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Mud sweat and cheers

Teams endure Tough Mudder obstacle course in Whistler

Crazy may be the first word that comes to mind when hearing about the Tough Mudder competition being held in Whistler this weekend. Anyone with an ounce of sensibility might think twice about taking part, but rumours are at least four teams from Powell River will be heading into winter conditions at Whistler Olympic Park.

One of those groups is a five-man team made up of auxiliary firefighters. Darryl Jackson is the firefighters’ team leader. Together with teammates Ryan Kolba, Kyle Vasseur, Donald Cannon and Brent Del Giudice, Jackson said the event has motivated the firefighters to improve their health. “I had come across the advertisement for it online and I looked at it and it just looked like a lot of fun and an enormous challenge,” he said. “At the time I had been wanting to get myself back into shape anyway so this was kind of a motivator.” That was just over six months ago and since then, the team has been running and going to the gym at least a couple of times a week.

Looking at the Tough Mudder official website, it is easy to see that competitors need to be in peak condition to endure the 10- to 12-mile obstacle course. Submerging into mud-filled tunnels, climbing under and over barbed wire, and helping each other up a 20-foot wall will test even the toughest athletes attempting the British Special Forces-designed course.

None of the team members have participated in the Tough Mudder competition before. Tough Mudder began in 2010 and rapidly took off across the United States. Over the past two seasons more than half a million participants have taken part worldwide and the organization has raised over $3 million for its chosen charity, Wounded Warrior Project.

For the firefighters, the event has provided an opportunity to raise funds for the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund. “Any opportunity we get to raise money for that we like to take advantage of,” said Jackson. “The Wounded Warrior Project is a great cause and part of the registration is a donation from all registrants to that. But we also wanted to take the opportunity to raise money for the burn fund because in the way that the Wounded Warrior Project is close to the hearts of the Tough Mudders, the burn fund is close to our hearts.”

This is the first time the Tough Mudder course has been attempted in Canada. As popularity spreads, countries such as Scotland, Australia, Germany and England are now hosting events.

“It looks like a lot of fun,” said Jackson. Indeed, competitors finishing the course splattered in mud yet exhilarated after finishing one of the world’s most difficult obstacle courses, can relax with a complimentary fresh pint of beer. Teams are encouraged to wear funny costumes to keep the event light-hearted.

The course at Whistler is only a few days away. “All of us are getting a little anxious,” said Jackson. “We have been looking forward to it for so long, we have been counting the days literally and now that it is getting closer I think we are getting more and more excited.”

The firefighters will run the gauntlet on Saturday, June 23. Any readers wishing to know more about Tough Mudder can visit the organization's website. Donations can be received at any point to the burn fund directly through the charity’s website.