Mud Runs And Some People's Kids...

The "mud run" is a relatively recent phenomenon. While they've been around for years, they've recently picked up a bit in the popularity department. Personally, I dont' get it. Not only does it involves running (which I am loathe to do), but it also includes obstacles and, well, mud.

A lot of mud.

Such was certainly the case with the Gladiator Rock n' Run, which was held on Saturday, April 14, just outside San Diego in Lakeside, California.

 

 

 Do you remember the show American Gladiators? It ran back in the early 90's, and one of the featured gladiators was this guy who went by the name "Nitro". Nitro spent the better part of each episode kickin' the Hell out of contestants who foolishly allowed themselves to believe that they could beat a group of "gladiators" who had the luxury of spending every waking minute of every day perfecting any number of different ways, of varying degrees of violence, to keep contestants from beating them.

"Nitro" began his public life not as a gladiator, though, but as professional football player Dan Clark, who played for the Los Angeles Rams. It was after this, and a stint in the European Football League, that Dan took on the persona of "Nitro" for seven years on American television.

Dan Clark, aka "Nitro", at the Gladiator Rock n' Run...

Well, "Nitro" has gone back to his given name (seriously, how would "Nitro Clark" look on a driver's license?) and now puts his energies into the Gladiator Rock n' Run, which benefits TACA (Talk About Curing Autism).

There is very little that is not stupidly insane about a Gladiator Rock n' Run. Depending on where the course is being set up (it travels around the country), the course is three to four miles long. In the case of the recent even here in San Diego, the course was made up of 17 obstacles that participants had to navigate. The obstacles included everything from a castle, to a "polar bear plunge" to a 100 foot water slide.

There are those who take events like this very, very seriously. "Mudders" they're called, and they train hard to do well in these events. It's usually very easy to spot the serious runners from those who, let's say, try to have a bit more fun in the process. Take a look at these two pictures, and see if you can tell who's who:

The entire event really is a spectacle. Aside from the personal challenge and charity aspects, I'm not entirely sure why someone would do this. But do it they will, and they do it with gusto.

Enjoy:

The bottom of the water slide...

Approaching the obstacle "Storm The Castle"...

The top of the water slide...

Even the Ivory Tower crowd comes out for this event...

The bottom of the water slide...

Someone PLEASE get a brutha' a stick of Orbit gum...

Negotiating an obstacle in "Western Town". Because they had, you know, Chevy Suburbans in the old west...

Oh, and there were these guys shooting at the participants, too...

Phillip Rivers wept...

Yeah... Me neither...

A "wave" of starters; numerous waves started throughout the morning...

Storm The Castle... In your tutu...

The water slide...

 

Sarah, who helped keep the day running smoothly...

The Polar Bear Plunge was continuously fed a supply of wonderfully frigid ice...

These chicks are just psyched. And dirty. They dirty and they're psyched...

I've been trying to figure out what could go so wrong in someone's life that they would do this, but I got nothin'...

She has yet to hit the Polar Bear Plunge. She will be sad soon...

Physical fitness is a definite requirement for finishing well...

And this guy is actually clean by comparison...

They were a team. And they were miserable...

He probably didn't HAVE to jump that high, but it's cool that he did...

Hosing off some of the participants at the top of the water slide...

This isn't really the quarterback of the San Diego Chargers...

One of the many GoPro camera users...

Hulkamania... Representin'...

Team Marine...

This is Rosie, your friendly neighborhood beer garden volunteer. Thank you, Rosie. Thank you...

Another wave of starters...

The beer garden crew, compliments of Karl Strauss...

This is either a wig, or it's Claudio from Coheed & Cambria...

She should be okay after two more...

 If the Gladiator Rock n' Run (oh, they have bands, too) finds its way near you, go check it out. Even if you don't participate, you'll have an absolute blast just watching the insanity unfold...