ASYMCA Mud Run 8k

This post might look slightly odd compared to most of the race/workout summaries I usually submit. The thing that’s different is the lack of MotionBased stats provided by my Garmin Forerunner 305. Although I would have been really interested to analyze my race stats, the 8k Mud Run had the potential to ruin the 305, so I decided to leave it behind and just run by feel.

First things first, although the race is called the ASYMCA Mud Run, most people comment they should rename it to the ASYMCA Sand Run. A large portion of the 8k course is run either on a sandy beach or across soft sand dunes with man made berms. Thankfully, there’s a section on the road and a narrow, twisty section on a tree-lined trail.

Weather was almost perfect especially considering the heat wave we’ve had for the past 2 or 3 weeks. The temperature was probably in the mid 70s with a great breeze coming off the water. At 8:00am the race started. The first “wave” of runners went off and I was left watching and waiting at the start line for the second “wave” to begin. It would have been nice to start with the younger guys, but now I’m 40 (nearly 41 – ouch!), I have to follow the rules for the old guys…

At 8:05am, the horn sounded and wave 2 set off. I’d seeded myself a few rows back, knowing there would be a charge at the start and mass chaos as everyone jostled for the best position on the sand. I stayed out of trouble, conserved valuable energy and waited for the right moment to make my move. Probably a group of 10 or 12 people were battling for the lead of my wave. Slowly but surely I picked them off, sticking to the hard sand where possible but running through the shallow surf when I needed to pass.

Halfway up the beach several trees, branches and trunks lay scattered on the sand. By this time I was leading my wave and feeling great, dancing on the sand and hopping over the obstacles. I’d already caught several stragglers from the first wave too who were obviously not expecting a race like this when they signed up.

At the end of the beach, we had to climb a steep sand dune before running through a parking lot with a much needed water stop. The luxury of the road didn’t last long however, as we soon found ourselves on a narrow trail with thorns, bushes and low hanging trees. I was still running fast but found it difficult to pass people on the narrow trail. Maybe conserving some energy early in the race would help me later on?

Soon we were back on the sand dunes and I was able to skirt around many runners who had hindered my progress on the trail. Before we got back to the start/finish area and the half way point of the race, there was a small stream to cross and several hay bales to clamber over. It was good to be back on the road and have time to recover from the punishment of the soft sand dunes, but without further ado there was a fairly steep section to climb. The next mile perhaps was all on asphalt – it felt like I was flying and I passed so many people from the first wave who were obviously struggling with the brutal race.

Another water stop lay ahead, then we turned left and were faced with “the wall” – a fairly high solid wall followed by a 20-30 foot long, waist deep water/mud pit that we had to wade through. Once out of the water there was more sand and then we had to duck down under a strategically placed low crawl obstacle – great to have all that sand stick to your wet body after navigating the wet mud pit!

The next mile or so is a bit of a blur. All I remember is soft sand, sand berms and sand dunes. I was still passing runners from the earlier wave and I was almost positive no-one from my wave had passed me, so I just pushed on as fast as I could and hoped the race would soon be over. My quads were burning and my lungs were on fire, but surely the end was near.

Thankfully at the top of the last dune, we turned right and hit a section of the road. One of the many volunteers informed me there was “only 400 left, and no more sand”. I hoped she wasn’t joking and luckily she wasn’t. It was great to run fast again without the resistance of the sand and I was able to enjoy the last minute or so the race before crossing the finish line. The clock read 45:28 but then I realized I had to subtract 5 minutes for the wave start difference. My time wasn’t fast for an 8k, but it was all relative I guess. As the results were posted I was pleased to see I’d won my age group by a couple of minutes and finished with the 7th fastest individual time of the day. Not bad for an old guy…

The local newspaper covered the race too. You can read the article here, which includes a great video shot by one of the runners who took part. I can’t imagine carrying a video camera the whole way, but he did a great job and it’s really cool to follow him and his team around the course!

I’ll finish with the “Quote Of The Day” after the race, which pretty much sums up how everyone felt after the tough 5 miles:

“The first mile was the worst, then the second mile was the worst, then it went downhill from there.”

Pictures courtesy of TriDuo Sports Photography who were out taking photos at the Mud Run – just one of hundreds of races and events they cover each year.