Mud Factor Tip: How to NOT Lose Your Shoe

The excitement is building for Mud Factor, the national mud obstacle footrace that takes place June 30th at Baja Acres in Millington. As someone with several years of experience in running on trails and off-trail, keeping your shoes on is kind of important.

The good news is, that Mud Factor only requires you to run just over 3 miles. The bad news is, that if you find yourself shoeless for any distance at all, your day could get painful. More good news. I can show you how to keep your shoes on, even in the sucky-clay-mud that pulls the sneakers off the feet of the uninformed.

For those of you who do this kind of thing on a regualar basis, or run off-road a lot, a pair of gaiters is a good investment. It keeps the sticks and stones out of your shoes, and can make a fashion statement as well (see photo). You can check out gaiters at your local running store or www.dirtygirlgaiters.com
For the rest of us, odds are good that the shoes we wear for Mud Factor are going in the trash can after the race. In that case, I recommend using the tool that can fix 1001 things, Duct Tape! Just wrap it around your shoelaces, and maybe around the top of your shoe and your footwear will stay on.

I have run 50 mile races with duct tape on my shoes, and the stuff holds up all day long.

I hope you can join us for the fun and adventure of Mud Factor on June 30th! www.mudfactor.com