Mud Run Do's and Don'ts

Summer is finally here in the Mid-Atlantic! Along with warmer temperatures and sunny skies, summer means the season of obstacle races and mud runs. If you've never participated in one before, then you might be wondering, what exactly is a "mud run?" A mud run is an umbrella term for a race that usually involves mud, water, and obstacles. There are many different types and distances depending on the type of adventure you are looking for. Matthew and I have completed a variety of mud run races including Tough Mudder, Warrior Dash, Savage Race, Cereb Run, Run for Your Lives, Spartan Race, Beast of the East, Rugged Maniac, and Merrell Down & Dirty. With that in mind, here are some tips to make your mud run an experience you won't forget!

DO research the event you'd like to participate in. 

I can't stress this one enough! Each event is different and some you may want to avoid based on the specifics of the course. For example, a Tough Mudder is between 10 and 12 miles and includes electric shocks, a greased-up half pipe, and lots of enclosed spaces and barbed wire. The Merrell Down & Dirty has two options (a 5k or 10k) and includes an inflatable slide, shallow mud pits, and tire flipping. One of these races is significantly more challenging than the other. Read race reviews, watch videos on You Tube, and look up previous year's courses online to get an idea of what the race may be like.

Matthew (in yellow) clamoring up the greased half pipe at Tough Mudder.

Super fun (and shallow!) mud pits at Merrell Down & Dirty Philadelphia.

DO wear something fun!

Disney isn't the only place runners like to dress up. Most mud runs will have many participants dressed in costumes, team shirts, or other attention-getting outfits. Join in the fun with a unique racing ensemble. Check out blogs, Pinterest, or previous events' pictures for ideas.

Tutu at Warrior Dash, Superman at Merrell, "Goonies Forever" at Warrior Dash

DON'T wear anything you don't mind getting muddy, wet, destroyed OR anything that will be uncomfortable when wet.

Remember, you'll be in water, mud, grass, sand, etc. and your race day outfit needs to work with you, not against you. You'll want to stick with technical fabrics- cotton holds onto water and tends to get very heavy when loaded down with mud. Also, loose-fitting clothing will inevitably stick to you and could hold you back as you are trying to navigate the obstacles. Form-fitting, technical fabrics have been the best thing I've found to race in. However, don't spend too much on these items- you may destroy or lose them. That tutu was ridiculously heavy in the Warrior Dash mud pit- I ended up throwing it away once I got out.

Lots of mud and lots of cotton- no bueno! 

DO get comfortable doing scary things.

All mud runs and obstacle races- regardless of distance or intensity- have some elements that are meant to "help" participants face their fears. Heights, enclosed spaces, electricity, water, fire- you name it and I'm sure there is an obstacle that features it. I never even knew I was afraid of heights until I had to scale 15 foot cargo nets! Most of these obstacles are relatively safe and good races have EMS, lifeguards, or other medical personnel at each obstacle just in case. If you're thinking about a mud run, be ready to conquer some of your greatest fears!

Cargo nets at Rugged Maniac.

 Matthew getting shocked by live wires at Tough Mudder.

Jumping over fire at Rugged Maniac.

Monkey bars over a five foot pit of muddy water at Savage Race.

Trust me, looking down this slide at Savage Race is crazy terrifying!

DON'T worry about failing to complete an obstacle.

There are just some obstacles that you won't be able to complete. For me, it's anything with monkey bars- I literally fall the minute I grab the second bar. But don't worry- lots of people struggle! The important part is to try- you'll never know what you're capable of if you don't at least give it a shot. There are some races where an alternative activity must be performed if you fail or want to skip an obstacle. At Spartan Race and Savage Race, you must complete 30 burpees if you don't complete an obstacle. Ugh. I try to avoid those races :-)

I fell about 3 seconds after Matthew took this picture (Beast of the East).

These walls are crazy impossible to finish! (Spartan Race)

DO bring a camera and/or spectators!

Most mud runs position the biggest obstacles next to the best spectator viewing spots so encourage your friends and family to watch you compete- as a spectator, it's really fun to watch people conquer them. And usually spectators can get some great pictures. Also, if you can, bring a waterproof camera- we usually use the disposable ones- you can get some great shots of the obstacles and the course.

I took this one while I was above Matthew on the cargo net- you can see the corner of my tutu!

Matthew looking like a BAMF on the Tough Mudder course.

Another great shot of Matthew at Tough Mudder.

Matthew got this great picture with a disposable camera at Warrior Dash.

DO realize the risk involved.

