Our Tough Muddy Dad

This weekend Beau participated in the Tough Mudder Competition that was here in Utah. As they say "probably the toughest event on the planet."  He was part of a team of friends and a couple of his brothers.  After lots of rain the previous day and evening, he knew it looked like it was going to be a pretty chilly day.  I ended up deciding that it would probably be best if I not go and take the kids.  They wouldn't have lasted that long in the cold, and I don't know if I would have lasted long physically or emotionally myself if I was dealing with meltdowns all day while I still recover. We sent our love and support and told his parents to take lots of picture and videos so we could watch. 

Here they are getting ready to begin, those happy smiles won't last too long.

This was the course of  12 miles and 21 obstacles.  Most of the obstacles were out of view for those watching, and so most of the pictures we have are of only a few of the obstacles.  



The first obstacle of the day - the kiss of mud.  Lucky for them the live wires weren't quite working yet.

 Mud pit after mud pit.

 

Lots and Lots of water.

Hurting, cold, tired, hungry and exhausted.

By this point near the end of the obstacles they had no grip left in their hands, and with the bars rolling it was impossible for any of them to stay on it.

  

Everest or the half pipe was one of the last obstacles. By this point they were so sore and exhausted. All of them but one was able to make it up.

The final event is here in video.  Electroshock therapy.  Next time Beau will just walk past it. There's one thing to prove and push yourself in a tough obstacle, and one that just hurts and gives pain.  You'll see one of his team members in the video get hit wrong. It make him black out, fall and implant his open eye into the mud and straw.  It came out caked, and took a while for the EMT's to clean it out, and they still missed peices. Hopefully it didn't damage it too bad.

Hours later, exhausted, hurting and cold they officially finished!  

 He said it was a lot of fun. He enjoyed seeing how he could push himself, he loved the camaraderie that you feel with everyone, as your helping strangers and other team members so that everyone can finish. He'd do it again except for the Electric Shock.  So we'll see come next June when it's in Utah again if they're up for another round.

The kids were so excited to hear all about it. They had been watching all the videos online to know the obstacles and what he would be doing.  Isaac wanted to keep his headband he earned by finishing. I told him he didn't earn it, he'd have to earn his own someday.   The kids also made a poster for him when they he got home.

 Here's Isaac's.  His dad with the electric shocks and the half pipe he had to climb.

Savannah's showing how tough he is in protecting our family.

Mirians. I just love this one.  They all have mustaches, because many grow them for it showing their manhood and toughness.

Here's Caitlyn's.  Mud all over his face and the wires that he had to climb through. I love how they all have their own interpretation of it.

He can hardly walk now, exhausted and drinking lots of fluids, and need of a massage, but had a great time doing and we are proud of him! Way to go Dad!