Operation Flat Belly - How to Make Getting Dirty Look Hot (Plus $10 for You!)

Economom Amie's musings on shedding her post-baby weight, also known as Operation Flat Belly.

Get your minds out of the gutter, people! This column is about losing weight, remember?

All kidding aside, six weeks from now I will be getting the dirtiest I have ever been. How you ask? I'll be particpating in the Mud Chasers 5k! The race is dubbed as "3.5 miles of off-road running, mud, challenging obstacles, mud again, fun, and a spectacular party."

And I really, really DO NOT want to look like a pig wallowing in the mud while I'm doing it!

Thus, the next challenge of Operation Flat Belly has come to fruition--making getting dirty look hot (well, my fiance's version of hot, anyway!).

Speaking of my fiance, I'm happy to introduce you to Todd. He's my rock--the man who can get me to laugh in any situation, the person who loves me for me, and the wonderful dad to our six-week-old daughter Macy. He likes to tell people that during my pregnancy, he gained "sympathy weight." And let's just say he was sympathizing A LOT!

Todd changing his first diaper!

So whether he likes it or not, I signed Todd up for the Mud Chasers race too. It's on April 17, by the way, at Oregon Ridge Park in Cockeysville. I registered on impulse, figuring it would be a unique end goal for us to work toward that's more fun than your typical running race.

After I registered, I delved further into the Mud Chasers web site and quickly realized this wasn't going to be just a happy go lucky run at the park. With obstacles like "Grizzly Climb," "Tire(d)," and "Tuck and Duck", it dawned on me that this race would be pretty darn challenging.

But on the same token, I realized its challenging nature would be a good thing. The way my mind works, I was already thinking of the embarassment it would cause me if I physically couldn't climb over a wall or adeptly run through a tire maze. So come Hell or high water, I WILL finish this race! And I WILL look hot doing it!

Plus, there's a party afterward with beer and bands. If that isn't motivation, I don't know what is! ;-)

If I can do it, I know you can too. Please consider joining us! Here's $10 to sweeten the pot. All Economoms and their kids are exclusively entitled to $10 off registration by using promotion code economom at checkout.

Mini Mudders is the kiddo version of the event. There's a category for 5-10 year olds and 11-13 year olds. It's a 1/4 to 1/2 mile pint-sized obstacle course that's not timed and is just for fun. Every child receives a medal for participating. Adults must accompany 5 and 6 year olds on the course and do not have to pay.

Join Team Economoms at the Mud Chasers event! Participants (one per registered child or adult) will receive swag bags with special family-friendly deals and giveaways on race day. We're also working on a special party just for us after the race! To RSVP for Team Economoms, go here. It's important to RSVP so I know how many bags to put together.

Next up in the Operation Flat Belly series ..... Kamikaze Class! (Two days later, and I'm seriously having trouble walking up the stairs.)