Tough Mudders are Bad Ass! — A Memorial Day Post

Image by glennharper via Flickr

I’m still all pumped up. The energy at the Tough Mudder event in SoCal was AMAZING!  Tough Mudders are the most bad ass people I’ve ever seen, and I’m proud to say that my husband was among them.

I watched the entire event with our kids while my husband and a couple of his friends joined THOUSANDS of other Tough Mudders in an obstacle course that I at first could only describe as “Completely Insane!”  I was actually quite angry with my husband at first for signing up for such an extreme and intense event, until he told me that the proceeds went to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project, a non-profit organization that gives aid to veterans wounded in combat operations overseas.

I was terrified at first, and I didn’t get why he needed to participate in this obstacle course, based on British Special Forces training.  I was worried about his safety.  But once we got there, the energy in the air from all of the Tough Mudders participating just filled me up with this positive, pumped up energy.  I wanted to run too!

I know my physical health couldn’t have taken such a beating.  It was a 10 mile obstacle course, a lot of it was uphill (and we’re talking steep uphill runs).  My asthma especially couldn’t have handled the part where they run near fire…the smoke inhalation alone probably would’ve put me in the hospital.   And then there’s my back problems…

But as we drove home, which was an especially long drive, I was thinking that I should start training for next year.  Forget trying to just lose weight and get in shape and get healthy.  I want to be a bad ass Tough Mudder like them.  I want to abuse my body and actually accomplish something in the process.  I want to be a Tough Mudder.

Wounded Warrior Project - Supported by Tough Mudder

Is it a realistic goal?  I’m not sure.  Maybe I’m crazy, but I’m feeding off of the energy that I got from the event, and it feels really good.  At the very least, the energy in the air and the inspiration I got from all of the Tough Mudders I watched cross the finish line helped me re-realize something about myself that I’ve lost recently with my depression issues – just do it!! No excuses!  Just do it, live it and love it!  Eat better – just do it!  Exercise more – just get up and get it done!  Do what you gotta do because there are people overseas right now who have no choice and are pushing themselves mentally and physically to their limits and then surpassing those limits because there’s nothing else they can do.

Tough Mudders have nothing but my utmost respect.  If you can do that event, I think you can do anything.  And if you can go to war and come home and then go back again and again, well, I just want to shake your hand.

My husband is in the military.  We have not had to endure any deployments in the nearly 13 years he’s been in.  How did this happen? I don’t know. I always considered myself blessed in that, but I think I can do more to show such appreciation, and it begins with me…I need to stop feeling sorry for myself and making excuses and just get out and do it.  I had this energy a year ago, and it disappeared.  Why?  I don’t know.  But it stops now.

Tough Mudders – YOU ROCK!  All of our soldiers fighting overseas – YOU ARE MY HEROES!

What are you doing today? It’s Memorial Day, and for many of you it’s a day off from work, an extra day to go on vacation, and discounts at your favorite stores.  But for soldiers and their families, it’s a day of remembrance for all of the fallen…those who have died in battle, who gave their lives for our country and freedom.  Remember what Memorial Day is really about, and Support Our Troops!

Do you want to participate in Tough Mudder – as a participant, spectator or volunteer? Check out the Tough Mudders site and sign up for an event near you.

Related articles

• Reasons to Keep Running (majorheart.wordpress.com)
• Mud, Pain, Brotherhood (My Muddy Story) (atxam.wordpress.com)
• Tough Mudder Team 2011 (poiemalife.wordpress.com)