Video by Mallory Busch and Christophe Haubursin / North by Northwestern.
Underwater sludge tunnels. Military-style trenches. Fire, electricity and ice water, all lining a 12-mile path. At first glance, you’d think it was a mad dash for survival, a serpentine journey stocked with enough grime, grit and gore to make Andy Dufresne from The Shawshank Redemption turn back.
Push through to find hot dogs and beer at the end.
These are mud runs, quirky triathlon-type challenges that are contagiously springing up in Chicago. Playing host to an array of physical and mental shocks, these obstacle courses create a unique challenge for runners of all abilities.
“Our goal is to push you to your limit,” says Erica Taylor, a marketing coordinator for the Merrell Down and Dirty National Mud and Obstacle Series. “It’s not just a race you’re getting, it’s a whole experience.”
Down and Dirty kicked off operations in 2010, starting in Los Angeles and quickly spreading across the country. Partnered with Operation Gratitude, a charity that sends care packages to soldiers overseas, the event will come to Chicago on May 19.
Each mud run organizer offers its own nuanced course. Down and Dirty features marine hurdles, a tire path for push-ups, balance beams and a colossal mud pit.
“Some of the obstacles are absolutely insane,” says Weinberg freshman Mark Davis. Davis prepares for a spring run with Tough Mudder, an obstacle course designed by the British Special Forces, and he knows that training is not to be taken lightly. In the months leading up to the event, Davis will engage in cardio workouts, conditioning, weightlifting and chin-ups.
Rob Dickens, COO of Rugged Races, recommends cross-training and alternating muscle workouts to competitive participants. Yet Dickens stresses the ability to complete the run itself over preparing for strength challenges.
“A lot of people make the mistake of focusing on weightlighting, but if you can’t run three miles without stopping to catch your breath, you have a lot of work to do,” he says.
Still, no amount of physical training can fully prepare a prospective mud runner. Unlike standard triathlons and marathons, mud runs aim to build mental strength through a myriad of surprising twists.
Weinberg sophomore Grant Parr recalls swimming through a 10-foot long pool of ice water when he ran Tough Mudder last September.
“It’s stuff that challenges your mind, you can’t do anything to physically prepare for it,” he says. “By the time you got out of the water, you couldn’t feel your body ... that was a challenge.”
Not all runs are as demanding as Parr’s. Dickens says that while some participants want to be pushed physically, many are just looking for a new experience or a quirky day out.
“I’d say only 20 percent of runners are in great shape, everyone else is just out there for fun,” he says. “We’ll get groups of five or six friends all dressed in crazy costumes.”
Nick Ziebarth, the race coordinator for Chicago-based Pretty Muddy, emphasizes self-confidence and accomplishment over daunting obstacles. A mud run exclusively for women, Pretty Muddy includes a beach ball pit, an inflatable slide and a bubble tunnel.
Pretty Muddy recently became affiliated with Alex’s Lemonade Stand, a nonprofit founded to fight childhood cancer. Mothers with children afflicted by cancer run for free, while a portion of registration costs and concession sales goes directly to the charity.
“There’s a huge sense of accomplishment for a lot of these women. The word ‘empowerment’ is heard a lot after the race,” Ziebarth says.
Nearly all mud runs conclude with a post-race celebration. While Tough Mudder gives runners food and drink, Down and Dirty awards first through third placers with a medal and a gift package.
Food and swag aside, mud run participants emerge with more than they can carry. Pushing competitors from start to finish, these unique challenges give a sense of accomplishment, release, charitable dedication and physical gratification. It’s an experience that stays with runners for a while, regardless of the hour-long shower that likely ensues afterward.