Race Recap: 2010 Muddy Watters Bump and Run #3

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So after competing in the May Bump and Run race, I figured I knew what to expect for the July race, but I greatly underestimated the devious mind of Mr. Jeff Watters. Although this race shared some commonalities with the May race (boot camp exercises, trail running, the Clinton River), this was a completely different race.

Before I start the race write-up you need to know one thing, what a “down and up” is. To a complete a single “down and up” you start in the standing position and crouch “down” until your hands touch the ground. At this point you kick your feet behind you, bring them back under you and bounce “up” to your feet again. That is a “down and up” and you needed this information for this race could have been called the Muddy Watters Bump and Run and Do A Crap Ton of Down and Ups.

Another change was that this time I did not run the race alone. I had some friends running it with me. We were a rag tag bunch but a fun group of runner with a wide range of running fitness. 

At the start of the race we had do a type of shuttle run (suicides), down and up hybrid. Sprinting 50 yards, we did 10 down and up, sprinted back, did 8 down ups, then repeated for 6, 4, and 2 down ups. Now that my heart was racing and my legs were tweaked the run began. Bolting into the woods, my heart dropped when I saw my old nemesis from the last race, the sledding hill.

Just like the race two months ago we had to run up and down that cursed hill five times and once again we were ordered to do 10 down and ups after each hill climb. Having this early in the race really took a lot out of me, especially after the shuttle ladders. After cresting the last hill, I heard Jeff Watters say that the water that was coming up soon would cool us all down. I was actually looking forward to the water today, but I was unaware how much water Mr “Watters” had in store for us.

After running on the trails for approximately a mile, We came to our first river crossing. This was nothing too major, just jump in the water, wade/swim across the river and climb back out again. The cold river water was refreshing on my overheating body. After running around another 800 yards, we crossed the river again and ran on some more trails. The trees slowly gave way to a clearing and in the distance I saw Jeff Waters standing on a bridge pointing down to the water 20 feet below him. Then I witnessed a runner jump into the water and disappear below the surface. It was a couple of seconds before his head became visible and he swam down the river. Normally I have no problem jumping into water from any height, but the spectators wading in knee deep water only a few feet from where I was supposed to land, concerned me a little bit. Nevertheless, when it was my turn to jump, I trusted the man I hardly knew and leapt into the water, and started swimming.

At this point I had expected to swim a short distance then climb unto a muddy bank and start running again, so you can image my surprise when I found out we were to stay in the river for what seemed like 500 yards. Some of the runners swam to the shallow edge of the river and ran through ankle deep water and over wet rocks. I chose to let the current aid me and stuck to the middle of the river and swam. As I was nearing the volunteer standing on the bank I realized that I hadn’t swam that much in a very long time and my upper body was beginning to ache. So you can imagine how unhappy I was when the volunteer told me to complete 10 down and ups. With a swear word or two I completed my torture then found out I had to go back into the water and retrace the route back to the bridge.

This was not as much fun, since the current was against me the whole way. I tried to do the shallow water run whenever I could but sometimes I was forced to swim, either because the water was too deep or the current was too damn strong to walk against. While in the river, however, I found my piece of garbage for the White Trash Raffle.

After exiting the water once again, I was instructed to do another 10 down and ups. “What the f…”

After those it was another trail run until I reached a very steep decline into the river once again. Luckily this was only another crossing. Unluckily there was another steep hill on the other side, slick with mud, which had to be ascended. At the top of the hill I had to do 15 down and ups. “You have to be f…en kidding me.”

After a short run, guess where I ended up. That’s right, the fricken river again. Crossing the river one more time, I was met by some of the first place guys that had already finished the race and backtracked to cheer others on. “Only about a mile to go” one of them cheered. This fueled my spirit and I picked up my pace. After about ½ mile I realized that I hadn’t seen a flag marker in awhile. After getting lost last time I was concerned, but the two people behind me encouraged me to go on. After running another half mile, two of us decided to back track and found our way back to the proper trail. Our estimation was that we added two miles to our run.

Once we were on the right trail it wasn’t long before I saw the sledding hill. “Crap, more hill climbs” I though to myself. My relief was grand when I discovered I only had to climb the hill one time then run to the finish line.

Because of my detour, all of my friends beat me across the finish line, but at least we all a great time.

I tip my hat to you Mr. Jeff Watters. You are a truly devious, borderline sadist, but you put together one awesome race. I look forward to my next one.