Tough Mudder
 | A major contributor to this article appears to have a close connection with its subject. (February 2013) |
| Type | Endurance race |
|---|---|
| Website | http://toughmudder.com/ |
Tough Mudder is an endurance event series in which individuals or teams seek to complete 10-12 mile long muddy obstacle courses designed to test strength, stamina, mental grit, and camaraderie. In 2013, 53 Tough Mudder events are planned in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, and Germany. Roughly 500,000 people worldwide participated in a Tough Mudder event in 2012.
History
Tough Mudder was co-founded in 2010 by Will Dean and Guy Livingstone, both British. Dean and Livingstone launched the first Tough Mudder event on May 2, 2010 at Bear Creek Ski Resort near Allentown, PA. The event had 4,500 participants and raised more than $200,000 for their official charity partner, the Wounded Warrior Project.[1] Two additional 2010 events were held in Northern California and New Jersey, followed by 14 events in 2011 in other US states.[2] For 2013 Tough Mudder has scheduled 53 events in the U.S., U.K. Australia, Canada, and Germany.[3]
Charity affiliations
Tough Mudder donates to various charities that focus on support for veterans returning from the battlefield, including the Wounded Warrior Project in the U.S., Help for Heroes in the U.K., and Legacy in Australia. During the company's first three years, Tough Mudder participants raised more than $5 million for the Wounded Warrior Project alone.[4]
World's Toughest Mudder
World’s Toughest Mudder is the final event of each Tough Mudder series calendar year. Different from traditional Tough Mudder events, World's Toughest Mudder is a 24-hour race for men, women, and four-person teams. Participants must qualify for the event by completing a regular Tough Mudder event during the year and submitting an application for entry. World's Toughest Mudder 2012 was held at Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ on November 17 and 18.[5]
Criticism
The Tough Mudder website claims that ordinary Distance Running will leave an athlete with about as much upper body strength as Keira Knightley, and also encourages its participants not to take themselves too seriously.[6] Competitive athletes have criticized the Tough Mudder for its uncompetitive nature with reports of participants having to wait long periods to conquer obstacles during the race, and this has led serious athletes (who are concerned primarily with individual performance) to question whether the Tough Mudder is a genuine competition or a mockery of sport and athletics in general. [7]
Media commentary
- Forty under 40, Crain's New York, 2012
- Best Fitness Trend, Vegas Seven, 2012
- Maverick of the Year: Silver, American Business Awards (the Stevies), 2012
- Best Adventure Series, Travlete, 2011
- Best Adventure Race, Austin Fit Magazine, 2011
- Forbes 50 Names You Need To Know, Forbes, 2011
- Travlete Best Adventure Race, Travlete, 2010
- Still having fun slogging your 5k Run/Walks or are you ready for TOUGH MUDDER
See also
References
- ^ "Bloomberg Enterprise". Bloomberg Enterprise.
- ^ "Office Workers Run Amok". Wall Street Journal.
- ^ "Tough Mudder". Tough Mudder.
- ^ "What Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Olympic Athletes. And Vice Versa". Forbes.
- ^ "'World's Toughest Mudder' competition lets N.J. tough guys, stalwart women show their grit". New Jersey Star Ledger.
- ^ "'Tough Mudder - The Premier Obstacle Course in the World - About".
- ^ "'LetsRun.com on Tough Mudder' competition".