Sunday, June 2, 2013

The Muck Run

 This morning 500 muckers and about 50 muckchkins (little muckers) mucked around the mucky dams and mucken bush at Bushpig Adventures out in Theesecombe during the first (of what will become an annual) Muck Run in Port Elizabeth.  The Muck Run is organised by Zports and consisted of a 8km trail run taking in muddy ponds and dams, crawling through mud and dust under cargo nets, climbing through tunnels, running over tyres and poles and sliding down a 50m slippery slide.  It was the toughest 8km run I have done in my life and the fact that the first water point didn't have water made it even tougher.  The KidZ took part in the muckchkins run over about a kilometer or two taking in most of the main obstacles while I joined the Damselfly's morning running group, the Charlo Taffies, in the main run.  The run is a fun, non-timed event and we caught a lucky break by being allocated spots in the first group which meant that we hit the mud before it got too bad.
 
 Drama Princess (in pink) approaching the Rabbit Holes trying to catch up to Chaos Boy -
picture by the Damselfly as I was on the course already

Drama Princess exiting the mud hole at the bottom of the 50m slippery slide 

The Charlo Taffies heading along the course - photo by Chaos Boy

The Charlo Taffies (minus the Damselfly who couldn't take part as she's still recovering from her op) and some of our kids in front of the photo wall for our BEFORE photo

The AFTER photo.  Yes, yes, I know I need to loose some weight and get into shape, but I'm working on it. Our next team challenge... Urban Run in September.
 
Just one post event note.  Usually after races like this you get a medal that ends up in a drawer or box somewhere.  Some even go straight into the bin.  Zports went a different route with Muck Run and rather than medals gave every finisher a Muck Run bandanna instead. Very good idea.

5 comments:

  1. Looks like lots of fun having an excuse to play in the mud.

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  2. Omw, that looked like a lot of fun! Are you the tall guy on the extreme right of the photos? Good idea to give bandannas instead of medals; I have several won on mountain bike rides, road races, hikes and fun runs, still clogging up my already-cluttered drawers at home in SA! Great post for a Sunday evening read!

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  3. Hey Jo. If only I was tall and skinny. Nope, I'm the short, stocky and slightly over weight guy second from right in the blue shirt.

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  4. It was GREAT fun, and yes the bandana was a much better idea and better advertising as I wear them when I run all the time. The washing powder will proabably come in quite useful too....

    I was saying that I consider myself relatively fit and parts of that were really tough. My heart rate was going crazy at one stage.

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  5. I never thought I'd see the end of the race and what race. It was fantastic. To the guy that pulled me out of the mud, I say thank you very much...

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