What is it Really Like to Run a Tough Mudder?

You’ve seen the sweaty, muddy pics of ~~survivors~~ finishers on Instagram. You’ve seen the videos of people getting getting zapped by the electric wires. Maybe you’ve even gone to an event to support some friends, family, or co-workers. You’ve been wondering: what is it really like to run a Tough Mudder?

It is the most fun, chaotic, goofy, adrenaline-pumping, and fulfilling couple of hours that I’ve experienced in athletics. I won’t sugarcoat it: it is tough and you will most likely be extremely sore the next day. That being said, I don’t think you need you to be in amazing shape to finish one. In 2022, I also ran my first half-marathon, and to my surprise found that a tougher challenge for one major reason: the Tough Mudder (or any obstacle course race) breaks up the running with, well, the obstacles. A pure running race involves punishing the same muscle group over and over, whereas here you are punishing every part of your body equally, if that makes sense.

I am by no means an expert obstacle course racer: I’d say I’m a decently fit dude in his soon-to-be late 20’s who has run two of these bad boys, one in 2022 at Pocono Raceway and one so far in 2023 on a farm outside Philadelphia. I have (with some scrapes and bruises in awkward places) survived both to tell this tale. In the future, I hope to do more and expand into other obstacle course races. What I can do is provide raw, honest feedback about the obstacles, what the day looks like, solo vs. having a team, what kind of shape you need to be in, and more. Let’s get to it:

The author struggling to the finish — The carnage 28 obstacles in

What is Tough Mudder?

Tough Mudder started in 2010 in Allentown, PA of all places.¹ It is a mud run about 15K (9ish miles) in length, with 30 obstacles challenging both your strength and your fears along the way. It is not a race per-se as it is not timed, and collaboration is encouraged and sometimes necessary! Tough Mudder emphasizes the community and encourages Mudder Legion (as the participants are called) to bring the lessons they learn in the mud to the world.

Block-Ness Monster — Getting launched over Block Ness Monster

Tough Mudder Vs. Spartan Race

Spartan Race, which bought the Tough Mudder brand in 2020, is essentially the competitive side of the mud run/obstacle course coin. Both have the same general idea: going beyond your limits and testing you by combining some serious cardio with some insane obstacles. Here are some differences:

Distances (both events also have extreme World Championship-level events not covered here):
Spartan offers: Sprint (5K/20 obstacles), Super (10K/25-30 obstacles), Beast (20K/30-35 obstacles), Ultra (30 miles/60 obstacles). They also have a kids event that scales in length and severity by 4 different age groups: 4-6 year olds face 0.5 miles, ages 7-9 have 1.0 mile course, ages 10-13 have a 2.0 mile course, and ages 11-14 have an optional 5.0 mile course. They also run unique Urban and Stadium events, 5K in length and with 20 obstacles built for the different racing environment.
Tough Mudder offers: 5K with 13 obstacles, 10K with 20 obstacles, 15K (also called the Classic) with 30 obstacles, and Infinity, which is an all-day event going around the 15K course as much as possible by a set time. They also have a kids event: 0.5 and 1.0 courses with age-appropriate obstacles.
Competition: this is the biggest difference. Spartan Race is an actual race (timed, prizes awarded, etc.), Tough Mudder is a collaborative effort – untimed, working with teammates (or newfound Mud Buddies!) is encouraged, and just finishing is the goal.
Penalties: unless you are doing the Tough Mudder Infinity race, there is no penalty for not attempting or failing and obstacles in Tough Mudder. Spartan Races require a penalty of 30 burpees for each failed obstacle.
Iconic obstacle – Spartan burns you, Tough Mudder electrocutes you.

Arctic Enema — The most flattering photo ever taken of the author

What is the cost?

It’s an expensive day, I won’t lie. But there are hacks to make it more affordable. The traditional 15K starts at between $129-$149 depending on the event. The other distances, soon to be dropped, cost about $25 less for the 10K and $50 less for the 5K. Infinity race cost about $189. This does not include bag and parking fees, which are needed for some events and cost usually $10.

