Gear
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Come race day, you've hopefully identified some mud-friendly gear that you can't do without.
Vibram FiveFingers shoes and Under Armour compression wear are especially popular gear options for mud runners.
The shoes will help you navigate the muddy waters without accumulating too much gunk, which can slow you down. The compression gear helps the mud slide right off your body. An added bonus: compression shirts usually have UV protection, too.
Sunscreen
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Speaking of UV protection, don't forget your sunscreen. If you're going to be on the course for a couple of hours (depending on the course length), odds are you'll be baking in the sun.
The good news is if you forget the sunscreen, there's plenty of mud to cake on your arms and legs as a natural form of protection.
Cash, ID and Waiver
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Don't forget your paperwork. Cash is often required for parking, food trucks or beverages after the event—minus the free ones, of course.
You'll also need your ID and race waiver in order to run the event. Don't leave the house without them.
Recovery Nutrition
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Mud run courses usually have water and fueling stations throughout, but you don't always know what they'll have or what they'll run out of. By the end of the course, you'll be dying to refuel, and you don't want to get light-headed with all that running and obstacle dominating.
Pack Gatorade, Clif Bars, a water bottle and whatever else you may want after the race. For those who might need to refuel during the race, some mudrunners pack energy chews by double-wrapping them in sandwich bags and pinning them inside their clothes.
A Gallon of Water
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Some events have rinse-off stations or lakes to jump in. Some have nothing. Even those that do have rinse-off stations can have long lines or, believe it or not, run out of water.
Bring your own gallon of water, and you won't have to battle long lines or risk not being able to clean up at all.
Beach Towel
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Now that you've rinsed off, dry yourself with your own beach towel. The towel also serves a second purpose—changing out of your muddy clothes.
While some events have changing tents, many don't, and the ones that do are crowded. Learn to change behind a towel (also called a "surfer change") to make life easier post-race.
A Change of Clothes
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You need something clean and dry to change into post-race. You'll probably want something comfortable and loose, so choose wisely. Don't forget undergarments and a spare pair of shoes for the drive home.
Trash Bags
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Now that you've changed out of your wet and muddy clothes, what do you do with them?
Trash bags, of course! These are super-handy for storing mud run clothes temporarily so you don't get mud and water inside the car on the ride home.
Pro tip: Don't forget to take your clothes out when you get home and immediately put them in the washing machine—they'll be really smelly later if you don't.
Baby Wipes and Deodorant
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If you have post-race plans—even if they just involve eating all the food in sight—these two items are essential.
If you can't get fully rinsed off and need to make an appearance in public, baby wipes are a great way to get rogue mud off your face, out of your ears and nose, and off your hands and arms.
Pro Tip: Wearing the t-shirt from the mud run you just conquered doesn't hurt. If you get any strange questions, you can point to it and say, "I'm a badass. What'd you do today?"
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