Fast forward a few months. Damien brought up Tough Mudder and was determined to get as many family and friends to join him as possible. By this point I was signed up for the Boston Marathon and told him I'd consider it. Fast forward another few months, early January. I was hanging out with some Hanover folks at the Texas Roadhouse and was a few Killian Irish Red's in when another co-worker brought up the Mudder. Beer balls! BAM, I was in. The next day at work I proved I wasn't all talk, paid the entry fee and soon we had formed team Phat Kids.
From January to May a lot happened, but most of the time I was focused on training for the Marathon. I started a daily push up challenge with my buddy Jack to keep me somewhat focused on upper body strength and got stronger than I have ever been. Then the Marathon came and went. Emotionally it was an unbelievable experience, but the day was physically exhausting and I lost a lot of my motivation to focus on the Mudder, but that wouldn't stop it from coming.
Saturday morning I picked up Jack at the airport and we headed to Vermont with most of the team (Nick, Joe, Ian, Mike, and Damien). Saturday night came and went and it was time for the event. When we arrived at the mountain we could see the first wave of people had already started. Looking as high as you could on Mount Snow you could see the deserted ski trails littered with people. One thing was certain, Heartbreak Hill looked simple. As we waited to start the anxiety was overwhelming for me, so much so that a few of my teammates started to comment that I was making them nervous. It only built when I saw that we had to climb over an eight foot wall just to get to the starting line. Then it was time. As a team we made it over the wall and to the start, and as soon as I was within the anxiety turned to excitement. It was one of the first times in my life that I stood there with a group of people and knew that it didn't matter what obstacles I could complete it was enough that all of us had signed up and were there ready to start as a team.
After the start line it was straight up the mountain ankle deep in mud. Then, straight down the mountain, ankle deep in mud. Jack was the first to wipe out, Damien quickly followed, and by mile 3 we were all a blur of muddy shirts. There were 28 obstacles along the way. We jumped into a dumpster filled with ice and water, climbed up and down hills of mud for 2 miles, crawled under barbed wire (and yes, it was real), crawled through pitch black underground tunnels, climbed cargo nets, jumped off planks into freezing cold water, crawled through water while electrical wires dangled from above, walked across balance beams with freezing water below, attempted monkey bars, slid down ice mounds, scaled a cliff (more or less), ran up a half pipe, got sprayed by a fire house, ran through a trail lined with burning hail bails, and climbed through logs wrapped in barbed wire. Some of us were stronger than others during some of the obstacles, but we all stuck together and finished as the Phat Kids.
The months of hill training and long distance running definitely prepared me well for the mountain. I had little to no pain in my calfs and legs the next day, but I learned my upper body still needs some work. I was definitely able to do more than I would have ever been able to do in the past, and I'm proud of what I was able to do. My only disappointment is that I choose to walk around one of the obstacles toward the end. Rather than going over the 12 foot berlin wall, I helped my team get up and over and then met them on the other side. I'm truly pissed at myself for this - there was no reason for me not to go over. It wasn't an individual event, everyone needed their team to get over, and there were hundred's of strangers that were there willing to lift me. This was the challenge that had me nervous from the moment I saw it. I envisioned myself coming off of the wall and breaking my ankle and putting an end to all the running I have planned over the next few months. I let my fear get the best of me. It's like my mind is always looking for an out. I'm always looking for something that can turn an incredible moment into a disappointment. Well, props buddy, you did it again! I dwelled on this a lot on Monday and Tuesday, but I'm ready to let it go now and just be proud of ever taking part in Tough Mudder.
To the 8 other Phat Kids - Damien, Jack, Joe, Nick, Meghan, Sarah, Ian, and Mike - thank you for an unbelievable experience. Damien, thank you for planting the seed in my head and always giving me confidence to try new things and to be myself. Jack, thanks for coming back to New England to be part of it all! I hope the two of you are ready for some serious running once you've recovered.
One final thought now that the Marathon and the Mudder are behind me. I'm in a complete post-event depression. I have a sort of emptiness and I'm not sure how to fill the void. I know it sounds insane, but I almost feel like I need my next challenge. I still have the goal of a sub 4 hour marathon and I'm signed up for the Marine Corp, but right now it doesn't seem like enough. I'm hoping as I get further from these events the feeling will go away, but right now it's not welcomed!
Below are some of my favorite pictures from the event:
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