A trio crosses the finish line after running in the Mudtastic Classic. From left, Julieta Walton-Clark, Jacob Walton-Clark and Marcus Castaneda.

By Nathan Pace
InkFreeNews

A Syracuse tradition hit its 10-year milestone Saturday, June 22, in the Mudtastic Classic. Families traveled from outside of the county to the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation take on a course full of muddy obstacles.

Darin Lursen serves as the program and event director for Syracuse Parks and Recre

ation and is charge of the Mudtastic Classic.

“We just did a couple different obstacles to kind of mix things up,” Lursen said. “We changed our medals up for the 10th year.”

Teams sign up to run the course with each team departing in waves every five minutes. The course takes roughly 30 minutes to complete.

A total of 12 muddy obstacles were on the course this year each being built in the days leading up to the Mudtastic Classic.

“We usually have 12-15 obstacles if we have time. We have to build this all in two weeks and take it down within a week or so. It depends on the weather if we can do more or do a little less,” Lursen said.

Lursen has been involved with the event dating back to 2018.

The challenge for the 2024 iteration was a lack of rain meant water had to be brought in to get the mud required for the race.

“People were volunteering since 5 a.m. to add water to the pits to make them muddy since they haven’t gotten a lot of rain.”

A total of 1,000 gallons was used to change the dirt to mud.

The Turkey Creek Fire Territory used water too to help clean off runners after completing the course.

Lursen feels the Mudtastic Classic is where it needs to be in terms of participants.

“It usually grows every year. It varies between 200 and 250. We kind of need to stay in that general area because it gets a little packed,” Lursen said.

Runners visited from outside of the county with participants from Columbia City and Elkhart.

Alexa Wilson made the short trip from Pierceton Ind. and enjoyed the slide into muddy pool that was almost a yard deep.

“This is the best obstacle.” Wilson said.

Prizes were on hand for the team that was the best dressed.

Lursen wanted to thank the parks department staff for their work and for the WACF for the venue.

“WACF has definitely been nice to us letting us use their facilities,” Lursen said.