Miles of mud awaits us.
Ties knotted loosely around our necks.
Dressed in grey tanks
adorned with the words
“Laters Baby!”
pink and sparkly,
glistening only when the sun
manages to peek through
the heavy blanket of clouds.
Bound together not only by a bungee cord,
but by the strong bonds of friendship.
Beginning the experience with
clean, curled hair and
freshly washed workout wear.
Ready to hit the uneven terrain,
race chip snuggled safely within
the clean white laces
of my running shoes.

​

Obstacles await us as we
trudge through the thick, moist soil.
A light rain slips through nature’s ceiling
to keep us cool.
Our feet heavy from the clumps of
earth that cling to the
soles of our shoes,
requiring unplanned pauses
to scrape it free with our fingernails.
Crawling under rope obstacles
mud coats our shirts,
drips from our faces
and intrudes our eyes.
Wading through waist high sludge
our feet completely engulfed by
camouflaged crevices lurking at the
bottom of the dirty pit.

​

Finally, the finish line.
Mud drips from our bodies,
masks our faces
and forms clumps in our hair.
Our shoes, filled with earthy slush,
slosh as we walk.
Ice cold water, straight from the hose,
causes us to shiver and screech
in agony, yet smiles remain plastered
to our faces as
thoughts of good friends,
miles of mud
and an upcoming warm shower
consume
our thoughts.