Fila Running Skirt
Under Armour Perfect Tank Top
Moving Comfort Maia Sports Bra
Compression Socks
Old Trail Running Shoes
The Irvine Lake Mud Run was a freakin’ blast! I am so glad Irish Car Bombs + great friends caused me to sign up.
Pre-Race
Woke up at 6am… okay, it was 6:30ish. I couldn’t sleep the night before. I was anticipating the event. Kind of scared. Would I be able to do the course. Then I thought about freezing cold muddy water. Wondered if I would lose a shoe. Important stuff like that.
Got up all groggy, had some black molasses coffee. Okay, maybe it wasn’t black molasses, but I needed it like that! Had some coffee and a bowl of Oatmeal (missing the cottage cheese – I am out). I didn’t want to eat anything heavy. I didn’t want to get sick on the course or anything. Threw on my outfit. Got my towel and stuff together. And we were out the door. Stopped at the bank. Got some breakfast for Mac and the girlie. And off we went.
When we arrived at the Mud Run, we met up with our friends Kathy and Rich. Checked in. Froze our asses off. Then decided to buy some cool checkered compression socks to stay warm. Kath bought pink. I bought orange. Then we proceeded to switch one sock. And met up with some more friends to run a great race.
Here is my Irvine Lake Mud Run album on Facebook.
Race
We downed a beer. Hit up a few vendors. Ate a couple LiveWire Energy Chews (love these things. Like adult Starbursts). The girlie stocked up on some PopChips (the new Jalapeño flavor is yummy). Then we made our way to the start line.
I was totally nervous. Kathy was way more nervous than me. Rich just wanted to go a long time ago.
About 9:15ish our race started. I’m glad we started early in the day, as our wave was small. Hit our first mud pit and I made my first splash right off the start! As a newbie, I didn’t realize that the ground went from low, low, to deep. Splosh!
Thru some tires. Over some logs. Up a great big freakin’ hill. Then they had an awesome water slide that was apparently new on the course. But the line was so long. We started to freeze waiting for it (as the sun didn’t want to grace us with its presence). So, we went around.
Did I tell you I love some of the costumes the teams were sporting? Tutus. Grass skirts. Wonder women.
As the course went on there were more muddy big hills, mud pits where you had to bear crawl to get thru, wood slat hills (those sucked bcuz it was very slippery and your shoes don’t fit inbetween the slats for leverage), wood hurdles, and lots of mud. It was pretty fun acting like a kid. Then it was the shoe sucker… About 99% of the peeps found there way around it and just scale the edges of it. First off, that was lake mud and it stunk. Second, it was very long, Third, I don’t know how anyone would make it through that. In fact, we had to help one guy out of it – he was over knee deep in it – and stuck.
Us women pranced over many of the untouched footprint surfaces (far and few in between). It allowed us to stay on the surface without getting too sucked in. Not to mention that it was super slippery.
Then it was lots of muddy water paths. I felt like I was in a different country. Surrounded by high mountains, cloudy skies, while I was trudging thru these water paths. Then there were more slippery muddy slopes. I was sliding down them at the same time trying not to scrape my bum on any rocks.
Towards the finish line – Lots of hills, mud pits, a human ‘car’ wash (lots of bubbles – that was fun), more mud pits, bear crawl under the flags, thru a tunnel, another mud pit and across the finish line.
I almost didn’t see the camera guy in the middle of the finish line. We almost collided.
Finish the race with good music, friends, beer, and a delicious bean and cheese burrito.
The race was definitely fun. And I plan on doing another one (this summer). The end.
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Workout
This week’s workout I will be modeling Laura Baily’s Muscle Building Program via BodyBuilding.com. If you get a chance, watch her opening video. Her intro fits with my way of thinking.
Monday: Legs/Cardio
Tuesday: Back/Shoulders/Cardio
Wednesday: Biceps/Triceps
Thursday: Chest/Cardio
Friday: Legs/Cardio
Saturday: Cardio
Sunday: Day off
Question
Do you prefer to ab lib your workouts to fit with your day or do you need to adhere strictly to the program?
About Christine McCarthy
Mud runs are the best! I’m hoping to recover enough to do at least one this season.
I’ll be interested to see what you think of Laura’s program. I’m feeling the need to shake things up a bit myself.
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table recently posted..Being Serene
It was so much fun! We are doing another one in June.
I really like her way of thinking – that she needs to like what she is doing. And if you feel like hiking one day over working out at the gym – then go do it!
However, I really need to get my butt in gear with only 8 wks until bikini season! I need to be serious with a serious plan to get be whittled into a beautiful shape (a girl can hope). I am just finishing up Body for Life this Friday (not as far long as I thought I would be). Review on Friday.
Any advice?? Cuz you look great!
Christine McCarthy recently posted..Blogger’s Choice: 7 Favorite Campgrounds in the U.S.
Sounds awesome! You should do the Camp Pendleton mudrun, too! I don’t know if there’s tickets left. I signed up for reggae day lol I think you would’ve ruined the camera guy’s day if you had collided into him haha
I prefer ad libbing my workouts. I plan some things (like oh I’m going to do legs 3x this week or I’m going to do a long ride on Saturday), but for the most part I head in the gym and do whatever I feel like I need to do that day.
