Unfortunately, there are people out there that looked like they were set up for a beautiful, carefree future when suddenly, “things turned ugly”. Take Brian Dunkleman. Brian’s face was plastered across millions of TV sets as the “co-host” of American Idol – Season 1. At the end of the season, he was canned. Today, the remaining host Ryan Seacrest sits at home counting all his gazillions of dollars while Brian is working as an Uber driver in LA (true fact!).
And what about Andrew Ridgelay? He and George Michael were the fresh faced boys that made up the group WHAM! George went on to make the hearts of millions of women (and men) flutter when he went “solo”. Andrew last cut a single in 1990 and it BOMBED! And imagine the surprise on Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong’s faces when Diana Ross said that she was leaving the Supremes. After 1 or 2 minor hits, they disappeared, reappearing occasionally over the years as 70+ year old performers in an “oldies” show and also in front of you in line at Target, as they try to get the cashier to accept expired coupons for tuna.
The same thing happened to most of the trails used in the Ugly Mudder. Once, they were bucolic hiking trails used by courting couples, families with kids, dog walkers, etc. And then heavy storms took away their topsoil, lack of use resulted in wild indigenous plants growing across the path, erosion left huge gullies in them that twist ankles and make then unsuitable for biking, etc. And what we have left are trails that are so misshapen and un-navigable that they can ONLY be used for the Ugly Mudder. The Ugly Mudder is a mishmash of ups & downs, fallen logs, debris, rocks & roots, discarded household items, deer poop and urban relics.
To offset this misery, Pretzel City Sports provides a bunch of “perks” at the event including a great post race party with a free breakfast, funny signs on trail to ease your pain, unusual aide stations with equally unusual beverages, cold volunteers that will treat YOU even “colder”, great course markings & other niceties that has made this, on several occasions, one of the 5 largest rustic trail runs in the entire country & the largest East of the Mississippi. In fact, annually, 99.9% of its participants live to run another day so how hard can it be?
Come join the 250-400 people each year at the Ugly Mudder 13K Trail Run who REFUSE to let ankle deep snow, sub-zero temps and a few rocks & roots turn them into mega-weenies, candybutts or, worst of all, “Bachelor/Bachelorette Fans”.
LEGAL B.S: You RUN AT YOUR OWN RISK & you alone are responsible for your welfare at all times while racing!! You SHOULD finish this race unscathed other than from frostbite & snot frozen to your face. But if you DO get a boo-boo, crawl to an aide station so we can pick you up in a warm car. You WON’T get lost; it’s marked that well! But if you STILL manage to do so, ask someone how to Uber to Stokesay Castle; the finish is right next door. Since this is a mid-level challenge, people discouraged from coming are 1) those under 18 (15-17 yr olds OK with parent present-14 or below MUST have someone run with them) 2) anyone, other than a current employee, who will miss K-mart and 3) people who religiously “eat clean” because we ALL need Oreos and they’re about as far from “clean” as a food group can be. And also DAMN yummy!
YOU GET: Long sleeve cotton shirt with a memorable design, hot breakfast, indoor reg. & toilets, post-race munchies, WELL marked course, 2 water stops, finish place posted immediately.
LESS
