After dealing with 10 kilometres of mud, sweat, and peers, the Mudderella Whistler participants finally crossed the finish line. Running, walking, and crawling through a number of challenging obstacles—including climbing up the sheer ski-runs of Blackcomb Mountain—the demanding course pushed some people to their limits. Buoyed by camaraderie, however, the racers spurred each other on to the end.

Finally reaching the end of the trail, thoughts turned to how to celebrate the victory. With the possibility of visiting the Scandinave Spa for a full-body massage, the chance to chill with some bubbles or beer at Whistler’s multiple bars, and some world-class food options to refuel, the race was perfectly located for Mudderellas to rejuvenate after the tough event—as soon as teams had enough strength to drag themselves from the Mudderella Whistler course.

Two Straight writers completed the trail alongside their fellow female racers—and, armed with some prior experience of Whistler’s bustling village, we knew exactly what our post-race weekend would look like. After heading back to the top-quality Hilton hotel for some triumphant wine, cheese, and a Jacuzzi-fuelled bath, there was plenty to choose from for the evening's entertainment. First taking in a few excellent Sea to Sky-based bands at Whistler's first local music festival, we walked through the village, congratulating our fellow competitors who were also wearing their “Mudderella Finisher ‘16” T-shirts. After eating dinner at one of Whistler’s great restaurants, we headed home, high-fiving those racers who still had the energy to lineup with their girlfriends for the official Mudderella after-party at Maxx Fish’s nightclub.

Sunday brought both aching muscles, and the welcome knowledge that we would be heading to the Scandinave Spa. With its Nordic-inspired outdoor setting, the beautiful baths were a world away from the noisy cheers and fellowship of Mudderella, and the perfect setting to soothe our bodies and minds. Moving from saunas and steam rooms to cold waterfalls, the temperature shocks relaxed the tightness in our arms and legs, and gave us plenty of time to contemplate the mountain we had just conquered.  

While we were lucky enough to have pre-planned our itinerary after the event, others chose to be more spontaneous in their post-race relaxations. Nevertheless, our fellow Mudderella victors had plenty to say about the course, and the first things they wanted to do after draining their sodden shoes. 

"The race was amazing, intense, and team-building. It was all the way up the mountain to the top. The moment you thought you were done, you saw some more of the trail, and realized your where nowhere near. After doing Mudderella, we feel much closer as a team. Before this, we didn’t even really know each other. We’re neighbours, so we did the race to get to know the people living near us. Now we’re excited to have a beer, eat, and then jump in the hot tub."

“It was such an awesome experience. The hill was a killer—oh Jesus. I thought I was going to die. But I really liked the little inspirational sayings that were posted on the hill. Right now though, I'm all about the beer. That’s our favourite part."

"I had a great time, but I didn't expect to. I found every excuse to not come. I even left my waiver at home. But someone in my team actually bought me a spare copy, because she knew me so well. I'm really glad she did. The obstacles were the best bit—they were really fun. I even think the race could have been harder! Now we're looking forward to getting some great food."