Auburn Recreation and Parks District hosts Great Auburn Obstacle Race on Oct. 1

Hilary Hardin, Holly Ingalls and Mari Valdez – the Grandma’s Club – crossed the finish line together, hands joined and raised over their heads and all smiles as they completed the annual Great Auburn Obstacle Race on Sunday at Regional Park.

Hardin, of Auburn’s new Hearthstone Lodge senior community, and Ingalls are sisters. Ingalls, of Clearlake, and Valdez, of Lakeport, are co-workers. This was their second year challenging the obstacle course, and they beat their 2025 time by eight minutes.

“50 minutes, 20 seconds!” Hardin announced as the trio cheered.

“WHOOOO! We beat it by eight minutes,” Ingalls said.

“And 70 pounds,” Hardin added. “We’re down weight and time.”

Each had a favorite obstacle.

“The bubbles were the best,” Hardin said.

“I liked the smell of the pumpkin,” Valdez said, referring to the “pumpkin pie(p)” on the baseball field.

“The creek was the best for me,” Ingalls said.

The 5K course started with an immediate climb to cross the street and included 20-plus obstacles, including walls and ladders on the trail portion of the course, plus the over/under, hay bales, a creek crossing, tires and, of course, the ever-popular mud pit. Some chose to walk the course while others competed for time. Likewise, some were openly careful walking through the mud pit while Matt Lourens of El Dorado Hills went all in with a belly flop, sending brown water everywhere as onlookers roared.

The Great Auburn Obstacle Race benefits the Auburn Recreation District.

“When we started, we were looking for an event that was fun for the community but also … we were looking for something we could actually do that could actually help the general fund,” ARD Administrator Kahl Muscott said as he cruised around the course before the first of 30-plus waves shot through the starting line.

The public responded. The event sold out at 350 runners, and it had a Bay-to-Breakers feel with teams dressed up in wigs and colorful outfits.

Muscott said the sellout “is a wonderful problem to have, so for next year, make sure you sign up early.” Competitors received T-shirts and medals for completing the course.

“Some take it serious but others treat it like a team builder,” Muscott said. “It’s mostly just fun. Some of the obstacles, like the rope climb, competitors will stop and encourage others; they’re cheering their friends on.”