Jamie Fellrath | Practical Mindfulness

As many of you probably know, I love my obstacle course races (or mud runs, as many call them).  I talk a lot about them, because I love the feeling of getting outdoors and really testing your entire body with a good obstacle course.  I even liked the obstacle courses we were "forced" to go through at my two Army ROTC summer camps - because they were fun and they let you do stuff that you didn't get to do every day. Thus far, in my short obstacle course race career, I've run a bunch of fun races:  in 2011 I did the Warrior Dash and Ruckus races; in 2012 I ran the first Mud Ninja race and the Hell Run ; and this past summer I did the Savage Race and the second Mud Ninja race.  And it was at Mud Ninja 2013 that I had the best time I've had so far with a race as I went through it with a team of friends. So now I want to take it a step further and take part in what many consider to be the granddaddy of all obstacle course races:  the Tough Mudder .  ...

Photo by Traci Auerbach (Note: I had written this for another purpose closer to the race date, but after it wasn't used I decided to add it here.  Hope you enjoy! -- Jamie) Last year's inaugural Mud Ninja was, by all accounts, a success. And amazingly enough, the 2013 iteration was an even greater one! To start, the size of the Train 4 Autism: Columbus Chapter team went from four to eleven. Joining the 2012 team of Jamie and Jenn Fellrath, Joe Auerbach, and Joy Beer were (Train 4 Autism: Columbus sponsor) MovNat Ohio owner Lori Crock, Chris Muczyk, Stacey Mustard, Ryan Jewell, Jaye Puckett, Amy Dorris, and Eli Brickey. Monthly technique and training sessions with MovNat Ohio leading up to the event were definitely a great help as the day began. And for several, the Mud Ninja was their inaugural attempt at a mud obstacle race! It should be noted that starting one's obstacle racing experience with the Mud Ninja is akin to beginning one's musical pursuits ...