Mud Run Q&A

Edited by Richard Osborne

Mud runs are all the rage these days, and none are more popular in the Upstate than the Goodwill Mud Run, which sees thousands of participants slosh, crawl and climb through its course twice a year. Goodwill will host its spring event this month, and we’ve put together a fun and informative Q&A with the help of some veterans who have seen the event from all angles over the last 5 years.

JJ Swartz Former event director and multiple-year participant

Paul Callahan 2012 event director

George Booth Multiple-year participant in various divisions

Aynsley Burrell Competed in her first mud run in 2011

Chris Bradberry Member of two winning teams

1) What’s the draw to this event?

Swartz: Mud, obstacles, Marines, teamwork with friends and family and a bit of tailgating too.  You just don’t get elements like these at your local 5K and 10K running events.

Booth: It gives adults a good excuse to play in the mud. Also, experiencing the race as a group rather than as an individual gives you a sense of camaraderie.

Callahan:  The race appeals to a varied audience. Some sign up as elite athletes wanting to compete, but most are average individuals expecting to have fun doing something crazy with three other friends.

2) What do you think is the most difficult obstacle?

Swartz: I believe the new 50-yard Mud Bog obstacle at the end.

Burrell: The hanging tire. There is an art to getting through the tire, and running and jumping head first is not the way to do it.

Booth: Definitely the cargo net.  There’s something mentally challenging about balancing and stepping over a slippery, muddy 4x4  that’s suspended fifteen feet in the air.

Bradberry: Most people struggle with the cargo net climb because of a fear of heights.

Callahan:  #33 by far. It’s at the end of the race, when you’re worn down, and each person has to make their way through a mud pit that is 5’ deep and 50’ long. Some people doggy paddle.

3) Most fun obstacle?

Swartz: Has to be the final Mud Pit.

Burrell: No question, it’s the long mud pit with the 8’ wall!

Booth: The rope swing is awesome. I always try to be first.

Callahan: The first one! You take off and right away you have to get ALL the way down in the mud so you don’t hit your head on the obstacle!  And there’s a big crowd cheering you on, so you can’t help yourself from getting pumped up.

4) Wildest thing you’ve seen?

Swartz: The mountain of dirt at the end of the final mud pit turned into a water slide at the Fall 2011 event. Teams were struggling to crawl up, but were having fun sliding down!

Booth: The costumes.  Watching a man running through a mud pit wearing a pink tu-tu is priceless.

Callahan: The Fireman’s Carry is always fun to watch. Volunteers have seen females trying to carry their much bigger male teammates, and one guy carried two females across the finish line – one over each shoulder!

5) Most impressive?

Swartz: Last year a female competitor completed the course with her team while wearing a carbon fiber prosthetic.

Booth: There was a man at the 10’ wall who was exhausted and couldn’t make it over the wall, so three teams all collaborated to hoist him up and over.

Bradberry: Andy Walls returning to our team just two years after a near death ultralite crash. He’s been on the past two winning teams and helped us set the course record.

6) Funniest?

Swartz: Had to be the Go Dirt team’s mullet wigs in 2008. The wigs stayed on through the finish, and they won the event too!

Booth: Rounding the corner and seeing two of my teammates, Tim Briles and Chris Giordinelli, stuck in the hanging tire obstacles.

Burrell: Watching everyone’s initial dive into the very first mud hole is hilarious. Some are just not sure what they have gotten themselves into!

7) Best tips for the race or any particular obstacle? 

Swartz: Fast doesn’t always win this event.  A team has to have a combination of strength, height (for the taller obstacles), speed and the ability to work together on the fly.  And participants need be prepared to be bruised and scraped up during the course of the event.

Booth: If your team is shooting for a fast time, then review the rules for the course.  Also, try not to get mud in your eyes.

8) Any preparation tips for training? Dress?

Swartz: Work your runs up to 5-6 miles and it will help you on race day. Weight, kettle bell or cross fit training will be beneficial too. Running shorts will do just fine. Cotton shirts will become heavy, so go with a tech shirt if at all possible. It doesn’t really matter if you wrap your shoes in duct tape.

Burrell: Wear something that covers your knees and elbows. Much of your time is spent on the ground pulling yourself across stumps, rocks and (duh) mud!

Booth: Train as if you’re running a 5K, but add plyometrics and upper-body strength activities to your workouts. 

Callahan: Wear clothing items that you don’t mind throwing away. We recommend wearing pants that fasten tightly.

9) What differentiates this event from other mud or obstacle runs you’ve seen/done? 

Swartz: Some Mud Runs try to make things as hard as possible to see how many people quit, and others may just throw up 5-7 obstacles over the course of a 5K.  Some are also events for individuals. The Goodwill Mud Run brings together 4-person teams and gives them an obstacle every tenth of a mile.

Burrell: The staff and volunteers are amazing! The Goodwill course is a great beginner course. Also, the warm showers were SUCH a plus!

Bradberry: Goodwill does a great job of traffic control on the course. Starting teams by ability, having a red and blue side and making it a two-day event are great ideas!

Callahan: The number of and variation of obstacles on the course.  We have 35 obstacles, including two creek runs, multiple vertical obstacles, low crawls, and some endurance portions on the course between obstacles.  We’ve also modified the course multiple times to help reduce congestion.