ABF Mud Run Report

I don't mind getting muddy, so when my friend asked me to run a Mud Run with her, I was all for it. Little did I know what I was getting myself into!

The run was held on November 5th at at YMCA camp about 2 hours south of where we live. It was a cool but sunny day that was perfect for running. I had been trying to figure out the best outfit to wear and way to arrange my hair so it wouldn't get wet or caught in barbed wire. I settled on a longsleeve Smartwool baselayer top with spandex capris (the same ones I fell in the river with when I went canoeing in April), and monkey buns for my hair. Good choices all around.

We arrived to registration about an hour before our wave started and registered and got our faces painted. Then I jumped around and did the pee-pee dance because there were no portapotties around. We had to wait for the shuttle to come and drop us off at the camp right before our wave started.

Nervous and painted

Closer to the portapotties! Yay!

Once we got off the bus, there were a blessed line of portapotties waiting for us, and once I made use of one, I was ready to run. Here I am looking very fearsome a few moments before the start.

The run started off as a nice jog through a dirt road in the woods. And then...the water. We ran through a muddy parking lot right up to a murky moat-like pond in a shaded area. We took turns sliding down a tube into it and swimming across. The best description I can give you of what this felt like is from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, when Harry first encounters a Dementor:

"An intense cold swept over them all. Harry felt his own breath catch in his chest. The cold went deeper than his skin. It was inside his chest, it was inside his very heart....Harry's eyes rolled up into his head. He couldn't see. He was drowning in cold... And then, from far away, he heard screaming, terrible, terrified, pleading screams. He wanted to help whoever it was, he tried to move his arms, but couldn't... "

The water was probably 50 degrees, which is shockingly cold when the air temperature is in the 40s. It hit you hard, and all I could think about was how cold it was until I realized that my lungs were so shocked that I couldn't breathe. It actually took a few seconds before I remembered that I needed to start swimming to get to the other side.

When I got out on the other side, I was freezing. I immediately started jumping up and down to get myself warmed up. I have a condition called Raynaud's, which involves my fingers and toes turning a waxy grey or white and going completely numb, so I'm vulnerable to frostbite, and I thought I was going to get it if I didn't warm up. Unfortunately, it was right back in the water for us for a rope line obstacle. A woman in front of my was crying hysterically and being encouraged by a teammate. I couldn't wait to get this water part of the course done and to start running. We balanced on a rope through the water to get across, and someone snapped a picture of me at just the right moment when the rope sank too far for my short little legs to reach, lol.

I still made it across without falling in. Not like it mattered, though, since the next thing we had to do was turn around and swim back across to the other side before crawling up through a tube to get out.

The problem with the tube was that the rope we needed to use to get up was coiled at the top. So most people cheated and just climbed up and over the tubes instead of crawling up through them. Most people. Except me. See the little warrior face peeking out of the tube? Yep

After that, we ran for a stretch, had some more waist-deep wading, and started the climbing obstacles. I had lost my friends with the first water obstacle, and I had to keep running to keep warm, so I kept going forward.

When I got to the first climbing obstacle, a wall, some guys behind me offered me a boost. I had no idea how to utilize the boost and actually make it all the way to the top (8 or 9 feet) and down again without killing myself. They pushed and lifted my legs as I jumped and used my upper body to pull myself up. I somehow got on top, lying along the length of it and clutching the 5 or so inches of width, and was kind of terrified. I had lots of encouragement, and the guys went to the other side to help me down. Once I got the nerve to lower both legs down, the guys guided me until I could drop safely. It wasn't too bad. I thanked them and continued on to a series of similar obstacles. Some of them included ropes, others had ramps and cargo nets. None of them were easy, but I could do most of them on my own.

When I finished this round of obstacles, I ran off through the woods again, but the course wasn't that well marked. I turned around when I figured that I was going in the wrong direction and met up the with guys who had helped me over the wall. They weren't entirely sure which way it was either, so we ran together and tried a path next to one of the course markers. After a few minutes, we came to a water station, and the volunteers there told us that we had skipped a large portion of the course! So we turned around and tried it again.

