Marvelous Messy Muddy Mountain Mucking

By Greg Madden

Why would anyone CHOOSE to exercise in the mud and furthermore, why would someone PAY to participate in this mud centric free for all? Can there possibly be an answer to the above questions? Well, (insert British accent here) we muddy well hope so, then don’t we now !!

So as we turn the corner into May, firmly past the lion/lamb threshold of winter into spring, and just before the grass stain season sets in, we still have some flashbacks to colder times when the ground used to be frozen.

Our snow laden mountains, high above the Hudson Valley, are mostly melted, and this along with higher temperatures creates something we un-affectionately call “MUD SEASON” here in our Catskills.

A dirty, messy, often slippery, slushy, mushy season of brown and red clay earth seems to get into and onto everything from rugs to animal fur to clothes … well, everything. It has become our unofficial fifth season in the northeast where everything is colored mucky brown.

Last month, we took you on a journey looking at an extreme cardio form of exercise delivered by swimming through chilly, cold, err freezing, water. This month, we will roll around with you who embrace mud season as their own and immerse themselves in mud runs. Yes mud runs, as in covered with … and totally in mud … completely !!

Whatever happened to playing soccer, or throwing a frisbee or even rowing a boat? So many extremes and all for the “joys” of exercise. Folks, there is barbed wire on some of these muddy terrains?

I blame the video games or perhaps a laundry detergent marketing executive that wants to sell soap to clean up profusely muddy athletic wear and those who don it. Not even the dirtiest of all the characters in the Peanuts Comic Strip, Pig-Pen, went for a mud run. Seems Charles M. Schulz preferred ice hockey and skating on ice. Mud and dirt just didn’t mix.

Nonetheless, it’s spring now and we have entered prime mud run season, where mud pies are celebrated, and sadly not made of chocolate brownies, graham cracker crust, pudding and flavored whipped cream.

Mud Run events and courses are grueling challenges for those who compete in them, be it against others or maybe just themselves.

According to OutdoorTrifecta.com, Mud Running origins started with French Navyman George Hebert. While traveling abroad in Africa, he was impressed at the agility and fitness of the local folks who stayed fit without a structured workout. Herbert set out to combine this form of challenging exercise he called “The Natural Method” adding in Greek and Roman traditions into his process.

So just what are they ? Mud runs are highly challenging obstacle course races that involve running, crawling, climbing, and wading through mud and other messy impediments. Don’t forget the barbed wire. For most who make the effort, finishing is winning.

To those drawn to this form of wellness activity, the appeal appears to lie in the unique physical and mental challenges they provide, as well as the sense of accomplishment that comes from completing such a demanding course combined with their passion for fitness, adventure, and outdoor activities.

Many participants enjoy the sense of camaraderie and community that is often present at these events and mud runs can also be a fun way to challenge oneself, try something new, and break out of one’s comfort zone.

There is a group that regular mudders refer to as the “one and done crowd.” They try it and immediately retire and then there are those who sign up for all the scheduled mud challenges they can find, and even some enthusiasts who set up their own “mudder” courses to stay sharp for competition.

In terms of safety, as messy as they are, mud runs can be relatively injury-free when proper precautions are taken.

Photos by Pavel1964/shutterstock.com

Event organizers take “pains” to provide adequate safety measures, such as staffing trained medical teams and helpful personnel all along the difficult journey.

Participants are strongly encouraged, and should also, take steps to ensure their own safety, such as hydrating properly, wearing a wide range of appropriate footwear (waterproof and supportive) while following course guidelines and rules. All are warned to expect the unexpected.

With any physically demanding activity, there is always a risk of injury, be it severe or minor. One can expect different levels of skill challenges such as climbing, jumping and other high-impact activities that can put participants at risk of leg sprains, muscle strains, and other injuries that may need bandaging. It’s important for participants to listen to the vibe of their bodies and know their limits before injuries take place and then to seek medical attention if they experience any pain or discomfort during or after their run.

The thrill of the challenge seems to be a large draw for most who compete, but for many attendees, the excitement the filthy faithful crave are the social rewards.

A mud run can easily be reduced to one’s desire to combine activities they love. For example, blending family reunions, with a summer barbeque, and even modified war games, or perhaps a Halloween costume affair, a rigorous bachelorette excursion, and commando spring break all twisted into one mud covered extravaganza and brown gooey ball of humanity. Pig-Pen would fit in and likely approve as these would be his people.

At the start of the festivities there can be all sorts of colorful uniforms for teams or those needing to express connection as these participants wish to stand out and then … well MUD HAPPENS and immediately everyone is as ONE !!

Cross country runners often compete with only coaches, race officials and family nearby, but Mud Runs have spectators. These have to be the fans who like bullfighting, hockey fights and watch train wreck videos on the internet. You know, those rambunctious and crazed fans !!

Some believe “mud runs fulfill a repressed childhood need to play in an environment that contradicts hygienic standards expected of civilized adults. Physical sports or workout routines guarantee that participants break a sweat. Mud runs hold the additional allure of becoming drenched with mud and water without fear of disapproval or repercussion. Others believe the events “channel a primal need for competition and survival in the wild,” according to MudRuns.net.

So as we head for the showers, we again ask as to why would these mud caked spackled gladiators choose to participate in such messy shenanigans? Perhaps their sloppy addiction is as easy to assess and drawing on the likes of George Leigh Mallory who was queried as to why he would scale Mount Everest, his retort, “because it was there.”

And there you have it, exercise to make the laundry detergent marketing executive happy … “got soap?”

Greg Madden, is the Development Manager at Wellness Rx Pharmacy where he also practices alternative healing modalities like Tui-Na Medical Massage and BioPhoton Light Therapy. More at IlluminatingWellness.care.

WellnessRx, Pharmacy for the Public Good is America’s first nonprofit Community Pharmacy and Wellness Center in Tannersville, NY (WellnessRxLLC.com) and in April in Phoenicia, NY (PharmacyforthePublicGood.org), both located on Main Street.