Athletic competition is by nature taxing and challenging, but add in mud pits, rocky terrain, steep hills, costumes, fire and other wild obstacles, and thrill-seekers are faced with a whole new breed of racing. Considering that the courses involve things like running through creeks, swimming in swamp water and crawling through drainpipes, it’s no wonder the phenomenon of adventure racing has found a home here in the dirty, dirty South.

BIG NASTY MUD RUN
Date: Saturday, April 14
Location: Big Nasty ATV Park, Bloomingdale, Georgia
Get down and dirty by signing up for the 4-mile obstacle run affectionately known as the Big Nasty Mud Run. But beware—expect to climb walls, run uphill (carrying a tire) and fall into mud pits. The sports ministry for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, FCA Endurance, is hosting the thrilling race in Bloomingdale, Georgia, where the event director, Steve White, has set a challenging course at a 1,600-acre ATV park. “The obstacles aren’t built to be easy. They are built to be challenging physically and mentally. That’s why they are good to do as a team, so you can encourage each other,” White says. “From the outside you look at it and think, ‘OK, a bunch of people going crazy, diving in mud, running through the obstacles, what is the big deal?’ But after you do one, you just get it. It allows you to be a kid again.”  Search Big Nasty Mud Run on Facebook or Active.com

JCB MUD RUN
Date: Saturday, June 16
Location: JCB campus
At 8 a.m. runners will take off on a course that stretches just over four miles. With 10 obstacles guaranteed to get your heart pumping and your feet, hands and, most likely, face dirty, it’s sure to be a great event. It takes place on Father’s Day weekend, so it’s perfect for the whole family.

Written by Richelle Laughinghouse
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