5 years ago, running 12 miles across Wessex farmland on a damp Saturday morning wouldn’t have been on the cards. Oh, and don’t forget the 20 odd obstacles, that shouldn’t really be classed as “fun” along the way. Arctic Enema anyone? I have resisted physical exercise for 20 years. I was the fat kid at the back of the x-country trail. Smoking a regal, and walking AROUND the hills. I didn’t understand why you want to actually run it?
But Tough Mudder has a way of capturing the imagination. It’s become the multi-million dollar human challenge leader.
“Are you tough enough?” The simple strapline that makes me want to be. It’s tapped into the complicated human ego. But it’s more than that. It’s also about helping others and team work.
In the weeks leading up to it, I began to run for the first time ever. Only 5kms to start with. That was enough to leave me walking like John Wayne for 4 days anyway. But as the weeks passed and I’d done my 5th run, I knew I would make it round.
Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t float around the course like Mo Farrah. By mile 10, there were some dark times. But the encouragement of others and the sheer energy of thousands of people , all willing to help each other and aiming for the end, was enough to pull me through.
By the time, I reached the penultimate obstacle “Everest”, I had nothing left to give. I was cold, wet and filthy. I’d been electrocuted by 10,000 vaults more than once. I’d crawled through cow poo(not sure that was actually part of the course) and been fully submerged in ice cold water more than i’d care to remember.
But i’d done it. And I was bloody proud.
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