That is quite the price to pay for getting beat up, you say! Here are some ways to (legal) knock the cost down:

When you sign up for your first event, you typically get a discount of around 15% to apply when you check out.
If you are active military or a veteran, you can receive a discount of $25.
Rebates – you can receive up to a 30% rebate on your ticket if you refer friends to sign up as well (usually 10% per person until you hit the 30% limit)
If you sign up for another event at the finish, you receive a code that grants you 50% off your next event.
Typically after you finish an event, you will receive email offers for the following two weeks, offering you a 30%-40% discount on your next one if you didn’t take the deal at the finish line.
There are group discounts available for teams and companies.
If you volunteer at the event, you can run a session for free.
Promo codes – occasionally Tough Mudder will send out promo codes with various offers.

Getting “Kissed” by barbed wire above and questionable liquids below

How the Day Goes

So you’ve made the decision to take the plunge. You have a ticket, some buddies to get muddy with, and have trained hard. But what happens when you show up on the day of the event?

I suggest wearing older running shoes you don’t mind possbily ruining, long socks if you have them to minimize scratches and cuts, and athletic clothes you don’t mind also ruining. While there are hoses at the finish to shower off, you will be dirty beyond belief out there. Also bring your phone (need it for your ticket and for celebratory pics!), your wallet for food after, and some extra water to hydrate ahead of time. A change of clothes for the ride home is also not a bad idea.

I recommend running in the earliest possible wave: the weather and Sun won’t be too hot, and you get a shot at the muddy obstacles before they can start to breakdown in the later groups from foot traffic.

As someone who was hit with sensory overload the first time I ran, here is how the day goes:

Some events have onsite parking; others do not. Those that don’t will have shuttle buses to take you to Mudder Village, the headquarters, start line, and finish line for the event. I suggest getting there about half an hour before your designated start time if parking is onsite, and for offsite parking I say get there 60-75 minutes before your time. This gives you ample time to get through the ticketing, bag drop, and to stretch.
The volunteers will scan your QR ticket code and give you wristbands – one to tag your bag, one for a free beer, and others based on if you have special requirements to run.
Head to the bag drop and drop your bag – the wristband you have has a number that matches the band you put around your bag for security.
About 5-10 minutes before your time, make your way over to the starting line. When it’s party time, Sean Corvelle, an absolute legend of a human being, will hype you up like you have never felt before and then send you on your merry way.
Run the course – don’t get hurt!
After you survive Electroshock Therapy and reach the finish line, you get a pretty fresh headband, an athletic shirt, a cold beer, and possibly some other swag from sponsors. A DJ is pumping the jams and there are usually food and beverage trucks and some photo spots to snag some group pics as prove of your survival!

The Course

Here’s the cool thing about obstacle course races: besides the standard distance, each race is unique because of the environment it takes place in. The two I have done felt almost entirely different: one being almost entirely flat and ducking in and out of Pocono Raceway, the other taking place up and down tall, grassy hills, farmland, and even a stream. Others are more mountainous, and I believe one in Vermont even goes through a small New England town. How they use the course designers use the landscape is part of the fun: in the Poconos, we were in the infield on the race track as race cars drove by us, and in Philly one obstacle was literally trudging through a muddy stream. Be prepared for anything: mud, tall grass, trees to climb over, dirt, roads, rivers – you can be running through any terrain at any given event.

Until the end of 2023, there are three course lengths to pick from: a 5K, 10K, and the classic 15K. Each distance has a certain number of obstacles; the 15K contains 30. Starting in 2024, they are cutting back to only the 15K, which I think is a bit of shame because the shorter distances can be more welcoming to people dipping their toes into the water to see what the event is like.

Some courses also have Infinity events, in which participants sign up for an all day experience of completing as many laps of the 15K course as possible.

I strongly recommend, if possible, doing this with teammates. Community is something Tough Mudder stresses above all else, and you will make friends out in the mud, but there is something beautiful about going through it together and laughing at the insanity. If you can’t get a friend to join, there usually are Facebook groups for each event that pop up before where you can find people to run with. That’s not to say that if you haven’t found anyone you shouldn’t do it: everyone out there is extremely friendly and if you want to link up, most groups will happily accept an extra member on the fly, for both the camaraderie and the help on the Mud Mile!

Electroshock Therapy — 10,000 volts straight to the chest

What Obstacles will you face?

Ah yes – the obstacles. The reason people sign up for these events. Looking at the pictures makes them look pretty daunting, but once you are out there it’s just another thing between you and the finish line; a chance to test yourself and also laugh at yourself. I will break down every obstacle I have faced, along with what muscle group(s) are tested, how to prepare, tips on how to beat it, and rating how dope it is out of 5. An asterisk (*) next to the obstacle name means it’s a multi-person effort.

