The First Dam Mud Run

This last Saturday was my 12th race of the year.  My goal for the year was to do 12 races, so this is it for the year.  And I finished off with That Dam Mud Run, the first annual.  It was put on by the people who do Irvine Lake Mud Run (which was my first mud run period back in 2010).  I was doing this one by myself, but I did win a free entry, so I can’t complaint.

The run took place at the Santa Fe Dam, which is just east of Pasadena.  I got there plenty early, and wound up having to wait around.  I figured one guy could slip into an earlier wave, especially since I was in the non-timed waves.  But they actually had people there watching to make sure that didn’t happen.  It also caused great confusion because people were waiting outside the start corral whose waves had already done.

Anyway, I finally did get going, and I had a lot of fun.  We were running around a lake, and the scenery was nice.  We were also on paved paths for quite a ways, so it wasn’t as out in nature as I thought it might be.  They actually had us run into the swim lagoon at one point.

And let me tell you, the weather was perfect.  We’re talking upper 70’s with a slight breeze.  The kind of weather where you get warm enough running that you really want to get wet and muddy.

I was surprised at how quickly the miles flew by, too.  Every time we hit a mile marker, I was sure they were joking.  All told, the course was 3.5 miles.

And the mud was in the last mile and a half.  There were plenty of mud pits, although I wouldn’t have complained if they had been spread out more.  Anyway, in and out of the mud.  Some of the mud pits has already drained themselves, some were thick, some were watery.  It was a nice mix.

The shower situation was horrid.  Not nearly enough showers for all of us.  So I headed out and found a sprinkler.  A bit of an unconventional way to get clean, but fun none-the-less.

On the way home, I stopped and visited with my friend Luke for a couple hours.  Lunch and Cribbage.  Then I went to a first birthday party.  So it was a very long, very full day.