Hundreds Muddied Up at Dirt Yard Dash

7th Annual Dirt Yard Dash brought all ages out to run through the mud,

DULUTH, Minn.- The sloshing of mud, followed by the cheers of fans, fills the air.

“It’s more mental than it is physical,” said Peter Koering.

No, these people jogging through the woods aren’t running from the law, they’re running through the mud for fun.

“I don’t know it’s kinda fun for, I mean it’s nice, it’s what I do at home,” Koering said. “Like, I like to walk through the woods. And I mean getting dirty is not that big of a deal.”

For the past seven years the Dirt Yard Dash has turned the grounds of the Vineyard Church into Duluth’s own Tough Mudder course.

“We started doing it to provide a fun thing for college students to do once they get back to school and it’s grown into a family event,” said Race Director Michele DiNoble.

The entire course was constructed by a crew of Vineyard volunteers in the weeks leading up to the big day.

“We build all of our own obstacles,” DiNoble said. “We’re out in the woods weed whacking and clearing brush. It’s really fun.”

Over 375 people ran the 2 mile course, hurtling through obstacles covered head to toe in mud.

People go through swamps, there’s walls they climb over, tunnels they crawl through,” said DiNoble. “I think one of the best features we have here is our ponds.”

While it is a race, some trudge through the mud in pairs.

“Another friend had an idea to run it and I’m not the kind of person who likes to run by myself so I thought Lizzie would be into it,” Matt Gram said. He ran the Dash for the first time.

“It’s something totally up our alley so it was awesome to actually have the initiation to do it. And it was easier to do that together,” said his partner, Lizzie Fudge–it was her first time as well.

But don’t let the soft mud totally fool you, because injuries can still occur when you’re going as hard as these athletes.

“Coming over one of the walls over there I caught my foot coming down the wall sliding down it cause it’s about a 70 degree angle, And then hit the ground, twisted my ankle,” Koering said.

Yet that didn’t keep him from crossing the finish line.

“I sat out for a little bit, but then I knew I had to finish it.”

The runners’ message to people who’ve never tried it before?

“Take it whatever comes at you, like, don’t–nothing’s overwhelming, you can get through it,” Gram said.

“And have an awesome partner,” Fudge replied.

At the end of the day, just enjoy the feeling of cool mud covering your body. That’s DiNoble’s favorite part.

“Seeing the smiling faces, the mud on their faces and just people smiling and having a great time.”