Slippery Saints Mud Run held Saturday at North Iowa Events Center

MASON CITY – The First Annual Slippery Saints Mud Run was filled with positive energy and heart-felt fun.

All day Saturday, a total of 200 people were running, sliding, crawling and jumping into mud. Why? “It”s fun, plus all proceeds go to charitable and community organizations,” said Gary Schmit, Race Director. “The money will be distributed between the North Iowa Events Center, Mason City Firefighters, Local 41, Newman School, the Blue Zone Project and the United Way.”

The enthusiastic participants did a 5k run, or 3.1 miles, in the mud, with obstacles, throughout the whole North Iowa Events Center area. Just like Mom told you not to do. The Slippery Saints Mud Run was where the action and adventure met, with a twist of heavenly good and devilish fun.

The run had 23 obstacles (named appropriately): Hade’s Crossing: Pole walk, Apocalypse: Hurdles, The Baptism: Dumpster filled with water. Noah’s Nightmare: Water tunnel, Rainbow: Paint throw, Serpents: Creepy, crawly, hanging things, Angel Food: Foam barn, Devil Lights: Strobe lights, Savior Swing: Rope swing, Wicked Monkey: Bars, ’nuff said, Worse than Locusts: Culvert crawl, Mount Sinai: The hill, Highway to Heaven: Climbing wall, Dante’s Hell: Tire run like the football player you never were, The Inquisition: Tire pile, Jonah’s Whale: Run through tractor tires, St. Hubert’s Cathedral: Hay bales, Devil’s Dance: Elevated balance beam, Spider’s Web: Rope wall, Path through Purgatory: Motor cross course, Altar Boy’s, Revenge: Mud Crawl, Lucifer’s Toothpicks: Telephone pole jump and Fire and Brimstone: Fire jump.

“We had a lot of muddy people. It was our first Mud Run and it was very successful. We hope for more people next year,” said Schmit.

After the run, the Mason City Firefighters hosed off the muddy runners. There was live music with two bands, one of them was Stream of Consciousness, food and a beer tent.

“It was a great community event,” said Larry Sebastian. “Everybody had a great time today. Nothing but positive comments. We had one lady tell us that she had mud where mud should not be.” Sebastian chuckled.

“We want to encourage everyone to come out next year for some muddy fun and an overall Great time,” said the Committee. “The 2013 Slippery Saints Mud Run is just the first of many more to come.”

Next years Mud Run is already set. According to their Twitter account the event will be held on August 30, 2014. “2013 mud run In the books and a huge success. 2014 date already set for August 30th. Hope everybody that ran it had a great time.”

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