I am glad I picked up my head to see the camera guy. haha. That would have sucked. But he is right smack in the middle of the runway.
Your doing Camp Pendleton? I think that one will be harder, yes? I think we are doing the Corona one. And some of my friends are doing Murrieta. And there is no way I am going to one day do Tough Mudder to be shocked at the end. LOL.
I am with you on the ad libbing – I have the same out look as you do.
Christine McCarthy recently posted..6 Creative Uses for Mason Jars
Interested in any feedback on your gear. What worked, what didn’t, etc. I have small hands so I am going to try to wear some gloves of some kind to my first mud race on the 21st.
Less is better. Lighter is better.
The compression socks kept us warm in the dreary morning. And didn’t roll down. They worked out great.
Old shoes. Tie them tight. But I didn’t have any issues with the possibility of losing them.
The skirt worked out fine. So did the tank & sports bra.
I didn’t notice anyone wearing gloves. I think you would be better without them.
And hopefully your shoes have a bit of traction – cuz its slippery.
Just go out there to have fun! Don’t worry about time. Walk the whole course if you need to.
I think I was more scared about the cold muddy water than anything. And I was glad it wasn’t so cold.
And best to you. You will do great! Are you running in a team or individual??
Christine McCarthy recently posted..What Do You Wear to a Mud Run?
Thanks for the tips. I am doing a 1st annual race, called the Mud Chug, in my area (Iowa City, IA). I am part of a team from my gym-we had 28 sign up. We were thinking about just wearing all black and finding some cool knee high socks to wear. Will have to look into those compression socks. We’ve had nice weather here this spring but Iowa weather can be funny, even in April. I know you bought those socks at the race, but do you have any info on brand or the like?
This was my first time wearing compression socks. We didn’t get a chance to look at the brand before ripping the tag off because we were freezing. lol. but if you have a twitter account, you might mark ur question with the #runchat hashtag and you’ll probably obtain some great advice.
Have fun!
Christine McCarthy recently posted..WIAW: The Grown-Up Grilled Cheese Sandwich
OMG this is awesome! Did you get all Hunger Games on the run?
Sounds like you had a great time. Hmmm, might have to check out a mud race when I’m better. OK, maybe not the first race I do once I’m back running but definitely on my list.
In terms of working out, I do a bit of both. I have a general sense of what I want to accomplish during the week but will usually decide that day whether it’s a cardio/spin/yoga/lift day. For days that I lift, I’m getting better about writing down my workout before I go to the gym otherwise I just spend a lot of time futzing around trying to figure out what I want to do next.
Christine @ Love, Life, Surf recently posted..Guilty Pleasures
Ya! I took off… fierce..ready to kick some a$$… hit the first mud puddle… splosh! down she goes! haha. It was all fun. just wish I got to do the water slide. but the line was huge and I was freezing. had to go around. definitely something to try when you are all better.
I definitely have to write down my workout. In fact, I literally just wrote it down on my phone’s notepad for later!
And cardio days actually lends itself to creativity. So it livens up my routine. Whether its taking zumba, doing a HIIT in the garage… whatever my heart desires. Okay… need to go see what you guilty pleasures are.
Christine McCarthy recently posted..15 Healthy Movie Snacks
I’ve yet to do a mud run. Not sure why since they all look SO FUN!
Heather recently posted..It’s a PR Party Up in Herrr, Up in Herrr
Heather, if I can do it, ANY one can. and I LOVED it! Put it on your race list. I think I really enjoyed it because it was all for fun. then you got to drink beer after. what’s not good! I just wish the sun was out. It did get chilly in the morning.
Christine McCarthy recently posted..Oatmeal Toppings Says Bye to March!
I did the Warrior Dash last year and it was a hoot!! So much fun to play in the mud! Glad you enjoyed it!
I’ll have to check out warrior dash. I am trying to get my daughter to run/walk it with me next time. I think she would have a hoot. so fun playing in the mud!
Christine McCarthy recently posted..Pasta with Lemon Sauce, Asparagus, and Sweet Peas
That’s such an awesome picture! Looks like so much fun!
Kierston recently posted..Celebrity Chefs Canada!
Kierston, it was such a blast. I could see you having lots of fun with a mud run! Especially if you gather a bunch of friends. Its all for fun.
Holy shizz, the mud run looks so bad ass! I’m off to search if there are any in Michigan!!!
Jen@FoodFamilyFitness recently posted..Spring Break
did you find one, Jen? Try active.com. So fun. Even if you walk the whole darn thing (which I did walk parts of it – especially the big hill).
So this was all because of one irish car bomb, eh? Maybe we all need to be IRISH!
one? um, try 3 irish car bombs + 1 irish iced tea + 2 newcastles and 1 downtown brown. Damn, I sound like a lush! haha.
WOW! That sounds like so much fun!!
is a ton of fun! definitely put it on the list of events to do.