MUDDA(effin) TEAMWORK

It happened. I DID IT!
Tough Mudder 2k14 has become my beezy!!!
.....
loljk, I was totally its beezy, as made evident by my black and blue legs, the cuts on my arms, my day-after jelly legs, and my ridiculously sunburnt face HAHA.

Even though I wanted to die the entire time and seriously felt like quitting throughout the whole course, I think I've actually learned a lot of valuable lessons about teamwork, and challenging myself.. + it was actually pretty fun (sometimes).

The entire USCKCM team

One thing I was most excited for as I went into Tough Mudder was the camaraderie. Tough Mudder is the definition of solidarity. People suffering together. People pushing their limits together. People helping each other because they empathize with each others' pain. Although I expected to lean on my own team, I didn't expect the teamwork to be as broad and widespread as it ended up being. Random strangers pulled and pushed me over walls, they crowded together to pull people over the halfpipe, people offered me a hand up when I fell, and some even offered their bodies for others to step on and climb over. It was unbelievable. And people not only physically sacrificed for each other, but there was also always emotional and moral support when it looked like someone wanted to give up. Crowds cheered when someone that was struggling achieved an obstacle, people yelled encouragements at each other, and high fives and pats on the back were offered as some (many) fell over in exhaustion. We all became part of a weird Tough Mudder family-- what they call "The Legion".

I'd like to share some moments that were personally encouraging and that I think really depicted this kind of teamwork (seriously, it was moments like these that helped me finish all 11 miles of hell and made it worth it):
1) While hiking up one of many steep hills, my friend Kellyna and I stopped to rest and catch our breaths. We were standing with our heads down and hands on our knees when a random person stopped to ask if we were okay and offered us some electrolyte infused water from his camelback. He was like "this magic water will help you finish!" hehe, it wasn't much but the gesture itself helped us get through the next 3 hills.
2) When I was doing an obstacle called Everest (an obstacle where you basically have to run hard up a quarter pipe thats greased with mud and oil and try to hurl yourself over the top) I ran, grabbed my teammate's hand and was almost over the top when my foot slipped and I started falling. A random guy suddenly ran over and grabbed my other hand before I could fall back down. I still couldn't pull myself up and started slipping down again and, at that moment, I thought "eff this, I'm just going to fall down and try again". But as I started slipping, he grabbed onto my hand with both of his and started yelling (in my face) at me to hold on tight, and that he wouldn't let go no matter what o__o. He told me to try throwing my leg over and as I tried (and failed) another person came and grabbed my leg and together the three of them literally pulled me up and over the wall.
3) There was also an obstacle called Berlin Walls (sidenote: this one is hell), where you have to scale a strategically placed ~10ft wall. I think this was one of the most teamwork-requiring obstacle. While some crazy people were able to practically parkour their way up with no help, most others were boosted by literally 3 or 4 people up and over the walls. It's insane because people will jump out from the crowd to give little pushes to help someone over and others will stand from behind to yell encouragements and give tips on where to put your feet to get over. My friend Chris, who is a biiig guy, and I were stuck on the other side after helping our other teammates over and we were struggling to figure out how to get up. People joined us in thinking and trying out different ways to boost each other but ultimately we realized that one person wouldn't be able to boost another person up and over. As he tried to boost and push me over the wall, two random people came and helped push me to the top. At the top, another random person helped me pull my leg over, and another was at the bottom saying he'd catch me. Geez, major trust required there, hah.
4) Lastly, there was an obstacle called Human Pyramid, similar to Everest, where you have to get over a ridiculously steep and slippery wall. The slope of the wall and the grease made running up it impossible. Instead, people created a human pyramid (thus the name). People at the top were holding onto other peoples' legs as they hung over the top of a curved wall, while others kneeled at the bottom in mud to be human stepstools with people on their shoulders. It was crazy intricate. The people at the bottom (human stepstool+ person on their shoulder) would work together to push/ hurl people upwards to the people who were hanging over the top. The person on the stepstool guy's shoulder would offer a hand to hurl people up to the people who were hanging over the top, who would then help pull you up. When the people laying over the top would start getting pulled over, people standing behind them would grab their legs and pull both of them up and back over. It was crazy because people would stay there for 30 minutes just helping strangers up and there was never a lack of volunteers.

Team Zion (missing Chris)

There was also one particular team that especially encouraged me. There was a team there that probably  had about 30 or 40 members total and they were with a guy who looked like he might have been in an accident that injured his spine. His face was slightly paralyzed, he had a cast on his leg, and he had trouble moving his arms. The entire team took turns pulling/ pushing him in his lowrider bike as he pumped his arms with difficulty to get over the dunes and hills. I remember thinking, "there's no way he'll be able to get through all these obstacles and over all these ridiculously steep hills" but nooope, this team used all their energy to get him through EVERY obstacle and over EVERY hill on the course. When there were steep hills, they attached his bike to a thick rope and got in a line to drag him up the hills together. When he had to climb onto the platform to do Walk The Plank, 3-4 of them literally pulled him up onto the platform, while others waited below to help pull him to shore when he landed in the water. Even people who weren't part of their team helped. People let them through to the front of every obstacle, the entire crowd at each obstacle cheered when he successfully completed a task, and everyone was willing to offer him a helping hand to get the team through every part of the course. When my team and I were washed off, changed, and leaving the site, we saw the team going through the last obstacle, covered in mud but triumphantly pushing their friend through the last mile. Man, that sight literally made me want to cry.

Anywaay, what I'm saying is I think this kind of teamwork and camaraderie is one of the main reason Tough Mudder is worth it (at least it was to me) and why I think people pay hundreds of dollars to suffer. Not only do you feel physically and mentally accomplished when you finish, but you also get to experience true teamwork-- humans working with one another.

There was also a lot of mental grit required at Tough Mudder. I think 80% of it is just mental strength. Seriously, the body is capable of a lot more than we credit it for. I just watched some videos of the obstacles post-event and I actually can't believe I did what I did. Tough Mudder is really all about "just doing it". Your body can handle jumping into a pool of ice water-- so long as your brain can get your body to jump. I think most of my mental grit was a product of the adrenaline but, seriously, all you need to do is set your mind to it. Similar to my last post, I learned that whenever I think I need to give up, my body is able to surprise myself by going a little more. This paired with the teamwork& encouragements is enough to get you to the finish line at Tough Mudder.

I'm really glad I didn't chicken out of it and honestly, I think I'm down to do it again next year (after more training though lol).  Hoorah!

Tough Mudder LA 2014 Map