Jordan is one HOT "Tough Mudder"

 Today Jordan participated in the Tough Mudder challange.  The Tough Mudder, basically, is a 12 mile obsticle course that was developed by British Special Forces and is done all over the world. This weekend it came to Mesa.  He did it with some of the people he works with.  They  call it a challange and not a race because they want you to help people along the way and work together. Jordan said at many of the walls, he bent over and let people get step on his back so they could reach the top to pull themselves up. but then he had to just jump and pull him self up. Thats ok- he's super tough!  I need to have hiim write some of this post so he can describe the obsticles better, but the kids and I saw a few of them.  Besides climbing over 10 ft. walls, they had to jump over ditches, crawl through icy/muddy water while being shocked, claw their way up extremely steep piles of loose dirt, do the monkey bars over icy fionized water, cary heavy blocks of wood on their shoulders, and many more similar things.

They held this race at the Mesa proving grounds (don't ask me what that is... i have no idea).  The place was crazy.  One of the most crazy things, in my opinion, was the price of being a spectator.  I had to sign a waver for me and each of my kids and then pay $40 for each person over 10 yrs just to watch.  Once we were in, we were a bit overwhelmed and worried that we would never find Jordan.  We certianlly couldn't walk the twelve mile course to find him, so we picked an obsticle near the end and waited it out, hoping he hadn't already passed.  After about and hour and a half, we saw him coming, we were so excited adn proud.  I had been worried, because he hurt his ankle over christmas and has't been able to run, AND because he tried to run a few times, he got a bad shin spint on the other leg from babying the ankle.  He looked great though. At the point we were, not many people were running anymore.  But Jordan came up running and smiling and looking so good.  We did our best to get to the remaining obsticles and watch him.  I loved hearing the kids cheering "go daddy!".
He wipped through the rest of them like they were not big deal, but from watching the people around him struggle with them, I know they were a big deal.  Many people couldn't do it and had to go around after failed attempts. Jordan definately earned the "crown"  (really an orange sweat band) they gave him at the end. 

when we first saw him

waiting for his turn at one of the obsticles

here he goes!

guys being cool and helping others up. Jordan said they actualy made it a bit harder for him, but he appreciated the thought and teamwork

he had just been shocked in the head

steps away from the finish line

His Tough Mudder work team.  He'll have to add the names in .Far left is Shawn Gardner, Next to Jordan is Marissa- Shawns Admin.

Shawn, Brian (works with Jordan in same department- and yes, he is nearly a Giant), Jordan

getting "crowned"

I need to add a little aside:  Because Jordan is the ward mission leader, the missionaries are always stopping by our house.  On one of these evenings, he asked them to give him a blessing because his shin and ankle were hurting so bad.  They blessed him that he would be healed and would be able to run in this race.  He was still hurting the evening before the race, but before the blessing, he told the missionaries he had the faith to be healed.  His faith didn't waiver- mine did a little. Before I saw him, i was so worried he would come hobbiling up. When he came running at us smiling, I felt so releaved and a little guilty for not having as much faith as him. He said his ankle was feeling great and had even ditched the brace earlier in the race.  Im so grateful for a husband humble enough to ask for a blessing and faithful enough to be healed.  Im also grateful for good missionaries who are doing what is right and are worthy enough to give a blessing when asked without notice.