I did the TM on Sunday!
I twisted my ankle a few weeks before the event so pretty much did zero training. Went into this dehydrated and lacking sleep (had to work the night before until 3am, got up at 7am to drive to Whistler)
The ankle was tender but "ok" to go. 2km in it started to throb and swell a bit, but meh fuck it MUDDER TIME! ... 17km to go!
To my own disbelief I successfully completed all the obstacles, as others mentioned the obstacles themselves were not too bad. Challenged your fear of heights (which I admit I'm really bad with), claustrophobia, limb numbing freezing water.
- I kinda got dizzy from vertigo at the top of the Hells Ladder, took me a min to get my leg over the top, worried I was gonna slip off and break my back.
- The ice bath... well it sounds stupid but I really didn't expect it to be THAT COLD ... I mean it's ice... and yes it's cold ... but HORY SHIET after running roughly 4km to get to Arctic Enema, then jumping in ... God damn I swear my balls shrank so fast it almost knocked me unconscious. I couldn't breathe for a second from the shock.
- Before the race the only obstacle I thought I was gonna fail at was the monkey bars, after running 17km, then crossing the inclined bars seemed a daunting task. I almost slipped off near the end but I clung on by the finger tips and made it to the last bar without falling in!
- The Mud Mile was also disgusting and I slipped which made it worse ... but yeah it was more mental than physical.
- Did I mention the dozen fat mosquitos I fed on this trek?... so damn itchy ...
- The worst obstacle for me personally was that "mini-Grouse Grind" after 16km of pounding the rocky pavement. My legs cramped really bad and my knees literally locked up. I had to stretch them out and I was almost in tears as I powered my up way. Every step felt like I was getting a thousand needles jammed through my ACL/MCL.
and of course the next morning I felt like I was hit by a bus. Even turning over in bed hurt like shit.
But in the end, mission accomplished! It was a great experience and lotsa laughs!