We found the right way and came up to another round of obstacles, which was probably the muddiest part of the course. There were some more walls and other climbing obstacles, and then a swamp to wade through. The swamp was murky and filled with plants, tree roots, fallen logs, and probably more. The challenge was that you had no idea what was underfoot. The roots and logs were at all different depths, so one moment you'd be waist-deep, with your legs stuck in a maze of roots, and the next moment you'd nearly have to get out of the water entirely in order to climb over shallow shelves or submerged logs.

I totally felt like I was in this scene from Apocalypse Now:

After the swamp, we hit the Snakepit, which was a ditch covered with logs that we had to crawl under. When we popped out of that, there were these logs to get over:

What a face! I actually did not feel as bad as I look there. I think I was just focusing on watching the technique of the girls ahead of me.

Anyway, the course had a lot more running and climbing obstacles. My favorite part was a tire carry up a hill. I totally rocked that hill! I was so happy not to be in the water that I felt I could run forever.

There was one more major water obstacle, where we had to swim about 100 yards across a lake and climb over logs in the way. I wasn't looking forward to this, but I jumped in and had a go at it. By the time I got to the first log, I was really feeling the cold. I had a little difficulty getting over it, and I paused to think about strategy, and one of the guys I was running with started saying he couldn't breathe. I couldn't either, and I looked around. There were people at the halfway point being fished out of the water in a rowboat. I knew that I wasn't going to be able to make it all the way across without getting hypothermia, and instead of going through the trouble of being rescued (and running the risk of capsizing the rowboat in the process), I figured that I would quit while I was ahead. I turned around and went back the way I came. It wasn't very far to where I could touch bottom, but I had a lot of trouble getting myself to that point. There is no way that I would have been able to get all the way across that lake. Instead, I ran along the perimeter of the lake to wait on the other side for the guys before continuing on.

After the lake, we were feeling tired. My forearms ached, and I couldn't flex my fingers. I have no idea how I managed to grasp boards and ropes to pull myself over obstacles. Somehow it was done, though, and we made it through the next 2 or so miles of trail running and climbing. A few times I ran ahead of the guys to stretch my legs and warm up some more. They always caught up at the next obstacle, though.

At about the 10K spot, we came to the very last water portion, which was a piece of cake. It was shallow and sunny, and my support staff was waiting to say hi and snap some pictures!

There was another quarter mile to go after this, and I couldn't wait to cross that finish line.

I was all smiles when I finally did finish!

I was looking forward to seeing my friends come through the finish, but my main priority was changing into dry clothes, which was not a speedy process. My motor skills were greatly affected by the cold, and by the time I got access to a bathroom to change in, I spent forever because I physically could not pick up the dry clothing articles and put them on. Perhaps the moment of greatest mental and physical stress for me was when I had to untie my shoelaces before I could take my capris off, and my weak, cold fingers simply couldn't do it. It must have taken me 5 painstaking minutes just to finally untie both laces.

So this run was designed to be both physically and mentally challenging, and it definitely was. It was also designed to require camaraderie and teamwork, so I'm glad that I found some people to run with and wish that I hadn't gotten separated from my friends.

It was nice meeting people on the course and helping and being helped, but to be honest, I didn't feel like it was that much fun. I am much more of a trail runner than a mud runner. When I read about Tough Mudders with their electric shocks, I can't understand why anyone would willingly sign up for it. At least I can say that I've completed a mud run. It was quite a challenge, and now I'm ready to take on challenges that are more meaningful to me, like running new distances and conquering hills and mountains.

Invoking my inner puppy

The countdown is on - Saturday is the 10K mud run I've signed up for. To prepare for it, I'm using a special strategy inspired by a German Shepherd named Anna. That strategy is to act like her when confronted with a muddy puddle, pond, or lake: jump in it!

It comes down to not caring about being cold or damp or dirty and just going for it, which can be a lot of fun. I've had my share of very muddy bike rides on the trail, and they were some of the best. The key is to have fun!

So, on Saturday I'm going to invoke my inner puppy and go for the mud and water obstacles without holding back. Do these pups look like they mind? Nope, so I shouldn't either.

I heard that there will be face painters at the registration, so I've been thinking about going for the war-paint look. Haha! I can't really imagine myself doing it, which is what would make it that much funnier. I'll definitely bring my camera along in case I do...

