Mud Run

I am constantly looking for new ways to enjoy running. Here is the latest discovery: http://www.bivalvebash.com/

Cheryl, Jonathan, Ama(Cheryl's mom) and I enjoyed the unique experience of running through tidal flat mud last Saturday. Gabe will have to wait another year to reach the age limit but he still had fun with the other activities of the Bivalve Bash. Here he is building a habitat for beach roaming critters. Now he is testing out the mud to make sure it is safe for us all to run in.

The kids run is a 100 yard dash, more like a slog, out, around and back. the adult course is and outer 250 yard course encircling the youth course. The mud is a fine silty stinky combination of decomposing bio-matter and finely eroded sand. Much like running in wet cement the mud takes hold of your feet and eagerly clutches your shoes attempting to relieve you of the protection. Experienced runners suggest using duct tape to secure your footwear, it is a must and it works. The mud sucks you in and creates a perfect air tight seal that must be broken with each step. The lifting force needed to break the seal zaps all energy from your body, you feel as if gravity has just increased ten-fold. Prior to the race I befriended the finish line director and he suggested quick small steps to keep my feet from sinking to deep. Oh yeah and don't fall. Cheryl enjoyed a comment made by a boy just completing the grueling ordeal, "If you fall, remember to close your mouth"

The pre-race duct taping of shoes seemed to be an accepted practice. So much so that the folks from a local running shop had a tent for the purpose of taping runners shoes for them. Jon asked if I would secure his shoes. "Not to tight dad, I want to be able to run my fastest."

Jon ran a great race smiling the entire time. The start was a mad dash out into the soupy mess with kids yelling, falling and laughing. Meanwhile on shore parents jokingly fretted about stuck and disappearing children. Several young competitors fell and a few took advantage of the opportunity completely covering their bodies, most just ran as hard as they could. I was an event fit to make a pig jealous. Jon started slow figuring out the shifting unstable mud surface. Once comfortable with the squishing and slopping he began to pick up the pace and move up in the field. As the collection of ever increasing mud caked youths rounded the final turn and entered the home stretch the pack maintained a slow and

increasingly fatigued pace. The effort to take each step was showing and yet the laughing never stopped. The finish was a celebration of mud spattered smiles as each finisher received a golden oyster shell hanging on a red white and blue ribbon.

The Adult race was a field of 200 mostly competitive runners drooling at the chance to get really dirty and see how fast they could cover the "short" course. The distance seems so innocuous, unchallenging until the reality of the surface sets in. Watching the kids race it was hard to imagine the true difficulty I was about to venture out into. Here is the trick, the kids do not weigh much, so they don't sink to far, adults have a different issue. Not only do we weigh more but we have more push off strength that can work against us. The push off can actually drive your feet deeper into the mud. I guess the finish line directors comments about short quick steps will hold true.

I decided to take a few minutes to warm up and be ready for the intensity of the short distance. I left the grounds of the Bash running up the road a bit to get blood pumping in my muscles. This is something I have done many times before without issue. running out to get the juices flowing is a standard part of pre-race preparations. This time was different. For some reason I read the sign that said low tide -1.7 at 12:23 and thought great 12:30 I'll be back ready to run. At 12:22 I edged my way back to the starting area in time to hear the horn blast signaling the start of the race. AAARRRGGGGG!!! I wove my way through the loosely packed crowd of spectators and entered the mud but a few seconds after the start knowing full well my chance at finishing in the top was shot. My first few steps in the gick were very difficult as I aimed for fresh undamaged surface to steady my footfalls. I eventually took the very inside edge of the course and began to pass the slower mudders. Finally I reached un-trampled mud and was able to actually increase my pace or at least increase my turnover with shorter quicker steps. As I reached the first turn my breathing was unusually fast and I could feel my legs burning and my heart pounding. This stuff is hard to run in, that's when I noticed the laughter. The entire field of 200 adults seemed to be having a ball and laughing. This is something I have never experienced. Don't these people know this is a race? This is serious stuff. I rounded the turn carefully avoiding the barnacle encrusted post focusing on the short straightaway that led to the final turn and then the finish. As I turned I was cutoff by a flailing slogger cutting the corner to save time. As he passed he kicked up a large portion of the stinky ooze forcing me to slow to avoid being covered by his black rooster tail. I then decided to stop pushing and have fun. I began to laugh and enjoy the gick. I tried stepping in other's footprints to test if the footing was more solid and stable, it wasn't. the Final turn was marked with another barnacle encrusted post. I didn't seem to avoid this one and brushed up against it lacerating my elbow. Okay, fine, a mear srape barly a scratch, but a war wound none the less. "It's just a flesh wound." The finish was a messy and oxygen starved mass of doubled-over runners all reeling in the "schloppity schlop" that coated our bodies. Jonathan got a glimpse of my finish and took the shot as best he could, that's me in the white shirt. All in all I stayed pretty clean. Due to my ill planned starting technique I missed starting with Cheryl and Ama. their races were pretty much the same experience without the barnacle encounter. Cheryl finished a few seconds after me with a bit more of the course adorning her body and Ama (481) rounded out our team.

This event is a race and party for the family. If you get a chance I would highly suggest putting it on you calendar for 2009. The focus is to educate folks about the need for clean water in Puget Sound.

Not only was the race fun but the food was wonderful. There were various preparations of oysters, burgers, hot dogs, corn on the cob, strawberry shortcake, and a beer garden. The music is great and local and the family, at least Mr. Taylor, assisted in the rescue of one stranded youth runner to the cheers of the fans.

We had a great time and I do believe we will be back.

Tony