Putting to bed the age-old debate over whether Mudders are born or bred, this year we threw it to Mudders-in-the-Making and lowered the entry age to 14.
Unsurprisingly, Queensland came out swinging for the inaugural Year of the Young, with 281 Mudders under the age of 18 taking part. One of SEQ’s heroes was Cleveland local legend Mason Pavic, whose 14th birthday collided with Tough Mudder SEQ – how’s that for stars aligning?
As our youngest ever Mudder, Mason dived in head first, tackling the full 16km with that extra ‘extra’ seen only in those experiencing muddy glory for the first time.
We caught up with Mason to find out how he fared, his favourite obstacles of the 8 newies, and his thoughts on whether age plays a factor in recovery (spoiler alert: you’re going to feel #inspired).
So Mason, explain to us how it feels to complete your first ever Tough Mudder?
Really good – I felt like it was quite a good accomplishment and I just felt really fit and strong.
We hear that you’re a budding triathlete. What part of the course was your favourite and what did you find most challenging?
My favourite was the hanging and climbing parts, but they were also the hardest. I didn’t do any specific training for Tough Mudder, just my regular training as a triathlete.
Can you let us in on any of your tips, tricks or techniques?
Keep running and don’t be worried about the obstacles – just do it!
What was your Tough Mudder training regime?
I just did my usual triathlon training – a lot of running, swimming, riding and some strength and core stuff. I do most of my training outside, but add in some gym. Riding is my favourite way to train. The longest distance I’ve ever ridden is 70km. With my local Starfish club, I recently did a charity swim, and swam 100 x 100m laps in the pool – that’s 10km and took me more than 3 hours.
Who or what inspired you to take on Tough Mudder this year?
My dad inspired me. It’s because of him that I’ve always wanted to do a Tough Mudder because he always finds it really fun. He’s done it 5 or 6 times now, and we’re looking forward to doing it again next year.
Who ended up competing with you, and who fell in the mud the most?
It was with my dad and a bunch of 10 guys called The Mud Pack. They do it every year. It’s friends of friends, family, friends of the family and that kind of thing. It’s a lot of fun and we all got pretty muddy.
What would you say to other Young Mudders looking to give it a go?
Just go for it!
Was Tough Mudder a good way to celebrate your 14th birthday?
The atmosphere was really cool and way better than just sitting at home like I normally do on my birthday.
What dinner-of-birthday-champions did you demolish after all that hard work?
We were all pretty tired so we ended up getting Domino’s – a lot of it!
Mason is proof that, when it comes to taking the Muddy oath, age is no barrier. So what are you waiting for – Tough Mudder Sydney and Melbourne are on sale, FIND YOUR EVENT NOW
