MudGirl 5k Obstacle Race Review

Overall, I had a wonderful experience for my first mud run. The Venue was at Pocono Raceway, home of the "Tricky Triangle" of Nascar Racing, which was pretty awesome to see up close! This means there was ample amount of parking, although I was caught off guard that parking was $20, and if you wait closer to race day, tickets can be quite pricey, which means you could potentially spend upwards of $100 just to run a 5k race! In my personal opinion, this is a steep price for a 5k, so use caution and keep an eye on the website for deals; I booked my ticket on Black Friday at around $30. 

Also be warned, the merchandise on the website was SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper than in-person. I was eyeing a hoodie on their website for $35, but figured since the race was in June, it should be warm enough by then. Much to my dismay, race day was actually quite chilly (upper 60's) and very breezy, so post race, I was pretty chilled, and waiting in the tremendously long line to purchase a sweater. It was $50 for the same one listed online for $35. I guess you have to pay for the convenience, but OUCH, when you factor the cost of tickets, parking, food, etc. 

The race itself was fairly easy, even with the added obstacles. The course was relatively flat, not much incline, and there were 17 obstacles, from inflatables, to cargo nets, and a decent amount of mud! The obstacles were not overly challenging, and if you do not feel comfortable, you may skip them. I am not physically "fit" by any means, and I was easily able to complete all of the obstacles. 

The race is not timed; this event is all about having fun! The group of people I went with ultimately decided to walk, but I feel like it would have been a fun challenge to time myself and see how quickly it could be completed. I suppose that is the nice thing about running, especially races like this, is everyone is free to do their own thing!

As far as what to wear- I took some recommendations from other experienced mud-runners; I wore my Nike Heat-Gear leggings, as I have heard shorts can result in some scraped knees (this happened to both the people I went with). I also went with a technical tank top, NO COTTON! I was NOT wiling to throw on my running shoes, and I actually purchased a specific pair of hiking/water shoes for this event, which was perfect, I hosed them out and washed them when I was done, and good as new! The hoses at the event have terribly POOR water pressure, and did almost nothing for cleaning off, so I do suggest a towel or garbage back for your car. Some people brought changes of clothes, but since I couldn't really get rinsed, I decided to just change when I got home, and covered my car seat in a towel, which was fine. 

All in all, I had fun, and I will happily sign up for more, although I will be more mindful of pricing! Happy Running!