A LITTLE MAN ’ S TAKE ON A BIG SPORTS WORLD
By Jim Biery
The Mind of a Maniac
et me begin by stating this is
L not a “ collect your participation trophy and orange slice ” type of sporting event I am going to discuss today . Not even close , my friends . This is a soul-crushing , spirit-testing , physical and mental test that not only tries to crush the will of its participants , but actually can leave them thinking they cannot possibly be able to finish what they have started — and many don ’ t !
Even the titles of these events can be intimidating . Would you be excited to compete in something called a Tough Mudder or Warrior Dash ? How about a Spartan Ultra Beast ? The event I mentioned last includes a total of 30 miles of course that presents participants with 60 plus obstacles in order to complete the course in one day .
What I want to focus on is what it takes physically and mentally to not only attempt one of these ultimate events but what it takes just to train for an event . This sport demands participants to be at their absolute best in their upper body strength , cardio endurance and the ability to block out rain , mud pits , freezing temperatures and changes in rough terrains and elevations . This is not the obstacle course at the Battle of the Network Stars .
So , I set out to try and understand what the mindset is for these athletes . As a very , very competitive person , I can relate to having to push yourself well beyond your comfort zone to reach that level of determination that is needed to overcome pain , injuries , even insecurities that may limit you not only in competition but in life .
What might surprise some people is that there are a good amount of women taking part in these races . Although it really shouldn ’ t . When the going gets tough , tough women get going ! I ’ m sure we all know that you take the strongest man you know and give him a little case of the flu , and you have just created one of the biggest babies you know , whining about his fever , can ’ t make his own food , needs to be waited on hand and foot .
As I was researching this story , I was introduced to one tough mudder ( pun intended ). My wealth advisor Kim Knight has raced many , many times , including some races that required her to crawl through mud underneath barb wire that was electrified . She did this alongside several former Marines and told me she had the perfect person to talk to : Allow me to introduce Nicole Austin , who grew up in Michigan and played many sports including soccer and basketball , and was on the women ’ s rowing team at Michigan State University . While at MSU , she attended a class that required her to choose an event that took her beyond her comfort level and write about the experience . She took part in what is called a Spartan Race , which is a three-mile course that started with having to jump over a four foot wall . This race ignited Nicole ’ s love of competing in ultimate races .
My goal was to uncover the mental toughness it took to overcome pain , failure , and self-doubt . All of these things are common fare in this sport . Like a lot of athletes , she has had to overcome many injuries , including a snow boarding accident that resulted in a lower back injury . Nicole finished a race with a broken bone in her foot , and to be covered in sweat , mud and a little blood means nothing to her . Keep going . Don ’ t let anything or anyone get in your way or stop you . That is the mindset that helps her climb walls , run many miles , lift 70 pound sacks and carry them on her back to the next drop off point .
She is so competitive with herself that she mentioned she was becoming depressed because she was “ racing for the podium .” This meant if she didn ’ t finish high enough in her class , she couldn ’ t be recognized as a top finisher and stand on the podium as she collected her medals . Once she realized that she was trying to overachieve on every race and that it was affecting her mentally , she began to look around and appreciate the closeknit society she was part of and how everyone is so supportive of each other . “ If someone is struggling getting over an obstacle , others in the group will fall back to help that person conquer his or her stumbling block ,” she said .
As she continues to train for the next event , I asked her how she deals with all the pain from the injuries she had endured . “ Although my back pain was excruciating at times , I just realized that it will always be there and hurt because it is in my bones ,” said Nicole . “ So , I decided to train smarter and get my core stronger to overcome the pain .” Since she has taken part in so many races , she knows exactly what obstacles will be on the course so she can train specifically for that instead of just running and lifting weights .
So why does she keep going ? Is she trying to prove something to herself ? Is she trying to prove something to someone else ? “ You can have a really high tolerance for pain ,” Nicole explained , “ but then you can have an even higher mental tolerance for pain . So , once you hit that physical pain , you know that it can ’ t get worse . I know my foot is broken and it ’ s going to hurt , but it won ’ t get worse from here .”
And , she tells herself , “ You paid for this , you ’ re gonna do this .” ( By the way , the average cost of an entry fee is $ 125 and that doesn ’ t include travel and food .)
Nicole – and other “ mudders ” and “ maniacs ” like her – are proof that if you truly want something in life , it may come with pain and setbacks , but if you want it badly enough , nothing can stop you . Not even yourself .
38 EXTOL SPORTS / FEBRUARY 2018