Tough Mudder competitors subject themselves to all sorts of unpleasantness. That is, after all, the point in obstacle course racing. But when participants are about to leap into giant vats of ice water or run through electrically charged wiring, they have advance knowledge of what they are getting into. 鈥攗nless the fine print of the pre-race waiver included a bit on drinking animal feces.
A report released yesterday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that the mud used in that event, held on a cattle ranch, was probably contaminated with swine and cow feces, both carriers for the Campylobacter coli bacteria, which can cause prolonged diarrhea. The investigation was launched after a number of competitors reported聽“fever, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea” in the week following the race. The CDC found 聽between those who claimed to have accidentally swallowed (manure) mud water during the race and those who suffered post-race illness.聽
As , Tough Mudder is all about camaraderie during hardship. There’s a “we’re all in this together” ethos that is supposed to make the challenges more bearable. For those who spent the week after the Nevada TM sitting on the toilet, however, it must have been a lonely time indeed.