Far From Kansas

04 June 2012

A Few More Pics

[Click the pictures to make them bigger.]

The first icy plunge (many more would follow). They told us we'd be wet within the first mile. They should have said within the first minute! Some people could wade across. I had to swim.

It really was a lovely day. The sun was shining and the estate where the course was built was very nice.

The Death Waiver specifically said Tough Mudder discourages the use of alcohol after the event yet they hand you a beer when you cross the finish line.

Dave almost lost a shoe.

Liz almost lost a shoe.

Kira cut her leg but after a quick bandage job she was right back out there!

Someone lost the bottom of their shoe.

How we climbed (literally) Everest. Our guys made a human ladder and some big strong Dutch guys helped pull us up. It's all about teamwork!

03 June 2012

That's 28 Official obstacles. There were plenty of natural obstacles along the way as well. Here are pictures of the known official obstacles. Sometimes it was difficult to know what was an obstacle and what was just part of the course. Please forgive the water and mud spots...the camera got just as wet and muddy as we did. [Click the pictures to make them bigger.]

Kiss of Mud (crawling up hill through the mud under barbed wire)

Arctic Enema (10 tons of ice in there)

Berlin Walls

Hay Bale Pyramid

Hold Your Wood (carrying a log over a muddy path)

Log Jammin


Devil's Beard

Killa Gorilla (this might have been the Quagmire...I don't remember. Either way it was muddy and wet!).

Spiders Web

Mud Mile

Boa Constrictor (I was small enough to go through on my hands and knees!)

Fire Walker

Tired Yet

Bale Bonds (more hay bales)

Electric Eel (crawling through live electrical wires ...YES, they hurt...while some sadistic dude sprays everyone with a water hose!!)

Berlin Walls #2 (thank goodness for strong guys willing to sit on top and pull us up!)

Ball Shrinker

Greased Lightening

Twinkle Toes (They yell at you if you don't move fast enough. It gets really wobbly around the middle and by then you're cold and tired and your legs are shaking. I sat down and scooted myself across because I didn't want to take another ice-cold swim.).

Funky Monkey (so much for not taking another swim!)

Walk the Plank (seriously...more swimming?!?!)

Everest (it's a lot more slippery and steep than it looks). We were so wet and cold after those 3 water obstacles right in a row and standing around waiting to take a go at this was miserable!

Electroshock Therapy (running through live electrical wires). I picked a good path through because I only remember one light flick (and that's all I remember but I know I didn't get knocked down or out) and then I was crossing the finish line.

02 June 2012

The Toughest Event On The Planet?

It was tough but I don't think it was THAT tough. I didn't lose my toenails like some marathon runners report. And I'm fairly certain an Iron Man would far surpass the Mudder in terms of overall toughness. But it did take grit and determination to make it though. I can't possibly post all the pictures from that day but I'm doing my best.