Saturday was Mud Race Day in Orsieres down in the valley where the older kids go to school. Nathan (13) and Simon (10) were entered with their friends as two teams. There didn’t seem to be too much rigid organization considering this is Switzerland, but everything ran pretty smoothly. There were large tents for teams to gather, and places to shower afterwards and several well run food tents and plenty of porta-potties. Sarah and Peter and Nell and Charlotte and I were ready to follow the fun with our umbrellas and mud boots or flip-flops on. As we got our bearings we realized that this was a HUGE event! Nineteen obstacles were stationed at 100-200 yard intervals along a trail zig-zagging up onto the lower slope of the mountain. Start times were every 2 hours starting with the Minis and several hours later ending with the Extremes. Simon was ending just as we got there. He’d taken the bus down at 7:00 a.m....in the dark...in the drizzle...these guys are tough!
So there we were, watching over 3,000 Swiss and French...all ages...all fitness levels...running around this course...slogging through mud pits...laughing and crying...all in team COSTUMES! Nathan’s team entered the holding pen dressed in white t-shirts and black pants with drawn on mustaches since their stick-on ones kept falling off. They were the youngest...most of the 300 or so in their group were adults. A deejay warmed them up with loud music and singing and jumping to the beat, and then at the countdown they scrambled over a 10’ bank, dropped to the other side and were off...costumes flying in the light rain. Each team had a theme...LOTS of cows, most made of spotted painters suits or footie pajamas..LOTS of unicorns accomplished in many different ways...a chicken with a dozen eggs (white pillow slips with a big yellow dot on the belly)...4 guys dressed in Biblical garb carrying olive branches...a Viking couple complete with long braids and horned helmets...a group of middle aged women in flannel nightgowns and caps with neck pillows snapped on...more cows and unicorns...super-heroes and heroines who stopped in the middle for a smoke and a beer...a bunch of fruits- one pineapple, one strawberry, one watermelon slice, one apricot...a pair of collared priests with a pair of habited nuns...and my favorite...a wedding party- bride and bridesmaids. They all looked pretty good when they took out but by the time they got back a couple of hours later there wasn’t much left of the costumes.
There were very few of us watching. Everyone in the valley seemed to be participating. We tried to cut across fields to catch a glimpse of Nathan, sometimes even walking on the course to get from obstacle to obstacle...all involving water and mud...
a 200’ terraced bank to climb
A 20’ wide mud pond to cross with plywood ramps to scramble up
4 barrel rolls dumping most people in the mud
2 slides- one around 200’ down ending in a stop at the bottom of plywood padded with 4 old mattresses...this was closed down after a guy slid under them and broke his ankle
We didn’t make it to most of the traps because none of us really wanted to climb the upper slopes in the rain. Peter was the hero of the day carrying Charlotte on his shoulders, and I KNOW he wasn’t up to the climb.
But we saw enough to get a glimpse of the spirit of these people. All of this is just for fun...no charity...no winner...just fun...costing somewhere around $30-$50 per person to enter. I’ve never seen so many people working so hard while having so much fun and acting so silly! I was exhausted just tromping around watching. Nell and Charlotte were troupers! They never complained. They never asked for food. And they were even willing to use the porta-potties.
Sallie and Martin had opted for a calmer morning so they welcomed us home with hot tea and coffee. We were all wet and muddy whether we ran or cheered. S&M had moved all of Peter’s and my stuff over to the Alpina Hotel to make room for a rental in the apartment, so we went over and settled in there.
In the late afternoon we all gathered around the table for a family Eucharist. Simon and Nathan told their favorite Old and New Testament stories and sang a selection in French from their choir. Peter gave a tiny homily tying it all together and we shared communion. I will always hold dear the memory of those fully attentive children...singing and smiling and peaceful.
Then the noise revved up and we ate Sarah’s yummy acorn squash soup and salad. Nell ate 4 bowls and Charlotte 3. We were full and happy and tired and fell into bed early.