The Ultimate Challenge Team Mud Run - May 8, 1999
The 1999 Ultimate Challenge Team Mud Run was a four mile military style obstacle course. The competition requires a four man team to complete the course together. Our team memebers - John Kennedy, Mike Carter, Jack Jenkins, and myself went by the team name "Twisted Stainless Steel". Representing our employer - Spartanburg Steel Products. We placed fourth in the coporate division and 26th overall with a time of 44:06. There were a total of 78 teams. John had competed in the event several times as a member of the USMC Reserves, but it was the first time for the rest of us. We didn't bring our own cameras so these pictures are from the US Marine Corps web site. The event is sponsored by the USMC Reserves at Fort Jackson in Columbia, SC. The obstacle in the top photo was a mud pit with poles over the top of the pit. Think the pit was about 50 feet long with about 10 poles over it. The idea was to go UNDER each pole!
You can see why this was a team event! I was the first runner to this pit, so I didn't have to deal with all the mud that these guys are climbing through. After I jumped in, I realized I was in trouble! In knee deep mud and about 8 feet from daylight! I did get out of the hole before my teammates came along, (I'm part monkey) so I was able to help from the topside of the pit.
There were two of these tanks back to back on the course. Runners had to go on our hands and knees, under the tanks...and of course through more MUD.
The end of the race was "The Stretcher Carry". One team member got a ride as the rest of the team carried the stretcher the final 50 yards to the finish line. Our team was the first to cross the finish line as we were the second team to start (luck of the draw!) Teams started on one minute intervals and John drew the number 2 starting position for our team! We passed the first team out and nobody else was able to catch us!