http://toughmudder.co.uk

At the weekend, I took part in Tough Mudder, Yorkshire!

Tough Mudder® events are “hardcore 10-12 mile obstacle courses designed by Special Forces to test your all around strength, stamina, determination, and camaraderie. Only 78% of entrants successfully complete each challenge.”

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With mud, sweat and (no tears) I COMPLETED THIS CHALLENGE!! WAHOO!

I signed up to complete Tough Mudder, really as a way to keep me motivated/ challenge myself from a fitness perspective, following my wedding. My training mainly consisted of hitting Crossfit between 3-5 times a week, plus the occasional run around the park.

I made sure I had a reasonable level of fitness for the purpose of Tough Mudder, but, I must say, I could have done more training.

On Saturday night, the night before the event, I could barely sleep with nervous excitement. I had never competed in any similar type of event. I had run a couple of 10k’s that was about it.

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The idea of running around, and playing in lots of mud was very appealing to me. The idea of the Artic Enima & Electroshock Therapy, not so much.

I was taking part in Tough Mudder with a team I had pretty much tagged along with from David Lloyd Leeds, (my old gym!)

My team were absolutely incredible. They were an amazing bunch! Be it, legs ups, motivational chats, telling you funny stories; being part of a team made the challenging course seem a lot easier. Everyone was in the same boat. More hands make light work as they say!!

I am certain I wouldn’t have completed the course without them!!

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One of my favourite obstacles was the ‘Walk the plank!’

Ordinarily scared of heights; my team started to scale up to the platform, and I wasn’t getting left behind, so I followed. Reaching the top we decided to do the jump in threes.  This helped knowing that your team mate was going through the same thought process.

The course supervisor, counted “one, two, three….. “

I had decided in my mind, I am just going to jump- no fear. Fear will just mean working yourself up.

Others have jumped before you; everyone is surfacing. Tough Mudder have clearly done their maths. Any fear is illogical. Remember this is no worse than the top diving board.

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There were some absolutely inspirational human-beings taking part in Tough Mudder. Here’s a picture of the first female wheelchair user to complete the Tough Mudder Course in the UK. Seeing inspirational people like this made me feel that there should be absolutely no reason why I should not complete the course.

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The most dangerous course obstacle of the course, and the most soul destroying from my perspective was the Everest.  A quarter pipe, greased & watered; you have to sprint up, and hope that a fellow Mudder will pull you over the summit.

Turning to my left, I witnessed a poor Lady Mudder run, put out her hand to grab someone, miss, slip and face plant right onto the half pipe, busting her nose!  It looked dreadful. Respect to the woman, who, following a minute of medical attention told the first aiders to leave her, ‘I am completing it’ and took another run. This time being caught and hauled over the other side!

I managed to get hauled over second time! At this second to last obstacle, I was ready for home!!

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The Tough Mudder team certainly ensured that the participants get covered from head to toe in pond water, stinky ice and lots and lots of mud! Doing the Tough Mudder course on a windy, winters day in temperatures below 15 degrees would be my idea of hell. Irrespective of layers, once you’re wet, you’re bound to be cold. We were generally blessed with acceptable weather (very little wind/ no rain/ 16 degrees) but at points, myself and the  girls in my team felt frozen to the bone.

We completed the course in great spirits. At the end, Finishers we donned with an orange head band, you were wrapped in a heat enduing foil sheet, and offered a Strongbow and a t-shirt. (I declined the Strongbow you’ll be pleased to know, as I am still #Whole30 for the month of September.)

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Following completion, I was pretty tired…. And craving a massive Sunday roast. Well earned I would say!

Things I have discovered as a result of completing Tough Mudder:-

  • I can be brave.
  • Mind over matter. You can do anything you put your mind to.
  • Crossfit is amazing for my general fitness.
  • Diet really does affect fitness & energy levels.
  • I can be mentally strong!
  • I can smile and be positive, even when I’m not feeling on top of the world.
  • Smiles from others go along way!
  • Team work is a fundamental skill, that should be sought after and developed by all.
  • Irrational fear is pointless and can be overcome. Don’t bother working yourself up. Go for it! You might like it.
  • Never walk on a frozen pond/ swim in icy water. You will die.
  • I MUST to work on my long distance running. (My knees feel like I am 80 years old today!) Perhaps the next challenge should be a marathon!?!?! Pah, running is too boring for me!

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Here is me, de-muddified ready to go out to munch my way through a serious amount of roast beef and tasty veg!! :-)

Would love to hear your experiences of Tough Mudder. Please feel free to post below!

  

Paleo Polly

Great tasting food has always been my passion. Obsessed with cookbooks from a young ages I have enjoyed exploring the world of food, recipe by recipe. 2004, aged 20, I was reading Law at University; money was tight, and meals were often made up of vegetables and starchy carbohydrates, washed down with ample alcoholic beverages of choice. Always made from scratch, taste championed calorie content; many delicious creamy pastas and carb-loaded rice and pitta dishes were consumed.Being in my early twenties, I was quite capable of getting away with my not exactly nutritious diet, however following Law School I noticed that I’d put on a few pounds. Being a food lover, I became extremely interested in the power of food; its nutritional value, its healing, health benefits. I read pages and pages of nutritional information; I followed fitness blogs, and read health cookbooks. I then made the decision to turn paleo; I really tightened up my diet and saw amazing result. Most importantly however, eating the right food made me feel great. For the first time, I did not feel bloated, I felt energized, health issues cleared up. My skin was the best ever, I slept well at night. The Paleo Diet involves eating mainly vegetables and protein, with small amounts of fruit, nuts and seeds. Eating Paleo is in essence eating the foods your body was designed to eat. The Paleo Diet mimics the diet that our hunter-gather ancestors ate; pre-agricultural revolution. My love of paleo, has brought me to my new found hobby; CrossFit and a combination of exercise and diet are an unbeatable solution. Paleo Polly is a blog dedicated to my journey. Although I am not a qualified nutritionist, my personal journey has enabled me to make great changes to my life and to my well-being. I would like to share my journey, and my life experiences and guide and assist anyone wanting to make a positive change.

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