If you are thinking of embarking on a Tough Mudder alone then here are some survival tips to help you conquer the challenge.
Going it alone doesn’t mean you literally have to do Tough Mudder all by yourself. Even if you enter solo there will be no shortage of people willing to give you a helping hand on the day.
Don’t let going solo put you off entering
If you are considering entering a Tough Mudder event but cannot convince any of your friends or family to join you, don’t let this stop you from signing up! Many people have completed the challenge after initially entering alone. When it comes to the event, chances are you will be adopted by another team, and there will be an abundance of help from your fellow Mudders around the course.
Although it may seem like a daunting prospect to sign up to the event alone, you will soon realise that Tough Mudder is a not a competition, it is all about teamwork and more often than not this comes from complete strangers on the course. As the well-known saying goes: ‘There is no I in team,’ the same spirit applies to this event and Mudders are frequently reminded: ‘There is no I in Tough Mudder!’ Even though you might sign up to the event on your own, you certainly won’t complete the course solo, or cross the finish line by yourself.
Accept help from your fellow Mudders
It is near impossible to finish the event alone; you will at some point (if you are going to complete all of the obstacles) need some assistance. The good news is that there will be help for you on the course, and a lot of it. Use the assistance people will offer you to conquer the difficult challenges.
Obstacles such as Everest and the Berlin Walls in particular will require support to overcome. Try running up a 15-foot slope covered in mud and grease, at the end of the gruelling course when you are wet and tired, on your own. Chances are you will be more than willing to grab onto the hands offered to you at the top of Everest! Once you have conquered this notoriously difficult obstacle, you can then help your fellow Mudders join you at the pinnacle. In the past, Mudders have been known to create a human chain to help each other conquer Everest. However you intend to tackle the obstacles, just remember to give your fellow Mudders help along the way.
Team up with others
There will inevitably be other individuals who have entered Tough Mudder alone who you can team up with on the day. As soon as you arrive at the event, you will meet fellow Mudders in the base area and at the start line. Everyone is going to be nervous before they start, so just be friendly and talk to your new teammates. All Mudders want to finish the course and this shared goal brings people together.
You will develop a strong bond with the other people you meet on the day after surviving the tough tests encountered during the event. Previous Mudders have admitted making lifelong friends with people they didn’t even know prior to the event. The whole experience of Tough Mudder provides its participants with lifelong memories. The challenge is mentally as well as physically gruelling. It will be a little easier to complete if you have people motivating you and pushing you on to the finish. Even if you have only meet these people on the day, the support you give each other will go a long way.
Do some research before the event
If you are nervous before the event about the prospect of completing the challenge alone, then you could have a look at the dedicated Tough Mudder Facebook event page for your area. There are often other solo runners looking to make up a team for the challenge who you could join up with. Tough Mudder also have a community website ‘Mudder Nation’ which entrants can use to coordinate possible teams. Also make sure you utilise the discussion threads and forums on the Tough Mudder website to connect with others who might be looking for people to join their team.
You will also see on the forums that many previous participants have asked the same questions you are pondering and are reassured by their fellow Mudders that no one competes Tough Mudder alone! Alternatively you could just turn up on the day and be graciously received by other teams and solo Mudders who will be more than willing to help you out. Teamwork is key to the challenge and whatever event you take part in, participants will help each other.
Follow the Tough Mudder Pledge!
The opening lines of the Tough Mudder Pledge state: “I understand that Tough Mudder is not a race but a challenge. I put teamwork and camaraderie before my course time.” Participants are encouraged to observe this honour and conform to the pledge by helping one another out on the course. Tough Mudder is not a race, there are no timers on the course and it was not designed to pit entrants against each other. Instead the event encourages teamwork out on the obstacles and embodies the concept and experience of overcoming the challenges together.
The course is designed so that the obstacles are extremely difficult to pass alone, therefore encouraging the notion of teamwork. Mudders are trying to beat the course, rather than compete against each other. Struggling through the obstacles together brings a real community spirit to the events, something Tough Mudder has become renowned for. Everyone will be finding it hard, but the challenge is all about encouraging and helping each other though the obstacles and finishing Tough Mudder together.