Saturday, November 29, 2014
HUBBARD
Two city men who went to the Nevada desert earlier this month to challenge themselves against The World’s Toughest Mudder are pleased with how they did.
Despite some temperature swings, a lot of swimming and some formidable obstacles man-made and natural, Chad Macek and John Madeline, both 24, said they will do it again.
Madeline has to rest his knee from a case of tendinitis until the Tough Mudders start their races again in March. They are 10- to 12-mile obstacle courses designed to test strength, stamina, teamwork and mental grit, according to the Tough Mudder organization’s website.
Macek knows now what he has to work on, he said, especially his swimming — there was a lot of it at the world competition Nov. 15-16 in Lake Las Vegas.
The world course will be there again next year, he said. He and Madeline both want to try again to complete 75 miles in the 5-mile course that loops in a
24-hour marathon.
Macek placed 18th in the 20- to 24-year-old age group and 289th overall, completing 45 miles after dropping back to help a struggling friend. She completed 40 miles, he said.
Madeline did 60 miles, coming in fifth in his age group of 20- to 24-year-old men and placing 54th overall. There were 1,300 overall competitors.
You have to be in shape to do the Tough Mudder courses, but the competitions are not cutthroat. The runs are not timed, and runners are encouraged to help one another over the obstacles.
The world competition was no different, said Madeline, but what was different were a lot of the obstacles.
Read more about the competition in Sunday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.