Mudathlon Mud Run Race

Preparations

The Course

The Obstacles

Creek Crossings - Ropes were usually available on both the entry and exit banks of the creek. Some of the crossings were shallow and didn’t really require the ropes but there were one or two that were more like climbing a wall of mud where the rope was helpful.

Creek Run - At one point, runners had to climb into the creek and run with it for a while. The water started out pretty shallow (maybe a foot deep) but there was a deeper spot that I found it more efficient to swim than walk. The water was quite a bit colder than I expected in mid-July. There was a short tunnel to go through after the deep part before running down the creek a little further. The photographers got a ton of pictures of people running through the creek even though everyone was basically still clean and the obstacle wasn’t particular interesting.

Rope Bridge - This obstacle was two ropes suspended between two trees, one for your feet and one for your hands. I reached this obstacle without anyone else around but it might have been more challenging with other people on it at the same time.

Mud Pit - The course visits the mud pit twice - once early in the course and once the other direction approaching the finish line. The mud was came up to about the middle of my calf but the ground underneath was very uneven which made running (and falling) slower than walking.

Spools - This obstacle involved climbing over a large (maybe 9 feet high) farm spools. There is a little spool that works as a step stool to get you up on to the middle of the larger spool. The first time I approached a spool on the course, I tried to jump off the little spool without slowing down. It turns out the big spools are heavy enough to be stable but the little ones can move a bit when you step on them. I liked these because it felt like you had to be pretty deliberate about how you crossed them so doing it smoothly was satisfying.

Hay Bales - The hay bales were tall enough that you really couldn’t vault them in one jump, you definitely had climb up and over. Being both stable and soft, they weren’t super intimidating.

Cargo Net - You climb about 8 ft up the cargo net then crawl horizontally across the cargo net for a while then climb back down. I almost ended up slipping a leg through the net which would have ended pretty uncomfortably but was able to catch myself.

Tires (Vertical) - There were a series of huge tractor tires in a row, standing vertically and runners had to proceed through the center of the tire. Most people were crawling through head first but I thought it was faster to step through with one leg then duck my head under.

Tires (Horizontal) - This obstacle was basically stair steps made by stacking the same giant tractor tires. They gave a bit under my weight but they were stable enough to cross very quickly.

Fire Pole – To complete this obstacle, you climbed up some wood scaffolding to a platform then slide about 12 feet down a firepole. Course staff was adamant about gripping the pole tightly but I ended up basically just jumping down with a token hand on the pole. There were crash pads at the bottom to soften the landing. There were three poles to choose from so that others could proceed while people afraid of heights gathered their courage.

Belly Crawl - This obstacle involved crawling under a sheet of black fabric that was maybe 2 feet off the ground. The ground wasn’t really muddy, just dirt, but it was kind of warm and stuffy under there.

Hill Climb - There was a short hill climb with two rope railings for assistance. It wasn’t all that slippery and it long enough for the incline to really sap your energy.

Potato Sack Mud Pit - When you approach the mud pit, you see what looks like a wheelbarrow filled with more mud. Upon closer inspection, it’s actually filled with mud soaked potato sacks. Finding the opening is the first mini challenge but hopping across the mud pit once you’re inside is a brutal challenge. The mud is thick and sticky and makes each jump a strain that gains you little ground. A girl stuck in the mud was desperate enough to ask me to carry her on my back. Next time, potato sack somersaults might be a more efficient option.

Truck Climb – This obstacle basically involved climbing into the back of a truck bed then climbing out over the 7-8ft high metal railing sides. The obstacle was neither hard nor muddy but it was a welcome change of pace after the muddy potato sack challenge.

Mud Slide – The mud slide was clearly visible as you first entered the event grounds and it was the flagship obstacle of the course. The hill was maybe 35 feet high with a relatively steep slope ending in a mud pit. It was covered with plastic sheets that were constantly being lubricated with water and baby oil. It was a really fun obstacle but the execution could have been a bit better. Participants were sent down one at a time and people didn’t always clear away from the bottom quickly. There was at least a 10 minute wait to go down the slide. Occasionally, they would have to stop the flow of runners to tear away a layer of plastic as it wore through. I went down the slide head first and the bib number I had pinned to my shorts tore away. When I hit the mud pit a huge wave of mud washed over me. Eager to get moving after the long wait at the top, I started running and realized that I couldn’t see. My eyes were covered with a muddy film that blurred my vision. I could make out enough of the orange flags around the edges of the trial to begin running toward the finish line as I tried to blink away the mud. The course website included many recommendations that I ignored but for this one obstacle, I think their swim goggle recommendation might have been nice.

Mud Trails – While not truly an obstacle, there were many mud trails in the forest that connected obstacles. They weren’t super slippery and most often the trails zig zagged laterally along the slope instead of going straight up the hills. It was just slippery enough to give you pause when trying to cut a sharp corner.

Overall Obstacle Difficulty Rating: 2/5

Hardest Obstacle

Time

Mud Rating: 4/5

Clean Up

Atmosphere