Photos: Tough Mudder 2013 in Whistler

This event is a perfect symbol of everything that is wrong with western society. A militaristic, pseudo-competitive gathering of thousands upon thousands of people in one of Canada's centre's of commercial excess.

A ridiculous quantity of resources go in to building that course, transporting, housing and feeding all the 'competitors', sorry 'participants'. Just count the waste of those stupid emergency blankets alone. Thousands stuffed into the garbage minutes after the event is over. To say nothing of the materials that went into the course itself.

I'm all for people challenging themselves, getting dirty and building camaraderie with their friends and families. But that can be done any any hiking trail without all that ridiculous waste and jacked up militaristic hyperbole. Get a grip people, Tough Mudder is pathetic.

To Pathetic Waste: You're obviously too much of a pussy to do the Tough Mudder. Do you do anything challenging outside, or do you just write whiny posts in your parents' basement eating fruit roll-ups?

some people never grow up. I did this when I was 12. lmao.

Oooo you're so tough. 'Obviously' you're one of those mudder morons, thus the ad hominem response in place of a reasoned argument. If you're defending crap like that ridiculous spectacle you couldn't even fathom how I spend my free time. Now back to your cheeseburgers and dead-end life.

@toughie

You might be taking the "Tough" in the title a little too literally if you think being a high-end gear-sporting status symbol-sucking narcissistic yuppie grappling about in mud makes you an actual tough guy.

Tough mudder/boot-camp/self-congratulating dilettantes are a dime-a-dozen. I suppose "boot camp" makes you a hard-ass soldier? In fact - why not join the military for a real workout, tough yuppie?

I completed the Mudder on Sunday and it was ridiculous fun. I can't wait to hit it next year.

I do see your point about waste. When I did the hellish Sun Run last year, I was mortified by the knee-deep sea of garbage cups I had to push through at every water station (that's a never-again, for sure). The crowd for the Mudder is a fraction of Sun Runners. Also, most of the Mudder obstacles were made out of snow, straw, mud and dirt - renewable resources, yo. The course followed roads and trails that already existed (apart from a few bushwhacking bits). Also, I didn't see a single emergency blanket anywhere the day I competed, so I'm not sure where you're getting that from...

And I also have a visceral reaction to militaristic propaganda, and in this event's case I was surprised that it was pretty minimal. A quick kudos to recognize wounded warriors does not necessarily go against my peace-loving ways; PTSD, burns and amputations are typically brushed under the rug and wounded soldiers are denied medical and mental health care, despite deserving full attention and support from our governments who sent them to fight their stupid wars in the first place. And apparently this group is good enough for Jon Stewart's support: http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-january-25-2012/exclusive---push-u...

The people at the Mudder were friendly, encouraging, and attentive to participants' needs. The course was challenging and well-assembled. It did not feel or look like a race, and I jogged along at my own pace. And I gotta tell you, that beer at the end was the most delicious thing I've ever tasted.

Sooo, I dunno. Your fury appears to be needing a target, and the Mudder is an easy one for you, it seems. Go find some endorphins and comment in the morning.

Hey 'Pathetic Waste', I suppose you have the same strong opinions about golf and just about every major sporting event as well? Golf courses require huge amounts of water and resources to be maintained. How about an Olympic games? It's fun, people like it, and they spend their hard earned money to do it. Obviously there's something in it that draws huge numbers of people and provides a sense of accomplishment for the 'participants'. You clearly get your sense of accomplishment by writing elitist blog posts about the poor moral fabric of our society. To each his own.

To Pathetic Waste:
Yes, of course tough mudder is a complete waste of time...you know all that money going to Prisoner's of War and Missing in Action... yeah such a waste....

Dani:

FYI, the Canadian Mudder money does not go to the U.S. charities.
However, I believe it does go to programs that aid returned veterans (more shame to the feds who have consistently treated Canadian vets as annoying freeloaders).

the need for funds for POWs, MIAs and veterans of wars for oil says nothing about society?