How to Train for Your Next Mud Run in Any Environment

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Posting photos from your Tough Mudder team on Instagram has become as popular as posting pictures of your brunch or of yourself making a

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2.

No. 1 - B.Y.O.D.

It is easy to find standing water in the city, whether if be in a puddle, running off of a gutter, or in a public fountain. The hard thing is to find dirt. Even parks might have "stay off the grass" signs and you may be stuck on the asphalt. What do you do? Well, we bring our own dirt (B.Y.O.D.). Pack a couple bags of dirt and put them in your pockets. When you do find even a little bit of standing water (say in a drained public fountain, as above), you'll be able to mud yourself up without actually having to find mud. This will help you better mimic the conditions of your mud run. Dress for the race you want to be in, not the one you're currently running.

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No. 2 - Invent Your Own Obstacle Course

When you get out to your mud run you are probably going to see some crazy obstacles. Maybe you will find a rope ladder swinging in your path or a line of old tires you have to negotiate. How do you prepare for these conditions in the big city? There are many obstacles present in this habitat if you think about it, and we aren't just talking about tourists. Jump a trash can, swing around a lamp post Gene Kelly style, or perhaps even do a barrel roll over a slumbering hobo. The more creative you get now, the better prepared you will be to scale a pile of hay bales or utilize a mandatory rope swing on the big day.

No. 3 - Subsist On Your Natural Habitat

You think there's going to be a grocery store waiting for you out in the wild of your mud run? Maybe there will be one on the other side of the parking lot, but not on the course, brother. No, you have to plan to take what Mother Nature gives you. As you can see here, our intrepid reporter used his resourcefulness to find subsistence the only way he knew how. Your going to get hungry on the day of your mud run, and you better get used it now, because between color coordinating with your team and making matching outfits it will be easy to forget to pack some baggies of granola for the when you get a bit peckish.

No. 4 - Be Mindful of Pedestrians

Believe it or not, not everyone you will encounter on a bustling city block is going to be there training for their own mud races. They may be commuting to work, strolling with a loved one or making the customary walk of shame on a lovely weekend morning. Here's the thing though: on the day of the race, everyone around you will be a competitor. How do you mimic those conditions? Imagine all all the people you see are in a race with you. Since they will mostly be walking and you will be running, this will not only push you to be your best, but help your self-esteem. Just don't get too competitive and shove passers-by out of the way. Since you are already caked in mud, you look like a crazy person. Don't give the fuzz an excuse to cut your training day short.

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No. 5 - There are Some Things You Just Can't Do While Training for a Mud Run

Focus. Focus. Focus. There are going to be distractions while training for your mud run. Urban environments offer a ton of them and it is your job to avoid them.  When you are on the street, you will run by bars where you may want grab a drink and girls who are looking sexy in jeggings who you may feel compelled to holler at, even though you are caked in mud. If you run in a park, you will see special seasonal events like the one above. You are a warrior. You are training for a mud run. Never take your eye off of the prize. Remember, that ice skating rink, pony ride, or caricature artist will likely be there next weekend, when you are taking a well-deserved day off from your rigorous mud run training regimen.

But for now, get out there and get your mud on!

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