Tough Mudder Michigan Recap

Nearly 11 miles of hilly, sandy and muddy terrain.

20+ obstacles.

So much water.

Even more mud.

Add in a little electric shock.

WE DID IT!

This past weekend my husband and I took on Tough Mudder Michigan and we loved every second of it! This was our first Tough Mudder and the longest distance that I have ever ran (following behind the 10 miles CRIM). To say that I was a bit nervous, would be an understatement.

I had all these plans for intense training, but life got in the way a bit (and I was just slacking). I had planned on amping up my miles every week, but had only managed to get up to 6 miles of running in. Add in a little weight lifting to strengthen my upper body and vinyasa yoga a few times weekly and that was about as intense as my training got. Despite that, the run went really well…like shockingly well.

At the beginning of the race there was an epic pep talk! What stuck with me the most was: “When was the last time that you did something for the first time?” I absolutely loved this and it’s so true. I find that it’s so easy to get stuck in our day to day habits and schedules. While I absolutely love having a routine, I find it so important, refreshing and energizing to switch it up. To put ourselves in new situations in which we push our boundaries, try new things and get out of our comfort zone. Tough Mudder is just one of the few things that I’m doing this year that falls into that category. For me, being stagnant is suffocating after awhile. I need to do and try new things to breathe in some new life and keep me motivated.

The pep talk was a great way to start the run. Aside from encouraging us to try new things head on, I loved the focus on teamwork and camaraderie and especially helping your fellow runners. The unique thing about Tough Mudder when compared to other obstacle course running events is that there are many obstacles that you can’t complete without the help of other team members. We had a small team of just my husband and I, but other Mudders were more than ready to lend a helping hand or boost.

The Terrain

Koenig Gravel Pit was an amazing venue for this run! The journey was full of rolling hills, sandy, rocky pathways, and lots of mud. It was challenging and beautiful at the same time. The run was definitely challenging, especially with soggy, mud packed shoes (which by the way, my Merrell shoes were soooooo grippy and perfect for this terrain). Despite all the above, I felt like the run went really well. I don’t know if it was al the adrenaline flowing through us, but we jogged most of it (aside from walking a few uphills).

The Obstacles

So much fun! I love obstacles and there were so many different and challenging ones. My husband plowed through every single one on beastmode, but I struggled with Kong and Funky Monkey. I knew that I would struggle with both of them because my upper body strength is my weakness. I made it through the inclined monkey bars of Funky Monkey, but the wheels totally threw me for a loop. As for Kong, it was one of the last obstacles and I was feeling fatigued. 3 rings in and I was down on the big blowup blob.

KONG (and ElectroShock Therapy)

My favorite obstacles were probably Blockness Monster, Augustus Gloop, and Everest 2.0! I loved the teamwork required of Blockness Monster and getting over the barrels was harder than anticipated.

Augustus Gloop was such a sensory obstacle for me. Due to the intense water, I had to do the whole thing with my eyes closed, using touch to make my way through the small and claustrophobic water thundering tube.

Everest 2.0 was one of the obstacles that I most feared (I thought I’d face plant), but was a blast to run up full speed.

Now a little about the most talked about obstacles:

Electroshock Therapy…packs a punch! Holy Sh*t! I drafted my husband (sorry hun) to avoid most of the shock, but right at the end it got me and it got me good. 10000 volts is no joke. Despite that…I’d do it again! LOL.

Arctic Enema: It was a pretty hot day for our run and I think that may have been a good thing for us. While the water was cold (like about jumping in a really cold pool at the beginning of spring), it wasn’t terrible. I felt like it gave me a bit of an energy spurt to kick my butt into gear for the last few miles.

Overall

We absolutely loved it! I’d do it again in a heartbeat!

I was shocked prior to the event hearing about how many were running it for the fifth or sixth time and how others traveled from far away states, but after running it, I get it. It’s addicting, fun, challenging and such a morale booster. If you’re looking for a challenge to make you feel like a badass, run a Tough Mudder. If you’re on the fence at all about doing it…just sign up! You will not regret it. So much of it is mind over matter and facing those fears head on. Just do it. I promise you will not regret it!

Here’s a quick little video of all my Instastories from the day! They are definitely just for fun!

When is the last time you did something for the first time? 

Disclaimer: Thank you so much Tough Mudder and Merrell for the free entry and amazing clothing! Despite this, I would absolutely recommend signing up for this fun and challenging race! 

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By |2017-06-05T21:00:33-04:00June 5th, 2017|health|5 Comments

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5 Comments

  1. LVR June 6, 2017 at 11:07 pm - Reply

    Wow..impressed Amber an Ryan !!! job well done. Great photos and loved the video too !!! A beautiful place to hold this even .

  2. Chelsea Padgett June 7, 2017 at 2:08 am - Reply

    Good for you! So not my thing – shopping is my cardio, but I love seeing people beat their goals!!!

  3. Linda M Renslear June 7, 2017 at 9:22 am - Reply

    Good job, love your laughing, Amber.

  4. Danielle @ A Sprinkle of Joy June 7, 2017 at 12:21 pm - Reply

    That looks so much fun, but so intense! I want to say I could do it…. but, I’m not so sure….Also #proudmichigander here. 🙂

  5. Heydy June 7, 2017 at 1:38 pm - Reply

    girlll yasss!!! you did it!!! reading this reminded me of my experience in 2013. I loved my experience (after all was said and done!) Congrats babe <3

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