2019's #Assist100Mudders Patch
In my mind, Tough Mudder stands apart from the rest of the Obstacle Course Racing world for two big reasons. The first is the community that thrives around helping each other over obstacles. For better or worse, even during their competitive waves, athletes are allowed (and encouraged) to help each other. The second is creating massive challenges for their participants by creating the first 24-hour OCR, World’s Toughest Mudder, and later following it up with the 8- or 12-hour Toughest Mudder race. When these two things combine, you get things like Next Level Electro Shock Therapy and #Assist100Mudders. While getting electrocuted isn’t for everyone, the #Assist100Mudders movement can be and has been a highlight of the community for the last three years.
Mudder's assit each other on Pyramid Scheme.
The rules are simple: Pick a single obstacle and start helping others over the obstacle in a single day. Continue to help others until you get to 100. Then message the @Assist100Mudders Instagram and they will send over a free patch to you. The patches are paid for by movement’s creators Mike Stephan, Edward Groleau, and Joey Ta.
Joey Ta, Edward Groleau, and Mike Stephan.
The design changes every year allowing you to re-earn the patch time after time. Personally, I like earning the patch at the obstacle pictured but that is not a requirement. In the past, they’ve used Everest (2017), Block Ness Monster (2018), and Pyramid Scheme (2019) as a patch design. At the start of the 2020 season, they will poll the community to help them decide what next year’s patch will look like.
2017's design.
At Tough Mudder College Station in Texas this year, I grabbed my friends Christina HB Armstrong and Abe and volun-told them that we were going to complete the challenge at Pyramid Scheme (Tough Mudder’s giant slip wall). 100 doesn’t seem too bad…if everyone is fit and relatively lightweight. The challenge was harder than I expected as people climbed, clawed and fell on us. After close to an hour, we finally hit 100. The real challenge was waking up the next morning when one side of my body was completely sore, a result of participants and me favoring that side. Regardless it was a fun challenge, a cool way to give back to the community and enjoyable to interact with the crowds of open waves who don’t even realize there is a strong community following the brand.
Mudders assist on Block Ness Monster.
To date, they’ve had almost up to 1,000 complete the challenge with hundreds completing it in 2017 and 2018 and expect to have the same amount by the end of 2019. With the Tough Mudder season coming to an end, your chance of earning one of these exclusive patches is slipping away, but don’t worry they will be around next year with a new design challenging, inspiring and motivating a new group of athletes.
2018's patch
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