A tough, muddy course tested the mettle of about 2,000 mudders on July 21-22 at Portofino Amore in Alabang.
The first-ever Tough Mudder obstacle course held in Southeast Asia was headlined by some of the biggest stars in the country including Raymond Gutierrez, Christi McGarry, Rodjun Cruz, Marco Alcaraz, Alex Diaz, Luis Hontiveros, and more.
Getaway and hiking shoe brand Merrell was the event’s official footwear partner.
Heavy rains pummeled the venue the entire weekend but it did not deter mudders who came set to conquer the course. Despite the unexpected downpour, with purpose developed Merrell gear, they were as equipped to take on the extreme elements as they could be. In fact, some participants exclaimed: “the muddier the better.”
With the help of their fellow mudders, celebrity participants overcame best-in-class obstacles and adrenaline-pumping challenges packed into the 5km and Half courses.
Model and actor Brent Javier at the finish line said: “It was very exciting, so much adrenaline before starting, and then being able to conquer everything in your path is also an accomplishment.”
He also expressed delight with his footwear, which he said helped him tackle the challenging course.
“The grip [of the Merrell pair] is good. I saw other people, their shoes were falling off when they got stuck in the mud. And these ones that I have perfectly lock in my foot.”
Actor Rodjun Cruz, meanwhile, enjoyed the teamwork factor of the mud run.
“Tough Mudder was a great experience. Sobrang nag-enjoy kami kasi nandun yung teamwork and we conquered all the obstacles together,” shared Cruz.
He conquered the muddy course in his Agility Peak Flex 2. “Kung hindi ako gumamit ng Merrell, hindi ko magagawa ‘to dahil very slippery talaga (Had I not used Merrell, I would not had been able to do it because it was very slippery).”
Beauty queen Christi McGarry celebrated her finish with her Merrell All Out Crush. “Without the Merrell shoes, I promise you couldn’t grip or climb Everest or even track in the mud. I saw some people lose shoes in the mud but I had mine on.”
Actor Alex Diaz got down and dirty at the Kiss of Mud course in All Out Crush 2. “There was a lot of tractions even on the obstacles that were slippery. And it was overall just a really good experience and the shoes definitely helped make the race a lot more fun.”