Tough Mudder New England and the Seven Sisters Trail Race  are legendary events. One is a new challenge that I want to attempt and the other is my favorite race which I have run for years. This year both events happen on the same weekend and I simply cannot choose one to do. Therefore my goal is to run Tough Mudder on Saturday May 5, 2012 and the Seven Sisters Trail Race on Sunday May 6, 2012. Will you accept the challenge and join me?

The Challenge:

Day 1: Tough Mudder  
Date: May 5, 2012
Location: Mount Snow, VT
Miles: 10
Biggest Challenge: 20+ Obstacles and a lot of climbing.

Tough Mudder claims that it is “Probably the Toughest Event on the Planet.” It backs that claim up with a 10 mile course that climbs Mount Snow’s ski slopes with 20+ obstacles, designed by British Special Forces, along the way. The event focuses on stamina and camaraderie instead of speed. Supposedly only 78% of participants actually complete the race. It seems like Warrior Dash’s bigger, tougher and more extreme brother. 

I have done a few Warrior Dashes and developed a taste for muddy events. Tough Mudder should present an even muddier and more intense challenge that I simply do not want to miss.

Day 2: Seven Sisters Trail Race

Date: May 6, 2012
Location:  Amherst, Massachusetts 
Miles: 12
Biggest Challenge: Relentless hills.
Part of the Seven Sisters course
Don’t let the dated website fool you, this event is intense. It is an out and back trail race on 12+ miles of single track trail with 3,700 feet of climbing. It gets its name from the seven mountains that participants must run up and down twice. Hazards such as steep hills, loose rocks, roots and mud will mess with runner’s minds throughout the race. There is only one flat section on this course and it is about the length of a football field.

This is the race I grew up with; I started running it as a teenager who knew nothing about training, tech fabrics or proper hydration  Since then I have run the Seven Sisters race many times and have developed as a runner with each event. I do not want to miss it this year.

I will probably be pretty sore and tired from the Tough Mudder which will make the Seven Sisters Trail Race even harder. Hopefully, proper training and a lot of stubbornness will come in handy to get me to the finish line.

Can it be done?
Completing the challenge will require over 22 miles of running, thousands of feet of climbing and countless obstacles. This won’t be easy, but that is what makes it fun. I am going to train as hard as possible to make it happen. Will you join me?