A headline on the front page of the Styles section in this past Sunday New York Times caught my attention: “Forging A Bond In Mud And Guts”. It was a story about
“Tough Mudder”. Which is, as Joshua David Stein (the writer) explains, “an extreme obstacle course that is becoming the macho sport of choice for Type A men (and some women) who find marathons too easy and triathlons meh”.
My interest in the story had nothing to do with any desire, on my part, to roll around in the mud. Not even with some hunky ‘warrior’ type. I was intrigued by the pulling together, the teamwork and the camaraderie between these guys. And also by the encouragement they gave each other. Even though, for the most part, they’d entered the event as strangers.
They were bonding. It was instinctive. Primal. In this case, it was happening because of the gruelling Continue reading
365 And Counting 