{"id":532,"date":"2015-06-14T09:27:33","date_gmt":"2015-06-14T16:27:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/briancebuhl.com\/?p=532"},"modified":"2015-06-14T09:27:33","modified_gmt":"2015-06-14T16:27:33","slug":"a-true-tough-mudder-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/briancebuhl.com\/?p=532","title":{"rendered":"A True, Tough Mudder Story"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’m 42 years old, and yesterday, I completed one of the most physically challenging adventures of my life. \u00a0I completed Tough Mudder<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This story doesn’t start at the starting line, with my heart pumping and adrenaline pouring through my veins. \u00a0This story starts much earlier than that, with something as mundane and boring as online registration.<\/p>\n

Michael<\/a>\u00a0invited me to go with him, and join #GallowglasArmy for Tough Mudder. \u00a0I was just getting ready to start P90X with my son, so I thought it was a great idea. \u00a0I agreed, and we began the online registration process.<\/p>\n

He added me to the team, and I received an email. \u00a0I followed the links, got to the registration portion, and entered all my information. \u00a0At the end of this process, they asked for some money, and I gave them my credit card information. \u00a0No problem. \u00a0It all seemed standard, to me.<\/p>\n

I noticed at the time that I received two registration confirmation emails, about an hour apart. \u00a0I thought that was a little strange, but I didn’t give it much thought.<\/p>\n

Months later, the day\u00a0of the race was nearly upon us. \u00a0I looked at myself, and I reevaluated my decision participate. \u00a0I’d watched videos and talked to people that had done Tough Mudder, and I knew that I wasn’t ready. \u00a0I knew that I wasn’t in shape. \u00a0The P90X thing never happened, and I hadn’t been walking as much as I had been several months ago.<\/p>\n

I decided to flake out. \u00a0There was no way that I was going to be able to make it through the course. \u00a0I did not want to die in Tahoe, or embarrass myself. \u00a0Michael might grumble and give me a hard time, but I could live with that.<\/p>\n

Then I received the next set of emails, telling me when my start times were. \u00a0Start times. \u00a0Plural. \u00a0With two completely distinct registration numbers. \u00a0Oh shit.<\/p>\n

Michael had paid for my registration, and when I’d gone through it, I wound up registering a second time. \u00a0That put a different spin on things. \u00a0I could walk away from my own monetary investment. \u00a0But I couldn’t do that to Michael. \u00a0I had no choice. \u00a0Flaking out was not an option.<\/p>\n

I still had an extra registration, and I knew my son, Chris, wanted to go. \u00a0I didn’t see any reason why Chris couldn’t use the other registration I paid for. \u00a0So Chris was going, too.<\/p>\n

Yesterday morning, around 6AM, our complete Tough Mudder team met up at my house and prepared to carpool. \u00a0Six of us were participating, with one of us going as an observer. \u00a0We needed to take two cars. \u00a0Four of us packed into my mustang, and we headed off.<\/p>\n

Skipping past the driving and the parking confusion, we approached the first, non-official obstacle. \u00a0That is, checking in, and getting our wristbands and numbers. \u00a0Normally, this is no big deal, but I complicated the proceedings by checking in Chris with registration that had my name all over it. \u00a0Michael voiced some concerns. \u00a0I remained confident that everything would work out.<\/p>\n

My optimism was rewarded. \u00a0Chris and I were directed to a table, and I started with an apology. \u00a0I told them that I had paid for my son, but my name was all over the registration information. \u00a0They said it was no big deal, strapped wristbands on both of us (without even checking ID!), and we were out of there without a hitch.<\/p>\n

Here’s a picture of #GallowglasArmy before we began.\u00a0\"ToughMudder-Start\"<\/a>From left to right, it’s Chris, me, Michael, London, Michael’s oldest son Robert, and Cody. \u00a0Cody’s girlfriend, Jenni, took the picture.<\/p>\n

Look how clean we are! \u00a0So full of energy, ready tackle the course!<\/p>\n

We had our own battle cry. \u00a0Michael would yell “Gallowglas Army!” and we’d all yell “Uisce beatha!<\/a>” That’s the\u00a0Irish word for whiskey, and it’s not pronounced how it looks. \u00a0It sounded more like “oosh kavah” when we yelled it. \u00a0Any team that’s battle cry is essentially booze\u00a0has a lot going for it.<\/p>\n

We finally arrived at the beginning of the race with a huge herd of Tough Mudders. \u00a0A man called “Coach” lead us through warm-ups and stretches. \u00a0Coach’s arms were as big around as my thighs, and he wore short shorts and an epic porn-stache. \u00a0Coach was cool, inspirational, and led us through a great warm-up.<\/p>\n

After the warm-up area, our herd moved forward to the actually starting line, where another man gave us a truly inspirational speech. \u00a0One of the key lines of it: When was the last time you did something for the first time? \u00a0He also made it clear that our\u00a0racing time was not important. \u00a0What was important was doing our\u00a0best, and giving it our\u00a0all.<\/p>\n

