Coppersmith Dental Is Training For What?
Here at Coppersmith Dental, we are all about helping you achieve the best oral health possible! And in certain instances, such as our current adventure, we take on the task of improving our full body health. That’s why we decided to take the Mudderella challenge on Sept 26th in Whistler. That weekend, our team will head up to the mountain to sweat and drench ourselves in mud. But before then, we train!
This 7 mile run and obstacle course will be a hoot, and the more the merrier. So we welcome you to join our team, the suitably named MUDDY SMILES.
What is Mudderella?
Some quick facts, courtesy of Wikipedia:
- Mudderella was created in 2013 by Cristina DeVito, who was formerly the Chief Strategy Officer at Tough Mudder.
- The first Mudderella event was held in Tamiment, Pennsylvania on Saturday, September 21, 2013.
- It is a 5-7 mile long obstacle course event series targeted toward women. The event begins with a warm-up period called “Stretch + Strengthen” [and, predictably, involves a LOT of mud].
On the course, obstacles can include such things as the “Hat Trick,” where participants trampoline onto a cargo net, climb up, and then slide down into a muddy pool. Mudderella events are not timed, and the organizers encourage teamwork. Other obstacles include hay bale mountains, stability balls, and water. Oh, and did we mention mud?
Mudderella believes in three truths:
- You are stronger than you think you are
- There is more to life than going to the gym, and
- You deserve an awesome experience.
With 12-15 different obstacles, Mudderella courses are designed to vigorously test both strength and stamina. After running the course, participants attend a “Rinse + Revive” station, where there are showers, activities and entertainment.
Mudderella CEO, Cristina DeVito
From an Elle.com article:
Enter Mudderella. Designed for women, by women, Cristina DeVito, Mudderella’s CEO, says the race—an off-shoot of Tough Mudder—is all about promoting the company’s “Own Your Strong” motto: “We wanted to create something that really reminded women, ‘You are strong. You are stronger than you think you are. You deserve this great experience that is for you,'” she says. “It’s about that empowerment, strength, fun, do-this-with-your-girlfriends message.”
“When we created a lot of the obstacles we thought about some of the ways women work out,” DeVito explains. “Some do yoga, running, cycling, etc. We try to take some of those movements and incorporate them into our events.”
The result: “Dirty Downward Dog,” a challenge that gets participants to assume the yoga-friendly plank or downward dog positions to move across a muddy trench. Another, “Wheels in Motion,” involves a series of swinging tires that requires total core engagement. Each obstacle is designed to test an individual’s strength, balance, agility, and overall body fitness, but DeVito stresses that it’s a race any woman can do, because it’s also about the group. “The obstacles are team-based so you do them with your partner, you do them with your team, but they’re also meant to be fun,” she says.
“We look at this as something that you can aspire to do…without having to completely alter your life and fitness routine to do it.”
And that’s another detail that sets Mudderella apart: Although the race tests a participant’s physical abilities, the focus is on finishing, not finishing first. “I think what’s important is that success at a Mudderella event is what you make of it. It is a challenge that we provide to you. For some folks, success may be running in your own time and doing every obstacle. For some, success is: ‘I’m going to walk this thing and make it through the five to seven miles it would take me and I won’t do every obstacle, but that’s fine.'”
DeVito explains that the idea of a goal is what appeals to many who sign up for Mudderella. Some participants—who range from 18 to 60 years old—are already fit and looking for a new challenge; some want to get fit and use the race as motivation. Others are overcoming personal challenges—survivors of accidents, domestic abuse, or diseases—who are looking for a way to celebrate themselves and their strength.
So now that we here at Coppersmith Dental have thrown down the gauntlet and pledged to do this, who’s with us? If you’re at all curious, we urge you to call or email us today. We want to make sure the training’s fun, so if you have any suggestions for that, we’re very interested as well. And as much fun as all the preparation is going to be, the thought of that glass of wine after it’s all over is at least as much of an incentive. Let’s do this!
