Race Recap: 2008 Muddy Buddy - Chicago

Since I am training for the 2009 Michigan Muddy Buddy I thought I'd dig up the post I wrote after the 2008 Chicago Muddy Buddy for a refresher on what to expect.
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This past weekend I took my family to the Chicago area to cheer me on as I teamed up with my cousin to run in the Muddy Buddy Race.

The OFFICIAL description of the Muddy Buddy is:
Each race features a 6-7 mile course and 5 obstacles. At the start of the race, one team member will run and one will ride the bike. At the 1st obstacle, the rider will drop the bike, complete the obstacle, and begin running. The runner will arrive, complete the obstacle, find their bike, and begin riding. Teams will continue leapfrogging each other through the entire course. At the end of the race, racers will crawl through the infamous Mud Pit crossing the finish line together!

The ACTUAL description should read more like:
Each race is a 6-7 mile course through the hilliest region of the world. In fact the only level ground the racers will see is the mud pit at the end. At the start of the race, one team member will think he is going to run and one will assume he will bike. The truth is that both of them will be walking when they get to the mountain we have hidden in the forest. At the first obstacle, the rider will nearly drop dead, drag his beaten body through the obstacle, and force himself to run. The runner will arrive MUCH LATER, also fight his way through the obstacle, wander aimlessly looking for their bike in the pile of 25 other bikes, then force their screaming leg muscles to push the pedal up a mile long incline. Teams will continue this leapfrogging, which is also one of Dante's Circles of Hell. At the end of the race, racers will collapse into the infamous Mud Pit, and drag their lifeless bodies through the mud to eventually stagger across the finish line.

In case you haven't figured it out. I SERIOUSLY underestimated this course. Being the team member that had to run three of the five legs, I got beaten up pretty bad.
The plus side is now I know what to expect so next year I can train for it properly and hopefully look a little more alive at the end.
We finished the race in 1:00:20.4, ranking 56 out of 84 teams in our age group.