HURRICANE – The Utah Army National Guard sponsored the second annual Hurricane Mud Run on Saturday near Sand Hollow State Park. Along with over a hundred civilian runners, several dozen guardsmen tackled the 5k (3.1-mile) course, which was filled with 20 obstacles.
The event was broken up into heats starting a 0800, or 8 a.m. civilian time. The course was changed from last year to improve both organization and safety. More obstacles were added, as well.
College students, local ROTC groups and even families hit the trail, which included a mud crawl, a rope swing, a flat wall and plenty of mud to slip and slide in.
“It’s nice to see people have fun,” race organizer Chris Mathisen said. “We built this course to get them muddy. We like to get them muddy.”
Members of the local National Guard were on hand to encourage runners and insure the safety of the course.
“Our focus is community support,” Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Bowcutt said.
“That is what we do in the National Guard is support the community,” Bowcutt said, “and this is one way to get out and help with what the community does.”
This was the first year local National Guard member Bre Opdahl participated in the Mud Run. “This was a good exercise with all this extra weight (mud),” she said.
“My favorite obstacle is the rope swing,” Bowcutt said. “You can see some funny stuff coming off of that.”
The bulk of the National Guard participants are part of the local recruitment sustainment program. Units from as far away as Richfield and Delta were shuttled down to join the Mud Run as well as participate in a land navigation field training exercise in the Pine Valley area.
“This course was much better than last year,” said Eric Curtis, a returning Mud Run participant from Tooele. “Way more runs, way more mud – better. Last year it was all running; this year, there are more obstacles, more mud and better medals.”
The course this year was much more organized, said Staff Sgt. Kelton Hansen, who runs the recruit sustainment program. Last year the course crossed the highway, he said; this year, the course was contained on the north side of the road to Sand Hollow State Park.
The Hurricane Mud Run is an annual event.
National Guard recruiters hope to draw attention to their local efforts and encourage those interested in serving their country to get in touch with them for more information.
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Runners gather for the first heat, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News Mud run participants, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News Hurricane Mud Run participants, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News Twenty obstacles were strategically placed along the 3.1-mile course, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News Some teams spanned generations, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News Sometimes it takes a little help from your friends, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News At the finish line, a medal of completion was waiting, then a shower, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News Mud Run participants, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News Mud Run participant, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News Mud Run participants, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News Mud Run participant, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News Mud Run participant, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News Guardsmen participate in the Mud Run, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News Time for participants to catch their breath before getting the mud hosed off, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News Mud was in every pore, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News Mud found its way into every pore, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News Runners of every age enjoyed playing in the mud, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News Erin Curtis celebrates concluding the 2014 Hurricane Mud Run, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News A dousing with a fire hose was the reward for completing the course, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News Mud Run participants, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News Mud Run participants, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News With muscles aching and the rope wet, few were spared a mud bath on the rope swing, last obstacle on the course, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News Mud Run participants, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News With muscles aching and the rope wet, few were spared a mud bath on the rope swing, last obstacle on the course, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News Some teams spanned generations, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News With muscles aching and the rope wet, few were spared a mud bath on the rope swing, last obstacle on the course, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News With muscles aching and the rope wet, few were spared a mud bath on the rope swing, last obstacle on the course, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News Mud Run participants, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News No need for Bre Opdahl, first-time participant, to go to the spa after receiving a mud facial at the Hurricane Mud Run, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News Better medal this year, claimed Erin Curtis, from Tooele, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News Hurricane Mayor John Bramall expresses his appreciation for the hard work that went into setting up the second annual Hurricane Mud Run, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News Sgt. Maj. Bryan Smethurst addresses the runners, Hurricane, Utah, May 17, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
Resources
- National Guard website
- Staff Sargent Kelton Hansen, 435-272-2454
- Hurricane Mud Run
Related posts
- 3 miles of challenging, wet, muddy fun
- Hurricane Mud Run: 100s hit wet wet dirt, come out smiling; STGnews Videocast and Photo Gallery
- Dixie Mud Run: A fun and dirty day to help kids
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