In the mean time, I'm going to walk and stretch and rest up. Lately I've been running, walking, biking, and doing a Jillian Michaels workout video, so it's time to rest and cultivate my inner puppy!

Mental mud prep

11 days until the mud run. I haven't really trained for this one - I'm just keeping active and doing a combination of workout videos, hiking, biking, and running. I have not tried simulating running in mud and water, nor have I prepared for the climbing/crawling obstacles. I've thought about what I'll wear, and now I need to prep mentally. I have to remind myself that I am definitely tough enough to finish this!

Vermont adventure

"I want to see mountains again, Gandalf, mountains!" -Fellowship of the Ring

It sounds ridiculous, but having lived my life in northwestern NJ, among the rounded hills of the Appalachian Mountains, I had never seen mountains with peaks before this past weekend's trip to Vermont. While there, I visited the area's must-see museums, farms, and food-related attractions (Ben & Jerry's factory!), but the highlight of the trip was hiking Vermont's tallest mountain, Mount Mansfield.

I love the outdoors and was game to take on this mountain, even though it was a lot tougher than anything I was used to in New Jersey. I prepped the day before by going to an outdoors store on Church St. in Burlington and buying a Camelbak and fleece, as well as hiking boots for future hikes (they need to be broken in first).

It turned out that I didn't need the fleece. The weather was unseasonably warm, and the air was dry and clear - perfect for hiking.

Half-way up the Sunset Ridge Trail when we popped out of the trees and saw the amazing view for the first time.

Trail marker with fantastic scenery

Almost at the top! The rocky ridge in the background is the trail we had just hiked.


A small pool int he rocks along the ridge near the summit


The summit!

View from the top


It was a perfect day for a hike, and everyone else thought so too!


We relaxed and ate our lunches of peanut-butter, jelly, and banana sandwiches, apples, and Sharkies.
The Saucony Progrid Ride 2s didn't do too badly as hiking shoes.

At the summit, in addition to about a hundred other hikers, we were greeted by a member of the Green Mountain Club who stays atop the mountain to inform people about the wildlife and make sure hikers don't do too much damage to the delicate alpine vegetation. When we picked our way to a spot to sit and eat our lunch, one of these mountain keepers reminded us not to step on the grass. We were careful, and I didn't know that we actually did step on any grass, but I'll be extra careful in the future.

When we were finished eating and taking in the view, we pointed it downward and began the scariest part of the hike. I was so afraid of slipping on the rocks that I used my hands and climbed down crab-like a lot of the way. I slipped a little a couple of times, but it wasn't anything to worry about. Once we got below the tree line, the going became a lot easier, and we picked up speed.

By the time we reached the smooth and slighter inclined trail in the last mile before reaching the car, I felt amazing and had the urge to run. I hopped up on rocks and jogged along, practically skipping. The 6- or 7-mile hike took us about 4 hours total to complete.

Mount Mansfield is in a very pretty section of Vermont (ok, almost all of Vermont is very pretty), and we left the mountain for a scenic drive on the way to grab some cider donuts and to visit the Ben & Jerry's factory.

Smuggler's Notch Pass, which looks suspiciously like Rivendell...

We spent one more day in Vermont after our hike, and although I was a little sore, I felt remarkably good. The weather continued to be perfect, and I'm looking forward to my next visit there.

Battery park in Burlington, looking over Lake Champlain

Since I've been back home, I've been wearing my hiking boots around trying to get them broken in. I hope to wear them this winter both hiking and snowshoeing (although I still need to buy some snowshoes). I had tried running in snowshoes for the first time last year (the post about it can be found here) and wanted to buy a pair of my own, but I wasn't sure I'd be able to use them much without anyone to go with. Now I think that I'll have plenty of opportunities, and I can't wait. Here's to many more hikes and outdoor adventures!


Oh, and what vacation would be complete without a visit to the local library?

Mud Run

I've officially signed up for a mud run in November. It's not a Tough Mudder, so there won't be any fire or electric shocks or anything, but it might be a little insane nonetheless.

My friends Dave and Jo told me about it and will be running it as well. None of us are mudders, so it will be an adventure!

Here's a video of a test run of the course. I am now a little scared.




