This was one of those races that I really never want to do again. Every one that I talked to said that is was so much fun they had a great time, it was a blast. Well it was something but not really any of those. We were some of the first people there, my "buddy" was less then excited about this whole thing. We had a small tiff before we went to the pre-race meeting that we had to attend. That was fun! Then we had to stand in our corrals for what seemed like ever I was able to make it back to the van to get more water and we were still not off and running. Oh, did I tell you that it was hot?
So finally we were off they sent the bikes first then the runners. The first leg was all up hill, my buddy and a few others were forced to walk the bikes up the hill; I also walked up the first hill. I caught up with her at some point and we walked to the first transition point, there was a wall that you had to climb on to a cargo net thingy to get down the other side. I was none to happy to see this I am, let's say on the short side, lacking in upper body strength. I tried the wall twice and fell off both times, was not able to get a good foot hold or pull myself up. Punched the wall before my 3rd try and the guy was like "you can just go around if you would like". Sadly that is what I did. This kinda made me mad, because maybe my Buddy was right we should not be out here.
The next leg was my turn with the bike, the course description had said that the first part was a bitch of a hill, OK so I am paraphrasing some, but they said the rest of it was all down hill, well they missed one more hill not quite as bad as the first but it did make me have to push the bike for most of it. My buddy caught up with me, she was in bad shape, not sure if she was going to finish or not. Did I tell you that it was HOT! She was in a bad place. I kinda felt bad that she was out there having this bad experience and that I left her, but I was out there too. It was hard, not a lot of fun, but damn it I was out there, my fat self out there running this race to the best of my ability. I have just as much right to be out there as the skinny little bitches, that she thinks are better then us just because they are skinny. So I left her standing in the shade contemplating where or not she was going to quit.
I loved the down hill bike riding part, that was awesome, you just hold on for dear life and go. I got to the 2 nd transition point. It was some crazy thing that you had to go over and under with out touching the ground, well that didn't happen but I did do the task, sorta. I was off and running again. This part was mostly down hill and you have to run the down hill that is the rule of running trails, walk the up hills run the down hills. Oh, check this out there was a woman with 2 small kids and a stroller out on the course, they were doing the mini muddy buddy and got really, really lost. I was thinking to myself... self there is a stroller that you are going to have to race now... just great! I did lose them at some point so I was happy about that. There were 2 women in front of me that were dressed as salt and pepper, they were staying together and having no fun at this at all by this point.
They got the next transition point before me this one was a huge inflatable slide; on one side was a cargo net that you had to climb. Pepper was up and over in no time at all, pepper was having a hard time with it. So the course volunteer helped her with salt up to climb, then he looked at me asked if I was going to do this. I said, hell yeah I was! He was showing me how to hook my foot so I could start my climb. I had to just look at him like he was crazy, the cargo net started at about chest height so there was no way in hell that I was going to be able to get my foot up that high unless I was laying on my back, and that was so not going to work. So I took a "running" leap at the net, grabbed on with my hands and braced my feet on the "wall" worked my way up so I could get my feet in the net, IT WORKED!!!! I was shocked, so up I went, I learned that if you lean back some then you can get the net to pull away from the "wall" so you can get your feet in. It was awesome. Up I went just like that, over the top and down the other side.
Then it was back to the bike, and see if I could catch Salt and Pepper as I went. I heard the guy radio that the last racer had just left that station, so I was desperate to pass S&P. I was able to do just that, I am sure they heard the happy wooohooo as I went by. I was no longer last. I passed my buddy she seemed determined at this time, which is better then defeated that she was earlier in the race. The next transition point was a balance beam. I was so unhappy to see this, I had some how gotten the thought in my head that I was on the bike last, but no there was an odd number of point so I ended running the last one, sheesh I kinda with I knew that before the beam. But any who, I got up there and just stood still for a minute waiting to catch my breath, the helpful volunteer had advice for me about squeezing butt cheeks for better balance. I just needed to breath first.
Across I went, and then I was off and "running" this point it was mostly all I could do to keep moving, did I tell you that it was HOT! My Buddy caught up with me, then was off I was out there by myself. There were a few more teams but not many. I could hear the finish line crowds, but they seemed so far away. I just kept putting one foot in front of the other; there finally was the finish line. Bikes on the right, runners on the left. I tossed my bottle at the bike and kept moving. My dear child covered in dried mud is waiting for us he is on our side of the fencing, still not sure how he did that, off to the right of the mud pit is the beer garden, with tons of people who have been drinking, oh what fun that is.
We get to the edge of the mud pit, we have to crawl under this net stuff, it steals my pirate hat, but I was not going back for it. Then in to the mud, by the time we got there was not much mud left and the flags were all gone so you really didn't know how low you had to go. So here we are two fat girls wallowing in the mud, no this didn't get any comments for the lovely people who had been drinking in the beer garden, none at all, they were perfectly well behaved....not. I tuned most of it out, I just wanted out of the damn mud; on the pulse side it was nice and cold.
About half way through, what I thought was a football field’s length of mud; it was not that big but sure did feel like it was. She flipped over and was moving through on her back, she said it was easier on the knees and elbows, both of which are cut to shreds at this point, So I flipped over too so now I am scooping up mud with the back of me. We finally got to the end and had to climb out of the pit, I managed to slip and fall back in to the pit, the crowd when crazy, I got up gave a sweeping bow and dragged my tired muddy self out of the pit. I had mud in places that mud should never be.
We went and cleaned up after Shay took the pictures of all of us muddy, muddy people. We got changed and then had lunch at the van; it was a good thing that we had food with us every thing was gone by the time we were done with the clean up. It was a lovely day for a picnic, and over all it was not that bad of a time. I was not as sore as I thought I was going to be. That showers that I am in better shape then I think I am to go out and run/ride 5.5 miles and not feel like you did anything is a good thing.
Would I ever do it again.... I am thinking that no would be the answer, but the boy really wants to do it so I am have to do it one time with him, then my muddy buddy career would be over. I still not know that our time was, I guess I will have to go look that up.
