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TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE ARTICLE
Cesar Cano
November 6, 2012

Greetings

It seem only like yesterday that Jonathan Brown (Sales Specialist) and Bob Martin (General Manager) were playing with the idea of individually entering the Tough Mudder competition. Yes, 8 months ago, only desk jockeys inhabited the halls of HDD Broker. Now, the halls are roamed by Tough Brokers. As one of those former desk jockeys, I have seen and felt the transformation within myself. Still, the biggest benefit of this transformation is feeling great in doing my part to raise funds for the Wounded Warrior Charity.

Recently, our friends at Trenchless Technology Magazine wrote an article about our efforts. So, don’t forget to pick up your October issue to find out how can help your favorite Tough Broker raise money and what it has taken him or her to prepare for the Tough Mudder competition.

You can find a copy of the article here: http://www.hddbroker.com/en/articles/trenchless-technology-tough-brokers.php

Cesar



WHAT'S A TOUGH BROKER TO DO?
Cesar Cano
September 5, 2012

What's a Tough Broker to do?

So, recently I talked about attending a 12 hour night race. The opportunity, as I referred to it at the time, came to me two weeks before the event. What's a tough broker to do? I could not turn it down. Although, pieces of my anatomy wish that I did. You know to be a desk jockey; there are not a lot of requirements. Still, I found maintaining that familiar position which I've been doing since I discovered television to be the ultimate challenge.

Don't get me wrong, the race was just brutal. To udder the words that many men before me have said and the many after who will have the privilege, "my wife was right." Yes, it turns out that not all races are the same and one does need conditioning to ride a bike for more than 7hours straight. It turns out that just because you never forget how to ride a bike, it does not mean your body will thank you for doing it in the woods and at night.

In the cloak of darkness, is where most of this race took place. Surrounding us where the sounds of life before man's technological achievements. In the distance, we could hear the sounds of a bird stalking. At times, the synchronized deafening croaking of the frogs suffocated all sounds in the atmosphere, including our own voices. Still, the most unsettling sounds were the deep grunts of the alligators that inhabited the marsh.

From time to time, we saw their yellow eyes observe us as we raced our bikes through the terrain. In fact, during our acquiring of a mapped marker, my partner came a across a 10 foot alligator inches away from his bike. Needless to say, we decided to let that one go. It was moments like that which made this race a great adventure. Keep watching for video footage from the race and don't forget to donate to get your free HDD Broker gift!

Tough Broker in training,
Cesar



ARTIC ENEMAS AND ELECTROSHOCK THERAPY
Cesar Cano
August 8, 2012

It's hard to believe that Tough Mudder is less than four months away. The anticipation has prompted me to do a little more research on what we will be enduring. Everyone it's not pretty but since the event's name has mud in it, one would not expect it to be.

You know it's difficult to decide on what will be the team's biggest challenge. I guess that's because we all have that obstacle that challenges us mentally. For those who are not runners, the starting line is the biggest mental hurdle. As a desk jockey, a distance run through possible hills and mud with 5,000 competitors is not an everyday work activity. Still, for some, the idea of crawling through tight spaces is the opposite of a good time. For me, I think it's a tossup between two, the Arctic Enema and Electroshock Therapy.

From what I've been told, the Arctic Enema really lives up to its name. In the obstacle, our team will submerge ourselves in containers filled with 70,000-80,000 lbs of ice mixed with slim green water. I know what you're thinking, it's Florida how cold could it be? Well, the ice keeps it at comfortable 34-35 degrees/1.11-1.67 Celsius. For a native Floridian like me, this means trouble.

Still, heat is quite an intimidating element, especially when that heat is being generated by a live wire. Electroshock Therapy is not a metaphor, it's literal. At the end of the 20 plus obstacles, our team must sprint through a field of live wires before crossing the finish line. Personally, I've never been shocked by 10,000 volts, so I'm not sure how I will react to that first initial shock. It's a little reassuring that I will not be the only one taking a guaranteed zap on December 1st.

Think I may be wrong? Take a look and e-mail me what you think.

Remember, tough times never last. Tough people do! On your next transaction, ask your sales specialist on how you can get your free official "THERE'S NO CRYING IN DRILLING" t-shirt, (because there isn't!).

