Rainy weekend makes for a perfect mud run
LUMSDEN While most people were trying to hide from the wet weather, a collection of runners at Lumsden were embracing it. The second annual Mud, Sweat and Tears run saw 1,100 people get down and dirty.
“It’s fun, it takes you back to being a kid and playing in the sandbox and playing in the mud,” said John Reed, event organizer.
People bounded up and down the hills Saturday in the Qu’Appelle Valley, diving through mud pits and grappling over obstacles.
Reed, a British Columbia native, travels across Western Canada organizing three to five mud runs a year. Last year he stopped in Lumsden at Beaver Creek Ranch and held the first Mud, Sweat and Tears which saw 750 people wrestling their way through the mud.
The races go off rain or shine. When it is a rainy week it can help out but it can also make it more challenging.
“Vehicle access, trucks getting stuck. Having a wet surface and saturation point with the rain is fantastic but we still spent two days of pretty much solid flooding for our mud features at this course despite the rain,” Reed said.
Reed brings everything he needs for the races with him. The obstacles travel around the provinces with him. Normally Reed and one or two employees arrive a few days before to build the obstacles and mud pits for the course.
He has built courses at a variety of different locations including ski hills, vineyards and resort developments.
This year’s mud race attracted repeat visitors, including Mike Poulin from Regina.
“Last year was my first time, I didn’t really know what to expect. I found the course more challenging last year, it had more obstacles,” Poulin said.
Poulin has also competed in a Spartan race. In the past he had wanted to be a marathon runner but due to physical limitations, that wasn’t possible. Obstacle races like Mud, Sweat and Tears, however, were a perfect fit for him.
“I do a lot of hunting and fishing, so I’m always walking up and down hills. It’s more about being out in nature than just doing a run inside the city,” he said.
Poulin said the course this year was more approachable for beginners with the obstacles spaced out better.
Lara Mnaymneh from Moose Jaw took part this year for her first time and drenched head to toe in mud she couldn’t keep the smile off her face.
“The weather was looking kind of sketchy before we came out here and we just finished and now the downpour is here. Even now I think I’d still go out again and do it again,” she said.
Her favourite part of the course was also the most challenging for her — the hay bale obstacle.
“After going on the fifth one, my legs and my quads were starting to break down on me. It’s all about strategy too when you’re trying to get over them,” she said.