What to Wear For a Mud Run – The 10 Essentials!

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what to wear for a mud run

I happen to believe that one of the best ways to prepare for a mud run is to know what to wear for it and these 10 essentials are without a doubt, recommended!

When it comes to mud runs, you’re going to see a lot of different ways people dress for it. Some dress normally, others reveal a lot of skin, there’s teams that have their own uniforms, and there’s some people that really want to show off (like men having tutu’s on which you will see).  

But what is the best clothing to wear for a mud run? 

While I like the humor and creativity of people who wear costumes on mud runs, in my experience, the best clothing is going to be the one that keeps you safe and after finishing 7 and a half races (1 was cancelled midway), I have found the following 10 clothes and accessories are going to do that and help you have maximum comfort when going through these courses:

  • They will keep your body protected from the dirt, scratches, possible infections and mud.
  • They are going to ensure your muscles stay warm, elastic and keep you moving further.
  • They are going to insulate heat and make sure you don’t get too cold or too hot.
  • They are going to make sure you minimize the chances of slips, twists and injuries.
  • And if you’re doing a mud run with electric shocks, these are actually going to reduce the damage too!

Here’s a preview of the clothing to wear (person not included):

Here are the 10 things you should wear on a mud run:

These 10 things helped me out a lot on multiple events:

1) Proper sneakers (most important).

If there is one thing at the top of the list of mud run wear, it’s proper footwear, sneakers in particular.

Your feet are going to take the biggest punishment in the race and being on uncertain terrain where it can get slippery, muddy, dirty and elevations change over and over, you’re going to need something dependable. 

I’ve worn Nike’s (basketball shoes), sketchers and other types of sneakers on these events. I slipped a lot. I stumbled a lot and yet I was very lucky that these slips didn’t lead to broken legs or twisted ankles and believe me, I’ve had numerous close calls. 

When I finally decided I couldn’t keep playing with luck, I decided to research and buy a PROPER pair of mud running sneakers, which ended up being the Salomon SpeedCross.

So far, here is how these sneakers have performed:

I’ve completed 3 MAJOR mud runs with these shoes (2 tough mudders and a Spartan Race that was 14 miles long). In addition to that, I’ve also worn the SAME pair for at least 5 different hikes I’ve done. 

Now because I’ve done these events a few years ago, the Salomon has evolved and a 4th generation model has come out, and it gets just as good of reviews as the 3rd generation did:

I’ve had my same pair for over 5 years now and they still perform as well as when I first got them. I just wash them when I get home, let them dry and BAM, they are ready for the next trip/race. That’s just how good the Salomon products are.

I’m still shocked at how extremely resilient they are, but that’s just what makes them so good beyond that, the comfort and convenience of running mud runs in these is night and day compared to the previous pairs I’ve worn. 

You just can’t compare it. These sneakers are without a doubt a MUST for anyone doing mud runs. Also, these sneakers come in different colors, for men and women, so you have a lot of variety to choose from while maintain the same level of quality.

If you wear the right sneakers, you’re going to slip less, have more traction and control when you run in the dirt and in wet, slippery areas and all of that is going to help prevent injury and keep your energy up. And I have to say, ever since I switched to the Salomons, I’ve never had to find another pair, this one is perfect.

mud run socks

2) Good socks.

Do NOT ever wear cotton socks when doing these events, ever.

You need to put on something that is made of polyester or is synthetic. Good socks ensure your calves and other muscle groups are tight and this will keep your muscles working longer.

This is the pair I’ve used for at least 3 mud runs now and they are specifically made for mud runs by the way.

The first time I wore them, they were on pretty tight, but as I was trying them out on their first mud run, I noticed after several hours how much better my legs felt with them on. I was protected from the dirt, the cold, even the water and it was almost as though there was a protective layer of clothing keeping my lower legs well sheltered.

As I used this same pair on my next runs, I became more and more comfortable with them and never leave to a mud run without these being on. They keep my legs warm, my muscles elastic and able to withstand the long punishments of these races. See what other people who wear these say.

3) Compression pants (rash guards for legs).

I prefer most skin be covered up when doing a mud run because of the risk of running into something or falling and causing a bloody injury. You’re going to be running and swimming in mud. You’re going to get dirty.

