10K Mud Run at Camp Pendleton

October 22nd--The day that I've been training for since June. It finally came and I almost chickened-out and didn't go to the race, but I knew that if I didn't go, than I'd regret not having tried. It was the perfect day for a 10K Mud Run--overcast and in the mid-60's. Not too hot and not too cold.

Einar, Jared, and I left the house this morning about 6:20 to head down towards the south end of Camp Pendleton with the 3499 other race contestants. Lots of people, but they also had it organized well with lots of Marines directing traffic and keeping folks moving. While we were waiting to get into the parking lot, I realized that I had not had my coffee or tea before we left! Oh well, the yummy french toast that Jared made would have to pull me through without the help of caffeine.

When we got there, I collected my t-shirt, taped on my shoes (everyone else was doing it so I decided to follow suit), and gave Einar and Jared one last big hug before heading over to the start/finish line. At 9am, the race started and we were off! They had a fire truck stationed about 100 yards past the start that was using it's hose to spray down all of the runners as we headed off on the 10K course. I ran for the first 30 minutes, then walked for 10 and then ran the rest of the way! I went through stretches of sand, mud, crossed two rivers, over some haybales, through tires, through large plastic conduit pipes, over 2 five foot walls with mud on both sides (with help from two guys that offered knees to get up and over!) Up some big long hills, and finally crawled through a 30-ft mud pit. It was great fun! The best part was knowing that I was able to do it. Everyone was having a good time and there were lots of people who walked a lot of the way and would have bursts of running, but it was great knowing that I could just keep going.

At the end of the day, the body is a bit stiffer, there is a blister on the bottom of my left foot, and I have a bag of really dirty clothes that I need to rinse out, but I'm also wearing my Mud Run T-shirt with pride tonight. Thank you everyone who helped me train this summer or who watched the little guy while I was working out. I couldn't have done it without your support!