Muddy mavens: Reservists run dirty for a cause

Published Sept. 23, 2013
By Senior Airman Meredith Thomas
315th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

Charleston, S.C. -- Several members of the 315th Airlift Wing here joined forces and braved boot-camp style obstacles, biting insects and lots and lots of mud during Charleston's inaugural Dirty Girl Mud Run on Saturday Sept. 14, 2013, which was held at Legare Farms on Johns Island.

Dirty Girl partners with Bright Pink - an organization dedicated to finding a cure for breast cancer - to inform women on the risk factors and warning signs of breast and ovarian cancer.

In addition to educating women, Dirty Girl plans to donate more than $250,000 toward cancer research in 2013, according to the organization's website.

Organizers of the women's-only 5K tout the experience as an untimed, non-competitive exercise in teamwork and perseverance. Participants of all fitness levels are encouraged to tackle obstacles like the "utopian tubes" tunnel crawl and the "PMS (Pretty Muddy Stuff)" mud pit.

Senior Master Sgt. Karla Rose, 315th Force Support Squadron superintendent here, saw the event as the perfect opportunity to have a great time but also show solidarity and support for cancer survivors and women currently battling the disease.

"Initially it just sounded like fun," Rose said. "But then I looked at the date and realized it was on Lisa Sweatt's birthday. She's a multiple-time cancer survivor so it just seemed right."

Rose assembled a team of 12 "Mudruckers" including Sweatt and seven Reservists serving here at Joint Base Charleston, to tackle the 3.1-mile course.

Sweatt, the chief of Family Support with the Wing, ran the race free of charge thanks to the Dirty Girl organizers who offer free registration to any cancer survivor looking to take to the mud.

Others on the team ran in honor of someone close to them who had struggled with a cancer diagnosis.

Master Sgt. Barbara Sosebee, 315th Mission Support Group career advisor, fought through a knee injury to complete the course for her friend who is currently receiving cancer treatments.

"I just prayed the night before that I would have the strength to make it through," Sosebee said. "She's in physical therapy right now to learn how to walk to the mailbox, walk to the bathroom. I figured if she could do that, then I could do this run with a messed up leg."

Sosebee, despite spending the previous week on crutches, only had to forgo one obstacle, a military-style low crawl under a wall, due to the help of her teammates.

"It was difficult but we got each other through it," said Sosebee. "I really enjoyed the spirit of our team. We were all in it together and that's the way we are with everything."

In the end, the "Mudruckers" headed toward the finish line linked arm-in-arm and took part in one final, celebratory mud bath.

"We started as a team and we finished as a team and we laughed the whole way," said Rose.