Your friends and family might be posting about “cutting sugar” and “losing pounds,” but you’ve got different goals for the new year. If your sights are set on upping your Tough Mudder game, a plan of action is key to making it happen for you in 2021. Focus on consistency in your training, adequate food and fuel, and a tougher than thou mindset shift to make this year the best yet.

1. TAKE IT ONE STEP AT A TIME

First things first, take it easy on yourself. It’s easy to get caught up in one, static workout routine, but bodies crave variation (or else you run the risk of plateauing). Do yourself a favor and work something low-impact into your week: try some yoga, pilates, or maybe even take a barre class. You’ll likely introduce some balance into your life (quite literally) and keep your body limber and less injury-prone. Slow and steady wins the race.

2. TRAIN CONSISTENTLY

Come the first week of January, you and everyone you know will be hitting the gym with a newfound sense of dedication that, let’s be real here, will probably dip by mid-February. Getting yourself to the gym in winter is excruciating, so why not keep your training consistent from the comfort of your home? Check out our videos and training guides for our full-body workouts designed with your obstacles in mind. Commit to these workouts, and your 2021 fitness goals won’t know what hit ‘em.

3. CRUSH THE OBSTACLE THAT TERRIFIES YOU

Looking for new obstacles? Look no further. With the 2019 season coming up, there’s more opportunity to challenge yourself with new or updated obstacles like Black Widow, Leap of Faith, and Hydrophobia. Ditch the negative thinking and get affirmative; if you let an obstacle intimidate you, it’s already won. Courses are meant to be challenging—the race would be boring if you had everything in the bag. So switch your mindset, and write up an action plan to make steady progress in the weeks leading up to your event. Excited for what’s to come?

4. REGISTER FOR AN EVENT THAT FREAKS YOU OUT

Change doesn’t come from comfort zones. If you’ve mastered a 5K, try our upgraded version or even the Classic. Trying to introduce a little tenacity into your 2021? Seek out a race in the competitive series. Even if you’ve never “competed” a day in your life, Tougher Mudder, Toughest Mudder, and World’s Toughest Mudder are just challenges that you haven’t accepted yet.

Ready to make one more resolution? Book your 2021 Tough Mudder experience today.

At Tough Mudder we’ve heard every excuse in the book for not getting to an event. Maybe you’re afraid, maybe you’re out of shape, maybe you left the oven on. Whatever the reason(s) you’ve used in the past, the fact remains that the only thing stopping you from having an incredible weekend filled with world-class obstacles, tons of mud, and teamwork fun is… you. So before you dial up another excuse, check out our answers to some of the most common ones we’ve heard—and get hyped for the best weekend of your year.  

1. I can’t possibly run without a team behind me

No team? No problem. Just grab a spot in our all new Solo Runner Waves and get paired up with other lone wolves lookin’ to tear up the course. If you don’t want to run alone in 2021, you don’t have to.

2. I’m not some super athlete, no way I could do it

Our courses are specifically designed for everyone to conquer regardless of fitness level, whether you’re starting with a Tough Mudder 5K or going for the Tough Mudder Classic. Add in a helping of our legendary teamwork, and you’ll be crossing the finish line in no time.

Plus, signing up Tough Mudder is probably just the motivation you need to get fitter. Check out our training page for free guides and all of the tips and tricks you could ask for.

3. I’m afraid to get shocked

Even though Electroshock Therapy is a fully badass way to finish off your Tough Mudder run, it’s completely optional. You don’t have to do it, but we definitely think you should. After all, conquering fear is kind of our thing.

But if Electroshock Therapy is a real sticking point for you, and you don’t like the idea of skipping obstacles then simply choose Tough Mudder 5K – it isn’t even on the course.

4. I just got my hair done

Oh you fancy, huh? We’re sure you look great, but Tough Mudder is your chance to switch things up and live your best life from the inside out. So step back from the mirror, and step into a some mud—you won’t regret it. And besides, you can always get your do, re-did.

5. Who’s gonna watch my kids?

OK, we don’t offer child care, but that doesn’t mean your little ones aren’t welcome. If you bring a spectator with you for moral support, they (and your kids) can watch you do your thing. Or, they can do their own thing: kids 5-12 can conquer a Mini Mudder course, while teens 13 and older can try out a 5K.

6. I’m too busy

A wise man once said, “Time is a flat circle,” and we have no idea what he meant. The truth is everyone gets busy, but making time to go out and have new experiences is incredibly important for your mental health. So make a little me time and make it super muddy while you’re at it.

So that’s your excuses busted – what’s next? Buying a ticket obviously.

