RunaMuck Mud Run 2009

RUNAMUCK MUD RUN 2009!!!!

Viper Squadron Delta - Four man Team

(Left to Right Uncle David, My Dad - Ralph, Me, Brother Ben)

So this year, in an effort to get in better shape, my wife suggested we try to get our family out and run one of the many "Mud Run" events held around the Northern Virginia and Maryland area. This event took place in Rockville Maryland. There were six different events, individual, team, and couples runs and three more that involved costumes. The first race started at 9am and last started at 2pm. Our race was at 10am and my uncle had to come directly from work, but made it will 30 minutes to spare!

First some background that led up to this event. I started mentioning this back in February to my family, with a bunch of definites. I ended up needing to find enough people to fill out three four man teams. By the time the Mud Run came to less than two weeks, I barely could fill out one four man team! So many drops, some too young, some busy, maybe I needed to pressure people more, haha. That is the family way, I think with this year's race being a success, it will garner more support for next year.

The race course weaved around a small lake, actually a better way to put that is that the race course weaved through the lake. There were several hills on the left side of the lake, my dad was a steam engine and muscled his way through each one. My uncle and brother took an early lead to scout ahead and waited for us at the Jungle pit. I would like to add that they looked VERY clean for having already ran through the longest mud spot labled the "Mudstrip". I helped to remedy that particular detail. Here is a link to the festival site if this is hard to see - http://www.runamuckfestival.com/Race_Info.html

At the Jungle Pit, runners were forced to crawl, to a point, through the mud because of some ropes slung across the mud pit. My uncle and brother were waiting, rather clean. I charged down the hill and shouted my brother would have to get muddy now, he replied he knew. He turned to get into the pit and I gave him a friendly shove that sent him spraying through the water doing the backstroke. My uncle Dave waited for my father and then started to cross. After splashing and dealing out some Tom Foolery, Ben and I waited just at the end of the pit for my uncle, intent on bringing him down. My uncle reached the one dry island before the last water hole and saw us there, thinking we were waiting for him. He recalled to me what went through his head when we started at him. Uncle Dave: "I saw you to there and thought you were waiting for your father and I to get across, I shoulda known better than that. When I saw you to coming at me out of the water like two cops I knew you dirty #@$#%@ were out to get me." My uncle is a fairly sturdy guy and I probably would not bring him down myself, but Ben knew what had to be done and after we finished he was muddy up to his chest.


Me and my Dad. My wife Dawna, Rebekah and my mom thought they saw us coming towards them but they saw three red shirts and one brown one. Eventually we got close enough and they realized who we were. Below is my uncle and my brother heading up the front of the formation. Also, notice I lost my number "11" bib!! The last mud pit my brother exacted revenge upon me for sailing him through the last mud pit. As I entered the pit he moved to engage me in hand to hand combat. We fought and I yielded, several other racers started joining in the festivities and started turning on their fellow team mates. My brother tried to break away and I grabbed his foot and threw it up, and then it was a footrace through the pit. I could see his feet splashing through the water and knew i just needed to get a little closer to leap and grab them. I closed just enough space and leapt and with my right hand clenched his right ankle. It was an awesome dive that got many cheers and even more when my brother managed to squirm out of my grasp. It was an awesome attempt!

Here we go, running off to the finish! Thanks for the cheers ladies!

Viper Squadron Delta after the finish! Ben promotes the Sobe flavored water!
Then finally we have some pictures of us eating and relaxing after the run. Pictures we did not get that I wish we had was one of us getting hosed off by this huge tanker truck with freezing cold water!!

So it was a great day! I definitely was tired after getting back to my parents house to hang for awhile. Here are a list of things I would like to remember for next year:

Bring a disposable waterproof camera to use during the run.

Duct tape shoes to keep them from coming off in the mud.

Begin making team shirts at least two weeks before the run and use dark colored transfer sheets if your shirt is any color other than white!

The check in went fast and was very orderly, did not need ID if you looked over 16.

Make sure to staple down the bib incase it is lost again! haha

This is the end for now, will post more about running in future posts or next year for the Runamuck Mud Run 2010!