My First 5K Mud Run - Lessons Learned (Pics)

I have read a lot of posts from people who have done mud runs. I think all of the threads I’ve read were all happy threads from people who successfully finished their races.

I want to share my experience with anyone who might be contemplating this, because my experience, while interesting, on the fun side, and dirty, was not all sunshine and roses, although that was my own fault.

Yesterday was my first ever 5K. It was a charity mud run.

Back in January, my 5’7” frame was toting around 192 pounds and I was ready to drop some weight,. One of my friends from work told me about this mud run, and asked if I would want to run it with her. Thinking, at the time, it was a wonderful idea, we registered with five other women.

I downloaded the C25K program for my phone, and started off diligently enough. Got through three weeks and the weather out here went south, and I wasn’t feeling the whole “running in sleet/cold rain-thing,” so I picked up weight lifting (pardon the pun) in mid-February.

Things were going really well until I sprained my back (figured out it was piss-poor form on a barbell row) in mid-March. Thinking it wasn’t a big deal, I kept lifting, but finally relented and went to the doctor and an orthopedist to get it checked out. Sure enough, it was sprained and I pretty much was benched from lifting and anything else high impact, so being the stubborn hussy that I am, I just stopped deadlifts and rows during this time and did light squats with either just the bar or a few pounds on either side, kept up with my OHP’s and bench presses. Did a lot of time on the elliptical.

Down to 167 pounds, I figured, based on all the time on the elliptical, I would be good to go on the run, and given the strength training, my upper body would be in better shape to handle the obstacles. I was half right.

We got to the site and pinned on our bibs and did our stretches. While I was still feeling that *twinge* in my back, it had gotten a lot better and I was absolutely set on doing this event.




After we stretched a bit and kind of got warmed up, we mugged for some pictures. At 47, I am the oldest woman on the team, the rest being in their 20’s and early 30’s.



Things started out okay, but before long, I was so winded I had to slow down and try and catch my breath (this is where I learned that for me, all the time in the world on the elliptical would not replace actual jogging), and soon fell way behind. Fortunately there was a wait at most of the obstacles and I was able to catch up.

I love, love, LOVED the obstacles! Even the combat crawl tunnel, which was where I felt my back go out again.



I fell further behind, and the girl whose idea this was asked me what was I going to do, and I simply stated, “Finish.”

And finish I did.

The tire hill was fun, but winded me worse than the other obstacles. I loved anything where I had to climb. Yes, those OHP’s and bench presses came into play for those.

Our team wasn’t in it to win it. We were in it to finish. Together. And while I was panting, and limping, and thinking I was going to have a heart attack right there and then, they waited for me.



So, MY lessons learned? (I hope this helps someone else who still has weight to lose and is wondering if a 5K mud run is for them.) And remember…YMMV.

-Do NOT put away your running/jogging program 2 months before the race, thinking you got this.

-The elliptical machine is not going to replace running as a means of building your endurance, if you are NOT a runner. (And I am NOT a runner.)

-Jogging multiple Island Laps on Wii Fit in place, in your living room, is probably not going to help much, either. :bigsmile:

-Do NOT do this with a back injury, even if you think you’ll be ok. My back hurts worse today than it did after the original injury.

-Heavy lifting helped more than I thought. I went from zero upper body strength in February to being a climbing machine yesterday. I LOVED the climbing/descending/rope obstacles the best. :bigsmile: Also, I believe that while I am a bit sore in my shoulders and glutes, that I would have been more sore without the strength training.

-If you are injured enough to have to see a doctor before one of these events? Do yourself a favor and stay benched when they bench you.

While I have read many posts from people who have done these and said that they have found a new addiction, I can’t honestly say that. It was honestly the most physically difficult thing I have ever done, outside of giving birth (and at least then, you can get good drugs, ha ha).

Will I do it again? As a matter of fact, there will be another one in November, and I plan on giving it another go, training for it the right way, next time. I think running (okay, walk/jogging) injured does suck some of the fun out of it. While I finished it? In my mind it was a 5K fail, because after re-spraining my back there was one obstacle I had to completely skip, and I walked entirely too much of it. I disappointed myself, and held back my team.



That said? It was amazing to me that I finished. It was an incredible bonding experience that I will never forget, stopping felt SO good, and I will remember it for the rest of my life.

ETA: Sorry the pics are so huge. I think if you right click and open them in a new tab or window you can see them in their entirety.