The mission of Tough Mudder Challenges is to provide a platform to bring motivation, inspiring, and achieving fitness goals into the lives of thousands of Mudders across the globe. Whether it’s personal goal setting, part of one’s current health and wellness journey, or a community of Mudders looking to come together off the course, every participant has their unique story of how they came to join the movement. 

During Tough Mudder Challenges Mission: Sea to Space, Tough Mudder and Navy Federal Credit Union are sharing motivation through the personal wellness journeys of a few Mudder participants and Navy Federal employees, who inspire us all. 

Today’s Mission Highlight: Jason Melendez. 

Currently serving in the Navy Reserves and working as a Member Service Rep for Navy Federal Credit Union, here’s his inspiring journey in achieving his fitness goals and his commitment to completing Tough Mudder Challenges Mission: Sea to Space.

Achieving fitness goals has always been a big part of my life. I’ve always liked the structure it provides and how it helps me set and meet big goals. I started playing baseball the second I was eligible and continued most of my young life. Football played a large role too, but it wasn’t until I entered high school that I found my favorite sport: swimming. While I still continued track and field, swimming took up most of my time with 4 am practices before school, after school training, off-season swim teams, and fitness intervals. Throughout high school, I maintained my weight around 175lbs thanks to all the formal activity, but after graduating in 2012, I began to struggle. I no longer had the coaches or training schedules to help me maintain discipline.  

The first couple of years out of high school, I fell in and out of “Insanity” fitness programs that usually fell to the wayside. I tried CrossFit in 2014, which slowly brought a training routine back into my life. With time and persistence, I found I was able to deadlift 300lbs with ease. 

But around August 2015, I received a rude awakening. A vacation to the Florida Keys brought vacation photos that forced me to confront the fact that I was not happy in my own skin. 

Around this same time, the United States Naval Reserves had become a goal I saw in my path. Structure and discipline brought good energy to my life and the Naval Reserves gave me an opportunity to grow in all areas.   

I continued with on and off training until May 2016 when I swore into the United States Navy Reserves. Finally, in October of 2016 of that year, I started my military career. 

Through boot camp and A-school, I had made it down to 165lbs and felt amazing with my progress. Sadly, once I didn’t have the help of the military every single day, I fell back into my old routines and found myself back up to 175lbs in about a year. 

Here is where I tried my hand at Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for about 6 months. And although I was getting into great shape, finances and an upcoming deployment made it so this too fell by the wayside. 

This brings us to late 2019 when I was stationed in Dubai, surrounded by news food, immersed in a new language, and living a lifestyle that provided free time to train. I had always wanted to go after an Ironman, but never wanted to pledge the entry fee commitment. I figured now was the best time to finally commit. 

I set high goals and held myself to a tough routine. I would run a 5K almost every single day, lifted weights about every other day, swam 2.4 miles (Ironman length) roughly 10 different times, ran a half marathon on my own just to see if I could, and when COVID-19 hit, I found myself in my room back to those ‘Insanity’ workouts, right back where I started 8 years ago.  

At the end of my 11-month deployment, I was in the best shape of my life, weighing in at 155lbs and confident in any physical challenge that could be thrown at me. My fitness journey has been a long one of peaks and valleys, but one I am grateful for.

I’m looking to test my limits this month in the November Challenge Mission: Sea to Space. I’ll not only be representing my employer Navy Federal Credit Union, but also testing my mental and physical limits. And, along the way, I’ll be one step closer to becoming an Ironman and achieving fitness goals.

Navy Federal Credit union is proud to serve all branches of the military, the DoD, veterans and their families. We want you to earn more, save more and live the life you want knowing we’re behind you each step of the way, because our members are the mission. Learn more and become a member. Insured by NCUA. 

The military inspired Tough Mudder Challenges: Sea to Space kicked off on Tuesday, November 10^th, a day that marks the 245^th birthday of the US Marines. This is my fifth Tough Mudder Challenge and one I feel most significantly connected with to date as it gives us the opportunity to honor our military veterans. Week 1 was especially unique as it included Veterans Day, a date with historical significance that coincides with the end of World War I. These 21 days indeed allow us to show gratitude and reflect on the strength and fortitude our veterans demonstrate through military inspired obstacles. I took Week 1 challenges on in earnest, inspired by the resilience and grit demonstrated by our military veterans. 

Going into the first round of obstacles, I decided to kick it up a notch and push myself to complete all of the week 1 activities, plus take a chunk out of the 21-day obstacles. The challenges included knot tying, running 15 miles on an inclined treadmill to make headway on my mileage and elevation goals. 

