Mud Run Virgin

     Amazing. Fun. Exciting. Wet. Dirty. No, I'm not talking about what you're probably thinking if your mind is in the gutter.. I'm talking about my first mud run. I've run 5k's over the years, and plan to train for a half marathon soon, but nothing in terms of a run will ever compare to the fun I had today. What's better than tackling obstacles, running through mud pits and water with your closest friends and/or family? Not much. There were so many things I loved about this experience, and though I personally wish the event was timed, I totally understand why it wasn't, and believe it's a great starter event for those just wanting to "get their feet wet" (pun intended) in the world of mud runs. I'll also apologize ahead of time for this lengthy post. But, if you're here to prepare for a mud run, please read the whole thing!

    I ran in the Dirty Girl 5k, which just debuted in 2011. If you head over to their website you can read more into their mission, and what the race is all about. We had no idea that it was in support of women's cancer survivors and sufferers, which was a nice thing to learn about once we had already signed up. Heading into a mud run for the first time, can be intimidating, though. That's where I come in. I did a lot of research about what to wear, how to train, etc., but I had to look a million different places for it. I want you to be able to do a one stop shop here and get all of the info you need! That's why I've made a list below, of things to help you prepare, and things to remember for the day of your race. 

     First and foremost, before I even get into this list... When you sign up for your mud run, pay attention to the distance. Some of the runs (Tough Mudder) are on the MUCH more difficult end, and the course is 10-12 miles long. No one wants to be surprised with a 10 mile course on race day. The Dirty Girl 5k, is as long as it says; 5 kilometers, or 3.1 miles. The nice thing about this particular event for a lot of people, is the fact that it isn't timed. You can have someone that is just a spectator to watch you, time you of course, from start to finish but it's a very friendly, team working, no competition environment. We ran the whole time, and there was no issues with passing people, so no matter how fast or slow you choose to move, don't worry about it!

My husband wasn't a fan of my muddy kiss..
(Thankful he held my bags, though!)

1)  Once you know you're signing up for a mud run.... PLEASE TRAIN!!! You don't want to get hurt during the race, or overwork yourself to the point where you can't move for a week afterwards. Even if you just decide to run a few days a week and do some light upper body exercises, I would highly reccommend doing so, to avoid injury and pain. Decide whether or not you want to run that 3.1 miles or walk it, and plan accordingly from there. You want to make sure you can actually run the 3.1 miles if that's what you're planning to do. You don't have to go all bodybuilder at the gym, but like I said at least doing something will really help you out when you're running the actual race and tackling the obstacles. I would make sure to at least do some weights along with your running to build extra strength, unless you're doing something like the tough mudder... Then you really need to come up with a plan tailored to you, within a reasonable timeline to give yourself enough time to prepare. Anything you set your mind to, you can do. Set a goal and set yourself out to achieve it!!!
**I highly recommend signing up with a group of friends or family, it will make the experience that much better. We loved being able to cross the finish line having a family girls day and go give our husbands and nice muddy hug and kiss, and have such a fun bonding experience. 

2)  SHOES! This one is important. I grabbed an old pair of Nike running shoes I had laying around, and made sure I wasn't going to care if they ended up muddy and trashed. I wanted to make sure I was wearing crappy shoes, but crappy shoes that were going to be comfortable enough to run 3 miles in and tackle obstacles. Comfort is important! I saw a lot of women duct taping their shoes around, I assume to prevent their shoes from slipping off. I didn't tape mine, and my shoes didn't fall off. I did see a LOT of duct tape circles laying around the course that fell off along the way. So, I personally wouldn't suggest doing that. Especially because taping your feet like that, is a good way to cause pain while you're running since your feet swell up a bit once you start out. Don't lace up too tight, just tight enough that your shoes won't fly off or get stuck in the mud. 

After the race & being washed,
 they came out nice and clean! 

3)  SOCKS!!! Three exclamation points for this one because it's also SO important. Whatever you do, do not wear plain old cotton blend socks for a mud run. You will get blisters, and you will be in pain. Luckily I learned this before the race from a family member and I decided to go sock hunting for a good pair of running socks before race day. I found mine at Dick's Sporting Goods and I am absolutely in love with them. They were about $15 for the pair (seems expensive) BUT, they were the most comfortable socks I've ever run in, even soaking wet. I never felt them rubbing wrong on my skin, or causing me any discomfort. I've run in them since the mud run, and still they are the most comfortable socks, ever! You can find them online at REI, here. The Experia model specifically, is what I've read and found to be the best. They're super padded and almost feel like shoes, themselves! (They also came completely clean afterwards which was an added bonus!!!)

