Dirty Girl Mud Run

When we knew we were moving, I decided on the spot that I wouldn't do any triathlons this summer. I always have such a great time and finishing feels great, but the truth of the matter is, they make me so freaking nervous. And I didn't want the weight of training looming over my head all summer. Ironically, I probably work out more here. It's just not very consistent, and I haven't been running at all lately. (I'm sure it will help when the boys go back to school. Besides my Monday night bike rides, I just don't have a moment without them right now.) Anyhow, back in January, my sister asked me if I wanted to do the Dirty Girl Mud Run with her. It was a non-timed event, and seemed like fun, so I agreed to do it. Of course, the morning of the race, it was cold and raining. What? Waiting for our wave to go out was the hardest part. We were freezing.



A short way into the race though, the skies cleared and it was gorgeous out. Brian, the boys, my brother-in-law Tim, their kids and my parents all came to cheer us on. Since it wasn't a timed event, my very competitive sister decided to run the race with me instead of leaving me in the dust (or mud, ha ha). Honestly, I think doing it with someone made it a lot more fun. The trail running was great. Admittedly, I did give up whenever I saw a hill though, opting to walk it instead. It's a problem I have -- I tend to not push myself very much. I'm just not super competitive and just like getting out there and having fun. Not a great attitude. Most of the obstacles were in areas without spectators. But once we rounded one of the corners, there were people everywhere. Here we are getting over the Wall Climb (that's me on the top right).



(Not us, but aren't these little butterflies so cute? There were a bunch of tutus running the event too.)



The end of the event featured two obstacles. The first was the Cargo Net. It was probably the hardest obstacle of the day. And while it was nice to be able to catch your breath, there was a long wait to get over it. But it was still fun. (Christie and I are the top next to the girl with the red shirt on.)



And finally was the Mud Pit (more water than mud).



At the end of the race, we were given cosmos. It's amazing how great they tasted at 10am after a race! Christie got a bit muddier than me. She had a big ole' wipe out in a very muddy stretch of the run. Plus, she was kind of looking for the mud. And kept throwing it at me.

There were all skill levels here. From people who never work out, to super fit. We only had one person pass us, and there were a ton of walkers. I think that's great though. It was a very mild mud run. Nothing was too complicated. In fact, the hardest part was the run! It's not easy to do with mud caked all over your feet. Honestly, I haven't run in weeks, focusing more on weight training. The thought of obstacles really kind of freaked me out. In hindsight, I should have been logging in some miles instead. It was a really fun event though. Can't wait to do it again next year.

P.S. If you are doing a mud run and wondering what to pack, I followed this guide from Back to Her Roots, which totally worked for me.