Question: when was the last time you did something for the first time?
At Tough Mudder events all over the world, we like asking this question. In fact, in our everyday lives we try to ask this question too. It doesn’t have to be a grand accomplishment. You don’t have to go breaking world records, summiting the highest peaks on Earth, or tackling World’s Toughest Mudder (though we do like that one). Instead, we encourage you to step outside your comfort zone, take the path less traveled, and do things a little differently throughout your day.
81-year-old Mildred Wilson gets a whole lot of bragging rights for accomplishing her first Tough Mudder in Missouri shortly after her 80th birthday. Her son had approached her about completing a Tough Mudder 5K months before the event and her reaction was a resounding, “hell, yeah.”
“First I went to the doctor,” she told local KFVS 12. She decided if she was doing it, she was doing the whole thing.
With her doctor’s approval, she joined a local YMCA, started training, and got herself ready for the mud. Her husband Farrell was her biggest supporter throughout her training. “She’s tough, I knew she could handle it,” he said.
And sure enough, on event day, Mildred crushed every obstacle and found most to be a little easier than she expected.
“Except for the wall! I always wanted to try that wall. I realized it wasn’t a piece of cake. It took a whole village to get me up,” she said in reference to Everest.
Mildred says she plans on returning in 2021 and we’re ready for her. She’s an inspiration to us and we can’t wait to see her continue to crush on course.