It is time to get muddy with Madison Academy’s annual Mud Run

MADISON – Question: What sporting event will be held rain or shine, but the participation layout may be modified due to flooding? Answer: The Madison Academy Mud Run scheduled for April 19.

You may ask yourself, what is a Mud Run and how can I participate in the fun?

The answer is, the Mud Run is dirty, challenging and is for everyone over the age of 12. This family-friendly event will be held on the campus of Madison Academy located on Slaughter Road in Madison and include 20-24 obstacles along and through Indian Creek and the adjacent wooded area of the private school’s campus. The 5K (3.1-mile) course features obstacles with nicknames such as Tarzan Twist, Leap of Faith, Pully Bully, Walls of Jericho and others, most of which were designed and built by Dan Olberding who leads a small team of various volunteers to erect and ensure the safety of each obstacle. He’s been a part of the annual event since year one.

“Originally, we had a company which brought in obstacles, but we found out that project was too expensive, so in 2018, the second year of the Mud Run, I was asked to design and build the obstacles,” said the 68-year old Olberding, a 2013 retiree from the Boeing Corporation and who began volunteering in carpentry and furniture refinishing for the school. “I remember one year a neighbor of mine was demolishing their backyard deck, so I got that lumber and made several of the obstacles. Each year, I critique each race, each obstacle and make changes when necessary. Any of the obstacles that develop the reputation of causing injuries we get rid of them. One year I bought 25 50-gallon barrels for $10 each and I had Russell Welding help put some of them together to make an obstacle like a huge log. That was a good one. I also remember getting my hands on some billboard vinyl that was being discarded and I put that together and made it like a mine shaft that had the participants crawl through a tunnel in complete darkness. For most of the participants, that seemed like a favorite.”

This year’s eighth annual race will be officially dedicated to the memory of Tex Bailey a 2019 graduate of Madison Academy who died in November 2024 while training to become a member of the Kentucky Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Resources and Law Enforcement Division. The two-sport athlete in both football and track and field signed up to play football for Eastern Kentucky after his years at Madison Academy. He graduated in 2023 with a bachelor ‘s degree in Police Studies. He died of a medical emergency while in training for a position as Game Warden near Glasgow, Ky.

For several years Bailey helped build and test obstacles for the Mud Run and a special obstacle has been built in his honor and Bailey’s family will be on site for the dedication of the obstacle which has been kept secret.

Terri Speir, who is the Mud Run race director, said, “We are aiming for 1,000 participants as last year we had around 800 compete representing seven different states. Those included Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi, Kentucky, Ohio, Maine and Washington. The race will feature individual and team competitions as this year we’ll have a corporate challenge where the tops in registration will earn free registration. We are looking at 60 teams being involved. Jr. ROTC programs from five different schools will be a part of the event with a special heat just for those teams with a competition within themselves.

Teams featuring church groups, CrossFit enthusiasts, corporate teams and tons of families will battle their way through the mud, water and obstacles.

Each participant will receive a Mud Run T-shirt and Mud Run medal.

Madison Academy is known for creating life-changing experiences for its students and school community which are hoped to allow the heart, soul and body to flourish. The Mud Run is all that and more and is also a huge fund raiser for the private institution. Speir added, “This year, funds will directly impact the Fine Arts program at the school helping to foster and support the creative minds of our future generation. Our goal this year is to raise $50 thousand.”

What’s new for 2025? The Mud Run will be expanded to a two-day affair with Friday evening now being added to the already extraordinary event. Friday’s gathering at Madison Academy will be more of a community event for Madison Academy family only including a fun zone for kids of all ages, food trucks and the running of the 1K Lil’ Muddy event on a portion of the Mud Run course. The fun zone will also be available on Saturday for those spectators on site.

As in years past, HEMSI will be site for the races, a nurse’s station will also be set up somewhere on the course and, if high water in the creek is an issue, certified lifeguards will be on duty to assist if needed. More than 50 volunteers are needed to assist in the two-day event and those looking to help can contact the race directors at www.mustangmudrun.com.

Heats will begin at 8:45 a.m. with the final heat around 1:00 p.m. All aspects of the races will be on hand until everyone finishes.

Speir added, “The object of the Mustang Mud Run is to have fun, not to finish first.”

Olberding added, “It’s amazing how people will pay good money to roll around in the mud.”