I grew up very active in sports and played a little over a year of college football. OCR gives me that opportunity to still feel competitive. OCR also allows me to push myself further than I have in any sport I have ever played and I love pushing myself to see how far I can truly go.
Evan heads to Old Valley CrossFit to do a partner workout with 9-time American Ninja Warrior Brian Orosco. Could this be the first workout that makes Evan lose his lunch?
This was mine and hub’s second year of tackling the course at Tough Mudder in Whistler, B.C. Last year we went into this mostly unprepared and paid for it by being sore for many days afterwards. The bruising last year was epic, and although I was proud of my bruises, I wanted to see if I could be better on course this year.
This year has been exciting for the endurance OCR community with the expansion of BFX, the first BFX24, the promotion of Spartan Endurance, the beginning of the Spartan Agoge, and now Tough Mudder’s new event type that was just announced: Toughest! (Not to be confused with the European Obstacle Race Series) So what is this new thing and when can you get involved? Well, that’s what I’m here for.
This is a great course in a remote setting ly miles from one of the largest cities in the world. Tough Mudder would be foolish to not continue its relationship with the Long Island community as the sold out event seemed to be a hit with everyone I encountered. The course challenged me and I left only failing on the King of Swingers.
Merrell, a well-respected brand in the world of off-road running, hiking, and water sports, makes its first foray into mud runs with their Tough Mudder All Out Crush. We got our hands (feet) on a pair of the TM-branded ones and the standard red model, and put them through their paces.
Tough Mudder continues its international expansion with an event this fall in one of the most beautiful places in the world, Bali. Tough Mudder Bali is set to take place on October 1-2, 2016; the international OCR series heads to the island nation in Indonesia. For those looking for the ultimate racecation, this could top them all. Planning a honeymoon around that time, Bali could be a legionnaires dream spot combining the love for all things obstacle racing and mud runs as well as the idyllic island nation.
It’s been said that you never forget your first time. I certainly remember mine. It’s as if every part, down to the tiniest detail, is permanently engrained in my memory, like an indelible mark that cannot be washed away. All I have to do is close my eyes, and I’m back there, back in that instance when what seemed like an eternity of waiting finally ended. It almost seemed like a dream. “Is this really happening? Am I actually, finally going to do this?” A light bead of sweat began to form at the small of my back, the way it always does when the adrenaline begins to course through my veins.
I will admit I have never once worn my Tough Mudder t-shirts. Some found their way into my mother’s closet. Some were gifted to students. Others donated to Value Village. Spartan gear on the other hand continues to prosper. Shorts, t-shirts, shoes, sweaters. I never thought twice of throwing on a piece of Spartan gear to go to the gym. Some Spartan shirts were carefully chosen (an old Ultra Beast t-shirt worn to a Spartan Sprint or Super creates just the right amount of psychological warfare).
Mount Snow, Vermont has been the location of Tough Mudder New England for the past several years and this year showcased perfect weather and a beautiful backdrop for the event. The setup for mudder village was at the base of the mountain and drew a large crowd for the weekend. Along the course, there were more than a handful of rainbow flags carried by mudders in support and recognition of the victims of the recent Orlando shooting.
