Last weekend I was faced with one of the toughest challenges I have ever faced. Tough Mudder Whistler. The hype of this crazy obstacle race became a reality and there was no turning back, no more regretting about how much I should have trained running and strengthening my body. As we waited to start the race, the motivational speaker did a great job encouraging us to preserver and not give up in the race.

Things that helped me survive the Tough Mudder
1. Gripped gloves
2. Swimming goggles (People laughed at me but I’m not a strong swimmer and I’m afraid of deep water)
3. Long pants prevented my knees from scrapes & bruises
4. Long sleeve dry fit shirt
5. Hearty breakfast with loads of soaked chia seeds 2hrs before the race
6. Eminence sun powder SPF 30 (waterproofed by spraying Stone Crop Toner) protected me from all the tear gas, sun and mud!
7. Team mates who supported me to get through crazy obstacles like jumping off a wooden plank 20 feet high into a pond of muddy water

Things I wish I brought with me:
1. Pocket size waterproof camera
(Lots of people lost their Go pros in the water)
2. Change of clothing! (I didn’t realize how freezing cold we would get, you can drop off your bag at the check in and there are changing rooms)
3. An extra toothbrush or scrub to get the nasty dirt out of your nails and feet
4. Ziplock bags didn’t protect my ID cards, I wish I purchased the waterproof bags at London Drugs
5. Proper footwear to run through the rocky trails

Would I do it again?… You bet! Not at the time though, but after the race and after a hot shower we realized what we did was crazy but it made us feel a sense of fulfilment and fun.

Besides, doesn’t living life to the fullest include doing crazy things you would never do? The Tough Mudder wasn’t about running a muddy obstacle course with a bunch of other seemingly crazy people. It was about pushing yourself, helping each other persevere and overcoming any obstacle that gets in your way.