Mud Runners – water, weeds…..Why??

By justinesq on June 22, 2014 • ( 0 )

In my newly tested role as an enthusiastic observer, I couldn’t resist a 4 mile training run ready for an event next week that just happened to finish at the start line of the ‘X-Runner’ at the National Watersports Centre. 3,000 people had signed up for this well publicised ‘muddy’ event setting off in 30 minute waves from 7.30 am and I timed the end of my run to coincide with the 11 am wave.My reason was it included 3 very enthusiastic 15 year olds from my daughter’s form at school, raising money for their trip to Ecuador next year. I have to admire their pluck, we LCAs are usually derogatory about the testing teens we live with and their indifferent attitude to most things outside of their social media lead world.

The start was impressive, loud music, flame throwers, fireworks and they headed off not phased by swathes of people trotting the other way camouflaged to the surroundings bar the whites of their eyes! Just a couple of hay bales to hurdle and it was straight into the main lake. Holme Pierpoint is notorious for weed which has been thriving lately due to the weather conditions and Weil’s disease but undeterred they leapt in like lemmings .The sun was shining (my four miles at pace was a killer) but I doubt the mud nutters cared. As always the line up was an eclectic mix. Clearly lots of runners out for something different, charity fundraisers a plenty….some beautiful costumes left the start line, I can’t think what the hire shops will say on Monday when they take them back, I’m not sure even Ariel could tackle what was coming. There were brave and sizeable ladies giving it a go, bottoms like a bag of live ferrets in lycra. There was a low lying commando crawl ahead, I’m not sure those backsides would clear the frame height, but good on ’em, it could start them on the path to the pleasure of running.

I’d opted for a white running top and of course my running shoes are still whiter than Titanic on its maiden voyage so I had a few odd looks as I followed Jess, Jake and Fred along as much of the course as I could to cheer them on. A lady asked what time I was running..at my age, madam, I’m flattered and appalled I could pass for one of you crazy fools.

Perhaps this run was tame from what I hear, no ice baths, no electric shocks, but lots of water and lots of mud.It would be my worst nightmare. To think last week I had to wash my running shoe before I even ate dinner because a muddy patch on route was too big to jump over and couldn’t leave ‘the boys’ on their little carpet in that state. I couldn’t subject my most expensive item of footwear to such abuse.

At £5 for a hot shower, a true British rip off on top of everyone’s entry fees, most people opted for the free cold water hose down and a quick change into dry clothes. I ‘air hugged’ the happy trio who clearly loved the excuse to legitimately get that dirty without a major parental ticking off.

Will I become a mud runner, a Spartan, a tough mudder…er no! You’re all totally bonkers and I’m usually first in the bonkers queue, but I loved watching you all and thinking of you knee deep in god knows what, made my clean and dry 3 mile run home again fly by.