I’ma Dirty Girl!

4-30-12 I’ma Dirty Girl!!!

The Dirty Girl Mud Run was held Saturday, April 28th, 2012 at Aaron’s Ampitheater at Lakewood in Atlanta, Georgia. This was the first time they had this in Georgia- I sure hope it’s not the last!! It was a 5k obstacle course through mud/water- girls only, no smelly boys allowed! The event was promoted for all ages over 14, all sizes, all fitness levels, etc. It wasn’t timed- just do it and have fun. Some of the proceeds from entry fees went toward breast cancer research. A win-win all around. Almost 7,000, I repeat, SEVEN THOUSAND women participated in this. I could die and go to hell and talk my way out of staying, but I sincerely do not have all the words or ability to use them properly to express what a great day/great time this was. Therefore, I will try to tell it to you in pictures.

Before I really get started, let me tell you a little backstory here. This is me and my friend Amy. She lives in Ohio. We’ve know each other over 20 years (even though she is in only in her 20’s- I got your back Amy, see?) We hadn’t seen each other in fo-eh-VAH- these pics are from a couple years ago when she flew down to Savannah for a weekend of debauchery with me and my rowdy friends. Please note- haven’t seen each other in a million days and we’re both wearing vampire shirts. Go figure.

In discussing the event on Facebook the other day, Amy said that if she could, she would do this and asked me to do this for her. Amy has several health issues- ones that no one in their 70’s should have to deal with, let alone anyone our age. She never whines or asks “Why me?”, she always faces everything head-on with a wicked sense of humor. Her asking me to do this for her became a mission and an honor- I am healthy and able to do this, so I needed to do it twice as much. Let me tell you…I did. I ran, I walked, I climbed, I rolled around in mud and got soaking wet. I knew I didn’t sign up for this to stay clean or rush through it, especially not since I was doing it for two. Like I told you, Amy- this mud’s for you. I hope you enjoy these pics and see how kickass you did and how much fun you had. We were awesome together. And you can be a mean and demanding bitch- I didn’t want to climb that cargo net but I was sick of hearing you call me names in my head….

This is my friend Matt. Please note, he has the best seat in the house on the way to the event if I must say…HA! Matt is one of my BFF’s. Saturday, he was off work and could have done 100 other things, but he chose to spend the day cheering all us on. Plus he ain’t stupid- watching thousands of women rolling around in mud and water?? Pffft…..he’s got this!

 Here’s Miranda, Beth, me & Olivia, Warrior Style.

These are the registration tents. Remember- almost 7,000 competitors staged in 15 minute waves.

Talk about fellas that support their ladies- this is the Titty Titty Bang Bang Clean-Up Crew!

 You better call the vet because these puppies are SICK! Didn’t know there was a gun show in town, eh?

(I kill me, really)

This is my BFF Laura. She always says that I run with scissors and she follows behind to keep them sharp. When I asked her to do this, there was no hesitation because she knows that my insane ideas haven’t gotten us killed (yet) so she was all in.

Even brought her daughter Sara to participate, too!!

 Laura is also a Zumba instructor…we can spot each other easily.

 Here’s one of the obstacles we could see from the start- I love this pic because it looks like cupcakes on a string.

Here we are, ready to rumble! We were on a team, MUDder’s Finest, but technically we were split in 2 divisions of that team. I’ll talk more about that in a bit and you’ll get it.

 This is Tammi, we’ve known each other…sheesh, almost 20 years too? Again, there’s more to the MUDder’s Finest story and I’ll get there. Now…Tammi was nervous. At the start line, she still wasn’t 100% about what she was about to do. Kept saying “I’ve never done anything like this before!!” There’s more about Tammi later as well to sum up her day….

Joni & Beth in beastmode…

STARTING LINE!! Here’s the entire Mudder’s Finest team on the left- hot pink shirts and safari invasion!!

Shara ain’t playin’- look at her, ready to roll!!

 BAM- WE’RE OFF!!

Check them out- this is Shara, Tammi and Laura- Shara and Laura are runners and Tammi is right there with them. Shara should also be a running magazine model- look at that face!!

