Pouring rain, roaring winds and mud were perfect conditions for the second annual Mudder Mayhem obstacle course, an element of the Rec Race Series.
The race, which was hosted by Rec Sports and Wellness, took place on Friday, May 10 and  began around 5:30 p.m. Mudder Mayhem involved participants running around North Oak Park through military-inspired obstacles such as muddy trenches, tires and a wall climb.
“This year we have constructed obstacles for them to go over challenges,” said Megan Mast, assistant director of fitness and wellness. “Last year, we didn’t. They just had to do physical things like abs, push-ups and stuff like that. This year we used Theta Chi’s stuff that they used for G. I. Theta Chi, and then the Sports Management Association and the [undergraduate and graduate sports management] classes got really creative with the challenges.”
A small group of students, parents and children arrived wearing rain coats and rain boots and holding umbrellas, who were all left behind at the start of the race.
“It was fun, and I thought the rain would make it even worse, but it actually made it more fun,” said Jessica Willmott, a senior majoring in fitness and human performance who was the third female finisher in the race. “This one was actually probably one of the most fun [races I’ve done] because of the mud.”
According to Mast, the Hammond Fire Department was supposed to come and spray runners before they went through the dirty, muddy obstacles, but the firemen were not needed because of the rain.
“It’s just raining this year, which worked out for our benefit because it made it more muddy, which made it more fun for the participants,” said Mast. “[Participation] is down this year because of the rain. I think that it would have been different if it were just rain and not threat of thunderstorms, but obviously, people braved it. I’m proud of the people that ran it.”
Cullen Rodrigue, a freshman majoring in accounting, managed to finish the Mudder Mayhem course, his first mud run, before all other participants.
“It was a little cold, but it was a lot of fun,” said Rodrigue. “I’ll probably do it again if they have it next year.”
As a reward for finishing the race, all participants received gift cards. First through third place finishers for both men and women received a Mudder Mayhem T-shirt and various other prizes were raffled off to participants after the race ended. Gift cards were donated by Smoothie King, Tope La, Voodoo BBQ, Pita Pit and Applebee’s for prizes and the raffle.
Registration fees for the Rec Race Series are going towards revamping North Oak Park.
“We want to use [fees] for the maintenance of the facilities, as well as the beautification of [North Oak Park],” said Mast. “We’d like to have enough fundraising going on and more participation in the Rec Race Series where we can have sand volleyball courts, pavilions, stuff like that and improve the infrastructure as well.”
For more information on Rec Sports and Wellness and the Rec Race Series, call Megan Mast at 985-549-5728 or email her at [email protected].