Afraid Knot was the first activity we wanted to complete during Week 1. The rules were simple. Tie a few nautical knots with hands submerged in cold water. My fellow mudder (and partner) “leveled-up” with me by filling the kitchen sink with freezing ice water. In case nobody has told you — cold water hurts. Your hands lose dexterity very quickly in ice water! The colder your hands get, the cruddier your dexterity becomes, and the faster you attempt to tie – hands were flailing underwater. My partner and I took turns giving each other encouragement/razzing each other throughout the challenge. 

I started the obstacles out this week with Battle Buddies. Since I’m still working remotely at my dining room table, I went ahead and made my girl Sadie (my loyal 13 year old miniature pincher beagle) my battle buddy for 12 hours. It wasn’t overly challenging to keep her within three meters as she is constantly by my side, following me everywhere. However, I got a lot of sideways doggy glances when I followed her back, walking outside with her while she went to sniff the bushes. It was great because it got me away from my computer, got me outside taking breaks throughout the day, something that I do not do enough once I sit down and become focused with work. It was a great start to the week and took some of the monotony out of working remotely. 

The second obstacle I took on was grab and drag, wherein we had to replicate a classic military move, the weighted sleigh pull, by dragging something that was at least 35 lbs 245 feet in one direction. My partner and I inspected our house and settled on dragging a giant beam, a piece of our backyard obstacle course we had laying in the side yard. We noisily dragged this giant beam through the back alley, likely making our neighbors wonder what the heck all the racket is! It was fun, but very windy and cold! 

Then we took it inside to the living room and tuned in to #RXercise with Coach Mud. It was a Tabata inspired HIIT workout that started us out with the classic warmup Coach gives before running a Tough Mudder. Thanks, Coach for the supple hips! After the warmup we jumped into completing tons of pushups, sit ups, and what felt like an infinity of jump lunges. It was brutal and left us quite sore! 

Last but not least, and certainly my partner’s favorite, was field hygiene. Hot showers are hard to come by during Military training and multitasking is key. So for this obstacle we had to wash ourselves fully clothed in a cold shower. Well, being a little extra I took it to the next level – having my partner spray me with the hose in the backyard while I lathered up. As you can imagine, the water was FREEZING cold, made even colder by the 41 degree temps and it was also windy as heck! My partner happily sprayed me down with the hose while I attempted to lather up and rinse off. 

This month’s challenges have kicked off with an awesome week! I’m stoked to see what the next couple of weeks have in store for us and to continue honoring our military from Sea to Space!

Whether you’re crushing obstacles on the course or tackling a virtual challenge, when it comes to running a Tough Mudder, it’s good to have a solid teammate. Sure, teammates aren’t required to complete a Tough Mudder course, challenge, or training session—but having one to motivate and inspire you is always a good thing! 

Speaking of teammates, for Tough Mudder Challenges – Mission: Sea to Space, Tough Mudder and Navy Federal Credit Union teamed up to create one of the toughest challenges yet. Even better, it’s one that you can do in your own backyard. 

Need someone to help you get it done? Veterans are excellent team members. Their service to our nation goes beyond inspiring, and their skills make them an asset both on and off the course. We’re grateful to have so many vets as a part of Mudder Nation. Check out some of our favorite reasons to have a veteran by your side.

1. Veterans Know the Value of Teamwork

Collaboration and camaraderie are vital to the success of a military mission (and to a Tough Mudder!). When a veteran has your back, you know you can count on them to help you push through and succeed together.  

2. Veterans Have Mental Strength and a Strong Work Ethic

The military hinges on accomplishment. Whether it’s the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard or Space Force, every veteran has played an important role in carrying out and seeing things through to completion. We can’t think of a better quality to have in a teammate. 

3. Veterans Have Quick Problem Solving Skills 

Expect the unexpected —that’s an important mindset to have when facing difficult situations. Things can change quickly and when a fast solution is required, veterans have the skills to make decisions on the fly. 

4. Veterans Are Loyal

Service to our country is a prime example of the loyalty that you can expect from veterans. When things get tough on the course, your loyal teammate will be there to help see you through to the finish. 

5. Veterans Can Perform Under Pressure 

Adaptability, mental grit, reliability, and the strength to handle tough situations are qualities so many veterans carry with them. When going gets tough, veterans get going. 

Tough Mudder Challenges – Mission: Sea to Space taps into the hard work and dedication of the military and is inspired by the service of these men and women. On Veterans Day and every day, we are grateful for them. 

If you are a service member and thinking about running a Tough Mudder, you can sign up for a challenge at a discounted rate. 
Navy Federal Credit union is proud to serve all branches of the military, the DoD, veterans and their families. We want you to earn more, save more and live the life you want knowing we’re behind you each step of the way, because our members are the mission. Learn more and become a member.