Testing your strength

Berlin Walls – A 10 foot high vertical wall to climb over. Often you can get a hand from Mudders at the top of the wall. Take a running leap and grab hold of the top, then try to swing your legs over. Core strength and a nice vertical leap are big. Not easy for the vertically challenge among us, but taller folks will find this more just moderately challenging. 3/5
Hangin’ Tough – A classic, in its current state this features 3 gymnastics rings to swing from, and then from the last ring you traverse to two ropes with a small wooden disc to balance on. One last parallel bar then stands between you and success. More grip strength than anything but a strong core helps big time. 4/5
Skidmarked – an inverted wall about 8 feet tall, it tilts about 30 degrees back toward you. There are several horizontal footholds to climb this beasts; this is another one where it pays to be tall. A fun, decently tough challenge where leg and arm strength work in sync. 3/5
Devil’s Beard – an obstacle that they seem to want to be tougher than it is, this is a cargo net nailed tight to the ground that you crawl under. Supposedly, it’s supposed to require real strength to push through, but in reality it’s not easy, but when many people are under the net, it is easier to push the weight of the net up and get through easily. 1/5
6 Feet Under/Son of a Ditch* – Mud Mile’s bigger, badder brother; the mud wall from hell. Jump into a watery pit and face a wall of mud taller than you. A rope may or may not be provided, but teamwork (and both grip and leg strength!) is essential. You will pretty much need a human ladder to get out, and keep multiple people at the top to haul up newcomers. 2/5
Hero Carry* – carry a teammate or the new best friend you just met in the mud 100 yards and then switch positions. A fireman’s carry is most effective if you have the strength to get into that position, but if not the ole’ piggy back can work. Having two people of similar build and weight is key here. 3/5
Just the Tip – all the grip/upper body strength is required here, as you from one side to the other of two sets of rock-climbing holds and some small metal pegs as the only things you have to hold onto. Oh, and you are moving sideways! If you can’t go to a climbing gym, being able free hang on one at a time is essential to pulling this one out (I’m 0-for-2!). 2/5
Dong Dangler – Cross across a pool of water by pulling yourself along a ratchet strap. The strap is deviously tightened so that you may get a dunk in the middle of your crossing. I had great success by crossing your legs across the strap, the pulling yourself backwards in a rhythm. 4/5
Sack Up – Carry a 50-pound sandbag through the woods or up a hill. Big whoop. Carrying it over your shoulders seems to be the play. 2/5
Lumberjacked – Leap over a set of 4 pretty high hurdles. Height is, once again, very nice to have in your wheelhouse but if not your use arms to push off the hurdles and vault yourself as you are jumping. 3/5
Widow’s Peak – Cross a pool of water using a rope bridge – one to walk on, the other to grab hold of. Balance is more essential than sheer muscle. 3/5
Funky Monkey – aka “The Monkey Bars from Hell” – inclined monkey bars leading to horizontal spinning wheel that you swing around and launch yourself to a series of two vertical spinning wheels. Should you still be hanging on, swing to one last unsteady bar that slopes down toward the ground. This always comes near the end of the course – grip strength is everything, but having a large wingspan is also very helpful with how spaced out some of the objects are. 4/5
Everest* – on the Mount Rushmore of Tough Mudder obstacles, this is a 13-foot high slicked-up half-pipe is as fun as it is frustrating. Take the fastest running start you can and reach for the top of the wall – you’re almost certainly going to need some teammates to haul you up the rest of the way. Some speed, a good vertical leap, and good grip strength all factor in. 5/5
Swamp Stomp – wade through a muddy swamp. That’s all. Use your legs and keep them churning! 5/5
Augustus Gloop – swim out underneath either a circular cargo net or industrial tube with a ladder inside and climb your way to the top while getting drenched by a hose from above. A great test of core and grip strength while being a blast. 5/5
Tipping Point – shoutout to my good friend running the Philly race with me who figured out the trick to this bad boy. A giant teeter-totter using an industrial tube – climb in and up and then halfway through you get sent plunging down into a pool of mud. The key – keep your feet under you at all costs. If you try to climb up hands-first and feet behind you, you’ll sliding faster than you can say “teeter-totter”. 3/5 because I got dirt in my eye on the way down.
Hump Chuck – Climb out of pool using a rope and a wall that’s angled about 60 degrees. Oh, while getting sprayed by hoses the whole time. 3/5

