HDD Broker Takes on Tough Mudder
By Trenchless Technology - February 2, 2013
Employees from trenchless equipment supplier HDD Broker successfully led a 16-person team through a Tough Mudder event in Sarasota, Fla., on Dec. 1, 2012. The group, which consisted of HDD Broker staff, customers and some participants from the local Vermeer dealer, finished the event in three and a half hours, covering 12 miles and 25 obstacles.
Tough Mudder events consist of 10- to 12-mile obstacle courses originally conceived by members of the Special Forces in the United Kingdom to test all around strength and endurance. Dozens of events are held around the world each year and have attracted millions of participants since 2010. One of the big draws of Tough Mudder is that the proceeds benefit the Wounded Warrior Project to support injured war veterans.
Last January, several staff members from HDD Broker, including general manager Bob Martin came up with the idea to give it a try, thinking it would be a great way to raise money and also get in shape. They began a strict training regimen to get in shape for the event and after 10 months of intense preparation, the "Tough Broker" team, as they referred to themselves on the company's online blog to track training progress, completed the event.
"There really is no sugar coating it," said Martin. "Tough Mudder was a harsh experience - 12 miles over uneven ground, passing through pastureland, forests and swampy areas. Every half mile or so you get a break from running...by having to navigate a military-style obstacle such as swimming through icy cold water, scaling massive walls, crawling under charged electrical lines or leaping from a 30-ft high tower into a muddy pond.
"By mile eight, runners were dropping like flies, massaging cramping calf muscles or limping to waiting medical stations. Teamwork was key, with every member helping the other over obstacles or working through painful muscle spasms. Our Tough Broker odyssey was full of challenges, but more importantly, victories. Subjecting one's self to such a challenging regime of exercise and diet was not the easiest thing that one could do, but it was one of the most rewarding."
The HDD Broker team raised more than $3,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project as a result of their efforts. So what's next for the team? "Tough Mudder Miami is coming up in March," Martin said. "We'd better get training."
Published on Trenchless Technology.
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