Courtesy Photo | Members from Coast Guard Station Mayport, Fla., competed in the Tough Mudder race in...... read more read more
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Nine members from Coast Guard Station Mayport competed in the Central Florida Tough Mudder race in Palm Bay, Sunday.
The goal of the race was simply to finish, through the use of teamwork.
The race was 11.5 miles long and consisted of nineteen obstacles that challenged each person’s physical stamina and mental grit. The participants, known as “Mudders”, encountered temperatures in the high 80s while in the middle of a Florida swamp. The Mudders ran on pavement, sand, dirt, and mud surfaces while maneuvering through various and man-made obstacles. Along with obstacles, the Mudders also had to deal with fatigue, cramps, and fear while encountering some of the obstacles.
“A Tough Mudder is the ultimate team-building event for any employer,” said Chief Warrant Officer Nicholas Pavlik, the commanding officer of Station Mayport and a former Tough Mudder race participant. “I was impressed at the mental and physical toughness of the Station Mayport team, and the esprit de corps expressed not only by the team, but all the Tough Mudder participants. It was encouraging and served as a fuel to push on no matter the level of pain.”
The nine-person team finished in three hours and 26 minutes. Some of the obstacles included “Cry Baby” where the Mudders had to crawl through the mud while breathing in a non-lethal tear gas. Another obstacle, dubbed “King of the Swingers”, left participants on a platform, fifteen feet in the air, where they had to leap forward to grab a small metal bar that swung out to a cowbell. The purpose of this was for each person to hit the bell with their hand prior to falling into a pond of muddy water. The staple obstacle was one called “Electroshock Therapy”, where Mudders had to sprint through a mud-filled pit with thousands of wires dangling that were charged with 10,000 volts of electricity. The shock threw the Mudders to the ground where they had to crawl their way to freedom.
The idea for this event began at the end of July. Station Mayport crew members decided to compete in this race after discussing the possibility of a unique Morale, Wellness, and Recreation- sponsored event. Once the event was chosen, the participants began a strict training regimen, achieving personal fitness goals along the way. When the team was 30 days from the competition, they began to focus on equipment they would need. Along with that, the team focused on an endurance and strength training routine that mimicked the Tough Mudder race itself.
Some of the members of the team had participated in Tough Mudder races before. The rest were taking on the course for their very first time.
“I didn’t know what to expect going into this event seeing how it was my first one ever,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Dillon Smith, a boatswain’s mate at Station Mayport. “But if you are looking for a way to mentally and physically challenge your ability not only as an individual, but as a member of a team, this is a great place to do it.”
| Date Taken: | 11.08.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 11.10.2015 12:27 |
| Story ID: | 181583 |
| Location: | MAYPORT, FL, US |
| Web Views: | 120 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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