Testing Your Fears

Kiss of Mud – Fear of barbed wire and swallowing questionable liquids. This is a 100 foot shallow pool of muddy water that you have to crawl through, hence the name. You have about a foot between you and some nice, pleasant strands of barbed wire. Oh, and the pit has been known to be rocky and/or tinged with cow manure. Go slow and avoid that wire! 2/5 because I tore up my knee on a rock doing this one
Ladder to Hell – Fear of heights. This 20 tall, 4 rung ladder is just a straight climb up the rungs, over the top, and then back down the other side. Height helps; those vertically challenged may need a boost from a Mud Buddy. 3/5
Crybaby – When you realize you paid money to get teargassed. Fear of tight spaces, not being able to breath, and not being able to see. Crawl through a 50 foot thin chamber while getting blasted with tear gas that tastes oddly like a 1000 cough drops at once. Just go as quick as possible, keep your eyes closed, and try to breath as little as possible. Don’t do it if you have respiratory problems. It is extremely uncomfortable. 1/5
Electric Eel – When you realize you paid money to get electrocuted. Fear of high voltage. Climb under an electrified beam and into a shallow pool of water. Here, you face angry rope strands just centimeters above you waiting to zap you if you poke your body up just a little too high. Save yourself some extra volts and don’t do what I did by grabbing hold of the electrified beam at the start. 4/5
Cage Crawl – Fear of drowning. You know that Survivor challenge where the contestants hold their breath underneath a grate in the sea? That’s pretty much it – you pull yourself along a 50 pool of water with a couple of inches between the water level and the medal cage on top of you. It is easy to go into panic mode early when the water covers your ears and gets into your nose and eyes. Take a second when you lower yourself in to adjust to how much space you have to breath – it’s more than your body thinks. Then pull yourself along as fast as you can. 5/5
Shawshanked – Fear of tight spaces. Climb up one of those giant industrial tubes and then jump into a pool of water below. 3/5
Arctic Enema – Fear of the ice bath. Take a plunge into a legit ice bath. Nowadays, you have to swim underneath two blocks so you need to submerge your whole body. Don’t do if you can’t swim. It sucks and it is a blast simultaneously. If I had to guess the water temperature? Probably somewhere around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. 4/5
Mudderhorn – Fear of heights. An epic obstacle – 40 feet up and down of cargo net. To start, leap or get boosted onto the starting platform. From there, begin your nerve-wracking ascent- there is no harness keeping you safe. Go slow and steady, especially when coming back down the other side of the mountain. Often strategically placed so spectators can walk underneath in between both nets. 5/5
Electroshock Therapy – The one that gets all the attention. Yes, it is scary. Yes, it hurts (my right nip was bruised for a week last time!). So many people go in saying they won’t do it. Always the last obstacle, your tune changes when you are surrounded by finishers and the MC cheering you on. You can see the finish line feet from where you are standing – only 20 yards of angry, dangling, electrified ropes stand between you and that well-earned beer. Surely, you can get through it unscathed? Just go slow, right? Yeahhhhh…good luck. Do not do this if you have any metal in your body. It is hard to describe what it is like: you are exhausted from the event, but your adrenaline is kicked up to an insane amount pondering getting electrocuted. I have seen a dude rip his off and hit as many wires as possible (he faceplanted halfway through!). Much safer to go slow and steady; you’ll avoid the worst of it and get out with a minor sting or two. 4/5
Mineshafted* – Fear of the dark. Crawl into a tunnel underneath darkened tarp. Try to orient yourself and crawl straight until you reach a wall – you need to climb up and over it to reach the light. Teamwork may be needed because it be get high!

