His first “Tough Mudder” took place in 2013. “It was the tri-state ‘Tough Mudder’ that was held in Raceway Park, New Jersey,” he said. “During my first ‘Tough Mudder’ I was really happy when I was able to conquer the quarter-pipe obstacle known as Everest. I also had to pop in my cousin’s shoulder after she injured it pretty badly on a different obstacle, and earning that free beer afterwards is always a proud moment,” he said.
McShane described “Tough Mudder” as a 10-12 mile obstacle course challenge, as opposed to a race. “Your finish time doesn’t really matter, the focus is bringing a team with you and making sure everyone crosses the finish line,” he explained.
“Personally, I would recommend it as a way of seeing what you are truly capable of and a way to bring out your true colors. I always stay behind to help other people with obstacles because that’s just how I am. It also helped me lose a lot of weight back when I was training for the first one, and it helped me stay in shape. It definitely helps with mental grit as well, especially the obstacles that are more fear-based rather than physically challenging,” he said.
Additional perks of participating in “Tough Mudder” are collectible headbands, one for each event you complete. “You also get different colors depending on how many murders you have completed. They also give away free training supplements, shirts and towels at the end,” he said.
For aspiring “Tough Mudder” athletes, McShane concluded, “Set realistic and measurable goals based on stamina rather than strength. It’s good to build strength to carry your teammates but usually stamina and being able to throw yourself around with ease pay off more. And it takes place all over the country depending on the month.”
