A Few More Pics

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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!

28 Obstacles

 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.

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.

Offered for free

 

Yes, I did...

 It was 3 pages long!!!

The Begining and The End

Before and After

Don't we look so calm and clean!

Mud-caked, freezing cold and really freakin glad to be done!!

Tough Mudder Recap

12 miles of feet...
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They're Gone :(

I dropped Mom and Dad off at the airport this morning (Brother, Sister and Friend left last week).  The house seems very quiet now and the dogs were very distraught last night as Mom and Dad packed their bags (dogs always get upset at the sight of suitcases...they equate them with my leaving).  It wasn't always easy managing 5 visitors but it was great having them here and I hope they had a good time.  I am severely short on sleep and so I'm headed to bed but hopefully I'll get some pictures posted this weekend.

Love and miss you guys!!

They're Here!!

At the Grand Palace in Brussels

Step 4: Don't Throw Up

 I can proudly say, "Yes, I am!"

Our entire team successfully completed the Tough Mudder!!  

12 miles...28 obstacles (28 "official" obstacles...there were lots of "natural" obstacles along the way as well)...no serious injuries.  Quite a successful day out :)

These were the instructions given for the event:

Step 1) Bring Your Signed Death Waiver

Step 2) Pick up Your Participant Packet

Step 3) Get your Face Marked

Step 4) Don’t Throw Up


All went perfectly until I got back home Sunday evening.  As soon as I got in my door the waves of nausea washed over me.  I spent the night emptying my digestive system.  Was it an electrolyte imbalance as a result of 4 hours of grueling activity involving almost no food or water?  Possibly.  Was it something I ate on the trip home? Possibly.  Was it the manure-and-who-knows-what-filled water that thousands of participants made their way through that I inadvertently swallowed several times?  Possibly...probably.

So I spent yesterday sleeping off the night of purging.  Tomorrow I pick up the rental van and make my way back to Brussels to pick up the family Thursday morning.  I promise I'll post pictures from the event as soon as I have time.  Of course, I'll also post pictures of the family visit.