Pure “fun”

Quagmire – A pit of muddy water about 2 feet deep that you just run through. No frills, nothing crazy, but a good taster of what’s to come and a good way to cool off. 3/5
Killa Gorilla – This had to be made out of spare parts last second – just some tires to run through and a couple foot-high blocks to jump over. Not something that got the juices flowing and couldn’t have been easier. 0/5
Mud Mile* – One of the iconic obstacles – a long stretch of watery, muddy ditches that you plunge into and then use teamwork to boost one person at a time over the wall; it is almost impossible to climb over by yourself as the dirt walls quickly turn to muck that it is impossible to find something to hold onto. It’s a dirty, messy blast that will sure have everyone laughing, even when they are tired by the end of it. 5/5
Tight Squeeze – One of the quicker and easier ones, climb into a pit of mud and squeeze under one or more giant industrial tubes. 3/5
Well Swung – Become a trapeze artist! Get a running start and grab hold of a hanging T-bar, which will then swing out above a pool of funky-colored water. Let go at it’s apex and ring a cowbell positioned high in the air before dropping into the water. So much fun. 5/5
Trench Warfare – a staple for reasons unknown, this is just Army-crawling through a rocky trench with simulated camouflage over you. Quick and easy but your knees take a beating – just watch out for rocks. 1/5
Block Ness Monster* – Another obstacle that seems like a Survivor challenge; hop into a deep pool of water and face two giant “cylinders” that are actually cube-shaped. How you get over them is by using momentum from multiple people pushing the blocks and one person at a time grabbing hold of an edge and riding over the top. Serious fun and serious teamwork required! 5/5
Pitfall – AKA “The Ankle Breaker”; lowkey the most dangerous obstacle. Wade into a foot deep bog that strategically has deeper holes where you least expect it. Go slowly to avoid losing your footing unexpectedly. Best when positioned near the start for max chaos so that a mass of people are falling into each other hysterically. 2/5
Texas Hold ‘Em* – a partner obstacle where you each hold each others hands while crossing sideways a contraption with two sides and a rounded bottom, making balancing, weight distribution, and communication essential otherwise you are both falling off. 3/5
Walk This Way* – something you would expect to see at Summer Camp as a kid. You and a partner step into a pair of “ski” (two-by-fours) and step in sync through a course. Looks easier than it is – get out of sync and you will faceplant. 1/5

Hoisting a teammate over the Berlin Walls (flickr/GoArmy)

How fit do you need to be?

There is a pretty big gap between someone just trying to finish the course versus someone trying to go as fast as they can and beat all the obstacles.

I would say that if you are just trying to finish the course, you need a solid baseline level of fitness, both in terms of cardio and strength. If you can run 6 miles in one go without stopping, you will be able to run the whole course on adrenaline. The distance, unless it is a really mountainous course, feels less than it actually is due to all the stopping for obstacles. I’d even say if you can run 4-5 miles, you can do this pretty easily by taking the occasional break to walk for a bit instead of running. If that sounds like a lot, there is no penalty for taking your time and walking – this all about going at your own pace.

As far as strength goes, you want to be as balanced as possible. Core, upper body, grip, and lower body are the main groups tested, and the variety of obstacles ensures each muscle group will be tested hard. The things I would say to really focus on include shoulder strength and mobility, as you will holding onto things while hanging in the air multiple times. I suggest being able to do at a couple of pullups or free-hang for at least a minute to give yourself a chance on those types of obstacles. The last thing you want is to pop a shoulder out of places. Something as simple as practicing basic monkey bars and getting the “swinging” technique dialed back in from the time you were a little kid goes a long way.

When it comes to core, you don’t need 8-pack abs by any means. It is helpful though to have a moderate amount of core strength, because almost every strength-based obstacle is made much easier if your core can make your movements more powerful and dynamic. Try to work in at least 20 crunches every day or so if possible for the month leading up to the event if you don’t have a personal plan.

Leg strength is probably tested the least, but good balance helps in a lot of the partner activities. Work on a balance board, or ever practicing standing one foot for a minute, will be huge. One important thing: you will spend a LOT of time crawling or squatting – something to note if you have bad knees. Braces and knee pads are a frequent sight out on the course, so don’t worry about how it will look.

Finally – Tough Mudder has a recommended 5-week training program that they offer to folks after they sign up. I have it saved and am happy to send a copy to anyone interested or curious.

Human chains needed on the Mud Mile (flickr/GoArmy)

How Bad does it hurt to get electrocuted?!?

7/10. The closest thing I can described it to is getting punched hard while stung at the same time. It’s a quick shock and then it’s over, but it will hurt and will leave some bruises. It’s not the worst thing ever – the scare factor and anticipation are worse than the pain, but it’s also far from pleasant. Will it stop me from going back? Definitely not!

Notes

https://www.coachweb.com/careers/5773/tough-mudder-founder-will-dean-on-building-an-empire ↩︎