Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Young athlete Denon Ogden cools off after a satisfying showing on the obstacle course.
SIDNEY- The Cheyenne County Fair and Rodeo's final day began with a splash of mud, participants from surrounding areas got down and dirty for Take Back Health & Fitness' 4th annual obstacle course with a special addition this year – a 5k mud run.
Put on with the help of volunteers and sponsors, TBH&F owners, Amanda Bauer and Kalena Seaman, brainstormed the idea; the race serves as a community event to get out in the sun, sweat, and have fun with neighbors and friends. Held in the past at the beginning of June, the annual run moved to the end of July to partner with the Cheyenne County Fair and Rodeo. "The fair has been great to work with, they've helped us in any way that we've asked," Bauer says, noting that the fair helped to prep the grounds for the finish line mud pit.
Open to all ages, the race had over 20 participants, many of whom were local youth. With obstacles scattered along the 3.1-mile track, a giant slip-and-slide, balance beams, battle ropes, tire flips, and water stations graced the path with a mud pit sitting at the end. "I wanted to sign up for the obstacles because I love parkour activities," Lyiah Odgen comments after the race's end, "I honestly liked everything I didn't have a favorite part, but the water slide was nice."
Finishing with a time of 30 minutes, Kyle Weiser of Greeley, Colorado took first place in the adult category, "I have family from Sidney, so I came back to see them and to participate in this race," Weiser had to say, "The best part of the run was watching the camaraderie between the fellow runners, well, and the water slide too, I guess."
Taking the youth division by storm was 12-year-old Hunter Elston just on the heels of Weiser, "The best part was probably the mud or getting washed off at the end," Elston says with a laugh, "It was all fun!"
Listening to the comments of other participants one thing was clear, the mud run obstacle course was a clear success, "This was by far the best 5k I've ever run," Kelsey Hauge mentions, "We ran, we crawled, we climbed, and we even swam!" Hauge ran the race with her friend, a first-time 5k participant, Stephanie Nelson.
Gaining steam for next year's race, Take Back Health & Fitness celebrated post-race with a cool down in the mud, "This (year) was the most fun yet," Bauer and Seaman's post reads on Facebook.
If you are interested in helping with the obstacle course or 5k mud run, contact Take Back Health & Fitness by calling (308)-203-1530.
Cheyenne County native, local business owner.
Reader Comments(0)