GETTING ‘DOWN AND DIRTY’ IN THE MUD AT RATHCORMAC
WHILE last Friday’s torrential rain may have put something of a dampener on many people’s preparations for the weekend, a group of people from the village of Rathcormac greeted it with unbridled delight.
For the organisers of the second annual Rathcormac Mud Challenge, and hardy souls who took part in the event, the rain fell like heaven – soaking the ground and creating lots and lots of glorious mud.
As if on cue the rain abated on Saturday morning, creating the perfect conditions for the event as more than 480 competitors run, jumped and crawl around the specially designed 5km course.
Event co-organiser Michael Foley said the conditions on the ground could not have been better for the occasion.
“A lot of hard work went into preparing the 35 obstacles during the lead sup to the run but the one thing that we could not control was the weather. Friday’s rain could not have been better timed and the sunshine on the day of the run was a huge bonus,” said Michael.
“The one thing that we really wanted was loads of mud. Thankfully the Irish weather provided plenty of that,” he added.
The competitors ranged across all ages, with a couple of hen and stag groups also joining the fun on the day.
Michael said proceeds from the run, approximately €11,000, will be split between the Children’s Unit at the CUH and the Rathcormac and Bartlemy school’s Parents Association’s.
“Great credit must go to the local community which once again brought into the whole idea and helped prepare the course. We also had more than 100 volunteers marshalling the course on the day,” he said.
“Without them and the landowners who kindly gave us permission to hold the run on their land, an event on this scale would have been impossible to hold. We are hoping that it will become a regular event on the local calendar,” he added.