Medieval Rush: Test Your Guts, Grit, and Gumption

The sun is hot in the air, sweltering for the people below. Families, friends, and fellow competitors gather at the Bismarck State College Community Resources Bowl, ready to tackle one of the largest mud runs in North Dakota, and mentally prepare themselves for the physical challenge that is Medieval Rush. 

Many are eager to push themselves to the limit, while others are there to get outside and build comradery with their team. No matter who they are, one thing is certain—everyone is looking to have a good time.

Spanning 5.1 kilometres, Medieval Rush is North Dakota’s longest-running and largest mud run. This all-terrain run features a variety of obstacles with a medieval twist, such as the Moat of Mud, Hell’s Fires, Castle Walls, and Barbed Wire Frenzy. These obstacles can change each year as the event organizers see fit.

Tanner Schweitzer is an assistant men’s wrestling coach at BSC. He is also the founder of Medieval Rush. Schweitzer leads fitness classes and bootcamps in the Bismarck area, showcasing his enthusiasm for health and fitness. 

Medieval Rush is a passion of his, as he has a history of organizing mud runs in the past. Medieval Rush started when a friend planted the idea in his head—to start a mud run in North Dakota.

“I was living down in San Diego for seven years, and one of my friends reached out to me [about it],” Schweitzer said. “There were mud runs down in San Diego, and I would put on various workouts on the beach and make people run through terrain. Then I came back up here and thought, ‘yeah, it would be great.’ And so I put one on and I thought it would work, and it took off.”

For 15 years, Medieval Rush has been there for the Bismarck/Mandan community. The event has taken place in a variety of locations. First, it was at Huff Hills. Then, it took place at the Missouri Valley Fairground for four years. It has even taken place at New Salem, under the large cow statue Salem Sue herself, for three years. Finally, Schweitzer brought the event to BSC in 2020, following the events of COVID-19 and the pandemic shutdown. Medieval Rush has been at the BSC Community Bowl ever since.

“After COVID and stuff, we're still recovering, but it's getting better and better and coming back,” Schweitzer said. “It's such a fun event, and we need to get the word back out there and spread it so that people realize this and take advantage of it because it won't be here forever.”

As Medieval Rush recovers from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the community continues to support the local event. The event is open to two age categories—one for children, and one for teens and older. There is no maximum age limit. The oldest person to sign up for Medieval Rush was a 71-year-old woman. Also, people can sign up to compete as an individual or with a team. Teams can have up to four people and can win the Team Trophy if they have the fastest time. 

Schweitzer’s favorite part is seeing how much fun the community has at the event.

“The adults go in and out of the mud pits and just run in and out and the smiles on their faces, and they're giggling and laughing,” Schweitzer said. “Just watching people finish [the run] and smiling and high-fiving and going, ‘wow, that was awesome.’ And then everybody's like, ‘oh, it wasn't as hard as I thought.’ It makes me feel so good.”

Schweitzer encourages college students to participate. For many students who complain that there is not much to do in the Bismarck/Mandan community, Medieval Rush helps to prove this statement false.

“I want to bring back a sense of adventure for the younger generation,” Schweitzer said. “We’ve got to get that new generation to do it. We always tell people ‘use it as a goal to train for.’ If you can go for a walk on grass or on even terrain, you can do this. So don't be intimidated. Don't be afraid of it.”

Students can also help volunteer at Medieval Rush. Finding volunteers is one the biggest challenges Schweitzer faces when putting on the event, though he has found help from high schools, such as the Mandan Braves football team.

This year, Medieval Rush opens to the community at 8 a.m. on June 13. The kids’ course kicks off at 9 a.m., followed by the adult course at 10:15 a.m. Although this event tests a person’s grit and guts, Schweitzer reminds people that it is all meant to be fun.

“It's kind of like being a kid again. It's like the one day where you get to let loose and just have fun again. Nobody judges, nobody cares. Everybody's out there having a great time,” Schweitzer said. 

At the end of the day, the sun is still hot and blazing, but the crowds gathered at the Community Bowl have smiles on their faces. Despite being covered in mud, many people still laugh and cheer, proud that they have conquered the challenge that is Medieval Rush.