An adventure race with true grit returns
What’s the best way to spend a Saturday morning? How about crawling through mud and under electric wire, flipping huge tires, and then climbing an eight-foot wall?
On September 23, the Mudd Sweat and Tears Challenge is back for its third race, and this time it will be at Mission Ridge, just outside of Fort Qu’Appelle. The goal is to challenge individuals and teams to complete a 5Km or 10Km obstacle course adventure race. And hundreds of people are returning to take them up on the challenge. Plus, there’s beer at the end of the race.
Since starting in 2013, Mudd Sweat and Tears continues to grow their adventure races across western Canada. This year’s challenge is sponsored by Tourism Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Hotel Association.
“We find that people from Saskatchewan are just awesome people. They are super chill, very hardy, very focused and very weather resistant and by design it’s a weather-resistant race to begin with,” says John Reed, race director for Mudd Sweat and Tears. “We do our best to incorporate racer feedback and we always make improvements from one year to the next by adding different elements to the courses to keep it fresh... Sometimes there is too much mud or sometimes there isn’t enough.”
Mudd Sweat and Tears also keeps the details of the course secret so participants can enjoy the surprise of every small and large obstacle thrown at them. Teams stay focused on having fun rather than trying to come up with a strategy for every inch of the course.
So what can participants expect? Maybe a muddy climbing wall that falls into a mud pit, only to have to flip over a giant tire in mud? Or how about crawling through mud under an electric
wire, only to face a muddy rope climbing tower at the other? Regardless, it’s going to be muddy, challenging, and a great way to spend a Saturday.
“People are smiling, having lots of fun and they are laughing – most of the time. It’s very much a focused team effort. Not everyone can get over an eight-foot wall by themselves. Before the race, many of these teams have trained together and have a strategy in place to help each other overcome the obstacles,” says Reed.
As an individual or team-based event, groups as large as 50-plus people make their way through the muddy obstacle course by challenging the limits of their cardio and upper body strength. Although there are no pre-workout requirements to sign-up for the race, many teams will start training at least 90 days in advance to get ready.
“They need to be fairly active and we recommend they do at least two or three days a week of regular athletic activity. This includes playing ball, hockey, soccer or going to the gym... Most of the people coming out to these races are training for it so they have a residual level of athleticism from their day-to-day activity and their regular training regime,” explains Reed.
Participants need to be at least 12 years of age, and not mind getting dirt under their fingernails. Not only will participants be awarded a t-shirt and a medal to prove their physical feat, but those of age will also receive a beer at the end of the race. And not to worry, there will be plenty of photographers on hand to help document the entire experience.
To learn more the obstacle course race and to see photos from previous events visit