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LONDON - For many, just the thought of running 12 miles (19 kilometres) over mounds of mud and through pools of ice water is enough to make them cry.Now comes something that will really make them weep.Tough Mudder, one of several obstacle course-style distance running events gaining in popularity, announced Tuesday it is adding a tear gas-experience to its repertoire this year with a stop labeled Cry Baby. Its not dangerous, according to the companys CEO, but it can pose quite a challenge for participants.The idea of doing something that sounds painful, disorientating, is definitely something thats a little scary, said Will Dean, who came up with the business plan for Tough Mudder while studying for a masters degree at Harvard. It definitely will make your eyes sting while youre in the smoke, but ultimately its safe.The reason we have it is because its intimidating.Dean was not the first to come up with the idea of asking people to pay money for the chance to challenge themselves in a military-style obstacle course. Tough Guy, for one, has been around for nearly 30 years and bills itself as The Original since 1987. Many others have followed in a similar vein, including Spartan Race and True Grit.I reinvent every year. Well, two or three times a year, said Tough Guy organizer Billy Wilson, who took Tough Mudder to court in its early days but eventually settled. I create a new obstacle for each event, sometimes two.Tough Mudder is a New York-based company that started in 2009 and this year is planning to stage 55 events in eight countries around the world. In addition to the main 10-12-mile (16-19-kilometre) challenge with about 20 obstacles for both men and women, the company also has Mudderella events for women and Mini Mudder runs for kids between 8 and 12.Crawling over logs and under wooden beams through an enclosed area filled with tear gas is the most eye-catching of the new obstacles on the slate for this years Tough Mudder events. There is also Ring of Fire, where people slide down a firemans pole through a ring set alight and into a tub of muddy water, and Birth Canal, where participants crawl under a water-filled tarpaulin that creates a sense of claustrophobia.The well-known Electroshock Therapy will also be in the mix, with participants running through wires charged with 10,000 volts of electricity.Its as much about the mental challenge as it is the physical component, said Dean, a 34-year-old British transplant who worked in counterterrorism for the U.K.s Foreign Office before heading to Boston and then New York.The first chance for runners to face the new Tough Mudder challenges, including the tear gas, will be at the Gulf Coast event near Pensacola, Florida, on March 7 at a cost of nearly $200 for a standard entry. Dean said he is expecting Cry Baby to be in place for all 55 editions in 2015.The tear gas that will be used was created by the people at Tough Mudder to give runners a sense of what its like to be faced with the chemical weapon often employed by police to disperse crowds, but the burning sensation will wear off quickly.Its best described as a tear gas-like substance, said Lucas Barclay, the vice-president of event delivery for Tough Mudder. It has no lasting effects.Tough Guy also tries to stay fresh and ahead of the competition, and Wilson is planning to commemorate a famous World War I battle at his next event near Birmingham in central England on Feb. 1.I recreated Gallipoli beach for the 100th anniversary this year, Wilson said of the battle that started in April 1915 in which more than 46,000 allied soldiers were killed among 250,000 casualties. Gallipoli has become a sacred place. Ive recreated that.The quest to give paying customers an exciting and challenging experience can come with complications and catastrophes. In April 2013, 28-year-old Avishek Sengupta died at a Tough Mudder event in West Virginia.We treat, first and foremost, safety as the most important part of our event, Barclay said. We are always reviewing our safety features.The prospect of being injured certainly keeps some people on the sidelines, but Dean said Tough Mudder is expecting its 2 millionth competitor this year.And, as he is quick to point out, its not a race against the clock. Its a test of ones inner strength.We spend so much of our lives competing with one another, Dean said. In the long run, the race is only within yourself. Buy Saucony Shoes Uk . PAUL, Minn. Saucony Running Shoes Uk . "You hate when they score," he said with some distaste at the thought. "You take pride in it. http://www.cheapsauconyuk.com/. The 10-horse field of 3-year-old pacers will leave the starting gate at approximately 10:14pm et. Co-owned and trained by David Menary, Hes Watching will be driven by Tim Tetrick and is the 5-1 fourth selection in the field. Cheap Saucony Shoes Uk . The Miami Heat star tops the leagues global list of top-selling jerseys for the 2012-13 season, edging Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls, Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder and James Heat teammate Dwyane Wade for the No. Saucony Originals Sale Uk . Ramon, 30, played in a career-high 97 games with the Goldeyes in 2013. He also matched a career-high eight home runs and posted 52 RBI.I am incredibly lucky in life - fabulous wife, four awesome sons and a great job. Every once in awhile, it seems like life lets dreams become real - and that is a gift. I had one of those moments in Detroit on Tuesday. My son, Landon, played his first NHL game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, his favourite boyhood team. When he phoned me to say he had been called up, I had so many visions of him as a little boy, pretending to be Mats Sundin, the joy we shared in going to the rink and the disappointments along the way. As all parents know, nothing deflates you like a tough day for your child, nothing makes you happier than their success. I happened to be flying to Toronto anyways - for a TSN game the next day - so when I got off the plane, I looked for a text from Landon whether he was in the lineup or not. He knew he would be in wwarm-up and that was enough for me to hop on another flight.dddddddddddd And when I got there for warm-up, I saw he was on a line and knew his dream (and mine) was about to become reality. My last game in the NHL - in May of 2002 - was in Detroit. Now Landons first game was going to be in the same arena. I can see the post where Landon and his brother, Matt were waiting for me post-game; we all knew my career was done. Full circle stuff. When the Wings came out of the tunnel, I was looking for that familiar skating stride and there he was. An NHL player. I have to say, the tears came pretty quickly. He played well, just under 10 minutes. I will never forget this night. What an incredible night for our family, and in particular, for Landon. Im so proud. Share you thoughts with Ray Ferraro on Twitter at @rayferrarotsn. ' ' '