The Mud Run

After a fun night out at an early Halloween party Friday night, waking up at seven on Saturday morning wasn't the easiest thing to do. We managed to do it, however, because we had a very compelling motivator: the mud run. 

The Mud Run, now in it's eighth year, is advertised as "Little Rock's Dirtiest 5k," due (mostly) to the fact that it ends with a giant mud pit. It sounds crazy, I know, but it actually is even crazier. 

                                                                                              Undisturbed mud

We got to the park where the race was being held around 8:00 Saturday morning. Though we were dressed in normal running attire, the majority of the people there where decked out in all kinds of Halloween costumes, which, impressive by itself, was made more so by the fact that everything they were wearing would end up being completely covered in mud. My favorites were a group of Crayola crayons, a family of penguins, and three kids dressed as rock, paper, and scissor. The announcer was dressed as Miss Piggy, and Brian the Barbarian (so named because he's won the race every year since its inception) was in his familiar Superman costume. He must know a really good dry cleaner. 

                                                                                             The before shot

Anyway, we took off from the starting line around 9:00, and most of the race was normal. Sure, we ran through fields, past people gardening, and alongside Oopa Loompas, Fairys, and several Brides, but other than that, it just seemed like your average 5k. 

Until, of course, we got to the mud. Less mud pit, more mud swimming pool, by the time we were heading into it, all out mud madness had begun. Within thirty seconds of entering, a person I'd never seen before was flinging mud at me, and my shoes were getting stuck in the stuff. Chris and I weren't afraid to go for it, though, and pretty soon we were just about swimming in mud. The hardest thing, of course, was actually trying to walk through and get to the other side, because our shoes were stuck in the mud. 

But, we managed to make it through eventually, and, thanks to the box of trash bags we brought with us, we made it home without completely ruining Chris's car. Hot showers ensued. 

The pictures are thanks to Stephanie, Chris's sister, who turned up with his mom to cheer us on and capture the madness!

                                                                             About to head into the mud!                                                                   

                                                                                         That splash is us.

                                                                  Not as easy as it looks.

                                                           But we're loving it!

                                                                      Muddy smiles.

                                                             Whew. We did it.      

                                                             Muddy madness all around.