On June 17, 2000 a detachment of the Crestline Experimental Dive Unit set out to evaluate the
suitability of using the Camp Pendleton Mud Run as a qualifing event  for membership of prospective applicants into the CEDU.

    Starting the day at 0500 the CEDU Director (me) and the CEDU Chief Financial Officer/Dive
Buddy/Photographer and Keeper of the Alarm Clock (my wife Jane) set out to rendezvous with the CEDU
Senior Product Performance Limit Evaluator (Erick) at an as yet unknown location.

    Somewhere behind the Orange Curtain the meeting was accomplished, and the detachment continued
on their trek to Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton.  Applications and entry checks filled out, we
arrived at the event.  The plan was going well so far.

   Unbeknownst to the Detachment, the event stopped accepting applications on the 3rd of June.  Event
sponsors decided to limit participants to 3500 this year, as last year over 5000 people attended and that seemed to tax the facilities.  With completed applications and un-cashed checks in hand, the CEDU was politely turned away from the registration booth.  (Bad news.)

    The CEDU,  being known for its resourcefulness, decided to petition to a higher source for permission to participate.  As we came all this way with good intentions, and were officially attired for the appropriate
category  ('Utes and Boots),  permission was granted as "WE Decided WE Were Going To Run It", officially or otherwise, until such time as someone threw us off the course! (Good News, they never did.)

    Participate we did. Complete the Mud Run we did.  Have fun, you bet we did!  We followed a "Utes and Boots" Team  who ran with two backpacks full of MGD Beer.  (No MGD made it to the Finish Line, as we not only watched, but dodged empty beer cans that came flying at us throughout the course.)

    Yes the 10K event did have many aspects which the CEDU considers excellent as training experiences for prospective members: The 10K cross country trek over various terrain wearing  Combat Boots and Camo Pants,  jumping over logs, being hosed down with 3" fire hoses, then crawling under a "barbwire" covered soft sand pit, followed by shallow creek water crossings, mud crossings, up suicide hill running on soft sand, uphill running in soft slippery mud,  knee deep creek fording, wide span water crossing to chest high, mud pit traversing and wall scaling, pipe crawl, more mud pit and higher wall scaling, steep downhill trail, and finally the  "barbwire" covered mud pit swim, with final dash to the finish line (the real barbwire used in last years event appeard to be replaced with kinder, gentler wire after  apparent excessive civilian injuries and hair removal occurred ).  Though not mentioned, the final event was the one hour Mud Bake waiting on line for the Public Coed showers. (OK, Worth waiting for.)

    In conclusion, the Camp Pendleton  Mud Run WAS deemed suitable , and will be considered as an admissions requirement for consideration of membership into the CEDU  (though I cannot really confirm or deny this).

Sincerely,
Robert Iannello, Director, CEDU
To Swim Is Human, To Dive Is Sublime

Some Pictures follow:

 Map of the course.
Jane getting the show on the road.
The Before Picture.
CEDU Detachment.
Entering the final mud pit, Erick leads.
Erick becomes one with the mud.
Bob testing the muddy waters.
"....How I Love ya, How I love Ya."
Out of the Pit after a quick hose.
Erick Finishing First.
Let the Showers Begin.
 Speedo's and Combat Boots. The only way to go to war.
 The winners circle. (from photocrazy.com)
She Still Loves Me.

Links:
 MCCS Camp Pendleton Mud Run Link
 OCNOW Mud Run Link
 PhotoCrazy Link
 PhotoCrazy Pictures of Erick, Jane and Me