It was tough, it was a little muddy, and in the end it was the best idea ever.  I must admit that I owe it all to Stu.  I never would have done a Tough Mudder if it hadn’t been for him.  The two things that I like most about the Tough Mudder are the emphasis on teamwork and that it is a challenge, not a race.  There is a real sense of camaraderie among Mudders and everyone takes the time to help everyone else make it through.  The obstacles are difficult but not impossible.

Of course, Stu and Ana dominated, bounding over obstacles as if they didn’t exist.  By the last two miles, my knees were in pretty rough shape and I wasn’t able to run through the last few obstacles like I had hoped.  Maybe doing the 1/2 marathon two weeks prior wasn’t such a great idea.

I don’t remember how long it took us to finish it, maybe 3 hours.  We were really basking in the event of it all and weren’t trying to push ourselves.  We all had a great time and I highly recommend doing at least one TM.

Maybe it was the Arctic Enema or perhaps the Electroshock therapy, I’m not sure but something happened during the TM that made me want to find something else that would provide that same kind of thrill and physical challenge.  I knew that I wanted a team-based event since I really enjoyed that aspect.  I wanted something that my wife and I could do together and that we both enjoyed.  I knew I didn’t want to get into distance running or triathlons because honestly they don’t look to be any fun.  I wanted it to be adventurous but not too adventurous–I don’t mind a little thrill but I want to keep my shorts clean.

After a little googling, I came across Adventure Racing and recalled watching the Eco-Challenge back in the 90’s (yes kids, it was even in color).  After doing some reading and talking to Ana, we decided to do one and see if we liked it.  Stu, always up for a challenge, went without a fight.