I felt pumped and excited. \u00a0A quick countdown, and then we were off! \u00a0We charged the first hill!<\/p>\n

The first hill is where reality set in. \u00a0You’d think after the warm-up and the rousing speeches, with all of the excitement and adrenaline, we’d tackle that hill with no problem. \u00a0We’d be buoyed up by our enthusiasm alone. \u00a0Most of the mudders around me did, but not me.<\/p>\n

Part way up that very first hill, my heart began to race, and I started gasping for air. \u00a0I was out of shape. \u00a0Sure, I could walk forever on flat ground, but this was a hill path, covered in bark. \u00a0Furthermore, we were at an elevation where the air was thinner. \u00a0We had barely begun, and I was already facing the limits of what I could physically do.<\/p>\n

This was what I had feared. \u00a0This was why I had wanted to flake out, and abandon the idea of doing Tough Mudder. \u00a0Gasping for breath, with my lips turning blue, and my heart trying to get to the other side of my rib cage, I felt weak and ashamed.<\/p>\n

But I wasn’t alone. \u00a0Michael, Chris, Robert, London, and Cody were right there with me. \u00a0They weren’t gasping like I was, but they weren’t going to abandon me. \u00a0They stayed with me. \u00a0Then, they helped me move forward. \u00a0They made sure I had water. \u00a0They made sure I was breathing in through my nose, and out through my mouth. \u00a0They were there for me, and they practically carried me up that hill.<\/p>\n

I didn’t give up. \u00a0I kept going, willing one foot in front of the other. \u00a0Michael stayed at my side, speaking encouragement. \u00a0We kept going. \u00a0I can’t say that it got easier. \u00a0It became doable. \u00a0I wasn’t alone. \u00a0And I could keep going.<\/p>\n

I’m not sure I remember everything that happened in those 10 miles. \u00a0What I do remember, I’m not sure I remember chronologically. \u00a0There were so many hills. \u00a0Those hills killed me. \u00a0I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say we went uphill 8 miles during that course.<\/p>\n

The hills were the main obstacle for me, but there were actual obstacles throughout the course. \u00a0The first one was a relatively short wall, which we didn’t have much trouble with. \u00a0The second obstacle involved crawling under a short stretch of barbed wire. \u00a0After the crawl, we had to pull ourselves\u00a0through about 12 feet of tube, and then fall into a pool of chilly\u00a0water on the other side.<\/p>\n

Here’s a picture of our group after that second obstacle:\"ToughMudder-After2ndObstacle\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cody, beside me with his arm around me in this picture, had just overcome his claustrophobia to make it through that obstacle. \u00a0I didn’t know it at the time. \u00a0He didn’t hesitate. \u00a0He pushed himself through it. \u00a0He told us about the claustrophobia later.<\/p>\n

He wasn’t the only one that had to overcome personal fears in order to complete an obstacle. \u00a0Not too long after this photo, we came to an obstacle called “Walk the Plank”. \u00a0All you have to do is climb up to a platform, go out on a length of wood, and fall\u00a015 or 20 feet into a deep, muddy pool.<\/p>\n

Chris and I both looked at this obstacle with fear and dread. \u00a0Chris didn’t like the heights. \u00a0I didn’t much care for the plunge into the water. \u00a0But I thought about past regrets\u00a0and decided that I was going to do this. \u00a0I was not going to let fear guide me, this time. \u00a0Chris was more reluctant.<\/p>\n

I stayed with him. \u00a0I told him why I was going to go through with it. \u00a0We had a moment on the top of the platform, the rest of our team already on the other side, shouting their own encouragement. \u00a0Then, shaking with fear and adrenaline, Chris and I stepped onto our planks. \u00a0And then we jumped off.<\/p>\n

The cold, muddy water shocked my system again. \u00a0I got out, found Chris, and hugged him. \u00a0We had done it. \u00a0We’d faced our fears, and conquered them.<\/p>\n

I continued to be the slowest member of our group, but no one gave me a hard time for it. \u00a0Michael stayed with me the whole time. \u00a0The younger folks, with all of their energy and verve, would go ahead sometimes, but always wait for us at the next water station or obstacle. \u00a0We continued going through the course together.<\/p>\n

One of the obstacles was called “Warrior Carry” or something like that. \u00a0One mudder needed to carry another mudder some distance. \u00a0Michael and I were together. \u00a0We looked at each other, and at the sign for the obstacle. \u00a0I suggested that we just try to find some smaller people to carry, but Michael hunkered down and prepared to take my weight. \u00a0I gritted my teeth and climbed up on his back.<\/p>\n

