My RUGGED Side

Months ago I received an e-mail from a friend, Brooke, suggesting that a bunch of us sign up for a 5k mud and obstacle race called the Rugged Maniac. I jumped at the opportunity, 'cause honestly, I have always wanted to do a mud race and I hadn't seen my "down and dirty" side for a while.
Here the crew is, (minus Jesica who opted to run with her husband), all ready to go.

We raced together as a group for about the first half mile until my competitive side got the best of me.
I waded through muddy water, climbed up muddy hills, hoisted myself over walls, pulled myself up nets, LEAPED OVER FIRE,

crawled through underground tunnels, shimmied under lots of barbed wire, jumped from pole to pole, climbed over even bigger walls, lost my shoe in some mud, waded through more water, clambered up more muddy hills, crawled through more tunnels, SLID DOWN A GIANT MUD SLIDE and WAS COMPLETELY IMMERSED IN MUD WATER,

plus tack on over three miles of trail running in heavy, mud coated shoes and clothes with eyes that stung from who knows what and that, my friends, is the Rugged Maniac.
Here's what was left of the crew. Don't we look tough?

Except for some cuts and bruises I fared pretty well.  It was even exciting to find mud in my ears, nose and hair for about a week after.
It was good to get in touch with my "down and dirty" side.  Until next year.