Despite all the effort put in by race directors to keep the runners safe, there is still inherent risk involved in participating. All the races we have participated in have required signing a release of liability form that states possible serious injury or death could occur as a result of participation. While we have walked away relatively unscathed- despite bumps, bruises, minor cuts, and a slight ankle sprain- there have been deaths at some of these events. Serious injuries and deaths aside, even a minor injury can hamper your ability to train for future competitive races. When training for the Dopey Challenge, I made the choice to not participate in any obstacle races simply because the risk of injury was too high and I was not willing to jeopardize my training for a mud run.  

DON'T leave a mudder behind!

One of the things that I LOVE about mud runs is the idea that they are not a race- they are a challenge. Runners are meant to help each other over the obstacles; not try to be the first one through them. I can't tell you how many times a fellow mudder has helped me scale a wall or helped pull me up when I'm too tired. It's always amazing to watch as someone scales a wall and then turns around to wait for someone that needs help. These events are absolutely team-oriented- even if you didn't start with a group, you will have teammates you've never met before at each obstacle. Likewise, it's your duty to assist anyone that needs help in any way that you can. Embrace a culture of cooperation; not competition :-)

Matthew (in yellow) helping a fellow runner up the half pipe at Tough Mudder.

DO celebrate your accomplishment!

Most mud runs have awesome after-parties with free beer, bands, and copious amounts of good food. Take full advantage of everything offered and revel in your newly-crowned, fear-conquering, bad ass status!

Warrior Dash 2013 finisher shirts.

2012 Finisher.

Enjoying a craft beer after Rugged Maniac.

While challenging, mud runs and obstacle courses are a great way to shake up your usual race routine. With a little planning, you can have a fun adventure while conquering your fears and earning lots of beer rewards!

QOTD: Have you ever run a mud run or obstacle course? If so, what are your do's and don'ts? If not, what's holding you back?

Race Recap & Review: Baltimore Women's Classic

On Sunday, June 22, I had the privilege to run in the 38th annual Baltimore Women's Classic. This is the country's second oldest women's race- meaning only women are allowed to participate. After the 5k race, there is a co-ed fun run for children under the age of eight. Men are encouraged to cheer- loudly :-) With a little something for everyone, this race was a really great experience.

I signed up for this race online a few months ago. I believe it was around $40. Having heard rave reviews about the event, I was thrilled it fit into my race schedule this year. Because we had just come back from vacation, we utilized race-day packet pick-up. The race started at 8 am and we got there around 6:45. We had to pay for parking but the race partnered with Parking Panda so we were able to pre-purchase parking a little over a half mile from the start.

Once at the start, Matthew and I were both impressed by the amount of vendors set up. There were probably 20- 25 different companies there, all with women's focused merchandise for sale. After getting my bib and race shirt (super easy, by the way), we wandered over to the port-a-pots to use the restroom. There were tons of port-a-potties (always a plus) and there were tables with free "essentials" for participants: tampons, hair ties, hair spray, sunscreen, and hand sanitizer. Super cool.

We also ran into a former student of mine- Gigi- as she was there to cheer on the runners. That's another thing I loved about this race- lots of opportunities to catch up with running friends!

Thanks for thinking of everything, race directors!

The idea of wearing blue was to stand out so Matthew could easily find me... but the race shirts were blue so tons of ladies were wearing them. BWC- 1, Sarah- 0.

We walked around for a bit and collected lots of free stuff from the vendors. I bought a pair of Maryland Flag Arm Warmers- they are pretty bad-ass. Charm City Run (my favorite running store) was there as well as RUNtelligence. There really was a great selection of vendors to choose from.

Matthew and I eventually made our way towards the finish line to find a place to sit. Since we'd gotten there so early, we had time to kill. Which ended up being awesome because we got to meet up with a twitter friend- Meg! She ran the Mission 10 Miler earlier this year and she was volunteering for BWC. We chatted for a few minutes until we needed to head to the starting line.

It was really bizarre lining up without Matthew. We start almost every race together so it was a little weird having him be the spectator for the day. I gave him my camera, we said our goodbyes, and then I lined up near the 11-12 min/mile sign. There weren't corrals for this race; we all just lined up according to our pace. Strangely enough, I spotted Morgan in the crowd! I'd known she was racing and was so glad to see her!

My handsome spectator, goofing around.

