Just do it! - Nike

What an awesome race and test of endurance! When Carolyn Peeples asked if I wanted to be her partner in the MS Mud Run months ago, of course I said yes and that I was up for the challenge. I had not been running or racing much, so I thought it would be good for me. Well, time slipped away from me and I kept meaning to go run a couple miles before the race. That never happened. Oh well, who needs to train right? After all we have to wear hiking boots and long pants, I decided spinning and yoga would be my training.

Not only did I lose track of running time, but also buying boots and pants time too. So, thankfully Carolyn became my personal shopper. First boots (did not try on until race day morning - sharp) and then pants were bought the day before. Carolyn called and said she found great GAP camos on sale - so we would be stylish out on the course. Well, I meet Carolyn race day for wardrobe fitting. Literally slipped the camo pants on and off in one fail swoop. How would these stay up when water and mud logged? Walmart backup to the rescue, providing us with a semi-stylish cargo trouser.

As we parked and started to enter the race zone, I was quite surprised at the amount of Mud and the difficulty of the obstacles I could see. What were the ones like that I could not see?

Our group of 2 person teams started at 11:20. Though I am not quite as competitive as I once was, I couldn't help sizing up the competition. All shapes, forms and fashions. As the 91 year old man fired the race gun, we were off...after an hour and a half of running, climbing, sinking, swimming, crawling, swinging - we crossed the finish line hand in hand laughing!

What an awesome sense of accomplishment! Carolyn, just a year and a half after knee surgery proved to herself how strong she and that knee is and can handle just about anything! What a confidence booster - way to go knee! I personally overcame my fear of heights and icky muddy water; all the while feeling a bit like my childhood fantasy of being Private Benjamin!

After a shower and 2 baths (I am still finding a little grit here and there), I would highly recommend you all teaming up to do this next year!

Get our and do something that challenges you mentally and physically!