these items? All but the uniform shirt and the socks can be purchased on Amazon. How did I look in all this gear? I looked awesome. A few of my friends got at least 1 item matching me and we ended up looking like some sort of superhero squad. That's how you want to feel strolling up to the finish line. ...You probably don't want a beer gut or cankles to ruin the look, though, so you really ought to get your diet in line looong before run day.
Eat well, sleep well, run well!
What's it going to take to get your diet right for Tough Mudder? Consistency and a good plan. Let's be realistic. Everybody likes to splurge, so I'm not going to bother telling you to not do it. What I will tell you is to do it in moderation. 90% heathy food, 10% splurge. Something like that. Get 3-6 meals a day with reasonable portions for each food group (think fist-sized portions). You should already know about the food pyramid. If you don't, look it up for yourself or check out the recommended one posted at RedditFitness.com . I suggest cutting down alcoholic drinks, coffee, and smoking as much as possible. Actually, I recommend not doing those at all, but again everyone has a vice. Who am I to judge? I must tell you this: alcohol and coffee dehydrate you and reduce your performance levels. Smoking damages your lungs and makes cardio a heck of a lot more difficult. Your speed and endurance will be lacking... So... Whatever improvements or changes you decide to make should be upheld from the moment you register for Tough Mudder all the way to run day. Make sure to get plenty of sleep each night, too, and cut your liquid intake early the evening before Tough Mudder. I keep forgetting and chug water the night before. On run day, I always have to tinkle every couple of miles. It's a miserable feeling. If you can maintain a good diet all the way to the big day, you and your team will be standing tall, looking fit, and feeling fine at the start line. Wait til TM's Sean Corvelle gets a load o' you!
Here we are. Team Killin It, before:
During:
And after:
You gon' learn today!
Tough Mudder will take a protégé and make a paragon. It will take a fool and beat some sense into his head. You can't go in ignorant and come out ignorant. I'd rather send people in with a little bit more knowledge than what I walked in with. Tough Mudder is about challenging you and seeing how much you've really prepared. Did you take the time to learn the task? Did you condition yourself for the work and the mileage? Did you find someone to help you and reach out to help them? Did you dress for the weather and for the obstacles you'd be faced with? Did you prepare internally so you could get better output? If so, you'll be fine and you'll have smiles in all your pictures at ToughMudder.com (you can check out my team's video for Tough Mudder Michigan 2015 at YouTube). If you don't prepare for Tough Mudder, you're in for some hell and you're going to look like 7 kinds of it on every pic, SnapChat, and YouTube video. Don't be a dweeb. It's better to be prepared.
