Tough Mudder Philippines 2018: Race Recap

What sets a Tough Mudder apart?

Thousands of participants joined the first ever Tough Mudder Philippines held last July 21-22 at Pontifino Amore in Alabang, Muntinlupa City. And I was one of those who get to experience this historic event.

A week before the race, I got an invitation in behalf of Takbo.ph to join the race. Out of curiosity, I did. I had no preparation, whatsoever, for the obstacle race. The only thing I can bank on to finish the race was my running routine and a few drills.

Past forward to the race event, I met with a small group of people who were also invited by Merrell Philippines to be part of the obstacle race. On our way to the Alabang, we really had no idea what to expect. We were runners and a football player in the vehicle and have very few clues as to what we are about to do.

Gearing Up with Merrell Avalanch

We arrived at the event area in a dewy, sometimes drizzly Saturday morning. The event ground was muddy even just few meters from the road. Well, that answers the mud part of the race. Now the only remaining question is- what is the “tough?”

Several celebrities and TV personalities were also present in the event such as Raymond Gutierez, Gretchen Ho, Erwan Heusaffand Nico Bolzico just to name a few.

I was in the seventh wave of the 5K race (10 obstacles), which started at past 7:30 A.M. With me were JV, Albert and Vincent whom I met on our way to the event. They are also influencers and digital marketers whom were invited by Merrell PH.

Prior to the gun start, Merrell PH provided us with their latest products. Among them are some of their latest trail running shoes that are preferred when tackling the wet and rugged terrain of Tough Mudder. I got the Merrell Avalanch, which is specifically designed to allow you to run though mud.

(Here is my review of the Merrell Avalanch for those who are interested).

Tough Mudder Philippines Race Course

The first obstacle that we went through was the mud crawl which will smear you with mud from the start. Luckily, the barb wires were not that low and you can get on all fours and keep your face from the muddy ground.

Next up was the rings, where I really struggled. The mud makes it slippery and I lose my grip several times before I can even make it to the next ring. It’s in this stage that I met with fellow fitness blogger Jham of Siguecorrer.com, who now works with Spin.ph. We agreed to team up with the remaining obstacles.

The next phase of the race is where you have to throw the notion of finishing by yourself and embrace the concept of teamwork.

Teamwork is Key to Any Tough Mudder Race

The Hero Walls require you to climb a 10-feet tall wooden wall. Here you need to stand on the shoulder of another person while another person on top of the wall lends their hand as you climb up. The secret is really just placing one of your leg above the wall and carefully rolling your body over the other side. Once you’re on top, you can help the ones who are below which what Jham and I did.

Next up is the Skidmarked, which is similar to the Hero Walls. The only difference is the former is tilted. The strategy here is almost similar but we went with boosting the climber and having two people pull them up.

After the climbing part, the course takes you to a section where you need to get down and dirty. The next stage was an open pit with about 5 feet of water and you have to submerge yourself to pass through three beams blocking the surface of the water.

Then you have to make through a series of pool pits of differing depth. You have to be careful when going in each pit as you can’t see its bottom because of the murky water. Many of the pits were shallow, but a few of them reaches above your knees.

Up next is a trench like stage where you have to go over mounds made of mud. Here you need to be careful of you footing especially because there is a chance you may slip as you make your way up. You can also ask for someone to lend you a hand to make your way out quickly.

It’s in these last two stages that I really appreciated that I was wearing the Merrell Avalanch. The shoe is very flexible which allows your feet to adapt on any surface. It easily scrapes even the stickiest mud with its durable lugs allowing you to be always light on your feet.

This is Mudness!

We then made our way to the birth canal which has a tunnel like construction. Here you need to crawl once again to make it to the end. After going out, you will have an idea how you came into this world during childbirth!

Next, you have to make your way through the Devil’s Beard which is a maze with a heavy cargo net all over it. You have the option to go alone, but a partner can help you carry the weight of the net and get out there quicker.

The most exciting part of the race for me was climbing the slanted wall where you need to form two to three layers of people so that other participants can have a foothold. The pouring rain and slippery mud made it quite difficult to climb. Not to mention, organizing people and finding volunteers to perform the pyramid is just as challenging.

(Photo Credit: RJ Espinoza/ Running Photographers)

After which we proceeded with the Hero Carry stage where you have find a buddy and take turns in carrying one another. I really struggled in this part, as I haven’t been doing much lifting in my life and I have a slim build. Hence, it made me think over of joining a crossfit class.

Finally, the most challenging part of the race- the Everest. It’s a curved wall where you ideally have to sprint up and grab the ledge of the wall before climbing up. There is also a section which has a rope to make it the climb easier. However, because the wall was slippery very few people actually were able to sprint and jump up.

Instead, many opted to simply half-sprint and reach out an overhung rope which people at the top would then pull up. Earlier, the Marines from the first wave were able to climb the walls unassisted and using only the sprinting method!

Finish Line and Lasting Impression

I really haven’t had an idea how much time it took for us to finish the race. But I do know that I haven’t had this much fun in a while.

Overall, the Tough Mudder Philippines was an adrenaline field obstacle race which I would recommend to anyone who is into fitness. It’s a total workout for your body, mind (as you need to think strategies) and even social skills (it pays to be friendly in this race).

(Photo Credit: Jv Roa)

Also, getting help from strangers is quite a rare experience in any race, but here its compulsory as the obstacles were designed as so. You can pay their help forward by helping the next person.

So, what sets apart the Tough Mudder aside? Personally, more than the difficulty of the race, it’s the spirit of cooperation and camaraderie that defines this event from the rest. I think that the lesson here for everyone is:

“Working together is better than working alone or against one another.”

 

Thank you to the following people:

  • France for the invitation to this great event
  • Sharon, Lorraine and the rest of the Merrell team for your hospitality
  • Jham for being my obstacle buddy
  • JV, Albert and Vincent for the camaraderie
  • Cali and CJ (Siege) for the pictures

See you guys to our next adventure getaway!

Photo Credit: Merrell Philippines