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January 26, 2012
Mud Mania: Getting Dirty For a Cause
Are you ready to get dirty for a cause? If so, grab 24 of your brothers or sisters, lace up your tennis shoes, and get ready for this spring’s newest event: Mud Mania. It's a three mile obstacle course with mud pits, crawls, jumping walls and cargo net climbs; taking place March 31 at Southern Springs Equine Services, a 120-acre farm including a field, trails, creeks and a pond to enjoy. Mud Mania will benefit Storybook Farms, a nonprofit organization geared toward helping children suffering from emotional, social, physical and mental problems through the use of equine activities. Gabe Gotthelf, a 2009 Auburn Alumnus and current Delta Air Lines pilot, teamed together with his wife Heather to create this event after participating in a similar race this past May. “We had so much fun that we wanted to run the course again when we were finished,” Gotthelf says. “There were 12,000 people that ran it over two days, and sure, it is geared toward the young and crazy crowd, but there were people from ages 14-70 who ran with us; this truly is for everyone.” When asked why he chose Auburn for the event, Gotthelf’s long-time ties with the area had great influence. “Why Auburn? I say, why not? Auburn has such a young and vibrant community; not just the students, but the young active alumni and professionals that have moved back also,” he says. “The landscape of the area and the famous Alabama mud make this a great place for a race like this. Besides, is there any better place to be in the spring?” The event will include 12 heats, taking place in 30-minute intervals from 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m, and Gotthelf is expecting between 1,500 and 2,000 people to participate. “We hope to make this a yearly event, and we plan on making this bigger and better every year and would eventually like to turn it into a race/music fest,” Gotthelf says. The registration fee is $35 per participant with Greek affiliation and $45 for all others and includes the event, a Mud Mania T-shirt, access to online photos and entry to the post-run celebration. There will also be a Greek Challenge, and to be eligible, each group must have 25 members registered. In order to participate, each group will need a code to register in order to be tracked by Mud Mania, which will be given at either chapter visits or by contacting the Mud Mania team. The fraternity and sorority with the fastest average group time will each receive a $500 donation toward their national philanthropy. Each organization may also register an additional team for a second chance to win. Registration for all participants will close Feb. 29, and registration is only online. “You do not need to be athletic, nor do you have to enjoy getting dirty,” Gotthelf says. For those not as interested in getting physical, there will be live music and food, including Momma Goldberg’s and other local vendors on site for spectators. “Watching your friends go through the course is half the entertainment,” Gotthelf says. For those not wishing to participate but would just like to watch, there will a $10 gate fee. For more information on the event, sponsors and how to register, go to www.mud-mania.com. You can also go online and “like” the Facebook page to view photos and see continuous updates leading up to the event. Chelsea is a junior studying journalism and community & civic engagement. You may contact her at cmb0032@tigermail.auburn.edu.
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