Beale Air Force Base, Calif. –
Billed as "Ironman meets Burning Man," Tough Mudder is a 10-12 mile trail run with more than 20 military-style obstacles designed by British Special Forces, including electric shocks, ice-cold plunges, eight-foot walls, barbed-wire crawls, and 100-foot-long mud pits.
Maneuvering through this extreme course as a team was just the type of challenge a group of 940th Civil Engineering Squadron Reservists decided they were up for. They dubbed themselves "CST Prime BEEF" (Combat Support Team Prime Base Expeditionary Engineering Force), submitted their registration, then began to train.
"Anyone with a fitness goal should consider doing this," said Tech. Sgt. Steve Gennuso, 940th CES Unit Deployment Manager. "It's about facing your fears and anxieties and pushing yourself past your limitations."
On the morning of Sept. 17, the CST Prime BEEF team gathered in the Squaw Valley Ski Resort parking lot, along with thousands of other participants, to take part in Northern California's Tough Mudder 2011.
"Tough Mudder's not a race. It's a mental and endurance challenge. The goal is simply to complete the course as a team," said Gennuso. "The event emphasizes teamwork and camaraderie."
The Squaw Valley course is the steepest venue in the history of the international event, according to Gennuso.
"Our team was up for it, but until you put yourself through it and come out at the end, you just never know," Gennuso said. "Tough Mudder is definitely a great challenge. At the same time, it supports a great cause."
In 2010, Tough Mudder raised $707,398 for the event's official charity partner, Wounded Warrior Project. A year later, Tough Mudder has grown from 3 to 14 scheduled events, with a goal of raising $3 million for WWP.
"It was hard. It was grueling. But it was awesome. And to be able to do it for our wounded warriors was my honor," said retired Chief Master Sgt. Bill Strang. "The team spirit to get through that was amazing. I can't wait to do it again with these guys."
The 940th CES Tough Mudder team included Gennuso, Strang, Tech. Sgt. Grant Kohler, Master Sgt. Ken Fickas, Tech. Sgt. Daniel Murphy, Master Sgt. Michael Trotti, Senior Airman Melissa Parent, and a civilian friend, Will Mielenz. Capt. Katherine Maurer of the 940th CES also participated in the event.
"We're already looking at next year. We're going to be game on again," Gennuso said.
For a listing of upcoming 2011 Tough Mudder events, visit http://toughmudder.com/events/.