The 2013 season of rope climbing, wall scaling and mud pools kicked off at the Sacramento Raceway this Saturday! Recent years have seen a rise in themed 5k fun runs such as the Color Run, Electric Run, Run for your Lives (zombie run) and the 5k Foam Fest. Pairing outdoor sporting events with friends, silly costumes and social media has certainly fed this new generation of weekend-activity-hungry thrill-seekers.
Taking inspiration from the grueling 10-12 mile Tough Mudder, the Mud Factor 5k obstacle course event is less strenuous group oriented event focused on having fun, overcoming fears and working together to move through sludge-soaked challenges.
What to expect:
- Uneven, sometimes rocky terrain. Be careful not to roll those ankles!
- Quicksand-like mud pits that will swallow your shoes right off.
- Rope pull and hoisting that will require some semblance of upper body strength.
- Surprisingly few water stations. I counted 2, one at the starting line and 1 3/4 of the way through, so hydrate thoroughly before!
- Rocks.
- I spotted some poop.
Takeaways:
- The best mudding gear are leggings or shorts. Anything baggy will soak up mud and weigh you down.
- Close your mouth. Mud tastes awful.
- HAVE FUN!!
Mud Factor is still working out the kinks, but it manages to bring out the best in its participants through collaborative obstacle courses. My favorite moments included building a human ladder to scale a wall, a pair of gentlemen holding my hands across a balance beam and the scores of mudders cheering you on to reach the top or jump across.
Read more about the event on their official website http://www.mudfactor.com/ and see if a race is coming to a city near you!
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