Gruelling test of stamina

TIED UP: The Kiwi Cuzzies crawl under a giant net.

Masterton's Rima Mururai has a simple answer when you ask what on earth made him decide to enter an endurance event labelled as "probably the toughest on the planet".

The aptly-named World's Toughest Mudder was held in New Jersey, New York, in November and Mururai, 33, was part of the Kiwi Cuzzies combination.

They came 19th out 30 finishers in the team competition after covering 80km during a 24-hour period.

"It's the challenge, that's what does it for me," Mururai said. "It's putting everything on the line, physically and mentally."

Saying this obstacle race is not for the faint-hearted is a gross under-statement.

Finishing places are allocated on the basis of how often a torturous 8km is completed inside one full day and, even in the team category, each individual has to complete the full 24 hours for their overall performance to count.

The obstacles encountered include crawling through drainpipes, splashing through icy water, crawling under barbed wire for 25m in 100mm of mud, clambering up and over walls 2.1m high, carrying a tyre for 200m, walking a 6.2m-wide plank over water, crossing a wall using fingertips and toes, walking uphill bent up under a giant net, crawling up a 460mm culvert and then sliding back down, crossing a moat via seven rings, crossing 20 monkey bars over water, crawling through wires capable of providing an electric shock and crossing a 30.5m pond on inflated doughnuts.

The former New Zealand Tough Guy contestant was pleased with how he coped with the demands on his body and mind, although there were times when cramps and general body soreness slowed the Kiwi Cuzzies down. "We were all feeling pretty comfortable after 40km but the second 40 was harder going.

"There was a lot of egging each other on to keep hanging in there," he said. "We had hoped for more than 10 laps when we started out but we were pretty happy with that in the end ... at least we all made it to the finish in one piece."