Providence’s new park to be christened with Mad Mud Run event

Knickerbocker Park 's 15 acres of new, pristine fields and parks in the Providence master-planned community are about to get really dirty.

People of all ages are invited to participate in the Mad Mud Run and Mudpuppy Splash obstacle course and fun runs planned for 10 a.m. April 21 in the development's park, 10695 W. Dorrell Lane .

This is the second year runners are to navigate the four-mile run and activity course, which culminates in a 40-foot-long, 2-foot -deep pit with 40 tons of mud , said event organizer Rick Eastman .

Single runners or teams participate in boot camp-like activities with a low wall, belly crawl, balance beams, water wall, tire array, hay bales and the mud pit.

Race organizer Sierra Adventure Sports has hosted mud runs in Las Vegas since 2007 , and Eastman said the event christens a new area in a way.

"It's an up-and-coming community, and it's a great way to get people to a new part of Las Vegas they may have never seen," he said. "There are perfect amenities and trails, and you're really self-contained."

A 100-meter Mudpuppy Splash is to be offered for participants ages 4-12.

The $15 per child cost includes a T-shirt, race bib, dog tag and refreshments . Children ages 4 to 6 must be accompanied by a parent through the mud pit .

Eastman said mud runs he conducts attract athletes looking for some fun.

"It's a lot more fun than straight running a 5K ," he said. "It makes fitness fun."

Many repeat runners are expected.

Providence resident and marathon runner Jessica Apple , 24, participated last year and plans to get dirty again.

"It was a blast," she said. "(After) I walked all the way home and the mud was falling off me in clumps."

Apple visits Knickerbocker Park, which opened officially in December , with her two small children, she said. Last year's Mad Mud Run was around construction and on open lots, she said.

"This year there are nice benches for people to watch us," she said.

The minimum age for the Mad Mud Run is 12 . For those under 18, special waivers are required .

Male, female and co ed teams of two and five also may participate.

The fee is $60 . The cost includes an event T-shirt, goody bag, dog tag and refreshments.

A mandatory pre race meeting is scheduled for 9:45 a.m ., with the race to begin at 10 a.m .

To register online, visit madmudrun.com before April 17 . Check-in closes at 9:30 a.m. on race day.

To volunteer, visit madmudrun.com or email help@sierraadventuresports.com .

Contact Centennial and North Las Vegas View reporter Maggie Lillis at mlillis@viewnews.com or 477-3839.