Get Your Mud On
It was about a year ago that I was contacted by a potential client that said he was interested in competing in a mud run. I let him know that I had only heard vague descriptions of what a mud run was, but we could absolutely come up with a game plan going forward. Although I had trained many athletes for 5K’s , ½ marathons, and triathlons, mud runs were a new challenge. I began researching immediately and learned that mud runs were races that typically took participants over a 3-8 mile course consisting of 20-30 obstacles and of course…mud. With knowledge of the race structure, we devised a 3 month training protocol and began executing our plan. Over the next couple of months I realized how fun and exciting our training sessions were, so I decided to sign up for the race too. By the time our training was complete we had organized a group of about 8-10 people to partake in the inaugural Savage Race. The race was awesome! A few of the highlights included running through tons of thick mud, climbing over 8 foot walls and cargo nets, crawling under barbed wire, hauling heavy sand bags, swimming in a lake, and jumping over fire. Because the race was so rewarding, I would like to encourage you to give mud racing a try if you haven’t already.
5 Reasons to Try a Mud Run
1) Fun: If you can remember being a kid, you probably recall having lots of fun running around outside, playing games, or just going on adventures. As we age, it seems that we forget to have fun often because of increased responsibilities or other stressors in life. Take a couple of hours out of your schedule and act like a kid again while running, jumping, climbing and having fun.
2) Focus: Channel your focus into training for a mud run. This provides you with a specific goal to train for so that you stay motivated with your workouts. Train with a laser beam focus to accomplish a specific task and you will be rewarded with an enthused mind, body, and soul.
3) Community/Camaraderie: When you participate in a mud run, you are likely to encounter friendly, energetic, and fitness oriented individuals. You develop a bond with your fellow racers because they too had to survive the challenges of the course. After most races there is a big party with music, food, and beer. It is like being part of one big team celebration.
4) Challenge: Constant challenge creates improvement and growth. If you challenge yourself to complete a race, set a personal record, or simply complete an obstacle you never thought possible, you will feel empowered.
5) Competition: If you are a competitive person, mud runs provide an outlet to compete. There is typically a designated competitive wave for each mud run, so if you thrive off competition and want a chance to earn prizes, sign up for this wave. You also can choose to compete against the clock by setting a predetermined goal time to finish the race.
I hope that you will consider signing up for a mud run in the near future. I strongly feel that you will share my excitement if you give it a try. Please give me feedback if you complete a race to see if you share similar feelings. Stay tuned for upcoming blogs on training and nutrition for mud runs. Also, view the websites below to learn more about mud runs.
Race Schedule
*Be sure to check out the race schedule, as there are numerous events coming up!
www.trifind.com/gs_adventure/AdventureRaces.html?state=fl
http://www.mudrunfun.com/event-calendar-2/
Local Based Organizers/Races
Gatorgauntlet.com (Event, May 26th)
Superheroscramble.com (Event, July 28th)
Art Waters, MS, CSCS, CES is a Master Trainer at Sweat Life Fitness, Inc. in the Haile Plantation Village Center. He can be reached at art@sweatlifefitness.com for more information and training consultations. We always appreciate and welcome your feedback and comments.