As he walked, I thought about how preposterous it was. \u00a0My friend was literally carrying me through the course. \u00a0It didn’t seem fair. \u00a0I felt embarrassed. \u00a0But by that time, I’d reached the point where embarrassment didn’t have the same sting. \u00a0I’m a fiercely independent person, usually too proud to accept or ask for help, but the course had been teaching me that there is another way. \u00a0Sitting on Michael’s back, I thought about it, and tried to accept the life lesson.<\/p>\n

Then we saw the sign that said “Switch.” And I smiled. \u00a0Michael and I switched, and I carried him to the end of that obstacle. \u00a0I was surprised I was able to do it, as tired and sore as I felt.<\/p>\n

The course was full of surprises and self-discovery. \u00a0I don’t remember the name of the obstacle, but it involved climbing\u00a0up a tall incline, putting pegs in holes as you went. \u00a0It required a lot of upper body strength. \u00a0I’d known about the obstacle in advance, and I didn’t think I’d be able to do it. \u00a0But I did it. \u00a0Some people helped push me part way up, but I pulled myself the rest of the way on my own.<\/p>\n

Towards the end, there was an obstacle called Ladder to Hell. \u00a0It was a series of broad, horizontal planks. \u00a0You just had to climb up and over. \u00a0I stared at it for several moments before attempting it. \u00a0I had nothing left in the tank. \u00a0Did I have the energy and strength left to\u00a0climb over? \u00a0I doubted it. \u00a0But then I stepped forward, pulled myself up, and found it to be one of the easiest obstacles I’d faced.<\/p>\n

Speaking of easy obstacles, there was one called “Cry-Baby” where we were to crawl on mud through a short, closed area full of “tear gas.” This was another obstacle I’d seen in advance, and I knew that it wasn’t tear gas. \u00a0I’d been exposed to real tear gas in the Air Force. \u00a0I got down, crawled in with one eye closed, and it smelled a bit like Vick’s vapor rub. \u00a0I bonked my head on a beam, and then crawled more slowly. \u00a0Halfway through, I switched eyes. \u00a0And then I was out on the other side, feeling somewhat\u00a0refreshed.<\/p>\n

Many obstacles, I could not have completed without the help of my teammates. \u00a0There was one where we had to carry a log an insane distance, passing it through an obstruction. \u00a0We could not let the log rest on the obstruction. \u00a0That one was ridiculous, and it took a lot out of Chris.<\/p>\n

There was “Mt. Everest,” which was basically running up\u00a0a halfpipe. \u00a0There wasn’t really anything to grab onto at the top. \u00a0Other mudders that had gone before stayed up there to grab onto people and help them\u00a0up. \u00a0I ran up, got some good height, but then became a dead weight that my team had to haul up.<\/p>\n

I tried every obstacle, except one. \u00a0It was the monkey bars, and it reminded me very much of a section of the Confidence Course back in basic training. \u00a0I fell in the water back then. \u00a0I was certain I was going to fall in on this one. \u00a0I decided to try it\u00a0anyway, until I felt it had become unfair. \u00a0A guy stood to the side\u00a0with a hose, occasionally spraying the people waiting in line. \u00a0He would also spray people that were dangling too long. \u00a0Just before I grabbed the bars, he’d sprayed, and all of the bars in front of me were dripping wet. \u00a0I grimaced, and then walked around.<\/p>\n

The last obstacle was “Electroshock Therapy.” \u00a0Here’s a link to a video on Facebook<\/a> that captures the whole event. \u00a0We had considered linking arms. \u00a0A couple of us thought about just running through. \u00a0Instead, we\u00a0raised our arms and walked together, slowly. \u00a0We got zapped. \u00a0Some of us more than others. \u00a0I might have been zapped\u00a0more than once, but I only remember one sharp sting to the back of my neck. \u00a0And that’s how we finished Tough Mudder. \u00a0Strong. \u00a0Unafraid of the pain. \u00a0And together, as a team.<\/p>\n

Today, I have scrapes and bruises and blisters. \u00a0I’m sore all over. \u00a0But I have no regrets. \u00a0I learned a lot about myself. \u00a0I limped away with\u00a0some valuable life lessons. \u00a0And, chances are, I’m going to do it again.<\/p>\n

This is\u00a0a shot from the finish line. \u00a0This is #GallowglasArmy, victorious.\"ToughMudder-Finish\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I’m 42 years old, and yesterday, I completed one of the most physically challenging adventures of my life. \u00a0I completed Tough Mudder. This story doesn’t start at the starting line, with my heart pumping and adrenaline pouring through my veins. \u00a0This story starts much earlier than that, with something as mundane and boring as online […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/briancebuhl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/532","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/briancebuhl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/briancebuhl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/briancebuhl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/briancebuhl.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=532"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/briancebuhl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/532\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":536,"href":"https:\/\/briancebuhl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/532\/revisions\/536"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/briancebuhl.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=532"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/briancebuhl.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=532"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/briancebuhl.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=532"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}