Recently I completed my first mud run. It was a cool morning and the mud was cold and honestly I sadly didn’t get really muddy. Here are some of my best tips for a successful mud run!
1. Pick your teammates carefully. Running with someone you know is more fun than someone you meet the day of the run.
2. Weigh your options when picking your heat. We went for fresh “germ free” mud but that also meant out mud was pretty cold since it was only in the 40-50’s out. If we had chosen a heat later in the day the mud would have been warmer. Those competed later in the day were covered in mud while those of us who competed first thing, not so much.
3. Exercise. Although many races have been simplified so anyone can do them it helps to be in good physical condition.
4. Make a plan. If you are part of a team decide beforehand if it is ok to break apart or if you are staying togethers. Sometimes teammates can get separated during obstacles. This happened with my team after our first obstacle and was how I ended up doing the mud run with someone I did not even know.
5.Dress accordingly. Leave the cotton at home and go for tight fighting spandex-y clothes. I chose to capri’s to protect my knees during obstacles but saw others wearing tight booty shorts. I chose a dry-fit shirt. When choosing the color of your clothes keep in mind you will be getting wet and your clothes may become see through. I ended up wearing a black tank under my shirt for that reason.
6.Skip the socks. They add to the squish factor especially if you choose cotton.
7. Don’t give yourself a pedicure the day before. The grit from the sand will wear down the polish.
8. Shoes.. there are a couple options here. You can wear old shoes and donate later or rinse and wash when you get home. I wore minimals and they were the perfect shoe for this. While my teammate complained of squishy shoes after a couple seconds out of the mud my shoes were fine. Double knot your shoes tightly. You will be stepping in mud and nothing is worse than losing a shoe.
9. Bring a change of clothes that you don’t mind getting mud on for after the race, cheap flip flops and a towels you don’t care if they get muddy. Rinsing the mud off afterward may not be an option. I was lucky enough to be able to rinse off but those in a couple heats after mine did not have that luxury. I was able to change by covering myself in a large towel (beach towel). If you are unable to rinse off you will need the towels to cover the sets in your car.
10. Have fun!
So those are my tips for a successful mud run. I have my second mud run coming up in less than a month and I cannot wait!
