Toughest Mudder: 100 Short Days

When a Tough Mudder looms 100 days in the future, I have to admit that I’m no longer intimidated in the same way I was leading up to my first one.  This isn’t because I think a Tough Mudder isn’t hard; it is.  This is because I know what to expect come the day of a Tough Mudder.  I know that I can make it through those 10-ish miles even if I fail at a few obstacles.

That being said: I’m just as excited about each Tough Mudder as I was about that first one.  But regarding the fear that almost caused me to walk away without trying in 2016: there’s a little bit of calm that settles in when you know what to expect and how things should go.

But that is NOT the case right now when I am just 100 days away from my first time taking part in an America’s Toughest Mudder.

In 99 days, I will be boarding a plane, loaded down with gear, to head to Michigan.  Once there, I will go to a grocery store and buy supplies (which I still have exactly ZERO clue about) and then I will go to my BNB and likely freak out about the next day.

I’m already feeling that starting line anxiety and I’m 100 days away!

As I think about how I’m feeling right now, I remind myself of how I got here and why I decided to do this.

The fact of the matter is that I don’t like it when things scare me.  I don’t like to be intimidated.  It should be noted that as I typed that sentence, I realized that this is in all areas of life, including dating.  And that realization explained a lot!

Because I don’t like to be scared of things, I tend to face those fears head on.  I will confront the things that scare me because I don’t want something to have a power over me.  And that lead me to my first Tough Mudder two years ago.

It’s that attitude will lead me to the start line at my first Toughest Mudder.

Even with the driving force behind my decision to take on the Toughest Mudder being almost an act of defiance against fear, I am not running into this endeavor blindfolded.

Let’s be real, I’m not running into anything, let alone this.

I have made an effort to find people who can help me in my journey. I have changed the way I train.  I have started reading various blogs and recommendations of others who have completed a Toughest in the past.

But what I consider one of the most important things I’ve done, one of the things I know will help me mentally: I’ve made friends who will be in Michigan and on the course with me.

It’s 100 days until my first Toughest.  And even though I’m scared, I’m looking forward to stepping up to the challenge and having a good time while doing it.