Cooperative Living August 2022 - 10

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Down and Dirty,
Dow
bby Amanda S.
S
Mu
hlg
d Di t
y Amanda S. Creasey, Outdoors Writer
Dahlgren Lions Club Mud Run
fundraiser is a family affair
atururday mornings are made for
sleeping in, slowwakeups and
relaxing, unless it's Dirty Lion
Mud Run Sun aturday and you're either a
Dahlgren Lions Club Lion or a runner.
Then,Then, Saturday morning is made
for risingwith the sun, traipsing through
the woods and splashing through the
mud. This year, race day fell onJune 25,
the perfect kind ofsunny, blue sky
morningmade for outdoor fun.
For Race Committee Chairperson
Mark Cawthon, who joined the
Dahlgren, Va.-based Lions in 1996,
preparations for the mud run begin
months in advance. The race course
involves three mud holes, a 10-foot
obstacle dubbed Stairway to Heaven
and a water station, in addition to a
lifeguard-manned portion that involves
swimming in the Potomac River.
The course, which winds through
the woods as well as an open field, must
be marked out beforehand, using flags
and marking tape to prevent runners
from getting lost. At the finish line,
Cawthon makes sure runners can refuel
with snacks and drinks, and rinse off
using a water hose. KingGeorge EMS is
present in case ofmedical emergencies,
and all participants
sign waiver
ll
the race be
It's no e
the
but
's
waivers before
begins.
easy feat,
but it's an important
fundraiser for the
Dahlgren Lions
partiicipants from
all across th
"
ll
nt
raised goes back
into the co
Coopera
Club, and iit attracts
par cipan
cross the region.
" All the
All the money
th community, "
wthon ays. " None
8 ● Cooperative Living ●
Cawthon s
After finishing the 4-mile Dirty Mud Run, Pat Skelton runs through one
of the mud pits with his daughter, Alisa, during the 1-mile Leo Mud Run.
ofit leaves the county, except the dues
for Lions Club International.We use
it to provide eye exams, hearing exams
and hearing aids.We also provide three
$1,000 scholarship awards for high
school seniors. "
REASONS TO RUN
This charitable aspect ofthe race is
not lost on its runners. Jacqui Jordan
and Ron Pieper, both fromWoodbridge,
picked this race over others because " we
lean toward races organized by groups
we want to support, " according to Pieper,
who was the first male finisher in his age
group. " For this particular event, I like
where the money goes. It's a good cause. "
AshleyMarcellino ofChesapeake
andMikaela Mitchell ofNorfolk also
value the event as a fundraiser. For
Mitchell, who decided to run just two
days before race day, this 4-mile route
marks the longest distance she has ever
run. " It was very
fun, and I like that
it's raising money, "
she says.
The route itselfis
also a draw. " There are
a lot ofraces, " Pieper
says. " You can run
races that go straight
Cniyah Turner (left)
and Nia Jones placed
second in their
respective age groups.
August 2022
down a road, out and back, or races
like this one, where we run through a
tick-infested field with muddy trails.
It's outdoorsy. It's out ofthe big city.
It adds to the enjoyment. "
Nia Jones ofFredericksburg, who
placed second in her age group, agrees
that the mud run is " a lot offun. " The
course, she says, " is unexpected. I like
the part where you go in the woods
and you don't know really where the
turns are going to be. It keeps it really
fun and interesting. "
For first-place overall female finisher
Ellie Veazey ofKingGeorge, the mud
makes the run. " I love the mud. It cools
you down. You're nice and hot, and it's
your refresher. "
Mike Irwin ofKingGeorge, the
first-place overall male finisher, agrees.
" My favorite obstacle was running
through the mud pits, " he says, standing
beside a narrow trench, probably 50
feet long and full ofwaist-deep mud.
In addition to the technicality ofthe
route, a supportive team atmosphere
appeals to many ofthe runners,
including Tori Riggs ofKingGeorge,
who, before this race, had never walked
or run more than a mile. She was
inspired to participate by her colleagues
at a fitness facility.
" I wanted to be part ofthe team,
so I did it. I would totally do it again, "
she says, explaining that four ofher
teammates walked, while several
others ran.
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PHOTOS BY AMANDA CREASEY
http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living August 2022

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