Miss Muddy: 5km of mud, obstacles, colour, foam & fun
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2014 was a year for me to push out of my comfort zone.
I took risks in my personal and professional lives, and said ‘yes’ where I would have usually said ‘no way’.
One of the things I said ‘yes’ to was my first obstacle race. Regular readers of HerCanberra will know that I do not run. I may have even used the phrase, ‘would rather stick pins in my eyes’ on several occasions. Nevertheless, when my neighbour Kersten asked me if I wanted to sign up for Miss Muddy with her, I said ‘yes’ before I could think about it too much.
Over the next month or so, I grumped around, regretting my decision. After all, I’d seen lots of friends’ photos from Tough Mudder and the like, and there didn’t seemed to be a whole lot of fun going on. Just electric shocks and pain.
Even on the day of the event I wasn’t enthused. And then a funny thing happened…I enjoyed myself!
From the moment I arrived at EPIC, there was an atmosphere of fun and camaraderie. There was a LOT of pink, a lot of excitement and a lot of laughing.
We made our way down to the start area for the 5km course, and I somehow found myself up on stage, helping to lead the warm up. And then we were off!
Mud pits! Take goggles!
I ran (yes, I ran!), I carried sandbags, I climbed walls, I waded through a freezing pool of water, I swung across monkey bars, I dragged myself through pits of mud. I was made into all shades of the rainbow, thanks to the colour cannons; ran through foam cannons and slid through inflatable tunnels, taking me back to my childhood slip ‘n’ slide days.
There was a real ‘no woman left behind’ vibe – it wasn’t competitive at all, just a lot of women of all ages, shapes and sizes, helping each other to make it through the course. Solo competitors were helped over the climbing walls by others, and there was no pressure to do anything you didn’t feel comfortable doing.
At the end was the highlight – a massive inflatable waterslide, followed by a sprint to the finish line, dodging ‘sumos’ who were determined to keep the laughs going right ‘til the end.
It was some of the best fun I’ve ever had in a fitness event (and it turns out I actually DO like running, if I’m running towards something cool.)
All muddied up!
My tips for Miss Muddy?
- Round up some friends – it’s most enjoyable if you’re getting muddy with others
- Take goggles for the mud pits!
- Get into it – dress up and don’t take yourself seriously. It’s 5km of mud, obstacles, colour, foam and fun – not the Olympics!
Get prepped for Miss Muddy by following these tips from ambassador Lynzey Murphy—a Sydney based trainer who starred on the latest My Kitchen Rules with her dad Robert.
the essentials
What: Miss Muddy
When: Sunday 22 November 2015
Where: Thoroughbred Park, Lyneham
Register: www.missmuddy.com.au
How much: Standard tickets are $85.50 and close four weeks out from event day. Last minute tickets cost $95.50 each and close three days out from event day. On the day registrations ($100 cash only) may be offered at some events if not already sold out online prior.
Plus: All proceeds from the Canberra event are going to the McGrath foundation to help them in their bid to raise $380, 000 to place a breast cancer nurse in an area of need for three years.
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