Thanksgiving is a holiday of traditions.  Tailgating at football games, jogging in your local turkey trot, waiting in crowded lines for Black Friday sales, travelling to see family. 

For most of us, all of these are cancelled in 2020. We say it’s time for a new Thanksgiving tradition. 

We put our brains together to dream up a new experience that speaks to the resilient spirit we’ve built this year, one that brings shared laughs and experiences to families who can’t be together physically. A new tradition that gets us moving forward and giving back. 

INTRODUCING TOUGH TURKEY 2020

Just like everything else in 2020, the Turkey Trot just got a whole lot Tougher.  2020 threw a ton of obstacles your way. Now you and your family can take on the ones you want to conquer. The best part: It’s totally free to register. 

Here’s How It Works:

Participants have the option of completing three different courses:

• There’s the Gobbler where you build your own 1K circuit course and you and the little ones get to run/walk for as many laps as you’d like with fun family challenges along the way.
• The Tough Turkey, a core 5K course with 5 five additional “obstacles” to challenge and entertain– a good option for anyone looking to put in some sweat before loading up on pie. 
• And then there’s the Toughest Turkey – not for the faint of heart. This Level Up includes an extreme 10K with 10 of the most grueling obstacle challenges we can legally encourage you to complete in your backyard. 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

In the spirit of the holiday season, you can use your Tough Turkey participation as a way to give back.  We’re working with a number of charity partners who you can fundraise for as part of your participation. Visit the charity’s site, create a quick & easy fundraising page and share out to your network. 

At Tough Mudder, we’re committed to creating a positive impact in the communities we serve, and are excited to lend our platform to this team of charities to raise crucial funds needed to support their research, programs and direct aid initiatives. Many organizations were hit particularly hard by COVID-19, and every dollar raised makes a meaningful difference. 

We’re sweetening the deal– and here’s a little encouragement for you:

• Raise $250 and receive a free 5K entry
• Raise $500 and receive a free Classic entry
• Top Fundraiser nationally will receive a Tough Mudder 2021 Season Pass

Participating charities include:

• Adaptive Training Foundation
• ALS Association – Greater Chicago Chapter
• Capper Foundation
• Keep A Child Alive
• The Herren Project
• Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research
• Huntington’s Disease Society of America
• Move for Hunger
• Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation
• Pro Literacy Worldwide
• Project Purple
• SAVE Suicide Awareness Voices of Education

Time to rally your family and friends around the country, and take this on together. A little healthy family rivalry?  Sounds like Thanksgiving to us. (A team is not required for this event. You can always fly solo here.)

We’ll see you out there (virtually of course). Click here to lock in your spot and start fundraising today.

As much as 2020 has been what can only be described as a trash fire year, it’s also been a year that has pushed us to flex our brains over at TMHQ. And so for the first time ever, Toughest Mudder is going virtual. While we all know we’re going to seriously miss the IRL course what happens on the 22nd August isn’t just going to be a stand in. It’s going to be a whole new experience that gives people across the community, who never would have considered trying Toughest Mudder, a chance to get stuck in.

Now to the important stuff. Unlike Tough Mudder courses, where we’ve witnessed Mudders decide to last minute throw on a pair of old sneakers and give it a go, there is some preparation required for a 12 hour, overnight event – even if it is virtual.

Your Checklist

The following list is everything you will require to take part in Toughest Mudder – Virtual Edition. Book mark it, print it out, however you roll use this to prepare for the night of your life.

• 5 mile loop that starts and ends at your ‘pit’ (knowing your route will make you 37% more efficient on the night)
• Straight ‘runway’ marked out with 100 metres, 200 metres and 300 metres of distance
• Strava account (and don’t forget to join the Tough Mudder run club)
• Comfy but durable kit, including a good pair of running shoes
• A laptop or phone so you can get involved in the Zoom Pit
• Charging station – seriously you won’t want any of your devices be that your laptop or wearable conking out on you.
• 1 roll of heavy duty tape (duct tape, gaff tape, etc.)
• 5 plastic cups, .5L
• One melon, any durable variety, 1.5-3.5 kg
• Sturdy backpack that you’re comfortable running in. 
• Flat horizontal surface with a raised edge (table, cardboard box)
• 3L jug of water (or liquid of your choice)
• Access to a bed, bench or low table.
• For those at home, access to a shower or hose connection (there will be a modification for remote runners)
• 2 Tennis Balls or other similar sized rubber balls. 
• Timer or stopwatch (can be on your phone)
• Nutrition and hydration of your choice
• An epic playlist – check Tough Mudder out on Spotify for inspiration

Keep an eye out on your emails as more information, including access to the tracking platform, will be winging its way to you shortly. And don’t forget to join the Virtual Toughest group on Facebook for further tracking and information.