• The Tough Guy & Gal Challenge – showing what toughness really is

The Tough Guy & Gal Challenge – showing what toughness really is

We’ve just passed mid-winter – trees are leafless, sandy beaches are empty.

It also means almost 2000 people have just run through pools of mud, smelly rivers and received electric shocks while crawling along the ground. The annual Tough Guy & Gal Challenge has been successfully completed.  

It was an amazing atmosphere at the Clifton Station in Te Awanga. Large crowds offered unconditional support to any and every contestant who ran, walked or crawled past, while a clown gave a congratulations to every finisher.

Despite actually being involved in the race, many of the contestants helped one another to complete the challenge. This was as much an opportunity to become part of a team as it was a race.

Obviously the challenge isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. The water they had to wade through for 30m was at a temperature of “cold as ****”. Mud pools that needed crossing had a stench rating of “this makes Rotorua smell good”. And the electric shocks given in one obstacle had a voltage level of “**** this is sore.”

One man, however, was in high spirits, singing “I’m still standing.” That was until he slipped three seconds later. There was no more singing after that.

Cure Kids was the chosen charity that the event helped fundraise for. And with a goal of raising $50,000 throughout the whole year they are looking to make a big impact on medical research. This will help save the lives of Kiwi kids living with serious illnesses and conditions. If you want to know more about the cause head to the Cure Kids website.

One of the best parts of the Tough Guy & Gal Challenge is that it gives another example of what true toughness is. You don’t have to be physically huge, chew barley, or be the person on the grill at a family BBQ to be tough.

You just have to accomplish anything that you didn’t accomplish yesterday. Many of the contestants were not your typical conditioned athletes, they ranged in all shapes and sizes across both genders. But those people, in my eyes, were just as tough as anyone.