Mud Run Guest Blog featuring Abi

I asked for a volunteer from my awesome mud run team to write a guest blog so that you guys could see the Mud Run from another's perspective. Abi volunteered and below is her top 10 moments of the Mud Run. For the record, many of her favorite things are mine too. I will forever have an amazing snapshot in my head of Abi being yelled at by Marines as she waited to jump in the muddy lake.  See that entry below for Abi's thoughts on it.

Mud Run Top 10 in roughly the order they occurred:

the atmosphere of the place
I arrived at the race before the others and got to scope it out on my own, which I loved.  I loved seeing so many people walking around covered in mud, the persistent thud of the bass from the very loud music, free stuff, including a free bottle of water with Philippians 4:13 stickered on it,  and being alone in a crowd.

my nap in the grass
Before the race started, Jill wanted to find the spectator areas, but I just wanted to rest.  So I curled up on the grass in the shade, using my hat as a pillow, dreamed of the race, prayed, and thought of the intros to Chariots of Fire and The River Wild, which I had watched the night before.

Amie's mojo
I had a reserve of enthusiasm going in to the race, but it was Amie's strength and determination that carried us through. She was always encouraging, always ready with a thigh to stand on to hoist us up, in addition to just being super strong.

getting to talk with Kristy
I did not know Kristy at all going in to the race.  We are friends on FB from Good Shepherd, but I don't think we'd ever had a conversation previously.  I was looking forward to getting to spend time with her, especially since she has been a mom a few more years than I have and because she is exceptionally beautiful, in a way that I have long thought must reflect what is inside her heart.  Anyway, running beside her and talking, particularly on the zig-zag path through the woods, was a peaceful, wonderful experience.

the muddy lake
I had considered going in to the race how to respond if a Marine got in my face and started yelling at me.  The only thing I had decided was that whether or not I obeyed his or her orders, I would strive to be loving and respectful.  We exited a water-filled z-trench and climbed a little hill. At the top of the hill were two marines.  At the bottom of the hill was a beautiful muddy water-filled hole.  I paused in awe of it.  I knew there would be swimming.  I knew the water would be cool and refreshing.  I knew I would enjoy jumping in from the top of the hill and splashing in the cool water.  Still, I paused.  The others went on ahead of me.  I did not move.  All this time a female marine was in my face, yelling at the top of her voice, "This is a mud run--run!  Jump!  Don't be standing there at the top of my trench!  Move!" and other such things.  Still, I didn't move.  I was laughing.  Laughing and laughing and laughing in the sunshine at the top of that little muddy hill.  Finally, the others made it to the other side and called for me.  I snapped out of it and jumped, and it was wonderful.

losing my wedding ring
This could be a much longer story.  The truth is that I would rather still have my ring, but the special thing is that Jill was with me when I bought it, and she was with me when it slipped off of my finger somewhere in the creek and went tumbling along the bottom towards the sea.  Both times we were on adventures.  That makes it special.

the wall/cargo net
These obstacles were my favorite because they were the only ones where teams helped each other.  After being hoisted up by my team, a strong guy lifted me (with ONE of his arms!) to the top.  Then, they helped a guy from another team up to the top.  With the cargo net, teams took turns holding the net taut to make climbing easier.

Jill carrying me on her back
The last obstacle required two pairs of teammates to carry each other for about 50 yards on their backs.  We had decided previously that Jill would carry me and Kristy would carry Amie.  It was difficult to stay on Jill's back because we were covered from head to toe with some slippery mud that Jill kept saying resembled elephant dung.  Anyway, when we were about halfway through, Jill said, "This is symbolic.  I am now carrying you for all the times you have carried me on my journey."  I laughed, but her words filled me with great joy.  I said, "I would kiss you but I don't want to get my hair muddy."  "You mean your lips."  "Yeah."  I was in bad shape at this point, and slightly delusional, but it was wonderful being with friends.

communal showers
If you have never taken a co-ed shower outside with about 50 partially clothed people, you can probably not properly appreciate this experience, but it is one I enjoyed most thoroughly.  Lines like, "Hey!  A bar of soap!  Who wants it?" and, "Did I get all the mud off of my ______?"abounded.  I think the world needs more communal showers.

chicken salad for the soul
It was Amie's dad's birthday, and her parents had brought the most perfect, sumptuous supper imaginable.  I think I ate about half a pack of Ritz crackers topped with Chick-fil-A chicken salad, all prepared by Amie as she and Jill recounted the highlights of the race to Amie's parents and my mom, and I recovered for my long drive home.  Listening to them do this is familiar to me--catching a shark, swinging on a giant rope swing, skydiving, and swimming beneath a massive waterfall have all elicited similar experiences that are a part of sharing adventures together... and something that brings me great joy.