Morgan and I ran the Princess Half Marathon together in 2012- she is one of the people who inspired me to train for a half marathon :-)

After a few announcements, we started the race. I really didn't have a goal for this 5k- just to enjoy the experience of my first all-women's race and to finish. The course itself was pretty flat. There were a few rolling hills but nothing major. There were TONS of photographers; more than I've ever seen for a 5k. With over 2,800 women participating, this was a pretty large race for the distance. And for a lot of women, this was their very first race. One of the things I love about this event is that Charm City Run offers a free 8 week training course for anyone signed up for the race- how cool is that? It's such a great way to encourage more women to start running or walking and it creates a great support system.

The legend.

The last little turn provided a great view of the city!

Matthew and I had been in communication during the race via text message so he knew where to look for me. I was able to see him at mile 2 and the finish. After crossing the finish line, the runners were truly pampered- we got a medal, a wet towel, and a rose! Awesomely enough, Meg got to hand me my finisher rose- super cool! I met up with Matthew and I scarfed down some watermelon. After cheering on some more participants, we took some pictures and started to head back to the parking garage. On our way there, we ran into with a friend from college- Lisa- who also ran the race pushing her eight month old daughter in a stroller. Lisa is another person who inspires me to run- I loved watching her journey to her first marathon (Baltimore 2012) on social media and it's really cool to see her getting her daughter involved with fitness from an early age.

Matthew's awesome pictures:

Matthew's a great photographer!

Waving at mile 2.

Finished! And checking my splits on my app!

Delicious.

Larry!

Matthew and Gigi.

Yellow and blue were the colors of the day.

Love this city- and my Black-Eyed Susan medal! It's the state flower of Maryland.

I finished the race in 33:41 which put me as 873rd out of 2,890 overall and 152nd out of 458 in my age group (30-34). Not too bad. The weather was perfect- around 65 degrees and overcast. This race really was a great experience focused on women and running- what could be better than that? ;-) I have to again thank Matthew for being my cheerleader, photographer, and spectator. It was definitely a cool experience knowing I had someone waiting for me at the finish line. Thank you, BWC, for a fantastic race! I will be back next year for sure.

QOTD: Have you ever participated in a women's only or women's focused event? What did you think?

Race Recap & Review: Run Swim Run OBX/ Splash & Dash Aquathlon Series

As you might remember, last week Matthew and I were on vacation with Matthew's family in the Outer Banks, North Carolina. Naturally, we had to find some races to run. We ran Storm the Beach last Sunday and there we met a really nice guy wearing a J & A Racing shirt- they put on the Shamrock Half Marathon that we did earlier this year. As it turns out, our new friend Mike is the race director/owner of racing company Outer Banks RunCations. He let us know that there would be an inaugural race and swim in Corolla on Friday, June 20th. Of course, we just had to participate!

When we originally looked at the website, the event was listed as a run, swim, and run. However, if you were intimidated by the swim portion, you could just do the 5k. So we signed up a few members of the family for just the 5k portion. Matthew's mom and two family friends were going to run with us on Friday- we were so excited to be doing this event together.

Right away, there were two major benefits to this race- it was only $20 and it was less than a mile from where we were staying. On Friday morning, Matthew and I got up and ran to the race. Yes, we've officially become "those people" that run to a race to get a few extra miles :-)

When we got there, we were each given a timing chip to be worn around our ankle and then we were marked with our number on our arm and calf. Even though we were just doing the run portion of the event, we were all marked like we would be for the swim portion.

Janet, Angie, Sally (Matthew's mom), Matthew and Me AKA The Dream Team.

As we were standing around waiting for the start, I looked at the 400 meters marked off in the ocean. Honestly, it didn't look that far. Even though it was the equivalent of one lap around the track, I started to think, "Hmmm, maybe I could do the swim AND the run." I decided to go for it. I told Matthew and he excitedly encouraged me to do it. I walked over to some race volunteers to ask a few questions- mainly, would there be people in the water available to help me if I needed to pull myself from the swim- and once I had my answers (yes), I walked back to the registration table to change my registration.

When I got there, the volunteers were already ready for me- Matthew had called from the start line to let them know I'd be coming back. He's the greatest! After paying the extra $20 for the swim, I was good to go. I got a towel out of the car and walked over to the swim exit to put down my stuff- towel, visor, and shoes. Then I put on my swim cap and started to freak out- what the heck did I just sign up for?!?! I mean, I CAN swim but I don't do it regularly!!!



It doesn't look so bad, right? Source

Getting some last minute advice from the triathlete :-)

And getting supportive hugs to calm my nerves.