No one knows what bacteria is in there and if you cut yourself accidentally, it’ll be much safer if you wear some kind of clothing that will prevent that. Compression pants are great for this because they won’t hinder the way you move, they’ll keep your muscles warm and if you get cut somewhere, there’s a better chance your leggings will be ruined than your skin and you getting a potential infection. 

My first race at MudManX, I actually cut my finger while trying to balance myself. There was NO anti-septic in the area or at the water stations and I could only use water to wash it off. I didn’t get any infection, but the more skin you have exposed, the more chances something can happen if you get hurt.

Here is a good deal for 3 compression pants. I also have to say that I have used the same compression pants for at least 3 races.

4) Rash guard (for the body): 

Compression pants will protect your skin in the lower body and a rash guard will protect the upper body. Get a rash guard that has long sleeves. The more protection you have, the safer you’ll be.

Something like this will be perfect for the race and it will suite you whether you do an even in the cold or warm weather.

One thing you will note is that if and when you do get into the water (and it will be cold, trust me), these will insulate your body heat very well and help you recover faster.

5) Nylon/spandex pants, shirt and shorts:

Something that is made of nylon and spandex is easier to wear and is more water proof. Even if it gets completely soaked in mud or water, it won’t weigh you down like other clothes will. This kind of clothing is good to wear under regular clothing if you’re doing a race when it’s cold. It’ll keep you warmer.

I wear these above the rashguard stuff I have on for extra protection, especially if I’m doing a mud run during a colder season.

6) Elbow pads: 

These will protect you if you fall on a hard surface and if and when you are crawling through mud where there’s probably a lot of rocks which you can hit, elbow pads will also protect you from getting injuries or getting dangerous scratches. 

These ones are the closest to the ones I used and I prefer these kinds because they are soft but also great at protecting my elbows.

7) Knee pads:

I was made fun of when my team saw me put knee pads on, but after the race ended and everyone’s knees were bruised and hurt while mine were fine (I wore these awesome pads), they knew I was right. Knee pads are extremely important, especially if you have issues there. Whether you fall from a height or also hurt yourself while going through mud and rocks, these will protect you.

One note about the pair I wore (still wear) is that it’s also extremely resilient to the weather and even when it gets wet, it seems to provide even better protection. Anyone who has knee issues doing a mud run NEEDS knee pads and for that matter, just wear a pair anyway if you don’t have it, otherwise your knees will get banged up, believe me.

8) Rash guard underwear: 

I always put these on for these events. No matter what happens or how much dirt I get into them, having these on feels light and I never get blisters from them. The last place you want to have issues is the groin area…

Here are ones almost identical to mine (I couldn’t find a link to the exact ones, but these are fine).

9) Gloves:

Usually nylon/synthetic gloves are good for grip for these events. I keep a pair handy with me, but have rarely had to use them. Usually the poles I have to climb or walls I need to scale don’t work well with the gloves, but having them with me anyway makes that still a possibility. I rely on training my grip with just my bare hands. But perhaps if there is a rope challenge, gloves will come in handy.

10) Put on a cap or hat if it’s very sunny outside.

I didn’t do that the last time I did the Spartan Race and I had a massive sunburn on my head. I also could have had a heat stroke if I wasn’t careful. Have something on to protect your head. If it’s very hot outside and sunny, you need to cover it up. If it’s very cold, you need to keep your head and ears warm so you don’t freeze. 

I wear all those 10 things (gloves are optional but I keep them just in case) and on my last mud run which was Tough Mudder, not only did it protect me from cuts and injuries, but it also kept me warm, protected me from cramps and even the electric shocks!

what to wear for a mud run list of clothing

Additional clothing tips: 

You’ll be surprised by some of these suggestions but I’m serious about them…

The color of your clothes matters!

Wear brighter material when doing these races in hot weather. They absorb less sunlight and will keep you cooler.

I tend to put on white/grey/green/yellow or any light color when doing a mud run in the summer. Darker clothing is better to put on when it’s colder.

Don’t buy the most expensive gear!

Everything you buy to use for these races is going to get dirty and damaged. The only expensive things you need to buy are really sneakers because they’ll keep you safer, but rash guards, socks, and all those other materials you need shouldn’t be very expensive. 

You can buy the most expensive things, but most of the time, they will last you up to 3 times before they are no longer usable. I have always used the cheap clothes when running these events and I was very comfortable. I even washed them several times. As long as they keep you safe and comfortable, that’s it.

