USMC Mud Run 08 ~

The Greater Columbia Marine Foundation, which is a non-profit organization sponsors the event annually to raise money to support Marines and their families from the Columbia area who have been wounded or killed while serving on active duty. Profits from the race are also used to support several local college scholarships named after Marines killed serving their country and local events which promote the Marine Corps in the community.

The Mud Run was on Saturday. Jenn organized the four person teams for this race. The Ultimate Challenge Mud Run is over 4.2 miles, and has 30 obstacles that have to be crossed by each team requiring team work and a lot of determination.The 4.2 mile course is an all-terrain race conducted on dirt roads, improved and unimproved trails through the training area. These trails include mud holes, walls, trenches and other obstacles that require swimming, crawling, climbing and jumping.

We showed up about one hour before the race began (at 11:32 am). Everyone was so excited! The positive energy was flowing freely as the runners ran the race knowing it was for a good cause. The two teams ran close together throughout the race.

For the last leg of the race the team must carry one of their runners on a stretcher.

Here are the muddy friends after completing the race. Everyone did great!

I got this one of Dennis taking a quick pause just before the last leg of the race.