Getting down and dirty in Pelham
People taking part in the Niagara Mudfest Challenge Saturday won’t have to worry about a lack of mud on the course, says organizer Frank Adamson.
“We’re on the course right now and it’s muddy enough. If there’s no mud, we can make mud, that’s not a problem,” Adamson said Sunday afternoon from Bissell’s Hideaway.
Now named Niagara Mudfest, the event is put on by Rotary Club of Fonthill and raises funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Niagara.
“We usually raise in the $10,000 range,” Adamson said, adding there are Big Brother and Big Sisters at the event helping out as their ‘littles’ help out or run one
of the two courses set out at the Pelham resort at 205 Metler Rd.
For those over 13, the adult course covers some six kilometres of trails, hills and dales through Bissell’s property and takes in natural and man-made obstacles throughout.
Teams will have to belly-crawl through mud, scramble through pipes, slide down a muddy hill and wade through a small pond as they work their way around the course.
Adamson expects at least 250 people will slog their way through the obstacles, with teams from PenFinancial, the major sponsor, Welland Honda, Ridley College and Boggio Family of Pharmacies taking part.
“Bissell’s is a major sponsor as well and they are absolutely great to us. They don’t charge us for use of the resort,” he said.
Last year, the Rotary Club put together a course for children between six and 12 years old. It’s only a kilometre in length, but just as muddy as the adult course.
Adamson said Pelham volunteer firefighters are at Mudfest to help hose down all of the participants after their runs, and to render any first aid if needed.
“Niagara Falls Shriner Club does all of the food for us.”
Adamson said the event was renamed this year to Niagara Mudfest from Pelham Mudfest.
“It made more sense,” he said, adding people come from across the region and beyond to take part.
Teams that want to register can do so online until midnight Wednesday at niagaramudfest.com or first thing Saturday morning. The first race gets underway at 10 a.m. and teams need to be at Bissell’s at least one hour before their run.