Last weekend dad and I did a mud run together. Though this is a timed race I will never have a goal time for these races? Both dad and I consider this more of an outing then anything. Like a hike in the park? I will never race an obstacle style race because I know that would be when I would get injured and the last thing I want is to be injured due to something like this. That being said I love to run with my dad and we enjoy doing this as a team.
When I woke up Saturday, I was extremely tired and not in the mood to do anything. If we hadn’t been doing this race I probably would have used Saturday as a cross training day. After drinking coffee (I don’t normally drink coffee before road races) dad and I were off for our adventures complete in our matching singlets and black bottoms.
After doing a 2 mile warmup and shooting the breeze with a few locals, we waiting for our carol to start (8:20). It was hot, humid and more smelly then usual and with that we took off. The first half mile was on pavement and up a hill (and probably my favorite part of the race). They had changed the course up from other years so we were excited for a different route.
Because we were out to have a good time and have an unusual workout (and change of pace from road running) we decided it would be humorous to narrate the different parts of the race as they related on a global scale. At the half mile point we got onto grass and dad I decided we were in the grasslands. We also thought this was more cross country then anything.
After crawling through some mud, we got to the beach and Australian coast. Since it was high tide, there was no packed sand so we were running on soft sand for about a mile. I’ve found soft sand tightens my plantar fascia so made sure to roll them out with a golf ball afterwords. After climbing man-made dunes and running the mile on the beach we turned and headed into the jungle.
Which was essentially the woods. It was nice because the trees, roots and overhead limbs were marked similar to cross country races to provide with the least amount of injuries. Dad and I were pretty strong in the jungle and we passed a few teams (not that it really mattered).
After the jungle we were led back to near the starting line for some water, obstacles and back into the grasslands. We were around mile 3 at this point and headed back through some mud. Mile 3-4 was the hardest I would say because we were muddy, shoes were soaked and were running through more mud so it was soft. I think this could be where I was a little grumpy and whiney…is it over yet?
The final .67 (it was supposed to be an 8k..but I guess dad and I took all the shortcuts…) was back through sand and mud and up a giant hill followed by face planting into the mud. Two volunteers monitoring including a lifeguard with a tube, yelled “you aren’t muddy enough”. I wanted to yell back well that is because this is more of a sand dash in the Sahara then mud run. It was true for as much sand there was…there wasn’t a lot of mud. But that is okay so when I got into the mud, I splashed some more on so dad and I looked more badass then we were (then of course they caught it on film).
And then we sprinted the last 200 meters to end and I have never been so happy to finish a race in my life. All in all I had a great time and it was more adventurous then anything. Races like these make me appreciate the beauty of running and that not every race needs to be a PR, fast or remotely close to your fastest speed. It’s just as much about the process then the outcome.
Questions for you:
Have you ever done a mud run? Or Color Me Rad, ect?
Have you ever rolled around in the mud or taken a mud bath?
What…that isn’t your favorite thing to do too?
My husband is king of the mud/obstacle races. He’s running one tomorrow. I have yet to do one because I am afraid of getting injured. I know I will happen too, I am that clumsy.
I am too, that is why I took is super easy. Good luck to your husband!
Haha that’s awesome that you guys narrated the race! I’m tempted to sign up for something like this with a friend just to do something similar. Seems like a fun way to get a different workout in while taking the pressure off to get a PR regardless of the fact that it’s a fun race. I have yet to do one of the mud/color run/all the other stuff out there because I have to be a little choosy with what I pay for, and I’d rather race than anything right now….but I’m hoping to have a little more money to play with next year so I can do some different stuff. Have a great weekend, Hollie!
Yeah this is a tradition with dad and I so a race I sign up for even though it’s super expensive. I know moving to Texas will limit my racing for a while (because there aren’t many down there…so my budget will happy in that sense).
Your approach to these mud things is perfecto, the three mudders I did I had the same mentality. It was okay lets do this, have fun, and not yell at the slowest in the group. I’d be miserable if I had a time in mind. The distance seems good too, the mudders are like 12.5 miles or something dumb and at that point I am just done.
If I got last I would be okay with it as long as I was injury free LOL.
I think its awesome that your dad did this race with you!
You and I are on the same wavelength about these races- it’s not worth racing and getting hurt.
I love that you and your dad run together, seriously awesome.
The closest I get to a mud bath is the mud face mask I use once or twice a month to try and help clear my face up…although that mud comes out of a tube and is green…same thing right?
I fell in the mud once. Does that count? ha ha.
I did a color run and loved it except when I (stupidly) ran through the coloring stations with my mouth open. My lungs did not approve at all. My friend was taking it so seriously and I wish she would have had more fun with it but it was her first “race” so she just set her mind on finishing. I have mud wrestled (don’t ask) and was a big tom boy when I was younger so mud and I get along pretty well.
Hollie you look like it wasa walk in the park LOL You are right though notevery race has to be a PR and could be for the pure enjoyment of doing it with someone such as your Dad. I did the tough mudder which was 12 miles and I had a team of 4. We definitely got VERY muddy though, sometimes I thought the amount was just ridiculous. Anywho…it was not about finishing in a fast time it was doing it as a team and making sure we ALL finish together!
Awe well thank you but I def did not feel that way LOL. Yeah we had to finish together too but why do it as a team if you aren’t planning to finish together?
I love that the same woman in pink is behind you in the first three pictures ahah. You manage to look like a model in all of them, ridiculous!
bahahaha. You are too nice Fiona. It must have been at the same point the photo was taken. I guess the secrets of the photographers are out LOL.
‘You manage to look like a model in all of them'<- my thoughts exactly.
You strongly defy the whole thing, where people are supposed to look a mess whilst running Hollie! You bring a little glamour to races I swear :).
Awe thanks Sarah you are too nice! I felt a mess while running for real though!
Your pictures are all really cute.
I’ve never done mud runs, or any other special type of run. I’ve always hated getting dirty, so I doubt I ever do. 🙂 (meaning actually mud/dirt, not sweating obviously).
oh man those look so hard, and I’d probably injure myself!
I’m surprised I didn’t. I’m always nervous I will!
This race does sound like something fun to do with a friend! I can’t imagine taking it seriously and racing it but I’m sure some did! Glad you had this to do for fun with your dad!
My brothers cross country team actually won overall teams one year. No way would I want to do that..not worth it if something happens.
I wanted to do the Tough Mudder this year but just couldn’t stomach the idea of spending so much on a race, plus the boy and I couldn’t get a team together of enough people who aren’t flaky. It’s a relief since I got injured. But! Tomorrow I’m running the Color Run, so that’s going to be fun I hope!
Just have to comment on your race number – 1234! Awesome. 😀
Those pictures are freaking awesome! I don’t think I’d like this very much…
So glad you were smart and took it easy–getting injured was my biggest fear during the mud run I did. And like you wrote, the vibe at these types of events is totally different than the atmosphere at “normal” races, which is nice, but I don’t think I’d become a serious mud runner. 😉
I don’t like being dirty, so I will never do a mud run. Hell, I freak out when I get mud on my shoes during a run, I can’t imagine doing it on purpose! And you are FAR too clean afterward!