Team iON-ites take on Tough Mudder Midlands.
This time last year I had not even heard of Tough Mudder, let alone ever thought of actually doing it. I am not your classic fitness person nor did I ever “run” so how did I end up doing this?
Written by Sara Best
In October last year I was asked as the Marketing Manager of iON if we wanted to go along and film a test event at Tough Mudder, it was the last event of the season and I thought it would be good to go along and see what it was all about………I was genuinely confused as to why people would want to run 12 miles in the mud (and cold as it was October) and put themselves through that? What I found when I arrived was completely amazing, the spirit and camaraderie of the people at the event truly blew me away and I knew that I wanted to get involved. So I made a promise that if iON went ahead with the sponsorship I would lose weight, get training and complete a Tough Mudder!! In early 2014 we signed the contract and I thought I’d better get cracking sorting out a team of people who I thought could actually get through this with me……the question was who? I joined a military training class with my friend Beth and she said she would run with me and we recruited one other team member Tracey from there. Then I thought who else do I know who are fierce, strong, can take pain and won’t ever quit? The answer, my pole dance ladies – so I asked Lauren, Becs, Emma (our teacher), Becca, Deby and Charlie if they were up for it…I sent them video links and pics of previous TM events and the resounding response was “are you completely mad?” but all of them signed up. Debs added our 2 honorary males Paul and Stu and we were ready to get going. Beth created a training plan for me, her and Lauren around Pole, weights and Military Fitness. Becs was running and swimming and the other girls training consisted of monkey bars in the park, Pole and not much else really. 
So, girls what training have you been doing to prepare for Tough Mudder?
Debs: I haven’t done any training, laughs – my main aim of the day is not to die!
Emma: I am pretty strong from doing pole every day, but my cardio is rubbish….but it’s all in the mind, if you believe you can do it you will…and I believe I can do it.
Lauren: Yeah but Ems, if you believe you will die then you will right? Laughing……..
Charlie: I wasn’t even going to do it until 2 weeks ago as I was supposed to be in Barcelona…..I am totally terrified…..
Beth: my upper body strength is rubbish so my husband got me a pull up bar at home and a training program to help me improve, plus all the Military Training
So why did you all decide to do TM? Becs: I am planning on joining the Navy so really wanted to challenge myself to something like this as a personal test Becca: When Sara asked us to do it and showed me the previous videos it looked amazing, so I was in straight away.
Emma: It looked amazing and I’d never done anything like it before so thought why not?
What scares you the most?
Charlie: I am really, really claustrophobic so anything in a confined space is going to be really challenging – so Boa Constrictor is really scary
Becca: me too I hate being confined
Becs: I am completely terrified of heights so walk the plank is the one I am really not looking forward to and anything else up high really.
Debs: I hate being submerged in water so it’s going to be a really tough day for me
Sara: Balls to the wall scares me as there is nothing to fall on or into if you can’t hold yourself up, accept the girls I can fall on them right?
Tracey: I’m feeling quite un-prepared so it’s all pretty scary, laughs
Lauren: I hate going under the water so the ice baths
The whole video edit below was filmed on an iON Air Pro 3 mounted on the iON Head mount.
Charlie mastered the Boa Constrictor, Lauren went under the ice baths, Becs jumped off walk the plank and by the time we got to island hopping Debs had been in the water so many times she no longer seemed to care, I even managed to make light work of balls to the wall. Becca wanted to quit after the first mile but as “no man left behind” is part of the Tough Mudder mantra we refused to allow her and she finished triumphant.
Although most of the girls went straight up Everest on their first attempt, it took Debs and me more than several attempts to make it; but Emma, Charlie and Becs refused to give up on me and after around 10 failed attempts adrenalin, determination, the refusal to fail and the dedication of the team got me to the top…..I can honestly say the sheer elation was overwhelming.
