Tough Mudder

Wednesday I decided to try and run a few miles. The weather was cold and rainy. Since I still felt like crap, I decided to do all my running on the treadmill. Down in the basement, struggling to put one foot in front of the other while watching Regis, I felt like I was sucking in water. My chest was so congested that I felt like I was breathing through water, not a good feeling. Luckily for me, my run was cut short by the arrival of a friend. That was 2 and 1/2 of the toughest miles ever. Thank you Jordan for giving me an out.

Anyway, my friend is also a fellow runner. He and a group of his buddies are participating in a unique run this weekend, a "Tough Mudder." Their website claims that it "is not your average lame-@$$ mud run or spirit-crushing ‘endurance’ road race. Our 10-12 mile obstacle courses are designed by British Special Forces to test all around strength, stamina, mental grit, and camaraderie. Forget finish times. Simply completing a Tough Mudder is a badge of honor." The course "consists of a 10-12 mile trail run over uneven, hilly, and wet ground that includes 20-25 military-style obstacles." Only about 78% of participants actually finish this monster. This is totally over the top.

Long distance running can be pretty boring for some. You might even say that it can be...dare I say it... a little easy. It can become routine, mundane, something that you have to do out of obligation not desire. Just running. I cant believe that this thing Jordan is going to do could ever become anything less than exhilarating, unpredictable, an utter challenge. This type of race will require each person to be ready! You just cant get up one day and decide you want to do this. This is something that one must train for, put in hours of preparation. Sometimes you got to spice it up like this, change the scenery, add obstacles, mix up training styles, anything but the "dreadmill."

I think this "Tough Mudder" is like taking a mission trip; a mission trip to a place that can truly test a person. A place that stretches your faith, that throws obstacles at you, that is spiritually uneven, hilly, and grounded in swamp-like beliefs. It can help to keep you focused. It will require of you to be ready. It will demand of you to train, to study. You must be focused. You must be determined. You must be resolute when you take this trip. This mission trip to a place that truly tests your faith. A place like Haiti, like Africa, like....Kentucky.

Do it out of desire not just obligation. It will be an utter challenge, unpredictable, nothing less than exhilarating.