MudGear Tough Mothers

It's Mother's Day weekend, and we are in awe of the many mothers who thrive in our sport. We believe that obstacle course racers are among the toughest athletes in the world, and the women in our community are as tough as any women anywhere. Throw in the fact that many successful racers got their speed, strength, and endurance from wrangling their little ones at home, and we can't help but ask, "Is there anything tougher than a MudGear Tough Mother?"

We reached out to new, old, and expecting mothers to talk about one of the toughest jobs on earth - MOTHERHOOD!

Heidi Williams

Anyone who has ever seen her effortless traverse across the sport's most grip-intensive obstacles knows Heidi is not "tough for a 60+ competitor," "tough for a woman," or "tough for a mother." She's just tough PERIOD - as in tough as nails. That's not to say motherhood hasn't contributed to her toughness. 

Morgan McKay

She was the Spartan Ultra Worlds Champion in 2017 and 2019 Worlds Toughest Mudder. She's also a world record holder and one of our favorite Canadians. That's why we've had so much fun watching this new mother show off her little Niko! 

How many kids?

What's the best part of being their mom?

I love playing with them and making them laugh. I feel really fulfilled being able to comfort them and make them all feel safe. I love watching them all develop new skills and stronger personalities.

What's the hardest part of being a mom?

Remaining patient during hard times and constantly worrying if I’m doing enough.

What do you think when someone says, "She's fit... for a mom"?

I would say I’m pretty lucky in that I’ve never really heard anyone say that. I entered the sport of OCR about 10 years ago and some of the best racers I follow and look up to are moms. Moms undergo an incredible mental and physical transformation pre and post natal. For me I discovered a new level of fitness and strength.

What's been a rewarding fitness/racing accomplishment? 

I’d have to say that one of the most rewarding race accomplishments would have to be when I won the Spartan Ultra World Championships in Iceland the first year that it was held. It was extra meaningful to me because I was medically pulled from Worlds Toughest Mudder 24hr race a few weeks prior due to injury during the race and I was devastated. I used that to fuel my fire and went into the Spartan Worlds extremely focused and driven. It was by far the best race I have ever participated in. It was so epic and picturesque standing on top of an ice covered mountain at 3 am viewing the entire sky lit up by the Northern lights. A moment few would ever have the opportunity to experience so not only am I grateful but I consider myself blessed to have been a part of this race.

What's been a rewarding mom accomplishment? 

I would say at this stage it feels incredibly rewarding developing a strong bond. I feel accomplished when my son looks up at me with trust and smiles. It gives me a clue that I’m doing a good job for him and he feels safe and secure.

What's next? 

Bridget Brown

MudGear met Bridget Brown at the 2022 GORUCK Games where she dominated the 12 mile beach ruck. She's also made her mark at hybrid races like HYROX and Deka. However, the toughest thing about Bridget may be her dedication as a mother to three! We talked to Bridget about the joys and challenges of motherhood.