An 83-year-old woman has proven her age is just a number in her third Tough Fender competition by removing mud, climbing walls and crawling under barbed wire.
Mildred Wilson of Sikeston, Missouri became the oldest person to complete the challenging 5km steeplechase when she crossed the finish line in her hometown endurance race on May 1.
“There are a lot of people who think that as they get older they need to sit back and stay put. That is not the case,” Wilson KAIT said before the competition last month.
Mildred Wilson, 83, of Sikeston, Missouri, competed in her third Tough Mudder race in her home country on May 1.
The 80-year-old athlete became the oldest person to complete the 5 km obstacle course when he crossed the finish line.
Wilson trained for the grueling three-mile run playing pickle ball and running
There are 13 dangerous obstacles in the Tough Mudder 5K, and kid eight was trained for a three-mile race by playing pickleball and running.
“I’m just enjoying it,” he said. “I have always loved competition”.
Wilson was inspired to compete in his first Tough Mudder race in 2019 at the age of 80, after seeing his son Danny Wilson take on the world’s toughest Mudder obstacle course challenge in Las Vegas.
When Danny asked him if he wanted to try a race, he told KFVS: ‘Yeah, but if I do, I really want to be able to. Just don’t stay outside.
Tough Mudder 5K features 13 dangerous obstacles, including a huge cargo net that participants can climb
“There are a lot of people who think that as they get older they need to sit back and stay put. Not,” Wilson told KAIT last month before the race.
Wilson completed his first Tough Mudder race with his son, Danny Wilson, in 2019 at the age of 80. He was with him at this month’s event (pictured)
Wilson attended the YMCA and spent several months adjusting to the event after being approved to attend by his doctor.
“I wanted to make sure you felt I was strong enough to do this,” he said at the time. “He gave me the thumbs up for doing this.”
Wilson’s son was by his side as they completed the first Tough Mudder together, and family and friends encouraged him, including her husband, Farrell Wilson.
“He’s my best supporter,” he said of Farrell. “No matter what I decide to do, it pretty much lets me do it.”
It was covered in mud when Wilson used a rope to climb one of the obstacle course walls.
Supported by other competitors when the going got tough
Wilson used his third contest to raise money for his son Danny’s youth group to build a freshwater supply in Africa.
In 2020, Wilson attended the Conquer the Gauntlet event in Arkansas and raised $12,000 for Danny’s youth group to build a freshwater supply in Africa.
The default Democrat ran in honor of her husband, Farrell, who died of a heart attack while receiving treatment for COVID-19.
Ahead of the third Hard Fender competition, a young shepherd at the Bethel Assembly of God in Cape Girardeau, he and his son started a GoFundMe to raise money to build a freshwater spring in another African village.
“I will get muddy so others can drink clean water,” he wrote. ‘I want you to help me make the vision a reality!!! †
Wilson was applauded by her husband as she competed in her first race in 2019.
“He is my best supporter,” she told KFVS in 2019 about her husband. “No matter what I decide to do, it pretty much lets me do it.” The couple was photographed on their wedding day in May 1963.
In 2020, Wilson competed in the second Tough Mudder race in honor of her deceased husband, who died of a heart attack that year while receiving treatment for COVID-19.
Wilson has so far raised $1,750 from his $5,000 goal.
“A well costs $65,000, but the company that built it comes with a lifetime warranty,” Standard told Democrat. “For $25 a person can drink clean water for a lifetime.”
Wilson had another special reason to race in his third Tough Mudder.
“I’m not just doing this in memory of my husband, I’m doing it to honor my bride, Tanya Wilson, who is battling pancreatic cancer,” she said.
It has even become a tradition for him and his son to help him overcome obstacles when he needs it.
“runs 10 km” [Tough Mudder] He does the shorter one with me on Saturday and then Sunday,” Wilson explained. “He looks at me.”
Source: Daily Mail
