Tough Mudder and Running for a Purpose

To start, Tough Mudder encapsulates a crazy journey for me over the last three years. I started eating healthy and going to the gym regularly starting in May of 2014. Two months later I was thinking about something that I could to do to set a goal for myself physically. 

For anyone who knew me before that point, this sounds insane. I was never an athletic person and had never run more than a mile at time. I just didn't care; I was addicted to sugar drinking 6+ cans of Coke a day. 

I remember seeing something about adventure races on the travel channel and thinking I'll never do that, it was too insane. For some reason, I remembered this and started looking up different races. I came across Tough Mudder. There was something there that resonated with what I wanted to do and being able to push myself mentally and physically. The idea of actively working towards something that an average person would find insane, but once it’s done is one of the most exhilarating feelings. 

The day I bought the first tickets I knew I was going to do it. I just knew. From that day I've been trying to talk anyone who will listen to me into doing the run. Now, I have a committed group of friends that will run it with me every year. Being put in these situations builds group cohesion and camaraderie that very few activities can. Plus, when you have one friend at the top of the obstacle saying “you can do it” and another one behind you, there’s nothing that can stop you. There are no words to describe the energy with everyone on the course pushing their limits and those around them.

As the event has matured they have built a fundraising platform using Crowdrise.com to allow runners to choose a charity to run for. This is a huge change for events like this because usually they are sponsored by a single charity.  Team Rubicon is the official charity for Chicago 2017 Tough Mudder. 

For the last two years, I've supported the Chive Charities.  Their mission statement is simple: Making the world 10% Happier. The charity was spawned from the internet blog theChive.com. This website started off as flash charity campaigns that took place on websites like Crowdrise. What makes the charity different is the way they handle the stories about the recipients. They give you the stories of the kids, the first responders, the veterans, and the selfless. The stories give you a glimpse at the lives of these people and show that even through all the hardship these people still have hope. The people that expect the littlest help are the ones that deserve it the most. These people and their amazing stories show the depth of human capacity in a world where we see all the negativity on a twenty-four-news cycle. It shines a light on a different side. A self-less side.

This my way of giving back to people who are brought into the world with so many hardships and don’t complain or ask for anything. By putting myself through something as difficult as the Tough Mudder, and doing it for something bigger than myself, makes it even more rewarding. The Chive is known for partying for a purpose so I’ll borrow that phrase and run for purpose.

All I ask is that you check out what the Chive Charities are all about. At the very least spread the word that some people in this world are selfless enough to try and make the work 10% happier.

Links:

Chive Charities - https://chivecharities.org/

Fundraiser - https://www.crowdrise.com/chive-charities6/fundraiser/erichwenzel

- Erich