MUD RUN!

By Kaea Roberts | Posted: Tuesday May 26, 2015

One of the most challenging activities at the Year 8 camp was the Assault Course.

MUD RUN!!

I cried out in disgust. My hand sunk deeper into the repulsive slime, making my stomach lurch. Bile burned in the back of my throat as we squirmed towards the thick rope net. I dropped onto my stomach, lying in the mud as people crawled around me.

Sighing, I powered on through. “I swear this must be illegal,” I thought. I flopped down once more, the abhorrent, contaminated water flying into my mouth and eyes. Disgust and exhaustion fueled me as I dragged myself under the net, desperate to power on through and come out the end alive.

I struggled up onto my feet, staring at the adult assisting us with a look of disdain. He gestured towards the filthy, water-filled vehicle tracks. Rolling my eyes in exasperation, I flopped back onto my hands and knees and fell into the track. Pete trudged alongside us, barking “KEEP INSIDE THE TRACKS!”

“If this doesn’t end soon, I’m gonna-”

“KEEP IN THE TRACKS!!”

I ignored Pete’s angry barks and trudged on, steadily moving up to a run. Stones stuck me in the bottom of my feet and the thick slime in my shoes constantly kept me on edge. My body was numb from the waist down and it got increasingly harder to move. But deep down, amongst the boiling anger and pain in my stomach, I felt grateful. It could’ve been far worse.

I uttered no sound, save for a harsh wheeze or a grunt of frustration, until I collapsed to my knees upon conclusion.

As I fell onto my stomach in a pool of filthy water and slime, I could hear the showers calling my name.