Mud Run

A couple of weeks ago Mike and I and two friends, Carolyn and Scott (both married - but not to each other) participated in the USMC Mud Run.   Our team was called "Mudilicous".   Ha!  Its the largest mud run in North America with over 14,000 participants -- so the traffic was ridiculous to say the least.  We were in a traffic jam for at least 90 minutes (and missed our start time) but once we arrived, we just checked in and started the race.  We came is 967th overall. 

Mike's sister Shannon was originally on our team, but hurt her back.  She tagged along anyway and snug onto the course to take a few pictures.  She said whenever she saw someone she just acted like she was one of the professional photographers out there.  :)

This obstacle was really hard (meaning you could NOT do it by yourself).  You had to move across the bars without your feet touching the ground.  I went first and grabbed it oddly and it took all three of my teammates to get me across while I hung like a monkey.  

The rest of the group "stiff-armed" it across or road on shoulders.  Much better technique!




We had to flip this tire a certain number of times (4?  can't remember).  We all kind of thought this one was random. 


Climbing up and over a super-high wall.  There were a few versions of this.  Not sure how someone afraid of heights would handle it. 




Mud pools were throughout.  This one we just had to run though.  There was one that was 12 feet deep (or something like that).  Mike dove in and swam across.  I jumped as high as I could like a crazy person.  It was CRAZY swimming in a mud pool - but surprisingly it "washed us off" a bit and made us look cleaner, just really tan.  :)

 

There were a few versions of this obstacle.  You go under practically like a snake.  This one was really muddy, but there were some pockets of air in between the mud and the rocks.  We went one where you literally had to go under the mud to get under the log.  The tough part is that when you come out, you have mud in your eyes, but you can't wipe your eyes because you have mud everyone else on your body too.  People wiped their eyes with canvas ropes enclosing the obstacle, random leaves on the ground, whatever they could find.  Mike had a ton of mud in his eyes during one of the obstacles and couldn't get it out.  A volunteer eventually brought him a bottle of water to wash his eyes with.  Very nice and very appeciated!


This obstacle was "over/under".  The logs were about 8 feet high and there were maybe 40 of them (not sure).  You had to move over one and under the next one without your feet ever touching the group.  You had to really latch on to one log (underneath) and then slowly swing one arm, then one leg over, then propel yourself to the top of that log to go over it.  One of your teammates was positioned to give you a boost if you needed one.  I've heard a number of people say that they thought this one was the hardest. 


The last "obstacle" is carrying a team member on a stretcher.  Carolyn and I fought each other on who was the smallest ("no you are!"...."no you are!").  I won....she rode.  Mike shoved me aside and wouldn't let me help carry, so Carolyn and I both got a little break. 


Here were are at the finish line.


Check out how you get clean!


Our shoes went directly into the trash can. 


We all LOVED it!  I think I yelled out at least a dozen times, "I love this!"...."This is so fun!"  If I could pay $10 and do this weekly as a gym class, I would.  It rocked.   Can't wait until next year!


PS Shannon -- thanks for documenting our fun day!!