Getting Dirrrrty

      Mud runs are one of my favorite event to participate in.  Notice that I said "participate" and not "compete".  A mud run usually is usually a 3-10 mile course filled with mud pits, tunnels, climbing walls, mud, ropes, jumping over fire, mud, cargo nets, more mud...you get the point.  For me, a mud run is a time to let loose, have fun, and just go crazy and be 10 years old again. Even if you are not athletic or don't consider yourself "in shape" a mud run would be a great time for you.  I love that! I love that people who had no desire to get in shape get hooked on mud runs and do them over and over again.

    Last weekend I participated in the Dirty Girl with some of my blogger friends. Dirty Girl is a mud run for women only (which helps with the intimidation factor) and benefits breast cancer.  In the past year I have lost a friend to breast cancer and watched another friend kick cancer's ass...so this was a special day.  I was so proud of my blogger ladies, The Blogaritas,  because some of them had never participated in an event like this before, and even though they were nervous, they KILLED it!
Here we are before the race:

Awwwwww...aren't we cute.....all sweet smelling...CLEAN.  Just look at those shiny shoes and brand new numbers!

Now let me tell you WHY I love this run.  Besides the fact that I love getting dirty, climbing, and playing in the mud, the women who participate are so supportive of each other.  Amongst all of the squealing, screaming and laughing;  I could hear support, clapping, cheering, and "C'mon, YOU GOT THIS", "YOU can DO this!!!", and "Way to go"!  Nobody was racing to the finish, but rather helping each other along the way.  We were all helping each other through the shoe sucking mud and over the tall slippery walls.  At one point I had trouble getting over one of the tall walls and a woman from another team held my foot so that I could make it down.
We watched as another woman got to the top pf the wall, looked down the other side, and panicked.  The look of fear on her face put tears in my eyes.  We all stopped and cheered words of encouragement while her teammates went on the other side and helped her over.  You KNOW she was proud of herself for doing it.
I LOVE knowing that many women came to the mud run nervous, frightened, and feeling like they would not even finished and they left there feeling proud, empowered, and strong.  Each woman left there different than who they were when they arrived.  I have tears in my eyes as I even type those words.  Yes, I am sap-tastic!

Here are some fun pictures of us during the run:

Now, if you ever plan on doing one of these, let me give you some helpful hints:
1) Bring a towel and a change of clothes
2) Bring extra shoes.  You can either donate your muddy shoes at the end or take them home and wash them. but you don't really want to wear them home.
3) If you don't feel like waiting in the shower line, have a couple of gallons of water waiting in your car...then you can at least rinse off a bit and change in the car.
4) Those Vibram 5 Fingers?   Totally helpful for gripping those slippery walls.
4) Rolling in the mud = wet t-shirt contest, so maybe wear a sports bra (or two) with padding and maybe some under armor boy shorts under your pants.  We did not realize this until we saw the photos and realized some of them had to be censored.  NO WONDER the husbands did not look bored on the sidelines!!!!

I got more muddy during this run than on my previous mud runs because, well, I was acting like a fool...and I have the bruises to prove it.  But, I had FUN!!!

Morena, Neven, Amy, Jen....I had not known you outside of our bloggy internet world before that day, but so happy we did this together.  I feel bonded for life and can't wait to see you ladies again!

If you like reading blogs and want to learn fun new things, laugh, and relax, check out the ladies above by clicking one their names!
If you are looking for a change in your life, a way to get started on a healthier path, or just a way to have some fun, check out a mud run...you will NOT regret it.