On creating the obstacles…
Ideas are generated from participants’ input through obstacle design competitions, staff concepts and requests, or from everyday life.
We could probably pen an entire novel around how we come up with the obstacles, but to give you the abridged version.
Our product team toils endlessly with ideas. Puts the best ones through a basic design process. Turns them over to our construction team to determine build measures and specifications then advises what can be done. Finally the product team selects which ones to live test.
After this exhaustive process, we tweak and refine to ensure our Mudders are receiving the one-of-a-kind experience Tough Mudder is known for.
On how they’re tested…
Obstacle designs are tested through alpha and beta testing.
After the designs are selected, Tough Mudder will build the concept on an event site and test internally (alpha). We then make adjustments and build to scale to test at one of our events (beta).
Participants are then asked for their feedback and input. New obstacles can go through the process in as little as a few months or as long as a year-long roll out process.
On his favourite obstacle…
I’ve got two.
My favourite to watch is Electroshock Therapy. This really tests your mental grit and watching our Mudders overcome their fears is phenomenal. Plus, they get shocked in the process making it wildly entertaining.
The one I like to do the most is Blockness Monster. It requires teamwork to accomplish and is remarkably fun to do. You need to keep the block rotating, so it requires a process of lifting the block and maintaining the inertia.
You are instantly transformed to your much younger self with smiles and laughter bellowing out as you ride the block’s movement.
And least favourite…
Easy, Arctic Enema. Submerging yourself in freezing water is not something I’m too keen on. Much prefer warmer weather and this one freezes me to my core.
On obstacles that didn’t make it…
There are many obstacles that live in our “archives” that ultimately were not deemed safe enough. One that comes to mind is Hot Shots. This challenge was to down a shot of hot sauce and jump into Arctic Enema. It wasn’t too well received.
But each live obstacle is put through an exhaustive process that must achieve our internal Safety Committee approval.
Even though we may scrape your arms and legs, dump you in freezing cold water and shock you, participant safety is of our highest priority.