PHOTOS: Murrieta Gets Dirty at Mud Run

Come Monday, there should be nil a sign that over the weekend, hundreds raced through muddy obstacles spread out through Historic Downtown Murrieta.

Here's proof through photos that the Murrieta Mud Run did occur Satruday, Sept. 8.

Teams from the Murrieta fire and police departments, local high schools, residents and businesses were among those to brave the mud for two local good causes.

Part of the proceeds from the second annual event will benefit area nonprofits Riverside Recovery Resources and the Murrieta-Temecula Police Activity League, organizers said.

As for the water supply necessary to create such a sporting event, water that would have otherwise been released into the environment while the Western Municipal Water District performed annual pipeline flushing pulled double duty this year and was used to make mud, according to a news release from WMD.

Flushing water lines eliminates sediment and minerals that settle in the pipes while maintaining high-quality drinking water for customers, according to Michele McKinney Underwood, spokesperson for WMD.

“Supporting the communities we serve is a part of our mission as a public agency,” explained Western Board Member Brenda Dennstedt, who represents Southwest Riverside County in Division 3.

Mud Run organizers worked closely with WMD. They brought their own water trucks while WMD monitored the transactions from hydrant to truck, McKinney said.

WMD's water was then added to dirt along the Murrieta Mud Run track to create a muddy 5K run/walk obstacle course with multiple mud pits, she said.

“Combining water and dirt creates not only a healthy and competitive day for Murrieta residents, it also gives our community the opportunity to come together,” added Dennstedt, also longtime Murrieta resident. “Devising an inventive solution to provide the water for the event and clean our system is creative and, as the commercial says, priceless.”

Did you take part in the Mud Run? Have photos you would like to share? Upload them to this article by logging in to Murrieta Patch, or send them to maggie.avants@patch.com.

...'Til next year!