I absolutely LOVED our tank tops. They said #Beast
down the back, in hot pink glitter. Best part is, the glitter
didn't get ruined by the mud & it lived after the race :) 

I'm on the right. Our clothes were nice and fitted, so we weren't
carrying more than our own body weight by the time we finished.

4)  Wearing the right clothes, is super important. Mud runs seem to be a time when ladies throw on the crazy tutu's and tiaras, which is fine but I personally don't know how people can bare to run in those things and tackle the obstacles, too. To each their own, and if they're having fun then what do I care?! :) My main suggestions here, are not to wear too much clothing, and to make sure your clothing is TIGHTER FITTING & BREATHABLE. The tighter fitting clothing you wear, the less it will weigh you down, and the less uncomfortable you will be. We got fun matching tank tops for us to wear, and all I wore underneath was a sports bra, and then spandex running capris on the bottom. Only thing I wish I had done differently, was wear a bikini bottom under my capris so that I could have stripped down more at the "showers" (aka a bunch of hoses in a line) afterwards, but now I know for next time! Make sure you bring flip flops, too so you aren't walking around in everyone else's foot mush at the showers. (The thought of that grosses me out.) A bar of soap might not be a bad idea, either. 
**As far as hair is concerned, I had mine pulled back into a pony tail with an elastic headband. I probably wouldn't wear the headband again because it kept slipping off when I had to crawl under things. Double french braids will most likely be my go-to hairstyle at the next mud run I have coming up in August. We took our sunglasses off right before starting because unless someone invents sunglasses with windshield wipers.... They would've been useless :) 
***Also, ladies PLEASE don't wear make-up. It's going to prove useless against the mud, and no one is judging. We're all beautiful. 

5)  BRING A CHANGE OF CLOTHES! You have the chance to shower off afterwards, and there was a huge changing tent, too. They give you a big plastic bag (or you can bring trash bags) to put your muddy clothes in, so you can change into fresh clothes to drive home with. Bring a towel to dry off with and cover up with while changing, too. They allow you to check your bag in a big tent, with your race bib # attached, but I just had my husband hold my bag for me during the race instead. (I'm sure he loved parading around with a giant pink VS bag...) Whatever you do, bring clothes and towels for after. Trust me, you'll be glad you did :) 

Better shot of our tanks. This is POST-race &
wash, so clearly it came completely clean!! :)

5)  HAVE FUN!!! As I said before, find a race that's tailored for what you want. If you want something more competitive, find a timed one for added competition and edge. Otherwise, go for the Dirty Girl, it was a great experience. On race day, show up well-rested and prepared and eat a good breakfast. I had a nice big protein shake with some almond milk before hand, and being that that's what I drink before the gym, it held me over perfectly. Also make sure you're hydrated and that you stretch before hand, to avoid more injury, and make sure you go to the bathroom before the race! No one wants to be half way through a mud pit realizing they have to go pee! There aren't port-a-potty stations along the course. :) Another great thing about the Dirty Girl, is you can skip out and go around obstacles if you don't feel comfortable going through them. This is a great option for some people that physically can't tackle some of them!

Post Race: I thought my clothes were going to be permanently destroyed. I expected at least my socks, shoes, and pants to be ruined and I was ready to part with them. Luckily, they weren't and I was able to salvage absolutely everything. I threw my muddy clothes in the plastic bag that they gave us after the race, and just brought them home in that. As soon as I got home, I dumped my clothes in the driveway and grabbed the hose. I put the hose on the Jet setting, and went to town. I wasn't about to throw my clothes looking the way that they did, right into the wash... You can see what a huge difference the hose made... The clothes were practically clean before I even got them into the washer. I would HIGHLY recommend doing this to anyone that isn't trying to throw away all of their clothes. At the race site, there was an option to donate your muddy shoes to a charity, so that option is always there as well. I simply kept mine because I know I have mud runs coming up that I'll need my old shoes for. 

The before, and the after the hose... Big difference, right!?

Bottom line to all of this is, make sure you're prepared and have FUN. That's what it's all about. One last thing... Don't forget a camera. They had professional photographers along the course, but it's nice to be able to take a bunch of pictures on your phone before and after to have, too! 

-Taylor 

P.S. If you're interested in finding other runs/walks in your area, you can head over to http://www.active.com/running and search for what there is to sign up for. You can sign up for a low-cost membership to that site, too and save lots on any runs you choose to sign up for in the future! 

Not the most flattering picture, but who looks good covered in mud? :)