Wallowing in the Mud

Saturday is race day again. However this race is not your everyday race. It is a bit more. It's really not like any other race I've ever done...well, besides when I did this same race last year and the year before.
The race is a 4.2 mile run, but the distance is not the challenge. Rather, the obstacles are what makes the race a true test of endurance. This adequately dubbed challenge, known as the Mud Run, is hosted at Fort Jackson by the US Marine Corp. It consists of 30 obstacles interspersed amid the 4.2 miles, among which are a few cargo net climbs, a few muddy hills to cross, a few water holes to wade or swim through, and various other gut busting hurdles.

The worst obstacle of all is the ten foot wall. No handles. No steps. 10 feet. Luckily this is a team event. Each team of 4 (or teams of 2, which is a new option this year) must cross each obstacle as a team. As for the 10 foot wall, the strategy is how to get all 4 participants up the quickest. This year, I will go up first and pull up the others from the top. Last year I made the mistake of pushing my teammates up first...then, no groups were behind us to give me a boost. I was beat, my team was beat, I was the heaviest and my jumping up and grabbing their arms to pull myself up was not a good idea. We finally made it up...but I will not use that approach this year.

It should be a fun race. It's one of that competitions that the strength of your ream is only as strong as your weakest member. Hopefully we can all at least run 4.2 miles. Beyond that, I dont know what to expect...and I've done this before!

Oh, and to make it more fun we have a few groups starting back to back. A new team starts every 20 seconds (to avoid slowness at some of the obstacles) and groups in front of and behind us are friends of mine. That should make for some funny scenes and plenty of trash talking. I even have a little wager with one guy...a Hooters lunch...loser pays for the wings. I figure it's a win, win situation. Either way, I get wings!

Wish me luck and check back for a follow-up. Oh, and if you're really interested, check out the site: Click here for Mud Run