Emma Mensendiek and Jacob Brewer both have competed in Tough Mudder races, but during the Inaugural Tough Mudder Classic Saturday at Ceraland Park, they wanted their families to join them.
Brewer formed, “Team Brewtstrength,” and he said they had more than 10 people that committed to compete at Tough Mudder, but several had to back out at the last minute. However, that didn’t stop them at having fun.
Tough Mudder provided a great atmosphere. Whether someone was racing competitively or running to have fun on either the 25-obstacle Classic course or the 13-obstacle 5K course, it also became a perfect opportunity to build better bonds within family and friends, and most importantly, the art of teamwork.
“It’s nice to show yourself that you can do something challenging and do it together,” Mensendiek said.
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Mensendiek ran a Tough Mudder last year and completed her first Spartan Race, which is similar to Tough Mudder, last month in Lawrenceburg. She is a 2017 Columbus East graduate and participated in cross-county, wrestling and track.
Brewer played football and track while attending Brownstown Central until he graduated in 2016. He is one of the leaders that put into motion of getting a team together.
The team competed on the Classic course with 25 obstacles to face. Several of the obstacle names included the Kiss of Mud 2.0, Pitfall, Texas Hold’Em, King of the Mountain, Mudderhorn, Leap of Faith, The Gauntlet and Electroshock.
“It’s definitely easier when you’re on a team so you can have help to get up the walls because I’m 5-foot, and I couldn’t get up the wall by myself,” Mensendiek said. “Other teams will also help other teams, too. It’s not just our team; it’s everybody.”
On one of the more challenging obstacles, Ladder to Hell, was not the typical, average ladder. One would have to take big strides to reach each rung of the ladder, climb over the top, and take big strides to begin the descent back down.
Another obstacle, Everest 2.0, is similar to the Warped Wall from the television competition series American Ninja Warrior.
“When other teams got to the top, they will help other teams get over. Whenever some of the stronger people in some teams got over, then they would help,” Mensendiek said. “It’s just like a chain reaction pretty much.”
Brewer has the most experience competing in Tough Mudders. He recalls completing six or seven races and does a little bit of training to help prepare for the challenge ahead.
“We actually have four of us friends that we travel all over the U.S. and do Spartan Races, Sprints and Trifectas,” Brewer said. “This past year, we went to California, North Carolina and Ohio. Next year, we hope to go to Texas, Florida and Montana. If this one is here (in Columbus) next year, we’ll be here again.”
With Tough Mudder being in Columbus for the next four years, Mensendiek and Brewer are hoping there will be a bigger turnout for the team and for the event in the next few years.
“It’s a lot of fun because every time you come out, there is at least one new obstacle,” Brewer said. “It’s always something that you’re not expecting — there’s some kind of mystery. You get new people that haven’t done one and just to see their reactions like, ‘Oh my gosh, we’re doing that,’ and just helping them through, you have to really love teamwork for the Tough Mudder.”
