A group of Daniel Island women plans to get downright messy near the end of this month. But they don’t seem to be sweating it, at least not in the emotional sense. The ladies are currently engaged in hard core training to take part in a 10K "Mud Run" on March 20 in Jacksonville, Florida, to raise money for multiple sclerosis (MS) research. Around 30 island women make up about six teams that have signed on for the event.

Many in the group are running in support of their friend, Daniel Island resident Amy Jimenez. When the bubbly, outgoing mother of two was diagnosed with MS four years ago, she was determined to look on the bright side of things.

"I try to stay real positive about it," she said, just after a morning workout last week. "I just don’t let things get me down. It could be a lot worse. I’ve got a great husband and a great support system. I feel good."

These days, she does feel good - most of the time. But that wasn’t always the case. Her battle with MS began in 2006, just after her son, Bo, was born. She began to experience some troubling visual disturbances, particularly when her body temperature increased. Curious about what might be causing the symptoms, she went to Island Eye Care optometrist Dr. Charlie Turner.

"Whenever my temperature reached a certain point, it would affect my eye," recalled Jimenez. "I would see spots out of one eye, like when I would workout…Dr. Turner did all of the tests and then said ‘your vision is fine, but have you ever thought about MS?’"

Dr. Turner’s suspicions were later confirmed, Jimenez said, when imaging tests detected that she had a "few brain lesions and a couple of spine lesions." By definition, MS is a chronic, often disabling and unpredictable disease that attacks the myelin in the Central Nervous System. The disease’s severity can vary from person to person. Unfortunately, there is not yet a cure. To manage her condition, Jimenez undergoes a Tysabri infusion every 28 days, exercises daily, and follows a very strict diet (low fat meats, seafood, chicken, lots of antioxidants and no sugar). Aside from occasional weakness in her leg, and limitations on the amount of cardio she can do, her condition does not hold her back from enjoying life.

"Sometimes people will wake up one day and just not be able to walk," said Jimenez, who runs two businesses (Mist-A-Mosquito and Mona Vie) along with her husband, Kevin. "It can be that serious because the attack was just so strong on their cells. Hopefully, I’ll stay like this, but you just don’t know."

Fueled by a desire to help patients like Jimenez, an able-bodied "Mud Run" crew turns Elfe Street on Daniel Island into a boot camp of sorts each week, as they prepare for the many obstacles they will face on race day. On February 28, island resident Robert VanNewkirk, a certified CrossFit trainer who is volunteering his time to help mud runners get in tip top shape, readied his students for their upcoming battle.

"Right, left, right, left!" shouted VanNewkirk, as his charges raced down the street. "…Keep your arms tight to your body."

The ladies, many of whom donned camouflage pants and boots for the practice session, took VanNewkirk’s cues and pounded out their work-out, which consisted of runs, crawls, team pull-ups, balancing exercises and more.

"Running a 10K…anybody can go out and do the bridge run, that’s fine," said VanNewkirk, who has turned the garage of his Elfe Street home into a gym to train those participating in his CrossFit workouts. "But when we’re dealing with obstacles that are going to require agility and balance, and there is some element of risk, you have to have peak concentration and strength."

For VanNewkirk, lending his talents to the effort was an easy decision.

"(My wife) Angel and I have a dear, dear friend who has MS, so that was my reason for volunteering to do this to get the teams ready. Because the more people that go, the more money that is going to be raised."

Jimenez wishes she could participate in the upcoming Mud Run with many of her friends, but knows the physical demands would probably just be too much. There are multiple obstacles participants will tackle in the event, including a log walk, rope swing, and a "Stairway to Heaven" event involving climbing a ladder type structure. Teams will also have to crawl through mud, anywhere from one to four feet deep, and scale an eight foot wall.

VanNewkirk hopes his training will provide good preparation for those participating.

"Basically, what we’re doing is just trying to get some general strength, agility, balance and coordination and try to prepare them for the mental challenge," he said. "So we’re doing interval training. I’m teaching them form running, so they’re using better techniques to save energy and prevent injuries. And we’re doing a bunch of team-building and strength-building challenges."

VanNewkirk has tried to simulate most of the run’s obstacles in his workouts and even constructed his own version of the wall in his backyard.

"Walking across a balance beam over a big pile of mud is one thing, but actually preparing for this is tough," he said. "They are a pretty well-oiled machine now. Most of the teams look like a single-celled organism getting over!"

Information detailing the race on the event’s Web site paints an enticing picture of an experience "with boot camp style obstacles that have been surrounded by or consist entirely of mud." Organizers also describe the Mud Run as the fasting growing adventure race in the country, giving audiences an opportunity to "cheer as teams of contestants slip, slide and slosh their way to victory." Daniel Islander Melissa McCorkle is excited about being part of it all.

"It’s just pure, unadulterated fun!" she exclaimed, prior to her sprint down Elfe Street.

"It’s going to be a great event and lots of fun," added Jennifer Carrigan, another Mud Run participant. "Plus, it’s for a good cause – MS."

For Daniel Island fitness enthusiast Reese McFaddin, president and owner of Workplace Benefits, the Mud Run was a perfect fit.

"It’s a fun way to get to know my fellow hip hoppers and crossfitters a little better," said McFaddin, a strong advocate for workplace wellness. "…Plus, (it’s) a new, great, fun fitness challenge for me personally."

Helping each mud runner achieve her fitness goals is also part of the objective, said VanNewkirk.

"I’m just so proud of them," he said. "I get so much satisfaction out of them. Seeing somebody who is athletic get more athletic is great, but seeing somebody who has never done anything like this before really discover something about themselves is just tremendous."

Jimenez is certainly one of the Daniel Island Mud Run teams’ biggest fans and is working with friends, as well as nurses from her neurologist’s office, to bring a similar event to the Charleston area in 2011. Like those who will face tough challenges on race day, she, too, is determined not to let any obstacles get in her way when it comes to tackling her disease.

"It’s really helped me become a more grounded person," said Jimenez, her bright smile a reflection of her positive spirit. "A lot of people say when you have something go wrong it can either go two ways, you can move toward a stronger faith or you can go the other way of feeling sorry for yourself…I decided to take the better road and I just realize that God has a greater plan for my life and my family’s life."