5 Benefits Of Doing A Mud Run (For Everyday People)

Linette Teerlink • June 30, 2024

Fitness is a scary thing. It challenges you to change your habits and if you're a human being... chances are you don't like change. You like to stay right where you are because it's familiar. But the weird part is, we all know that change leads to growth. And growth leads to us accomplishing our goals. This is why every single person should participate in a "Mud Run" at least once in their life.


A "Mud Run"(also known as an Obstacle Course Race) is an obstacle course that is usually anywhere from 3-6 miles long and consists of 15-30 challenging obstacles. It's definitely not easy, but it is 100% doable... especially if you do it with a team. 



Below are 5 Benefits of Doing a "Mud Run"


1. Improves Confidence

When you've spent the past 20 years watching your fitness slowly fade away, it may be overwhelming to even think about participating in one of these events. But I assure you... while the marketing material makes it seem like these races are full of super sexy, shredded 20 somethings... they aren't. Most of the people there are just normal weekend warriors who hit the gym a few times per week and are there for the free beer at the finish line. When you see Wanda the Weekend Warrior climb over that 10-foot fence, you realize you can do it too. And when you do it you realize how much you are actually capable of. You go into the race unsure of your abilities, but few things give you more confidence than crossing that finish line.

 

2. Breaks Your Daily Routine

While routine is a good thing, sometimes we need to shake it up a bit. We need to get out of our comfort zone and do something completely out of the ordinary. It's not every day we run through 3 miles of mud and obstacles. Life is too short to do the same thing day in and day out. Spice up your life and check this off the list. If nothing else, it'll give you a handful of good stories to tell at work on Monday. And when you do, you'll see everyone's eyes get big with surprise as they enviously listen to your epic tale of muddy goodness.



3. Brings People Together

You don't have to do mud runs with a team but I definitely recommend it. We do 2 Mud Runs each year as a gym here at Progressive Athletics in Columbia, and one of the best parts is seeing all of our members work together to help each other get through each obstacle. People who suffer together, grow together. There's something magical that happens when you endure something tough with other people. It brings you closer. Going through something like this with your friends and family is sure to create memories that last forever and bring you closer together.



4. Gives Your Workouts A Purpose

If you ever find yourself struggling with motivation to make it to the gym, try signing up for a mud run. It can provide the spark you need to kick your workouts into high gear. The last thing you want to do is show up an embarrass yourself, so you better believe you'll be hitting the gym on the regular during the months leading up to your race. It also gives you a more specific focus during your workouts. A lot of the obstacles require things like grip strength and endurance so you can work on these things more specifically in each of your workouts. 



5. Puts Everything In Perspective

At Progressive Athletics, we did the "Savage Race" back in September. It's a 10k Mud Run that took us four and a half hours to complete as a team. We each burned about 2000 calories during the whole race so it's safe to say we earned the right to gorge on whatever we wanted that night. But something more important took place. It made our normal 60-minute workouts seem like a cakewalk. Complaining about how tough a workout is would never again be an option because we knew what we were truly capable of accomplishing and that truly put things into perspective.

 


Whatever your fitness goals are, I believe everyone should join a Mud Run at some point. It's tough, messy, and will kick your butt... but it's one of the most enjoyable fitness experiences you could ever have.


If you've ever been interested in jumping in and joining a Mud Run, we are running the Savage Blitz in May and would love to have you as a part of our team. Shoot me an email : mark@progressive-athletics.com and I'll give you all of the race information you need to get started!



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Don't let past setbacks keep you from creating the active lifestyle that you want. Progressive Athletics has helped hundreds of Howard County residents educate, elevate, and create lives that they love. Get started today by clicking the link above or emailing the owner at linette@progressive-athletics.com

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Is Your Smarphone Helping or Hurting Your Fitness: Here's what you should know

By Linette Teerlink • April 7, 2025
We’ve all seen it—the person checking texts between sets, pulling up YouTube videos to show a gym buddy, or answering a call while sitting on a bench. Maybe you’ve done it too (no judgment!). Smartphones are basically our third hand at this point, and while they can be a powerful tool in fitness, they can also be a major roadblock to progress—especially if you’re using them during your workouts. A recent review by researchers at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Poland looked closely at this issue and found some fascinating (and frankly, validating) insights on how phones impact performance in the gym. At Progressive Athletics , we’ve got our own perspective too, and while we agree that smartphones can be useful, we strongly believe that workouts are best spent unplugged, for reasons you may be surprised by. Let’s dive into what the science says and how it aligns with our approach.
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[WIP?]If this is missing from your workout, it could cost you 30K

By Linette Teerlink • April 7, 2025
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By Linette Teerlink • April 7, 2025
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By Linette Teerlink • April 7, 2025
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By Linette Teerlink • April 7, 2025
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By Linette Teerlink • April 7, 2025
“There’s always the right tool for the job.” That saying rings true in so many different aspects of life. And fitness is no different. Believe it or not, there are different types of gyms that are better suited for you based on what your goals are and what type of personality you have. This list doesn’t include every single one of them, but it does include the most popular types of gyms that most people have access to. I’ve compiled this list based on 15 years of workout experience with half of those occurring as a certified personal trainer. As a quick note before we get into this, I’ve compiled a list of gyms in the Columbia area since that is where we are located so if you are reading this in a different city, many of the smaller gyms may not have locations near you. There should be similar alternatives though. So without further ado… let’s get into it.
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By Linette Teerlink • April 7, 2025
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By Linette Teerlink • April 7, 2025
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