If you missed seeing the first Alberta Tough Mudder last year, head up to Dinosaur Downs this weekend to get an idea of what the hype is about.

Spectator registration online is available until midnight, this Friday, September 4 for $20. After that, spectators are able to pay $40 at the gate on either event day to go and cheer on their favourite Tough Mudder. 

Tough Mudder General Manager Nick Cogger says this year the Drumheller event is very viewer friendly. The majority of their showcase obstacles will be on the infield of the track at Dinosaur Downs. There, spectators can cheer on their favorite Mudders. Some of these obstacles include classics like the Arctic Enema, Walk the Plank and Electroshock Therapy. There are new ones including Funky Monkey.

Spectators are welcome to bring lawn chairs, umbrellas and snacks to enjoy the day. Make sure you dress for the weather.

Away from the action on the course, there is lots to do on site. There will be food and beverages for sale, food trucks and a beer garden located on at the Stampede Grounds. There will also be music and displays from sponsors.

Another new addition to Tough Mudder is Muddy Munchkins. This is a small demo course for kids ages six and up to try out some similar obstacles that parents may be taking on. 

Whether you are there to check out the action, thinking about trying out another year, or cheering on a loved one, make this weekend a Tough Mudder weekend.

Bring on the mud!

Tough Mudders from all over will be arriving in Drumheller this weekend to participate in the Alberta Tough Mudder event for the second year.

Although many participants will be from out of town, some local Drumheller residents will be taking part in the course and the many obstacles that have been set up at the Drumheller Stampede Grounds.

Dave Hanik will be participating for the second year and brings along six new participates on his team which are called the Wannabe Mudders.

Hanik said participating in an obstacle course type event has always been on his bucket list. “I did it last year because it was coming to Drumheller,” he said. “It has always been on my bucket list to do some kind of obstacle or some kind of training course... and Tough Mudder just happened to be the one that came to Drumheller. It made the accommodations and the travel really easy for me so it was just more of a get up the courage and go ahead and try it.”

Because Hanik is the only veteran participating on his team he said he had meetings with the other members to help them understand what to expect since he didn’t know want to expect last year. 

“For me, the guys from last year, it was a totally different team last year, some guys were just running on pavement for 20 kms, they would run mini marathons stuff like that. All I did was just go up in the back hills, all the little rolling hills around Drumheller, and just run up and down these hills because that is where the race is. So most of it was three or four kms running up and down these hills,” Hanik told inSide Drumheller. 

“I tried to share as much of my experience from last year. Of course they have the map on the website right now and it is going to be completely different obstacles. They are focusing more on upper body strength rather than last year that was more leg strength. It is going to be a different course again for sure this year,” he said.

Hanik said the reason he decided to participate for the second year is because of the legionnaire loop. 

“It is a level or a status saying you have run Tough Mudder twice and you get to do this extra obstacle that you aren’t allowed to do if you are just a one-time beginner. For me it was one of those things that I want to try and accomplish in my life and one of those things that (I want to) see if I can survive it again,” he said. 

He has been running on and off this year over the last couple of months, he said, but it is no where near as hard of training as it was last year. 

“I was so uncertain of what to expect so I trained really hard for it last year, but this year I have been running for about two months, a couple nights a week, in the back hills. I feel pretty confident that I know what to expect this year. I know the distances you have to go,” he said. 

Hanik explained that within the Tough Mudder course there are break sessions where participants can stop for water and snacks and he also said participants have the option to go around a more difficult obstacle.

“You try your best on the obstacles and if you can’t do it, you do have the option to go around it and just keep on going, so it is not as if you have to do that impossible obstacle,” he said. 

“It’s not a race. It is for your own benefit. You aren’t timed. It is basically a completion thing. If you can do it and overcome maybe something inside you that you wanted to do. To me it is more of a personal inner drive thing. I would think most people are wanting to do it because you don’t get an opportunity to do something like this in a lifetime. (It isn’t) too often where an event like this comes around that you can try and that you are interested in,” he said. 

“I loved it last year. I had a lot of fun. I did break two ribs last year when I did run it, about half way through the course. To me it wasn’t a show stopper by any means I completed it no problem,” he continued  by saying he didn’t tell anyone until the next day when he went to the hospital and found out they were broken.

“For me it was a fun thing, I really enjoyed it and I am looking forward to it again this year,” he said. 

Hanik and the Wannabe Mudders are set to run the course at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, September 5. The event will also take place on Sunday. Over 6,000 participants and spectators are expected in the area for the event.