 This right here is one of my fave pics- Shara and Laura. Now, when I said we were on a team and it was semi-divided, this is why- Laura asked me to do the Dirty Girl because she said it sounded like something I would love (spot-on, sistah) and in an effort to get Tammi to sign-up. I’m all about a group effort/intimidation to get someone to do something. I joined their team, MUDder’s Finest, and then recruited my friends to join, too. So our team was semi-divided just because of who knows who/logistics, not by lack of team spirit! So Laura….I can’t than you enough for asking me to join and for letting me and my peeps crash your party. If it wasn’t for you, I’d have probably not heard about this until it was too late- can’t thank you enough and oh yes ma’am…we’ll be doing this again next year!!

 The course was set-up in a switchback style- as in, wide open field roped off kind of like a waiting line cue. You can see that behind us here.

HOLLA! Maybe halfway through here!

Check out Laura, #397, getting’ tired!

HAAAAAAAAAA GAWD I LOVE Joni!

Beth & Joni, truckin’ along, truckin’ along….

Pausin’ for a pic…

I LOVE this pic of Tammi!!

Now….my kryptonite is heights. We had already climbed a wall earlier in the race, about 10ft., and it about did me in. The only way to get over it was to try to step/climb on the 2” boards placed on the wall about 3ft. apart from each other. Short person’s nightmare. However….there was a 3ft, 5ft and 10ft. section of wall you could go over. We ALL went over the 10ft. section. Oh yes ma’am. Go big o go home, I say!! Then we get to this….cargo net. 20ft. high, up and over. My legs were shaking so hard that I was afraid I was vibrating everyone else off the net.

I’m at the top with Robin, Beth is already over. Thanks to the 2 of them talking me over, I did it!! I have to say if it weren’t for Amy screaming at me in my head and for my peeps talking me through, there’s a damn good chance I’d have walked around this one. Jeeeeebus.

Comin’ up to the end!!

Now…remember Tammi Who-Was-Nervous, Tammi Who-Was-Scared? Check out Tammi. Ahem. Looks like she got over it, eh, being she tackled Laura into the pit???

We. Did. It. I wish we could’ve gotten everyone all together, but it was like herding cats with that many people. Regardless- everyone I know that came FINISHED. And didn’t die. BONUS!!

This is another fave pic- I SOOOO wish you could see the look on Robin’s face!!! Wait, you can. Just look at mine and Olivia’s face. Same thing.

Matt became a stuff-hauler for us being that the place where you could stow your bags was full and walking back to the car wasn’t an option.

Thanks again, Matt!!

This is Robin- it was her idea that we wear zebra print leggings. She said “I don’t care how huge my ass looks in them, I think we should.” Rock on, Robin- this was a genius idea and fun to wear!! And again…WE DID IT!!

Dirty….I said I didn’t come out to play to stay clean, dammit.

I totally understand this.

This is the shoe donation area- there’s a company that picks up alllll the shoes, cleans them up and ships them out all over the world to places where shoes are a luxury. This is about 1:30pm- this event went on ALL DAY- I can’t imagine what this pile looked like at 5pm!!

Dirty little secret: I LOVE to do laundry. Doing this event was exciting because….I’d have a laundry challenge. I know, I KNOW, my weirdness knows no bounds. I am happy to report that my clothes came clean….because I am just that awesome.

Now if you’re trying to figure out how I did this AND got all these great pics, this is why- my sweet boyfriend, Donavan, was our cameraman and stuff-hauler. He and Matt and another friend carried our stuff, schlepped all over the course, went in restricted areas to get pics of all of us for me. I couldn’t be more grateful to have all these memories made permanent thanks to D.

(I’ve said ‘boyfriend’ TWICE in 3 weeks. Yes, I am aware. Shut up.)

Check out the t-shirt and necklace we got- the t-shirt has the names of all the obstacles. This necklace is now my most prized piece of jewelry, too.

This image from the Dirty Girl website says it all. Sure, some of the proceeds went to breast cancer research. By me participating in this, I didn’t cure cancer, create world peace, solve our debt crisis or end world hunger. I can’t begin to tell you the absolute sense of accomplishment I have had since doing this. Me. I DID that. My friends- they DID that. It is an incredible feeling to do something that you would never anticipate you ever would. Today as I write this, I am sore all over, like I have been beaten with a bag of frozen oranges. But I can’t quit grinning like a jackass eating briars as I think about this experience. The only thing that stops most folks from doing anything is their own fear- don’t be afraid- get out there and do something. If you have your health and mobility, don’t EVER take it for granted and don’t waste a minute with excuses. Everybody dies but not everybody lives- don’t miss a minute, kids.

We did it, Amy!!