Tough Broker in training,
Cesar



YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN'T HIDE
Renée Lauzon-Martin
August 3, 2012

You Can Run But You Can't Hide

It's a question that burns in every Tough Mudder's mind: What shoes do I wear??

As a self-professed shoe addict, it is certainly foremost in my mind. And I'm not alone. A search for shoes in the Tough Mudder forums, Mudder Nation, returns 40 pages of results. On social media sites, thousands of posts reverberate with advice, tips and ideas about footwear. The suggestions span a huge range, from duct tape to high-end trail shoes and even bare feet!

So why are Tough Mudders around the nation so fascinated by footwear? Quite simply, the Tough Mudder event takes shoes to places that no shoe has gone before. This is no promenade in the park! Our shoes have to endure 12 miles of sloshing through heavy, thick (Trademark Tough Mudder thick!), foot-sucking mud. Full immersion into ice-cold water, lakes, and of course more mud, are all par for the course. Not only do the shoes need to drain well, they need to grip well too. Hills, walls, logs, narrow walkways, and a slippery 15 foot half-pipe called "Everest" all stand between the Mudder and the finish line.

Good drainage, aggressive tread, supportive, durable shoes that stay locked on your feet - it's a tall order! And while every Tough Mudder will have their own preference, one thing we can all agree on is that our shoes need to be tough!

So, what shoes are Tough Brokers wearing in December's race? Stay tuned to find out.



THE 5 MONTH COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN
Cesar Cano
July 3, 2012

Bill and Jonathan continue to do awesome in their individual training programs. It has been an eventful couple of months with Jonathan recovering from surgery; Bill starting the training program at EndureFit 365; and my celebration of getting older.

Maria Alvear, is a great trainer and put together a strong program to reduce unnecessary fat and increase lean muscle mass. In fact, this Saturday July 7, 2012 she has put together a 2.5 hour work out that will test our physical and mental stamina. Like those able to attend, I am excited (and a little scared) to see what Maria's creative mind has come up with. Whatever it is, I know it will be one step closer to reaching the finish line at Tough Mudder.

Keep Watching, Keep Donating, & Thanks everyone for your Support,

Cesar (Former Desk Jockey)



TOUGH BROKER UPDATE!
Ashley Macdonald
June 27th, 2012

Well we are now almost 4 months into our training for Tough Mudder and it's going pretty well! Sonja (personal trainer to Eric, Gary and I) continuously manages to kick our butts into high gear every time we see her. The first 4 months of our training was aimed more at building our strength. We were doing exercises such as pushups with a dumbbell rotation, lunges on the spot, walking lunges with a medicine ball, pull-ups, kettle-bell swings, decline pushups, mountain climbers, back rows and squats with dumbbells etc. all in 1 minute increments to get your heart rate right up and increase strength all over!

We are now working on building up our endurance so we can last through the grueling 3+ hours of Tough Mudder! There is a set of outdoor stairs nearby where we workout, approximately 170 unevenly spaced steps that Sonja just LOVES to make us do. An example of our workout last week: run to the stairs, walk up them, run down them, walk up them again, do jump rope, mountain climbers, side planks, side jumps wide and narrow, more jump rope, scissor crunches, jump rope, burpies, bicep curls, then run down the stairs, walk back up a THIRD time and finally run down one last time. Run/walk back to her studio, stretch and pass out. Done!

We are all making a conscious effort to improve our eating habits as well. I know for me personally, it's been a bumpy road but I'm feeling really good and that just fuels the desire to keep making healthy choices!

Almost time for the next butt-kicking session so I better get stretching!

Cheers,
Ashley
Tough Broker in training!



WELCOME!
Bob Martin
April 23rd, 2012

Welcome to our ToughBroker Project Home Page! Here you will find information about just what we're actually trying to accomplish through all this punishment, information about each of our participating staff members, as well as updates from each of them as we follow their journey towards the ultimate test of endurance and mental fortitude... the Tough Mudder Marathon!

Feel free to look around! Don't forget to pop a quick email to your favorite participants to let them know that you're behind their efforts. The training and diet that we're undertaking are not the easiest things in the world to stick with, but we've got our goals firmly in sight and we're not going to let up!