Bea is a recognised and valued member of our Ambassador Team here at Tough Mudder. As a neurodiverse Adaptive Athlete, you’ll often see her and her team conquering the course in her wheelchair, shouting proud about our Adaptive Athlete programme. She also dedicates her time to plenty of volunteering.
Bea’s journey conquering obstacles on course:
“Tough Mudder, like any other event, is busy, loud, and crowded. There’s adrenaline, excitement, and often fear. It’s literally in the pledge to overcome all fears. It takes mental grit, teamwork – the true ethos of Tough Mudder is about working together, not against each other.
So, when you are neurodiverse, a lot of these things can be barriers. Fear of strangers, crowds, noise, textures such as mud and water – overstimulation in general. I have Tourette’s syndrome, I am autistic, I have ADHD and I use a wheelchair. All these things compounded mean that Tough Mudder SHOULD be a nightmare for me. However, something keeps bringing me back. Since engaging with the community and becoming an ambassador for the brand, I experience nothing but love and support from my mud family, my teammates and from TMHQ.
Reasonable adjustments are made for me when I volunteer, such as being allowed to move when I need to, not being fixed in one place. I can find a quiet area when all the noise and crowds are a bit too much. I’m also supported on course. Having a t-shirt without the tag in it means my sensory issues are taken into account, and this isn’t made into a big deal, it just happens. People understand when I am overstimulated, and my team is able to recognise this and support me in overcoming these episodes.
The team at HQ allow me to do things in a slightly different way, that allows me to participate just as much as neurotypical/able-bodied folk in the community. Some may see this as ‘special treatment’ but actually it’s showing equality and making reasonable adjustments. This acceptance from such a well-known brand like Tough Mudder means so much to me. They have worked with local charities such as Tourette’s Scotland, handing out shoelaces to raise awareness of the condition. Such support might seem minor to many people but it shows me and many others that Tough Mudder is an open and welcoming place, regardless of your abilities.”
Join Bea on course at an upcoming event and learn more about the Adaptive Athlete Programme.
