My nephew just reminded me that in May next year, I’ll be doing a Tough Mudder. I have no idea how I allowed myself to be persuaded to do something so remarkably silly, but there we go. Something for me to look forward to.

For those unfamiliar, a Tough Mudder is a 10-12 mile obstacle race designed to get you very, very muddy. Some people think this is fun. Me? I’m not so sure. Apart from anything else, I have hopeless upper body strength, so the idea of heaving myself over walls leaves me somewhat concerned.

My Current Fitness Routine

Let me take stock of where I am now:

Daily morning routine:

  • Press ups
  • Burpees
  • Sit-ups
  • Plank
  • Two yoga positions

Running schedule: Four to five times per week on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday (sometimes Friday too). This plan comes from Jason Fitzgerald at Strength Runners, and it seems like a solid running base.

Strength training: Gym sessions on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, focusing on building strength.

Daily activity: I make sure to hit 10,000 steps every day. This is easy on running days, but on rest days I go on random meanders to get the steps up.

The Tools and Tracking

I track my exercise using a Tom Tom Multi Cardio Watch and Fitbit. During workouts, I listen to podcasts (some better than others). At the gym, I use my phone to show me exercises, hoping to keep my form good. Unfortunately, I haven’t found an app with all the exercises I want to do.

For diet, I do rough tracking with MyFitnessPal. I don’t worry too much about what I eat, but I try to ensure my calories are less than what I burn. However, since many dishes I eat are approximations, I suspect I’m eating more calories than I think. This is probably why my weight loss is so slow.

The Reality Check

To be honest, I’m not worried about my weight anymore. For me, it’s more about how I feel fitness-wise and how I look. But I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t still room for improvement.

The big question: Is my current routine enough to get me through a Tough Mudder? Those wall climbs and rope pulls are going to test that “hopeless upper body strength” I mentioned.

What do you think? Have you done a Tough Mudder? What should I be focusing on in my training between now and May?