You should try to “recycle” as much clothing as you can after the race. If you can wash it and make it look good again, you can use it for the next race you go through. If it’s torn up, you will have to buy another.

Beginners to mud runs should aim to buy cheaper clothing but ones that are appropriate for these. More experienced runners can buy more expensive things since they will know how to be more careful and know the obstacles course better. 

There’s always going to be people who will want to look flashy during these events, but there’s always a bigger risk of cuts and injuries if you’re not wearing the proper clothing. If you have those 10 things, you will keep yourself safer when going through these events, especially the more difficult ones like the Spartan Race and Tough Mudder!

Putting it all on:

Personally this is how I put everything on:

First layer: Rashguard underwear, compression socks, rash guard, long sleeve shirt.

Second layer: Rash guard pants (leggings), shorts, polyester shirt, cap and sneakers.

Third layer (optional): Gloves, hydration pack or other accessories like a GoPro. Note: If you use a GoPro, you’re going to need gear like this.

So there it is, the gear I put on for each race I partake in and let me tell you, I’ve been able to reuse the same clothing over and over. This stuff really protects you and lasts long too.

One more thing: This isn’t a mandatory piece of clothing, but it helps!

A small hydration pack like this will REALLY help you out in these mud runs people. They hold water, and important supplies so consider investing in one if you’re going to do one of the more tougher, longer events, especially if it’s hot outside or you get dehydrated easily!

What to Eat Before And During a Mud Run.

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what to eat before and during a mud run

When preparing for a long mud run, especially one that is going to give you a full body workout, you’re going to have to ear properly before and after the race. 

Having done 7 of these mud runs, I know how many calories you lose and how quickly it can happen, especially during extremely hot or warm temperatures when these race typically take place. You will have to replenish your energy somehow and this is most important not just during the race, but before it. 

what to eat before and during a mud run

Foods to eat before the race starts:

The first meal you’ll want to eat will be before you go to bed the night before the event takes place. You’ll want to load up on something that is protein heavy with these races.

Foods heavy in carbs are fine, but load up on them at least 12 hours before the race. 

In my experience, nothing is better to eat before these events than eggs.

You can make any dishes with these but don’t overeat. You need to be fully digested and ready to go when you go once the race starts. The last thing you want is to feel food still being digested when you’re putting in all your energy to finish the race. 

In the last track I participated in (the Spartan Super), my team and I were supposed to arrive for registration around 8:30 a.m, the first wave was going to begin the course at 9. 

We woke up at 5 a.m and had a few boiled eggs around 5:30 a.m, then got another small meal shortly after while we were driving to the event. I went to a Starbucks and got myself chicken snack wraps. Before the race started, I loaded up on about 600 calories but I gave myself at least an hour between eating and racing so I was ready and full of energy before the 9 a.m wave started.

I don’t recommend eating or drinking anything with dairy before these races. They are going to be very hard to digest.

It’s also important to note when you usually go to the bathroom after you eat, because you’ll want to time that pre mud run meal such that you can “get that out” before the race starts.

Foods to eat during the race:

For most short 5K type mud runs, you won’t have to bring any food with you until after you finish the trail and the people who organize these events always have something you can buy after, but during the race, maybe an energy drink at most (and lots of water), but for very long trails like the 8 mile one my team and I did which took us nearly 5 hours to go through, having a little snack and energy drink can really help. 

The only kinds of foods you should eat are carbs and ones that have VERY low calories that you can eat and jump right back into the event. All you want is energy from these, not anything that takes a long time to digest and requires you to rest! So eating an egg during the event is not a good idea, not even a banana!

  • We ate PARTS of energy bars when we were racing.
  • We also ate very small gel candy that had a lot of sugar. 

Energy drinks may also be very good to have, but my opinion is that you should make sure most of the liquids you drink are water, not energy drinks. Only drink those when you’re taking a break and have been sweating a lot. 

My uncle had a massive muscle cramp when we passed mile 7 and no matter how much stretching he did, it wasn’t able to help him. He was fortunate however to bump into another team member running by that he knew who had a piece of salt which he used with water to drink it. It hydrated him and made up for the salt he lost while sweating. Energy drinks can also do this. 

Leaving enough time before eating and starting the trail also gives you time to use the bathroom!

