Spring into Mud at Stony Acres

By Susan Ambrose
SC Contributing Writer

Stony Acres Presents: Muddy Madness.

It’s spring and here, at ESU, April showers are bringing not only flowers, but also mud runs!

Stony Acres will be hosting their seventh mud run, Muddy Madness, on Sunday, April 19 at 12:30 PM.

The ESU men’s hockey team will be volunteering to help make this semester’s mud run a success.

Stony Acres coordinator Madeline Constantine says “this mud run’s path will of course include lots of mud and water, but participants will also see ten to twelve obstacles such as balance beams over pits of mud, rope climbs and swings, hills and slippery inclines, and even mental obstacles like memorizing and reciting a series of facts before one can continue.”

Constantine promises a very muddy course – made with several bags of topsoil and lots of water!

There’s a hidden benefit to hosting a run with a need for lots of mud – after a race is over, there is a perfect patch for growing healthy new grass. In fact, Constantine picks spots that specifically need a little more grass coverage when deciding where to set up the muds pits each race.

Along with the much-anticipated mud, participants may have to overcome challenges such as flipping giant tires, carrying heavy objects such as sandbags or stones, climbing over hay bales, and crawling under picnic tables. This year there may even be a stream crawl!

Runners should also expect to face various fitness stations where they may have to do overhead presses or squats with unique heavy objects such as logs or watermelons.

There will be prizes awarded to the top male and female finishers in both the 13 to 17 year-old age group and the 18 and over age group.

Registration fees are $10.00 for students, $15.00 dollars for staff and alumni, and $20.00 for the general public. The first 25 runners to register will receive a free commemorative T-shirt.

Go to room 211 in the University Center to register today! Be sure to register before April 14, because after that fees will increase by $5.00, and there is a 60 participant cap.

To add some guaranteed fun and adventure into your spring, be sure to visit Stony Acres for this semester’s Muddy Madness!

As race coordinator Madeline Constantine says, “At the end of the race you will always find participants taking group shots showing off their new friends and muddy appearances, and giving each other high fives and muddy hugs to celebrate their victory.”

Email Susan at:
sambrose2@live.esu.edu