There are only a couple of weeks until Tough Mudder descends on various locations around the UK. Of course we can trust that you’ve been busy with our Tough Mudder training schedules so all that’s left for us to do is provide some last minute event day advice.
Completing Tough Mudder is one of the most satisfying accomplishments you can achieve. With most of the preparation now done there are just a few things that can give you an edge for the main event. Here are our top ten tips in a step-by-step guide to ensure that you smash event day.
1. Eat Heartily the Night Before
The night before your event eat a meal you enjoy and that you are used to. The aim is to ensure the meal is rich in carbohydrates such as pasta, rice, bread or potatoes. This meal will ensure carbohydrate stores in your muscles and liver are stocked up. These stores are essentially the petrol to the engine on event day. We all know that an engine cannot run on an empty tank, so boosting these carbohydrate stores will reduce the risk of fatigue during the course.
2. Bring Clean Underwear
Yes. You did read that correctly. As well as a clean set of clothes and a towel you’re going to want some clean pants and socks too. Believe us when we say that every single inch of you is going to get wet and muddy and there ain’t nothing worse than wet kegs.
If you still haven’t prepped your event day gear, then don’t forget to check out our advice on the best kit to wear on course.
3. Get Some Carbohydrates in at Breakfast
Similarly to the night before, priming the body with carbohydrates at breakfast is one way to ensure that your performance does not suffer during the day. Stick to breakfast meals and products you have used in the build up to Tough Mudder; porridge, toast, cereal, bagels and fruit juice are all great choices. Try to keep fat and fibre to a minimum too, otherwise you might find you’re hunting for a portaloo after the first obstacle.
4. Check the Weather
This is the UK and although that normally means grey skies and rain, sometimes the weather can be as unpredictable as Electroshock Therapy. Check the weather for your venue the morning of your event. If it is cold and raining you’ll need extra layers but if by some miracle it’s looking sunny make sure you’re slapping on that high factor sun cream.
Seriously, sunburn clashes with the orange headband.
5. Keep Hydrated Before, During and After
Don’t neglect drinking before you start the course. Keep a bottle with you and take small sips all morning. Little and often is key as dehydration may impact your performance and make it much harder for you to cross the finish line.
6. Remember You Can Skip Obstacles
It won’t make you a failure, you’ll still get your headband and you’ll definitely still be considered a Tough Mudder. The course is supposed to push you out of your comfort zone but if you’re not sure you can complete an obstacle, if you think you could get injured or you’re just not feeling comfortable, then it is absolutely 100% okay for you to give it a miss. The only person who knows their limits, who knows what their body can and cannot do – is you.
7. Don’t Be Shy
When we say Tough Mudder is about teamwork and camaraderie, we don’t just mean with the people you came with. Accept that leg up from a total stranger and pay it back to someone you don’t know later on in the course. These obstacles aren’t small and they aren’t easy, even with a big team you may find you need a couple more arms and legs to get you up and over.
8. Arrange a Place to Meet
If you’re coming with a team then pick a point to meet in case you get separated through out the day. Of course you’ll take on the course together but once you’ve got your headband and people are disappearing off to get changed, find food and drink or buy sweet event-day merch it’s easy to lose track. Plus, with so many people in one place and the fact that Tough Mudder takes place in a big old field, don’t expect much signal.
So pick a spot and agree with everyone that if you get split up that’s where you’ll reconvene.
9. Eat a Meal You Enjoy Afterwards – You Deserve It
Eat a meal you enjoy, this is a celebration. The meal should be rich in carbohydrates (as if we needed to tell you that) to top up those stores in the body which are likely to be pretty low having just completed the course. But really, have whatever the hell you want, you earned it out there in the mud.
10. Book Your Next Tough Mudder Stat
Once you’ve crossed the finish line you’re going to feel an incredible mix of emotion, plus exhaustion and probably hunger. You’re going to want to run it again, we can tell you that now. So keep an eye on your inbox in the days after your event because we’ll be sending you our best deals for next year – seriously you’ll be able to buy a ticket at the lowest price possible.