Events: Get dirty in the Mud Run this weekend

My partner takes the garbage out to the curb, cleans up our cat’s hairballs and he does toilets. It’s true that I am a lucky woman. It might sound like I’m allergic to dirt (or at least he thinks so), but a few years ago I ran a race that was beyond dirty and gross: The Mud Run, a casual and fun 10K held at the Claireville Conservation Area, just outside of Toronto.

The race is organized by Adventure Racing Canada, and the 2010 Mud Run is Sunday, June 6. If you’re in the area and are able to do it, I encourage you to participate.

I ran the course a few years ago and had a blast. The first 5K was beautiful, as the course had us running through the trees and tall grass. I felt like I was a 10-year-old again, playing an extended game of tag. For the second half, I needed the sunscreen as we ran (I admit it, I walked a bit of it, too) up and down hills and finally through a river. The best part, though, was the finish line: a bed of thick, sticky mud. The dirt was so caked into my clothes and shoes I skipped waiting in line for the showers and went back into the river to rinse off. (My boyfriend later found my clothes tightly wrapped in a plastic bag in the trunk of his car, oops!)

It’s definitely not a race for those who take themselves too seriously. It’s just a fun, silly day’and kids love it (they can run 1.5K and finish in the mud pit, too).

What’s the craziest race you’ve ran in or heard of? What races are you running this year? I’ve heard of running in heels and there’s even one race where runners wear nothing except running shoes and a pumpkin on their head.

Related:
‘ "I ran a half-marathon and lost 75 pounds."
‘ "I ran my first marathon at 43!"
‘ Uh-oh’only 9 weeks until my half-marathon!