You never want to have a stomach ache hit you in the middle of these races. You may probably have a few pit stops along the way, but #2 is not the problem you want to hit you and in these tracks, I’ve never seen a porter potty on the trail, only at the starting line area. So when you eat and give yourself a few hours to digest it, you’ll probably want to use the bathroom by the time you arrive to the race.

If you don’t feel the urge to use the bathroom when you arrive (should be an hour before the race begins), an emergency thing you can do is drink a little bit of coffee. It’ll help raise the urge to use the bathroom.

Keep all your food/water supplies in just one bag:

If you’re with a team or just alone, you will want to have a small backpack with you to carry water and these snacks to eat. Even if you’re with a team, just have one backpack because as you get more tired, it’s going to feel more heavy and you’ll want to rotate who carries it.

Here is a wonderful backpack you can get that also has a 2 liter supply of water on the inside! That extra 2 liters and a few extra ounces of food you’re carrying is going to get heavier and heavier as you continue through the track so it’s better that one person carries it and switches with other team members rather than everyone have their own. These backpacks can carry enough supplies for 4 or 5 people for a long mud run event. 

Also carry a few first aid supplies in these backpacks just in case someone gets hurt or cut.

Don’t do these events if you’re hungry!

You need to have a good energy supply in your body before you start one of these events. But you also need to fill up on that energy before you start the trail, not right before, not 30 minutes before, but a few hours before. 

As you burn calories during the track, you will want to switch to eating carbs and drinking energy drinks in very small levels so you don’t have to digest and get that energy right away to continue with the trail. 

Do not attempt to do these events on an entirely empty stomach. You may risk losing consciousness or worse. 

Here are other important clothing supplies you’ll want to have prepared for these events! 

The longer your mud run or the more inexperienced you are, the more supplies you should have when doing this! The good news is, most of these events have water and even food stations to help with this problem. I’ve found Tough Mudder events are usually the best for this, as they usually give you plenty of 

10 Workouts That’ll Help Prepare You For The Spartan Race!

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how to prepare for the spartan race

The Spartan Race isn’t an amateur mud run. It’s Sprint, Super, Beast and Ultra are going to break you. I went through 3 of them. Here is a finisher photo of my last one (I’m the middle dude):

how to prepare for the spartan race

Not only are these events going to test you physically, but they’ll do it even more mentally so if you’re not prepared, and you’re thinking of trying this race, you’re going to get some “life” saving tips here.   

Having done 3 of them, I’ve come up with 10 workouts you need to practice to get yourself ready for the big day:

10 workouts that prepared me properly for the Spartan Race:

Note: These 10 workouts helped me for the Sprint, Super and The Beast, the 3 events I did.

1) Burpees.

If there is a single obstacle you cannot complete in this race, as punishment, you are supposed to do 30 burpees, each time. And while this punishment is reserved for people who are running the Ultra (the longest and hardest of the Spartan Race events), it’s still something you should be physically capable of doing.

You won’t have to do them if you can pass an obstacle (or avoid being seen by a supervisor), but I recommend you do 30 burpees every day just in case. It’ll get you used to the exercise and it’ll also strengthen your arms and core so this workout will help you through the other courses.

2) Pull ups.

Even if you hate them, you have to do them. There are a lot of obstacles that involve climbing (walls for example) and having good grip that pull ups are going to prepare you for. If you’re bad at pull ups, start by doing 1 a day. If you can easily do 10 everyday, you’ll be prepared.

3) Rope climbing.

Pull ups are also going to help you with rope climbing which is a big part of the Spartan Race, but if you have a chance to climb a rope, you have to practice it. Rope climbing is a lot harder than doing pull ups but if you can climb it at least twice, your upper body is going to be very strong. 

4) Monkey bars.

There are obstacles on the courses where you will need to swing from one pole to another and monkey bar climbing is going to help you with this. Kids do it on the playground all the time and I actually had to go to one of these playgrounds to practice it. 

5) Push ups. 

There will be parts of this race where you will need to go through mud a lot and use your hands and push your body through it and some workouts where you will also need to do push ups. You should do 50 push ups a day to prepare.

6) Weight lifting.

A few areas of the Spartan Race will have you carrying heavy things: Rocks, gravel, wooden logs and they will weight a lot. Practice lifting kettle bells or dumbbells and walking with them for a few minutes. If you can, walk up and down the stairs with them. A lot of the weight lifting areas will have you walking down hill and up.

7) Running up cliffs, stair master or just running up the stairs.

