LSC Takes On the Tough Mudder Challenge

This Sunday, May 6 Team LSC will endure one of the most difficult challenges in the athletic world, Tough Mudder.

The team, Jason Clark, Aaron Cornell, Jonathan Dame, Stuart Farina, Joe Kill, Greg Ledoux, CJ Mauro, Darcie Miles, Leah Morgan, Allison Poulin, Takuya Shimamura, Meagan Swahn, Sara Swahn and Jaclyn Toney, will travel to Mt. Snow where the Vermont Tough Mudder competition will take place Saturday and Sunday.

Some of the team members took a minute from their training to share their reasons for partaking in the competition and their goals.

"I was challenged to do it," says Leah Morgan. Stu Farina threatened to tell her father that she wasn't going to participate. "Its one of the toughest events on the planet so if you can get through that you can get through anything."

"I was very interested after the exercise science team did it last year and just to set a goal for myself to finish," says Darcie Miles.

Also inspired by last year's team Megan Swahn will also be a rookie in Tough Mudder 2012.

"I went last year as a spectator and as soon as they took off I got pumped and tried to keep up with them," says Swhan.

Meagan is joining her sister Sara Swahn who competed last year. She recalls the obstacles from her last competition.

"They were all sucky. There are signs throughout the whole course saying 'remember you signed a death waiver'."

Swahn adds that this waiver means you do not have to do all of the obstacles, it's your life to risk or not risk.

Part of last year's training team, though not part of the competing team due to scheduling conflicts, a certain member of the team is more than eager to get out there, regardless of the potentially deadly obstacles.

"I'm hoping to be first for our team! I'm hoping to finish under three hours which I have been told is do-able," Joseph Kill.

Each team member has their own reason for competing and their own goals for the competition but they have all been training hard. Many of them are part of a circuit training class led by team captain Jonathan Dame Monday and Friday mornings at 8 a.m. while others have taken to the outdoors to get ready.

"We went up to the [Lyndon] Town School and ran up sand pits and used the gym to practice for the obstacles," says Morgan.

Even as they train for this year's big event Dame is already joking with his teammates about next year's competition.

"Our shirts next year should say 'I threw up on Mt. Snow'."

After ten miles and 30+ obstacles, including mystery obstacles, meeting them at the end is table after table of protein bars, bananas, Gatorade, muscle milk, water and a free beer. Of course this event is not just to prove strength and willpower, although it does both, all proceeds from Tough Mudder events go towards the Wounded Warrior Project to help soldier injured in battle receive whatever care and assistance they need.