5 Tips for Mud Runs #PrettyMuddy

Good Morning, Friends!

Time is flying by. Seriously, I started this post 15 minutes ago… Things just keep popping up! Ah, life… it’s so much fun. Speaking of fun – I’m gonna have some this weekend!! Remember Pretty Muddy back in Chicago? Let me refresh your memory… It was a little something like this:

Pretty Epic, Right?

Well, I’m SO excited to get to do it again! I’m going to be running it with my BFF from High School and my baby sister!

Our race day experience may or may not include these:

You have to understand the history of my BFF and I. In high school we were literally inseparable  People had a hard time telling us apart. We shared clothes, she taught me how to wear make up,  and we always got into the best kind of trouble. One of those friendships when someone tells you something and they say “Don’t tell anyone” and you respond “ok” and they follow up with “Not even Jacky” and your automatically like WHAT?! WHY NOT?! haha. Even now 7 years after graduating (WHAT?!) we still keep in touch. We are both married, we both have a kid, she lives in FL and I live in STL… but we still talk. So, what better than Thing 1 and Thing 2 to describe us? HA.

I’ve still got to pack for me and the Little Dreamer, we head out early in the AM. Any tips for traveling with a toddler?

Back to the race… When I did Pretty Muddy back in September it was my first mud run. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was also over 4 hours from home… While I had an amazing time, I also learned quite a few things. When we did the Warrior Dash and Zombie Survival Dash we were even more prepared. So, I’m going to share with you my 5 Tips for Mud Runs

1. Wear Clothes that Don’t Soak Up Water

Don’t come dressed in your baggy sweat pants (or Reeboks with the straps for that matter…) or oversized sweatshirts. Cotton yoga pants probably aren’t the best idea either. You are going to get muddy/wet. If you are wearing loose fitting sweatpants, chances are the mud will weigh them down and you will lose them. Oops. I suggest wearing light weight water repellant materials, wicking or fast drying material is helpful. Depending the course you may want to wear capri’s or pants to cover your knees if there is lots of crawling.

2. Think about your Shoes

I have seen some people wear what look like brand new (expensive) shoes. If you have a closet full of ’em, go for it. I chose older shoes that I wouldn’t mind tossing if need be. Worn out running shoes are a good option. The hubs likes to wear his vibrams because you can just put them right into the washer. Your shoes will be salvageable depending on if you want the extra work of cleaning them. I typically opt for the easier route. Make sure they are tied pretty tight, some people lose their shoes in the mud pits! While we are on the topic, think about your socks too. Thick cotton socks will hold the moisture and could cause discomfort on the course. Thinner is better, in my opinion.

3. Bring Plastic Bags. Lots of them.

While lots of people donate or trash their clothes after mud runs, they are washable! Pretty Muddy uses top soil mixed with water for the mud, which means no debris/rocks and it is way easier to wash out. But you aren’t going to want to throw them in the back of your trunk. Bring extra bags for your shoes and clothes afterwards. You’ll also want to have your clean clothes in a separate bag so you don’t get them all muddy.

4. Bring a Towel (or 2)

After hosing off you are going to want to dry off, right? I totally forgot a towel for Pretty Muddy but I made sure we had plenty at both the Warrior Dash and Zombie Survival Dash. It helps dry you off, and lets you wipe off any mud you may have missed at the hoses. You also might want a few for the car just in case you still have extra mud somewhere you didn’t realize.

5. Don’t Bring “nice” clothes for Post Race

So, in Chicago we were planning on spending the day in the city after the race… So I brought my skinny jeans and cute tank. Oops. I was still relatively muddy after rinsing off… and I didn’t bring a towel, remember? So I put on my Skinny Jeans and nice tank and got them covered in mud. For Warrior Dash I just brought another pair of running shorts and old T-shirt. It made it easy to change in a small area and I didn’t mind if they got some leftover mud on them. Don’t forget shoes to change into also!

There you have it. 5 tips for Mud Runs. Hope that makes it a little easier to just have a good time on race day.

Now – for all you Pretty Muddy folks out there… We are going to be in Tampa this Saturday and Miami Next Saturday… and You can still register for both. You can use the Pretty Muddy Promo code journeyofadreamer to get $10 off your entry to the Miami race!

Have you done a Mud Run? Would you? Any other tips to share?