The hardest areas in the Spartan Race were the ones where you had to walk uphill for a long time. It kills your thighs so if you practice these workouts, you’re going to do better. Make sure to have a foam roller to stretch out the thighs before and after the race.

After I experienced the Super event and how that killed my thighs, I didn’t make the same mistake when I did the Beast. And let me tell you, by climbing the stairs multiple times everyday, not only did it help me finish the Beast, but my thighs did NOT hurt the next day.

8) Jogging long distances and trail running.

There actually won’t be a lot of long distance running in this race because the terrain changes very quickly so most people won’t be able to run distances, but you should get your body used to running to increase your stamina by both jogging and running through woods and places where the terrain changes very quickly.

An hour long jog like this every other day will help you during the race.

In other words: Do trail running and if you do, wear these shoes, which are the ones I also wore for at least 3 mud run events I did, including Tough Mudder. They are awesome both both trial running and mud runs in general.

9) Practicing jumping onto walls and hopping up. 

There’s a few walls you’ll have to jump over in the event, but some of them require that you hop of the wall first and aim up to reach the top, then use your upper body to pull yourself up and over it. A lot of people get scared of this area because they have never felt what it’s like. Practice it at home or outside, hop of gates, stone walls to get used to it. Also practice your grip.

10) Practice balancing.

Learning how to balance is going to help you through most of the race. There are several areas where you have to stay on a small, but raised pole and walk across it, but practicing balance when you run through rough terrain is also going to help you not feel uncomfortable when you have to run down hill or carry weights. 

Addition and helpful tips to prepare for the Spartan Race:

These tips aren’t workouts, but they will help you complete the race either way:

1) Prepare mentally more than physically. 

This race is more difficult on the mind than it is on the body. If you practice those workouts and train hard, you will also train your mind to withstand the mental challenges. 

I have seen people cry on the course and break down because they didn’t know it was going to be that difficult. And you will probably have moments where you want to quit the event. When you feel this way, it’s best to take a break, sit down, drink some water and talk to people. And you need to prepare for that BEFORE the race. 

2) Do the race with friends.

You should also participate in this event with friends so you can help each other through it. Make sure to get friends who are physically fit because it’s going to annoy you when you have to keep looking back and stopping due to physically unfit partners slowing you down or crying about not being able to do it.

3) First time doing the Spartan Race? I suggest the Sprint (5k).

If you’re never done a mud run before and are starting from the Spartan Race, do the 5K first. It’s the easiest of the 3 main races, but it’s also very difficult because there’s more obstacles in a short time. If you pass this race well and don’t feel pain, upgrade to the Super (8 Mile one) next time and if you pass that, then do the Beast (12 miles +).

This event is not a joke and if you’re not prepared, you’re going to really hurt yourself or just not finish the race. Be ready to get dirty. Be ready to be very tired.

4) Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

Every mile there is a water station available, but what you should also do is keep a hydration pack handy that carries water so you can drink anytime on the track without waiting to hit the next water station. 

For the 10 workouts, try to get used to doing ALL of them. The Spartan Race tests you in all areas of strength and those workouts prepare you everywhere. 

5) Wear the right clothing, it’ll make it easier (and safer):

As someone who made the mistake of wearing the wrong shoes and clothing on 4 mud runs, I finally learned my lesson and started wearing these 10 things. It helped out A LOT.

6) Proper nutrition for a Spartan Race.

Hydration won’t be enough to give you the energy to finish the race, you need calories. Get a full guide on what to eat during a mud run here!

7) Stretch numerous times throughout the race.

Because this race is a marathon (sort of), every time you feel you’ve ran or crossed a great distance, stop and stretch. Breaks help too!

Following these tips and practicing for the Spartan Race with these 10 workouts helped me out a lot when I did the event. In many cases, most of the obstacles and challenges never tired me out and it’s thanks to these workouts that this happened.

What is a Hydration Pack? How it Saved my Mud Run Team!

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what is a hydration pack

Until I did the Spartan Race (a mud run), I had no idea what a hydration pack was or how important it was to carry one of these things.what is a hydration pack But one of my 3 teammates who brought it to the event explained how he uses it for long distance runs and how comfortable it is.

This ended up being a lifesaver for us. I ended up buying one after the race to carry with me on hikes and future mud runs.

What are hydration packs?

