The countdown has begun for one of the biggest events to take place in the Drumheller area.
Tough Mudder, a 18-20 km obstacle course, will be taking place for the second year on September 5 and 6 at the Drumheller Stampede Barn.
“We are really excited to come back to Drumheller,” Nick Cogger, Director of Operations for Tough Mudder, said.
“We had a really successful (year) last year, and for us the challenge is building on that success and moving forward,” he said.
He told The Mail that in the off season the organizers at Tough Mudder have spent a lot of time innovating and re-developing many of the obstacles that were part of the course last year and creating some new obstacles.
“This year we are going to see some old favourites, but a lot of new stuff as well. Some of our innovation team has redeveloped our classics and put a new spin on things,” he explained.
“Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, I am not really at liberty to be specific about what it is, we like to keep that element a surprise for our participants,” he said.
Dead Ringer, a new obstacle for 2015, will require Mudders to sideways climb along a giant truss structure on a series of ascending and descending pegs using loose heavy-duty rings the Tough Mudder website says. This will be just one of the new obstacles ready for Alberta.
“You can look for our Arctic Enema 2.0, Everest 2.0. It has grown by three feet and has got a round cap at it now so it increases the difficulty,” he said continuing by saying that the focus on the obstacles this year was teamwork.
“It has always been a really important element for Tough Mudder that these obstacles are designed to be conquered as a group. This year more than ever the innovations we put into place really emphasis that,” he said.
This year sponsor Shock Top will be bringing beer gardens to the event as well as other sponsors such as Skull Candy who will have a fitness challenge open for everyone and will have lots of prizes.
“In year two you know the landscape a bit better, so we have been able to draw some of the elements closer into the base area. It is a very tricky venue for us, for spectators because of the (steepness). The Valley’s are very, very steep so there is quite a risk factor for our spectators, so what we have done is pulled our showcase obstacles to the base area,” Cogger mentioned.
“Our spectators are going to have a greater experience because everything is going to be closer and within walking distance,” he said continuing by saying that spectators will get to interact with the people they know on the course and enjoy people going through the obstacles that will be right in front of them.
He said the event is a “real crowd pleaser” because of the landscape being “so dramatic and unique. It got a lot of attention online last year through our social media posts. We are seeing people come from out of province more than we did last year, which is really great.”
For more information, or to register for the Tough Mudder Alberta event visit www.toughmudder.com/events/2015-alberta.
