Tough Smudge might have one bloke doing the running. It is not being built entirely on my own.
Every event entered, mile travelled, piece of equipment tested, photograph taken, article published and fundraising target chased involves a surprising number of people, businesses and organisations along the way.
This page is where I recognise some of the people and organisations helping make Tough Smudge possible.
Some provide sponsorship.
Some provide products or services.
Some help with events, content or logistics.
Some support the fundraising.
Others simply get behind the idea and help move it forward.
However they are involved, I am grateful for the support.
Challenge & Event Sponsors
Sometimes support may be attached to one particular start line.
An organisation might sponsor an event entry, contribute towards travel or accommodation, provide branded clothing, support a fundraising challenge or simply decide that sending me somewhere muddy is an entertaining use of the marketing budget.
Those organisations will be recognised here and, where appropriate, on the relevant Tough Smudge Event or Challenge page.
Kit, Products & Services
Training for endurance events requires a growing collection of kit, nutrition, technology and services.
Occasionally a company may provide something free of charge, at a discount or as part of a commercial partnership.
If that happens, it will always be disclosed.
Being included on this page does not mean a company has purchased a positive review.
If I test something, the opinion remains mine.
Good products will get credit.
Problems will be mentioned.
And something arriving in a free box will not suddenly make it perfect.
That honesty matters both to me and to the organisations I want to work with.
Charity & Community
Prostate Cancer UK sits at the heart of the fundraising side of Tough Smudge.
My own fundraising is in memory of my dad, who died from metastatic prostate cancer in 2024.
Money donated through my GiveStar fundraising page goes directly to Prostate Cancer UK and remains completely separate from sponsorship, Patreon and other Tough Smudge income.
As the project develops, I am also open to working with charities, community organisations and corporate fundraising teams on particular events and challenges.
The Pit Crew
Tough Smudge also has another kind of supporter.
The Pit Crew is the community supporting the project through Patreon.
Patreon helps towards the costs of building Tough Smudge: events, travel, equipment, training, content and the other things that make increasingly ambitious challenges possible.
I will not automatically publish the names of Patreon members here.
Anybody who supports Tough Smudge privately is entitled to remain private.
As the Pit Crew grows, members may be given the option to be recognised on this page if they would like to be.
Thank you
Tough Smudge is still near the beginning.
That makes every person and organisation willing to support it now particularly important.
You are not joining an established endurance brand after everything has already happened.
You are helping while it is being built.
From my first Tough Mudder.
Through the road to World’s Toughest Mudder.
And hopefully into whatever properly daft challenge comes afterwards.
Thank you for being part of it.
Fancy joining them?
If your business or organisation would like to get involved, there are plenty of possibilities.
You could:
- sponsor an event or challenge;
- provide equipment or clothing;
- offer a useful product or service;
- support travel or accommodation;
- collaborate on content;
- involve Tough Smudge in a corporate event;
- work together on a charity challenge;
- or simply come to me with an idea I have not thought of yet.
You do not need a huge sponsorship budget.
You do need to think there might be a genuine fit.
Or, if you simply want to personally support the journey:
Endure. Overcome. Make it count.