Tough Mudder is a twelve mile run punctuated with a series of obstacles designed by Special Forces. These include the Arctic Enema, which sees participants - or "Mudders" - submerged in a pool of ice cubes before swimming through them, beneath a wooden plank and then pulling themselves out the other side. Ice appears again in the Electric Eel obstacle, in which Mudders must slide on their bellies across a layer of the stuff. Any attempts to crawl on one's knees are thwarted by the live electrical wires overhead, which will smack and contort the body back to the ground. With other obstacles as variously named as Ball Shrinker, Fire Walker, Mud Mile and Electroshock Therapy, it's clear that this is not for the faint-hearted. See a trailer for Tough Mudder here: #mce_temp_url#

Which is why it's such a surprise to me that I've signed up to do it. Although I've taken some tiny steps over the last couple of years into the world of bodybuilding, and despite a natural agility and suppleness (gymnastics was the only Phys Ed subject on my high school report card with a decent grade) I haven't much tolerance for physical pain or discomfort, and, before I started to train for Tough Mudder, I was barely able to run a mile before feeling like my life was at its end. 

I've decided to raise money for the Ayrshire Hospice. My Mum works there as a carer, and I'm contributing to her efforts to fundraise. Donations, large or small, would be hugely appreciated. Please dig deep and donate now. 

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