Time to Get Dirty

The motto of Tatur Racing (the Tulsa Area Trail and Ultra Runners) is "Putting the Fun in Run," and since their founding in 2006 they've been doing just that -- with events consistently off the beaten path. The titles alone tell it all: tiles like the Snake Run, the Undie Run and the Turkey & Taturs Trail Race get the imagination flowing even before experiencing a Tatur event.

This Friday night, July 6, Tatur will present its annual Midnight Madness Road Race, a 50-mile jaunt through the River Parks trail system with a 15-hour cut-off time. Even at the 11:59pm start, this year's runners will probably still have to battle significant heat, but that won't stop this faithful crowd who comes from around the country for this event. Those interested in participating should visit tatur.org very soon to read about sign-up and regulations.

On July 28, another favorite, the Tatur Mud Run, will draw challangers of all ages to have healthy fun for a cause -- the Oklahoma Firefighters Burn Camp. The Mud Run, now in its fifth year, is the brainchild of Head Tatur Brian Hoover, president and founder of Tatur Racing and co-owner of RunnersWorld Tulsa.

"The Tatur Mud Run got started in 2008," Hoover said, "and it was a way to get people more involved in running and physical fitness while making it fun." When they first created the Tatur Mud Run, they were the first in the state to host such an event. "Back when we created this event, we were the only Mud Run in the state. Our slogan for the event is 'Putting the Fun in Run' and here at Tatur Racing, we love to organize events that make running fun."

This year's Tatur Mud Run is all going down at the Mud Bowl, located on 31st Street between Garnett and 129th E. Avenue. Those interested in participating have several ways to sign-up for this event. If you want to avoid the morning race crowd, you can sign-up at RunnersWorld Tulsa by 6pm on Friday, July 27, or online at tatur.org. If you're into waiting until race day to sign-up, you can sign-up at the race between 10am-5pm. The price for children to participate is $35. For the untimed heat, tickets will cost you $45 and the timed heat will run you about $50. All entrants can pick-up their race packets on the day of the race.

After parking the car and leaving your vanity and jewelry behind, you and 3,000 of your closest friends will partake in the fifth annual Tatur Mud Run, where it's sure to be one for the ages. All fitness levels are qualified to compete, as none of the obstacles will require crazy physical strength. With all the craziness that will ensue, make sure you bring your camera because it's sure to be a memorable day. For those coming who aren't participating in the run itself, make sure that your lawn chair is in tip-top shape and bring it along for the ride.

While 2012 marks the fifth year for the Tatur Mud Run, the organizers are always up to surprising the participants. "We do not publicize all of the different obstacles as we try to surprise people each year," Hoover said. But we have inside information that participants should be ready to crawl, swim and, of course, run.

"Since we don't want to ruin the surprise," Hoover said, "what I can tell you is that there will be two GIANT slip and slides, a tire dive, a mud crawl, a mud tunnel and other obstacles that do not require a bunch of physical strength to complete." At the end of the spectacle, Tulsa firefighters will greet the participants with a hose, spraying off all the mud that people will have caked on.

Another fun perk of the Mud Run is that everyone can dress up in costumes. "Most of the Tatur events encourage participants to dress up in costumes," Hoover said. "We feel that it adds to the fun of the event and the Tatur Mud Run is the biggest costumed run in the state." But don't stay away if costuming isn't your thing. This is completely optional, Hoover said.

While running through mud on a hot summer day is exciting enough on its own, the event also benefits a really amazing cause, one that Hoover is proud to sponsor, the Oklahoma Firefighters Burn Camp. "The Tatur Mud Run benefits the Firefighters Burn Camp because it is a wonderful 5-day camp for children who have been burned by fire," Hoover said. "It is a ... place where the children can be the 'normal kids' for a week without being stared and snickered at."

To make a difference in a child's life is huge, and for the Tatur Mud Run to raise awareness for such a cause is a really great thing. Alongside raising awareness, all entrants will be treated to a unique Mud Run shirt, live music and two free beers (for the 21 and older crowd). Also, the first 1,500 entrants will receive a large 3.5-inch finisher's medal as they complete the event.