Today's longread is a profile of the Tough Mudder races and the business team behind them. As the number of races -- 5Ks, 10Ks, half and full marathons, triathlons -- has increased (at least judging by the number of event t-shirts seen in public), it is not surprising that certain events have seized on the level of difficulty as a means of differentiation. One one hand, I understand the appeal of Tough Mudder and the concept of pushing yourself to an extreme. On the other hand, though, I've spent way too much time in physical therapy to risk injuring myself in circumstances like this. For me, the benefits simply aren't worth the risks.
Beyond just analyzing the psychology of participating in Tough Mudder, this article also looks at Tough Mudder as a business. Clearly, effective marketing has been essential as they've found a way to effectively stoke people's competitive fire.
If you're interested in another extreme race that puts Tough Mudder to shame but that isn't focused on building a business, check out Longread #147.
"Tough Mudder: Mud, Sweat & No Tears" by Josh Eells
Published in Men's Journal, October 2012
http://www.mensjournal.com/magazine/print-view/tough-mudder-mud-sweat-no-tears-20121030
Eric
seems kind of ridiculous to me but a hell of a business for those guys while it lasts. I don't really see that a "functional" exercise either.
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