My Muddy Valentine 5K - Race Recap

My Muddy Valentine 5K

February 15, 2014

WHAT FUN!!!!  OMG - I LOVE mud runs!!!!
Okay, anyone that knows me knows that being dirty is completely out of character for me.  Perhaps that's why I had such a great time getting muddy!?!?!?

Let's back up to the beginning of the day.  We started off by running with Foot Traffic University for a nice 5 mile run.  Then hit the annual RaceCenter expo, where we signed up for a few races!!!  Then off to Tualatin to find Lee Farms - the location of My Muddy Valentine.  Keep in mind, it's been raining all morning.  The race - which has waves of runners every half hour - started at 8am.  It's now 11:30am.  Did I say it's been raining?  It's actually been pouring most of the morning.  So, as we headed toward the start line and saw some runners milling around with just a little bit of mud on their shoes... well, I was a bit disappointed.  However, as our wave took off we quickly realized that hours of rain and thousands of feet had pounded the mud into deep rivets and pools of dirty water.  It was GREAT!!! This was an inaugural event... and thinking of doing a mud run in the middle of winter sounded crazy.  It was freezing.  It was VERY wet.  It was VERY dirty.  It was HECKA fun!!!! :D
The obstacles were all pretty easy - honestly, trudging through the long miles of mud was the most challenging part.  Sadly, someone was seriously hurt on the very first obstacle, right in front of us, so they closed that one.  It looked to be the most difficult one (over tall angled walls build out of OSB).  Many were just fun- like crossing a small ravine by walking sideways over two 2x4s or going down a slip-and-slide on your bum.  There was even a root beer option on the beer chug!  Yay!!! I was exhausted by the end but would've happily turned around and done it all again.    

Clothing
Wished I read something like this:  What To Wear for Your Mud Run
But I didn't.  I knew enough that I wanted everything covered and to be wearing things that I didn't care about if they got ruined.  Black seemed appropriate.  Pigtails were fine but in retrospect might have been better braided or somehow tied up and out of the way.  Fortunately the headband covered most of my head and kept the wet and dirty hair out of my face.  The compression socks became very heavy but honestly I can't imagine what socks would not have.  We were drenched.  The only way to diminish that perhaps would be to wear a pair of running shoes with GoreTex but those are my spendiest shoes and instead I went with my oldest pair.  I was surprised at how much dirt actually permeated through my running tights.

There were hot showers at the finish line but you had to have pre-paid $5 for them.  I didn't see any other options to rinse off.  We did duck inside the tents to use the changing rooms (like a locker room, don't look up).  That all went well with the exception of me packing a pair of white socks.  So... note to self (and you!)... pack clothes that you don't care about for AFTER the run, too.  Even if you do get a shower, chances are you may miss some areas and/or you'll still be dragging yourself through dirt to get to your car.  We had taken a shuttle bus and I feel bad for whoever has to clean them!  Every seat was crusted with mud. 

See advertising for an upcoming mud run?  Don't even hesitate.  DO IT!