SQUAW VALLEY, CALIF. — There’s a food crisis in Africa, and so naturally, Scottish actor and good-looking redheaded fella Kevin McKidd (Grey’s Anatomy) yesterday ran the 10-mile mud pit/steep cliff/electric shock/barbed-wire-filled NorCal Tough Mudder to raise more than $12,000 for Save the Children’s East Africa efforts.

And he did it in a kilt. And this morning, he is feeling it. He tweeted: 

Morning! Rolling out of bed was tough today! Ribs are painful- breathing makes them hurt and bending down is slow process - but legs are ok!

The Tough Mudder is a popular adventure racing series that was designed by British Special Forces. Finishers get “The Headband,” which is orange. Typically participants “mud it” in teams. The goal is less winning and more teamwork and the testing of mudders’ strength, stamina, toughness, teamwork and mental fortitude. Participants survive the forging of rivers, the carrying of huge logs, the running through of livewires, the crawling through of gunk-filled tunnels, and many other things that just make me cringe imagining doing at all, and bring tears to my eyes to imagine it done in a kilt. 

Kilts are just so ... not protective. Comfortable as hell, I'm sure. But it seems like they'd leave just so exposed. 

Anyway. McKidd trained and then mudded it with fellow actors Shemar Moore, Simon Mirren and the “Stray Dogs” team.

“Was up at 5:30 back in the gym — dreaded it but was happy that by 7:30 I had done my work for the day- recovery shake, shower and to work!” McKidd tweeted after one of his early morning workouts with the Stray Dogs team.

Save the Children is working to relieve starving children in the middle of East Africa’s current food crisis in the Horn of Africa region, sparked by drought and war. In Ethiopia, Save the Children is feeding malnourished kids and in Kenya, it is providing counseling for kids who arrive at refugee camps without parents and helps them find relatives in the camp. If family can’t be found, Save the Children finds the kids a foster family.

The drought is the worst in 60 years. McKidd has previously gone on a 24-hour fast to show his support for children and starred in a public service announcement for Save the Children, which can be viewed below.

He’s leveraged his social media network to raise the money. He live-tweeted through the 24-hour “Fast-a-Thon.” He partnered with his fan site, KevinMcKiddOnline, to set up “The Tough Giving Challenge.” And he promised his followers that if he reached the $10,000 mark he would mud it up in a traditional Scottish kilt.

“Kevin continues to keep the spotlight on the children of the East Africa food crisis with both his social media use and out-of-the-box fundraising methods,” said Save the Children’s President & CEO Carolyn Miles. “First with Save the Children’s 24-hour Fast-A-Thon and now the Tough Mudder, we are looking forward to seeing what extreme stunt Kevin will take on next.”

So are we, Ms. Miles, so are we.
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TheRealKMcKidd Kevin McKidd
I'm a #toughmudder! Check out my new 2011 Tough Mudder Finisher badge! basno.com/aiunclnm @toughmudder

thank you to Milee17 for organizing this to help promote our Tough Giving Challenge
@tw1tt3rart

thank you to Jane McKidd for all the  photographs

thanks to Jane McKidd

thanks to Jane McKidd

Thanks to Jane McKidd

Less than 24 hrs till #toughmudder for @SavetheChildren go to @KMcKOnline and donate now! I am getting nervous about the altitude..

They say lots of gatorade or pedialite helps ..

Packing now or the plane for #toughmudder #EastAfrica here is my kit

Bag packed and in the words of Renton in Trainspotting .." and now.. NOW , I'm ready."

via @therealkmckidd on twitter 17 Sep

we call for each follower of @therealkmckidd and @kmckonline and our forum, Facebook page and tumblr members to please donate just $1 today and support Kevin  ~ donate Here

Tough Mudder NorCal page http://toughmudder.com/events/norcal2011/

Participant Pack What to wear, event & course info, etc.
http://toughmudder.com/events/norcal2011/norcal-participant-pack

Spectators can ride the Cable Car from the start area for $29 to see the following obstacles: Everest ¼ Pipe, Spiders Web, Chernobyl Jacuzzi, Mystery Obstacle, and Funky Monkey. From these obstacles, it is possible to walk down a short hill to see: Underwater Tunnels, Boa Constrictor, and Walk the Plank.

(Also go to http://www.squaw.com to see live webcam shots.)
http://www.squaw.com/uber-cam Uber Cam @ High Camp
http://www.squaw.com/high-camp-cam High Camp Cam
http://www.squaw.com/base-cam Base Cam

**There WILL be a costume contest at 9:00AM each day. The winner WILL win a season pass.
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Start Times ( by day & last name) http://toughmudder.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/NorCal-Start-Times_9.1.pdf

Kevin is on page 189 and 5th one down. It lists his Start Time as:
KEVIN MCKIDD  M  Sunday  11:40 AM Stray Dogs  (he is in Start Group #12)
Other Stray Dogs start at various other times. (8am, 9am, 11:40am)

Stray Dogs team :
Kevin McKidd (Grey's Anatomy, ROME)
Simon Mirren (Ex. Prod., Criminal Minds)
David James Elliott (C.S.I: New York, J.A.G)
Shemar Moore (Criminal Minds)
Alex Hackford
Gary Love
James Strom
Joe Jetsyn
John Jetsyn
Jon Barton
Rick Dunkle
Scott Seidel
Scott Wilson
Jace Sparks
Wesley Olison

see below a list of the obsticals Kevin will have to deal with in todays Tough Mudder