Thinking of doing your first Tough Mudder- Overcoming the F.E.A.R Monsters!

2015 Tough Mudder at NorthStar in Truckee, CA - Final Obstacle- "Electroshock Therapy" 10,000 volts of pain and fear! (I am in the Green Headband).

So you have made a decision to attempt your first “Tough Mudder” Challenge? Congratulations! You are embarking on a quest that is one of the ultimate tests of both physical and mental fitness.

There are many different reasons “why” someone would put themselves through such a grueling day of pain and suffering, but whatever your personal reason, just know that it is definitely worth the challenge and the experience crossing that finish line that you will never forget. I have been blessed to experience finishing three Tough Mudders, and not only were all three completed at the age of 50+, but all three were done on a high altitude course! (7,000 – 9,000ft elevation).

I understand there are many training videos on Tough Mudder, but I wanted to offer a more personal viewpoint of all the fears, successes and strategies I have experienced from my first TM to my last TM. All three were very different, from the different designs of the courses, to the mental game which messes with your mind at various stages of training, to the event day itself.
Once you have committed to doing a TM, get your calendar and circle your event day. Depending on how far out you are from your event and your current physical conditioning will dictate how you plan your fitness training. I am not going to get too specific on this, but know that you do not have to be an Olympic or professional athlete to partake in a TM. Remember, I was age 50 when I did my first TM, so my training was quite a bit different than someone in there 20’s or 30’s.

I did however, commit to approximately 6 months of consistent training at my pace and level. The best way for you to design your own personal training is to understand the type of course and course conditions you will be doing the TM. Examples would be:

1. Flat land with short hills vs. Mountainous trail terrain?
2. Heat vs. Cold weather conditions?
3. When you get on the Course? (Morning vs. Afternoon starts)
4. Types of Obstacles?

The more details you have for the event day and the course type, the better you can design your training and prepare for the conditions you will be under on the event day. If you are doing a TM for the first time, it is more of a mental challenge in taking on each obstacle, but the biggest factor will be…..Overcoming your Fears.

I can’t remember who taught me the Acronym of F.E.A.R, but I have always applied it in life to challenges that we all sometimes face in life. F.E.A.R- False Expectations Appearing Real. The psychology behind overcoming our FEARS, is that fear is actually a good thing when it is controlled fear. Fear is a natural protection and defense mechanism. The problem with fear, is that our minds when fear and stress are high, begin to expand on our fears and spiral into unrealistic projections or expectations that appear real, but ultimately are not realized.

Have you ever been afraid of doing something, like riding a new rollercoaster, and afterwards said to yourself, “that was not as bad as I thought it would be….that was fun, let’s do it again?’

Fear can be minimized by improving our ability to be mentally and physically prepared for the unknown, exactly how it is supposed to work in life. Before I made my first traffic stop or was in my first high speed vehicle pursuit, or was confronted by an armed suspect as a police officer, I had years of previous training and practice. Yes, I still had a bit of fear, but the fear was controlled because I relied on my education, training, ability and skills to be successful in confronting a threat or handling a stressful situation.

Do NOT let the FEAR Monsters into your head throughout the ups and downs of this process….Keep moving forward, and in my next post I will get into the different training skills most needed to successfully get you to the finish line on your first Tough Mudder. Maybe next year in 2018, we can do one together if you’re out my way in California?