After a few minutes of instruction from the race director, the countdown to the start was on. There were about 30 people doing the run/swim/run and another 20 or so just doing the run. The run/swimmers were going to start first with a quick kilometer run before getting into the ocean. Ten minutes after the run/swimmers started, the 5k runners would then start.

To pass the time, I chatted with some run/swimmers at the starting line. These folks looked legit- they had goggles, swim suits, fancy tri suits- again, what the heck was I doing?!? I came to this race prepared to run, not swim! Sooner than I realized, the race was starting! I began running out to the first turn-around and the entire time I was just trying to calm down. Matthew had told me not to panic when I got in the water and here I was panicking on the easier 1k run. I quickly became the last runner and subsequently the last person in the ocean. It was now or never.

Giving an enthusiastic thumbs up with a very hesitant expression. I'm scared to death.

Across the starting line- no turning back now!

Running to the first turn-around.

Heading into the water- notice my personal cheering section on my right :-)

Into the water I go.

Getting into the water wasn't a problem; getting past the waves to the first buoy was. I swear, it felt like the buoy kept moving farther and farther away from me. I started to panic- "I'm in trouble" kept running through my head. I was swimming as hard as I could and still felt like I couldn't get over the waves. I was scared. I couldn't touch the bottom and I couldn't turn around. This wasn't like running where you could just slow down or walk; I had to keep moving. Even though it felt like forever, I eventually made it to the first buoy. I was exhausted! I turned over onto my back and did the backstroke to rest a little as I made my way with the tide toward the next buoy. Somehow, I slowly made my way around the second buoy and headed toward the beach.

I could see Matthew on the shore waiting for me. I'd heard the 5k start- he'd started with the group and then stopped to wait to see me get out of the water. I mean really, could he be any more awesome?! I waved to him and used the waves to push me towards shore. I was really tired- I can't remember the last time I swam for that long.

I made it!

Um, yeah. That's the face of a non-swimmer.

All I wanted to do was lay down on the beach! But I had another race to run. After grabbing my visor and drying off my face, I started to run. Matthew stayed with me for a few minutes to make sure I was ok. He told me that he had been worried about me in the water and was relieved to see me back on dry land. Me. Too. :-)

Thanks for the great action shot, Matthew!

He ran up ahead to catch up to the others running the race. I focused on putting one foot in front of the other. Without headphones or shoes, I was worried that I would be bored or uncomfortable. Not at all- it was a beautiful morning. There's something very peaceful about running on the beach in the early morning.

I reached the water stop/turn-around point and then headed back to the finish line. In the meantime, Matthew had passed me on his way back. I also passed all the other run/swimmers who had got out of the water before me- some of them even high-fived me! Again, like Storm the Beach, the runners were really supportive and it was incredible to be part of the event.

As I approached the finish line, I could hear a lot of cheering- for me! There were volunteers, participants, race personnel- all cheering at the finish. It was awesome!! I finished the race, got my medal, and got to high-five and hug my supporters.

All smiles at the finish.

This woman was one hell of a cheerleader!

Awkward high-fives are our specialty!

Finishers.

After grabbing some water and orange slices, we joined the crowd to cheer on the rest of the finishers- including our family! We were so impressed- and proud!- that our family and friends had wanted to run the race while on vacation. It was a great day full of memories.

Sally crossing the finish line of her second 5k ever!

Angie and I sharing a "thank God it's over" moment.

Janet, basking in the glow of the finish line.

A great shot of all the finishers.

This race was fantastic from start to finish. Laid-back, great volunteers, super supportive- what more could you want from a vacation race? It was a truly enjoyable experience and if you're down in OBX this summer, you should really check out this race (they're doing two more times) or other races put on by Outer Banks RunCations. This company runs a great race, pun intended :-)

Personally, this race taught me two things: 1. I can swim. 2. I can swim much, much better. I will definitely be adding swimming to my cross-training schedule. It was really fun but also challenging in a way I haven't experienced with running. I might even add a few triathlons into my race schedule ;-)

I ran. I swan. I ran some more.

I never would have been able to complete this event without Matthew. He took TONS of pictures, gave me last minute tips, and just supported me as I made the extremely last minute decision to add the swim. Having him by my side makes nothing seem impossible.

Having our family and friends there was also really special. In addition to watching Sally, Janet, and Angie cross the finish line; we got to celebrate with Matthew's dad and Janet's husband and daughter (who also took TONS of pictures). All in all, it was a fantastic day and a wonderful event.

Great day.

QOTD: Would you ever run a race on vacation? Why or why not?