Race Recap: Mad Anthony Mud Run

Nestled in the Shenandoah Valley there is a small mud race that takes place every February. Being a local mud race, many avid obstacle racers may look this race over. I ask those who have overlooked it to take a close look, Mad Anthony Mud Run is a race for those really looking to push themselves to the absolute limit of their running ability. For those of you who like to get really dirty, this race is also for you!

Race Series Description

Mad Anthony Mud Run is the season starter for the Run The Valley Race Series that takes place every year in Waynesboro, Virginia. For avid Spartan Racers, this is a stone's throw away from where the Virginia Super takes place. The course is about 4.5 miles of rolling hills, flat straightaways, and squishy mud. I have treated this race as the perfect testing ground for how my off-season training has been going and what I need to focus on. The front pack of this race is a showcase of some of the quickest runners in the region, and I mean seriously quick, for spectators it is a fun race to watch go down because it comes down to the wire each year.

 

But this race isn't all about pushing your running limit, this race is more about having fun. Mad Anthony Mud Run has a loyal following of those who like to dress up in colorful outfits and costumes and play in the mud. This race was the first one in a long time where I finished with actual mud stuck to me in various places. The mud isn't just a pool of brown water, this is thick mud from the ground like the kind kids dig for worms in.

The Obstacles

For this race, obstacles are designed to slow down those who are speeding through the course and challenge the average weekend warrior. It features a long tire run (so practice those high knees), a very muddy trench crawl (don't wear your favorite watch), high walls, A-frame cargo crawl, monkey bars, cinder block carry, very tall hay bales, and new to the race this year was a very muddy and sticky low crawl that will leave your knees and hands caked in mud.

The unique obstacle to this race is the Tunnel Run. Have you ever seen one of those tunnels that run under a highway? It is one of those tunnels. It is a long run through ankle deep water (sometimes knee-deep depending on the recent weather), pitch black, you can't exactly see where you are stepping but can only see the light at the ends of the tunnels.

What do you get?

As of this year, Mad Anthony Mud Run received a medal upgrade that rivals most medals on the market, it's special to the event and has some weight and mud to it. You receive a very well designed tech tee from the event. There is a post-race party that has several bonfires to keep you warm because this race takes place at the end of February. For those of you who are of legal drinking age, you receive two tickets to use on beer provided by local brewery Seven Arrows Brewing Company. If you fancy yourself a top runner, the top 3 Male and Female finishers receive a Minuteman Bobblehead award.

Wrap it Up!

This race is seriously a lot of fun and it is a great opener to a race season. You don't have to take yourself seriously, you meet a lot of great local runners, see a lot of fun costumes, and get dirty. Every time I have run this race I have enjoyed the environment at this race more than any other. It is a community event that is fun to take part in and meet runners and share stories. I have met many people that I have only seen at that race and yet we recognize each other and catch up each year. I highly encourage anyone who is close to this race to sign up and have some fun and also check out the rest of the Run The Valley series.

5/5 Stars

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