They are just small-large backpacks which carry a thick plastic bag inside which you can fill with water. This bag is connected to a bendable straw which extends through a hole outside the pack which is also connected to the harness that it can stick to so it won’t flap around when you run. 

There is an opening on the straw which you can use to drink. Usually these things can carry about 2 liters of water and for my team, that was perfect because it didn’t weight too much and we were able to re-fill on more water every mile. 

Hydration packs are perfect for:

My team and I were glad we took it with us!

The very hydration backpack we used:

The one we used is called a CamelBak Hydration Pack. It’s about 16 inches in length, weights under a 100 ounces and with a full 2 liter water supply and some other light foods made up about 12 pounds in weight.

On the type of races we did, when you have less to carry, you’ll have more energy so if you have any kinds of personal things (car keys, wallet, phone, ect…) you may want to leave it with someone that isn’t participating with you or in mud runs, they usually have bag checks where you can leave your things, although I never leave any cash or credit cards if I do that.

Those places are very safe though so you can leave your things there:

There’s surprisingly a lot of space in these bags:

It’s small, but if you have to take your personal things with you, there is plenty of space for this in these things, including the CamelBak . In fact, there’s plenty of space in just one back pack for multiple people to leave their things but extra weight is never a good thing for long races or events. Only take them with you if you can’t leave them in a safe place. 

These packs are also very waterproof.

During the race we did, not only did we go through a ton of muddy areas where it would get dirty, but we had to swim. To avoid any risk of water getting in, I didn’t have it on my back and instead held it with one hand above the water while I used my other hand to swim. 

Even though it is waterproof, if there is ANY food or personal equipment (electrical) that you’re carrying, make sure to put it all in another plastic bag inside this thing, so if you forgot to completely zip it up, at least the bag will keep the water away.

Also don’t worry about the actual 2 liter bag filling up, it is completely sealed from anything outside so you won’t get any dirt or bacteria into your clean water supply. 

7 reasons hydration packs are perfect for mud runs:

  • They are very light on the back so you won’t notice them as you run or go through obstacles.
  • Sticks to the back very well so it doesn’t hang and cause discomfort.
  • These bags are also hard to damage and is very resilient to throws, if you drop it, if it gets damaged or wet (still waterproof on the inside). You can keep using this pack many times. 
  • My team and I will be using it again and again. 
  • Even though it is very small compared to a regular back pack, they can fit a lot of supplies. 
  • Whether you’re alone or with several people, one of these is enough to supply your team with everything they need to get through the race/course.
  • Lots of people who do mud runs use this exact bag so if you are taking it with you, use a permanent marker or a sticker to indicate it’s yours. We did have an issue with mixing up bags with other people because they looked the same. This is a very popular back pack for mud runs.

Get the best hydration pack and make mud runs a lot easier!

Planning on doing other outdoor stuff?

For longer events that aren’t mud runs, maybe overnight hikes or extremely long distances, you may want to load up on a heavier and bigger back pack that can carry more supplies when you’re going to be in an area where there’s nothing but wilderness and no civilization to re-supply you.

While you may have a regular back pack with you for these trips, hydration packs are going to be more convenient to carry more water. The only trouble you’ll have is refilling it if you find a lake or river in which case you may want to have a small bottle handy to fill up and then put into the pack itself.

Hydration packs make for perfect survival tools for arid/dessert environments:

Since you will get more dehydrated in a very hot environment with very little areas with water, forget having just a bottle, and get yourself a that same hydration pack and fill it up with all 2 liters when you do it (also have a bottle!). These packs will save your life when you’re on a dry terrain racing or just traveling. 

The more water you can hold comfortably without ruining your fun while racing or adventuring, the better and nothing holds more water and makes a trip more comfortable than a hydration pack. 

For short trips that are under 15 miles, a regular 2 liter one like the CamelBack Rogue will be perfect. Or for mud races, it’ll make the adventure a lot easier!

Do You Have What it Takes to Complete Mud Man X?

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mud man x

Mud Man X is a mud run event that is hosted in New York and New Jersey mostly and it is has a 5K course that despite them saying is difficult, I felt it was one of the easiest, yet very creative courses I ever ran (here is a list of all the mud runs I’ve done).

mud man x

This was the first mud run I ever participated in (2012). I did spend a lot of time preparing for it because I really believed it was going to the most difficult outdoor challenge I ever had but while it was fun, I think if you’re in very good shape and want a challenge, this isn’t the type of race you’d get that from (I’ll show you tougher mud runs for that!). 

