Couple Shares Dirt on Path to Top Tough Mudder Ranking By June Scharf Love can lurk in unlikely places, but would a Tough Mudder event, involving a 10-12 mile course featuring obstacles with names like Arctic Enema, Electroshock Therapy, Ladder to Hell, Kiss of Mud, Birth Canal, Balls to the Wall and Cry Baby be one of those spots? For Beachwood residents Devon Musko and Andrew Blakley, both 27 years old, the answer is most assuredly yes. Their mutual love for each other and the grueling outdoor, military-style endurance events reached a climax in August with a marriage proposal in New York where they had traveled for more muddy Mudder mayhem. But first, the intensity of their attraction to Tough Mudder should be qualified. It has catapulted them to the top of the heap, with Devon ranking #1 among women for competing in the greatest number of events in the world and ranking #2 among all participants with 78 completed. Andrew ranks #2 in the world for men and #3 overall, right behind Devon, with 72 completed. Their involvement began in 2012, and since then, they’ve been attending events held nationwide every weekend on Saturdays and Sundays during the March through October season. What they’ve accomplished is remarkably monumental, but to meet them is to discover two very balanced, casual and serene, but frequently self-deprecating, people. Of course, they are ultra-tough – 20–25 spleen-splitting obstacles litter the courses –- but that just scratches the surface. Plenty of the grit required to finish an event lies in their minds as much as it does in their muscles. Actually, the courses are designed intentionally to test physical as well as mental strength, playing on common fears of fire, water and heights, not to mention pain. But the courses are also meant to inspire teamwork, with participants almost uniformly committed to helping others complete the challenges. The object is simply to finish – it’s not a race - and no one cares how long that takes. On average, 78% of the participants reach the end. But what if you become injured? “You just go slower,” says Devon, matter-of-factly. “And you stick with friends who are injured, too.” She once tore some calf muscles. That was a long day. Eventually, their bodies do say no to the weekly schedule. “But we feed off each other and get amped up,” says Andrew. “We keep saying we’re going to cut back, but we never do,” says Devon. By the end of the course, they are generally covered from head to toe with mud. “I’ll need to wash my hair a few times to get it clean,” Devon notes. “I’ll still have gravel in my hair after a shower,” Andrew claims. So why do they do it? And how did it become essentially a lifestyle? Andrew blames his competitive nature. Plus, he wanted to become more athletic. And soon the events became gathering places where he developed friendships with people from around the country. “I get excited to see everyone every time. So I don’t think much about why I do this, I simply love being there.” Devon explains that she turned to Tough Mudders to help her lose weight and get into shape. “I was fat, but I lost 30 pounds in the first year I attended the events. I felt competitive with myself. I really wanted to improve.” Both she and Andrew are also conscious of eating well by balancing proteins, carbs and fats, and drinking about 100 ounces of water per day. Devon is strict with her calories, consuming about 1,200 per day. Andrew is disciplined with his gym attendance, showing up two to three times each week for strength work. But they admit to having weight fluctuations of about 20 pounds during the off season, which also overlaps with the holidays. In her first event, she reports failing every obstacle and taking six-and-a-half hours to finish the course. Though she admits that she’s not the most athletic or strong person, she does own being committed and having endurance. “While it isn’t always pretty, I get it done.” Another source of motivation is the contrast between her sedentary job, working indoors all week as the branch employment coordinator at IGS Energy (where Andrew also works in sales), and the vivacity of the outdoors. “I love getting outside, playing in nature and being physical.” Neither can ignore the sense of accomplishment derived from Tough Mudders either. “It’s something that seems absolutely impossible, so it becomes very emotional,” says Devon. Andrew also draws on the thrill of assisting others. “I know nothing about these people, but suddenly, I feel like their best friend when I help get them through an obstacle.” 12 Beachwood Buzz n October 2015