One of Australia’s most physically and mentally challenging obstacle courses will be run in Brisbane this weekend. And this year’s “Tough Mudder” is going to be even tougher, with three new obstacles sure to test the thousands of competitors.

Elise Whittaker reports.

TRANSCRIPT

It’s not your average sporting event and definitely not for the faint-hearted.

Running for its fourth year in Brisbane, the Tough Mudder challenge just got harder as a team of competitors discovered during today’s training run.

Nick, Competitor: “It’s difficult, It’s difficult. I wasn’t expecting this.”

As if it wasn’t tough enough, this year’s event at Mount Cotton features three intimidating new obstacles to test the fittest of competitors.

Simon Mallory, Event organiser: “This is the liberator, it’s all about the little pegs going into the little holes. It’s really going to sort these mudders out.”

But it’s not enough to scare off 7,000 tough mudders from taking on the challenge.

Nick, Competitor: “It’s bonding with a big group of people that you may not know already and its really the fitness, it’s challenging yourself to do things you’ve never done before, it’s sort of like being a kid again getting to play in the mud it’s great.”

This is one of 24 obstacles in the 18 kilometre gruelling challenge, testing competitors strength, stamina and mental grit.

With challenges like this, you might be asking, why the competitors come back each year?

Natalie, competitor: “For fun, it’s a lot of fun running through the mud, it doesn’t seem like a lot of fun to other people but we love it.”

While fun for some, it’s sure to keep both experienced mudders and first timers on their toes.

Elise Whittaker, QUT News.