How Tough Mudder Fundraising Works
Feeling brave? Tough Mudder is a legendary endurance event designed to test you to the limit. An obstacle course between 5 kilometres and 10 miles, it promises “mud soaked mayhem”, with emphasis on the mayhem. The cherry on top? It’s all about teamwork – or as they say “the more the muddier”.
What is a Tough Mudder and how does it work?
What is a Tough Mudder really and what does it mean? Races take between 1-5 hours, but fitness alone isn’t enough to get you to the finish line. Even if you sign up to do a Tough Mudder alone, you’ll need to cooperate with those around you to get through it. You can also register to complete a Tough Mudder with family or friends as a team. That makes it is the perfect opportunity to pull together and fundraise as a team.
Two Englishmen, Will Dean and Guy Livingstone, started Tough Mudder in Pennsylvania in 2010. According to the latest figures more than three million people around the world have now completed the endurance event.
The whole point of Tough Mudder is that it’s not easy. We’re talking crawling under barbed wire, jumping into ice baths, and an infamous obstacle dubbed ‘electric shock therapy’ that involves live wires emitting 10,000 volts of electricity.
Parts of the course are so tough the company has written a five-point plan to help participants get through it (top tip: “Remember the neighbour’s dog you always hated/feared? Pretend he’s right behind you“)
Why get involved?
Its legendary status means that when you’re fundraising for Tough Mudder, your friends and family know you’re not messing about. After all, any event that proudly makes participants sign a death waiver before starting is not one to be sneezed at. That makes Tough Mudder events a great way to fundraise for your favourite charity.
It’s also fun. As Tough Mudder co-founder Livingstone says, it’s about getting out of your comfort zone: “We live in an increasingly sanitised world where we sit behind computers, we don’t get our hands dirty, and health and safety seems to rule everything. Playing in the mud brings out the inner child in all of us.”
Remember when putting a charity fundraiser together the number one rule is to be clear. Explain where your fees are going – and research whether platforms are known to slice profits off GiftAid or not.
Don’t be scared if you think you’re not fit enough. There are many different types of Tough Mudders which you can get involved in, including a 5k course.
Tough Mudder 5k
A three mile obstacle course which Tough Mudder claims requires no training. Unlike longer courses, there are only 13 obstacles
Tough Mudder Classic
One that will require training, this course is up to 10 miles with 25 obstacles. Prepare to get muddy.
Tougher Mudder
This competitive course allows those who complete the original course to take themselves to a new level.
Toughest Mudder
It takes eight hours, you compete through the night, and at the end you get an exclusive headband
World’s Toughest Mudder
A 24-hour long event billed as the most “extreme’ obstacle course in the world.
With so many options it’s no wonder Tough Mudder has become a cult fitness event – with company co-founder Will Dean claiming more than 10,000 people have a tattoo of the Tough Mudder logo.
Tough mudder races in the UK
Your race, your rules. Tough Mudder charity events are happening all over the UK, every week and have raised millions for charity. Visit the Tough Mudder UK website to find an event near you. You can also find details of kids Tough Mudder events and Tough Mudder Scotland events.
You can even fundraise as a business, if you and your employees are looking for something a bit more daring than a Race for Life or Brave the Shave. Take Team Moxia technology, a London based business who raised more than £1,200 on GoFundMe or Liam who completed a 10 mile Tough Mudder in memory of a friend Sam who passed away, raising £2,080 for Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM)
Start raising money for your favorite cause
Inspired? You can start raising money for your favourite charity with a Tough Mudder on GoFundMe today. GoFundMe offers 0% platform fee for organizerss, and unlike our competitors 100% of the Gift Aid goes to charity. You’ll also have access to our 24/7 helpdesk and free charity fundraising tips Tough Mudder’s team options is a perfect way to fundraise as a team.