I've been filling up my free days hiking and biking, but I haven't been for a good run in a long time. My last run was a Vibram FiveFinger run the day after I did a Wii personal trainer workout on a hard surface with no shoes. The result was a lot of pain in my arches midway through the run. So I've stuck to other exercises since then. If I'm going to be ready for this mud run, I really need to get running...and climbing...and practicing balance...oh boy.

Trails and towers

In between hurricanes, flooding, and generally gray, dreary days, I've managed to get out for a few nice hikes and runs.

On Labor Day weekend, I went for a 5-mile hike with my own personal guide and bear protector (that's what we call boyfriends nowadays) in a local state forest, where we hiked to a fire tower and through some trails that he frequently mountain bikes on. The tower was stable and didn't sway very much, but it was all see-through mesh, including the stair steps, so you could see all the way down. Luckily I'm not afraid of heights, and getting to the top was worth the climb.

The view from the top was a little misty, but still amazing.

My tour guide's 3-year old German Shepard came along and enjoyed scampering around in the woods (read: treeing a family of bears). My favorite trick is when she hops up on a rock on command. So cute!

The trail to the tower was steep, and my calves were really feeling the burn on the way up. I could tell that I was not in great shape, but I really enjoyed getting out and walking in the woods after being cooped up inside with no electricity and lots of rain for ages. After hiking back down the mountain and taking a loop around some other trails, I was itching to run, and it made me realize how little trail running I've done this summer.

After hiking, we kayaked on pedal kayaks. Very cool. You push the pedals back and forth with your feet and steer with a little knob that works the rudder. It takes a lot less energy than paddling with your upper body. (Believe me, I stopped pedaling, raised the rudder, and used the paddles instead just to see, and it was quite difficult in comparison - and wetter.) The only downfall is that you can't go backwards. It was a lot of fun and made for a great day of outdoor activities.

So this morning I woke up to a gloriously bright sunny day. It was 60 degrees and just perfect, so I put on some running gear, packed my bug spray, and drove down to a state park to go for a run.

I've run a few trails here several times, but there are still some that I haven't been on before, so I decided to do a little exploring and check out a new one. It turned out to be a great choice. Aside from a few rocky areas and stream crossings, it has great footing for running. It has just the right balance of technicality and runability. It was still a little wet from all of the rain we've had lately, which was a little bit of a hindrance, but in drier conditions, it could be one of my best trail-running options close to home.


I noticed in the beginning that I was feeling pretty good - entirely better than I was two weeks ago on the day I saw Momma bear and babies. This time I felt lighter and nimbler and more powerful. Maybe the fire tower hike had some good effects on me, and maybe the other exercise I've been doing is improving my fitness a little. Whatever it was, I was in a great mood and was just thankful to have the opportunity to be able to go out and enjoy the forest like that in the morning before work.

If the weather cooperates tomorrow, my tour guide/bear protector and I might go for another hike, location to be determined. Should be fun!

Mamma bear...and babies

It was a beautiful day Monday, so after work I drove up to a park with some single-track bike trails to go for a run. The road to the main section of the park was closed thanks to the effects of Hurricane Irene, so I parked at another end of the park and ran along some paved roads to get to the trails. I didn't go far before I was tired. In fact, I was tired before I even got to the trails. When I did get to the trail, I leaped around over some tree roots and started to get into it. I had some speed going up some little inclines, and it felt good to stretch my legs. I came out into a field that last month was filled with black-eyed susans, but this time was just filled with a lot of standing water from the storm. A friend asked me to do a mud run with her this fall, so I decided to get a head start training for that and plunged in. The puddles were fairly clean, since the path was more grassy than muddy, and the water was warm. I didn't mind splashing along down the trail. I came to some very deep puddles, and it wasn't until I was calf-deep in one of them that I heard some noise on the path ahead of me and saw a mother bear and two cubs. Oops. I waded backwards, clapped my hands, and tooted a whistle that I wear for that purpose. All three of them scampered into the woods, and I waded and then jogged away in the other direction.

After I was out of view, I was still a little scared that I might run into them when I got back into the woods, so I clapped or blew the whistle a little every once in a while. And so ends my terrifying bear attack story. I ran back to the car and drove around to another section of the park, but by then I was feeling like my wet shoes and socks were going to cause some blisters, and I decided to head home. Definitely need to get out running regularly again.