While there are a lot of cool obstacles that we went through, the overall race didn’t have a difficult vibe to it. If you enjoy testing yourself outdoors and aren’t looking to compete in these types of races and your shape is decent (you can run a few miles and have OK upper body strength) and under, this race may be a good test for you. If not, see these other higher tier mud runs.

I also want to say that I wrote this review of Mud Man X MANY years after I did the race, so I still have to find my finisher photos from it.

Last time I checked, the Mud Man X Facebook page is still active, but their site is not. But I’ll be talking about this event as though it’s still around (or could possibly return).

Here’s how Mud Man X will test you:

The race took place in the summer on a pretty hot day. I went with 2 other people and we were fortunate that most of the time we were going through it, it was raining very hard. This made the temperature outside much cooler. 

First we ran through a forest for about half a kilometer. Through that area, we had to walk through what smelled like manure but it was an obstacle where you climbed several hay bales and in between them was water. 

When we finished that part of the race, we ran for a little bit longer, then had to crawl through a muddy cave that had ice in it. The top of it was also covered by a hay bale making it dark.

Following that, we had to climb and maneuver through a few large shelters which were had us crawling through them, then climbing a ladder to reach the top of it, then scaling down.

We had to cross some areas where there was deep mud that went on for about 100 yards. I lost my sneaker in this area and had to dig it out because each time I stepped into the mud, my foot went in about 2 feet deep and the suction from trying to get my foot out caused me to lose the shoe. Also don’t try to go through this area quickly because it is very exhausting. If you do it slowly, you’ll save energy. 

In MudManX there are areas where you have 8 foot walls you can try to climb over but if you aren’t able to, the rules aren’t strict on passing through every obstacle like they are if you do a really difficult mud run like the Spartan Race. I did scale a few of them though.

There’s very few areas where you have to run uphill in this race. Most of it is on flat lands where the most difficult thing you’ll have to do is run through some wet dirt. 

The hardest strength requirement you may have to do is the rope swing. You stand about 2-3 feet on a dirt mound hold a rope and have to try and swing across a muddy puddle to the other end. It’s about 10 feet and if you can’t hold, you just go into the dirty water. 

Another obstacle this race has is a mix of monkey bars and rings. You can either use the rings to get across or use the wooden parts of the obstacle to go around it. This turned out to be a very difficult obstacle because it was very slippery.

I fell twice trying it and my uncle who almost reached the end missed being able to touch the end of it with his foot, fell down and injured his knee. In that particular obstacle, that kind of fall can happen to many people.

The hardest part of the race is when you have to go through the electric wires. it is not physically difficult but the shock is what hurts very bad.

I got shocked 3 times. There were 3 “lanes” people could fit through and the middle one I was in happened to be one which had the least amount of wires handing low, but I didn’t see that when I was crawling so I tried to pass into the other lanes which made me get shocked more. The feeling of getting shocked when you’re wet is as though someone takes a giant bat and whacks you with it.

If you have to go through the wires, find one lane and go through it. Don’t change lanes because changing back means having to flip over on your side which makes you more likely to get shocked. 

One of the last areas before the finish was a wall which had a rope on it. You had to run up to the wall, get up as high as you can to reach the rope, then use it to pull yourself to the top of it. From there you had to slide into another muddy puddle before finally reaching the finish line.

MudManX. Is it going to be the most fun you’ve had or boring?

I wasn’t happy with this race because I though it was very easy. I felt like I could do a 10K version of it just as easily. The race is NOT boring. MudManX type races are in my opinion the easiest types of mud runs so if you’re a first timer, it’s a good one to start with.

You will have fun AT LEAST, but if you want to challenge yourself and have moments where you wonder if you’ll finish the race, this course won’t do it. You will need to have cardio resilience and some strength training to complete it.

So if you have friends that aren’t super athletes but workout, and you enjoy outdoor activities together and don’t mind getting dirty (which you 100% will), then this is a great race to try (if it’s still around).

Followed by this, my first mud run experience, I was later “tested” with another easy one: Survival Race, which I also thought was pretty easy, but it was until I tried the Spartan Super that my view of these races changed substantially! After doing the Spartan and Tough Mudder events, I would only agree to go on a mud run, if it were one of those 2 events.