World’s Toughest Mudder

by Alicia Norek

A local 22-year-old has taken part in one of the hardest events in the world, Tough Mudder.

Tough Mudder events are hardcore 10 to 12 mile obstacle courses designed by British Special Forces to test all around strength, stamina, mental grit and camaraderie. They are the premier adventure challenge series in the world.

World’s Toughest Mudder is a 24-hour race designed to determine the toughest man and woman on the planet, which is held in Englishtown, N.J.. Over 450,000 people completed a Tough Mudder course in 2012, with the top five per cent of finishers qualifying for their series finale Worlds Toughest Mudder event.

1,300 qualifiers gathered Nov 17 to take the challenge where they were given 24 hours to complete as many laps of a grueling 10-mile, 40 obstacle Tough Mudder course as possible.

Derrick Brecka participated in a Tough Mudder event in Barrie, Ont. in August and qualified for World’s Toughest Mudder. Brecka worked out and trained hard over the next three months to do the most challenging thing he said he’s ever done.

“It’s amazing. Tough Mudder itself is amazing. A bunch of strangers all helping each other to finish the course,” said Brecka. “And then World’s Toughest Mudder is a whole different league of toughness.”

Brecka said it continually tests your mental and physical strength. Even when resting in your tent you’re fighting with the cold.  You have to push yourself to go further.

Junyong Pak from Beverley, Mass. was World’s Toughest Mudder last year and took again this year.

“From 4 to 7 p.m I had to stop. I was recuperating. That’s when number two passed me, and we went back and forth the whole time. You can’t even put it on scale, the decisions I had to make to not quit,” said Pak. “It was the event that kind of chose me, I didn’t choose it, and it got in my face and said, ‘You can’t do this,’ so I had to say ‘Yes I can.’”

Pak and female leader Amelia Boone from Chicago completed nine laps of the course, while Brecka completed four.

“Doing this one automatically qualifies you for 2013’s WTM so I’m planning on going already,” said Brecka.

Tough Mudder’s front line man Sean Corvelle said it’s not just the start for him, it’s about roaming the course, talking to participants and greeting them at the finish line.

“They got us busy, boy, and it’s all thanks to you guys,” said Corvelle.

Half a million participants raised $3 million for the Wounded Warrior Project which is a non profit organization that helps American serviceman and servicewomen who have been severely injured.

Tough Mudder’s schedule for next year has back-to-back dates around the globe and hundreds of people have already signed up.

 

 
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