I hate running. My cardio is a brisk daily walk. So when my 32-year-old son-in-law dared me to do a 15K Tough Mudder at 65, the smart answer was no. I said yes.

Fifteen kilometers. Waist-deep mud. Ice-cold water pits. Thirty-one obstacles on a 48-degree morning, after a three-year layoff. Lifting five days a week got me over the 10-foot walls, up the 30-foot cargo net, and across the monkey bars without getting wet, while two guys in their twenties fell into the drink right beside me.

Running was another story. Around 10K, a sharp pain flared up behind both knees. By kilometer 13, I couldn’t run anymore, so I power-walked the last two kilometers. Still, I didn’t skip a single obstacle.

In this video: what held up, what didn’t, and why putting an event like this on the calendar is one of the best ways to keep training after 60.

FREE: THE ROUTINE THAT GOT ME THROUGH THE OBSTACLES

The Ripped Seniors Strength Program is the 5-day split I use to stay strong at 65.

Download it free: https://geni.us/5-Day-Split