"It looks too hard"
Traditional obstacle courses are built to test the fittest person in the room — which is exactly what kept most of Brad's friends from ever signing up.
Our story · Since 2011
It started with the people who said no
Brad Vaccaro had run about fifty obstacle course races, and he loved every muddy one of them. When he invited the people closest to him to join him, almost all of them turned him down.
The problem
Too hard. Too risky. Too much time away from the kids.
"I don't want to get hurt"
Nobody wants to spend race day worried about getting injured instead of having fun with the people they came with.
"I'd rather spend the day with my kids"
This was the objection that stuck. A race that pulled parents away from their kids for a whole day was never going to be for everyone.
Brad didn't argue with any of it. He listened. Those three objections became the blueprint for something new — a mud run for the people traditional obstacle racing wasn't built to include.
2011 · Northern New Jersey
Six obstacles. Borrowed equipment. A real learning experience.
The first Your First Mud Run happened in the scenic hills of northern New Jersey with just six obstacles, built from whatever equipment Brad could get his hands on. Kids and adults still raced separately that first year — the format everyone knows today hadn't been invented yet. It wasn't polished. It was a start.
The idea that stuck
The family became the point
The early split between kids' races and adults' races didn't last. Over time, Your First Mud Run evolved so children could run side-by-side with the grown-ups in their lives — same course, same obstacles, same moment. That single change is still the idea the whole brand is built on today.
Why it had to mean something
Having fun wasn't enough of a reason
Brad's father passed away before he had the chance to really lean into retirement. That stayed with him. Fun and a little exercise weren't a good enough reason on their own for Your First Mud Run to exist — Brad wanted the events to mean something to the communities that hosted them, not just the people running through them.
By the time this story was first told
$50,000+ raised. 100+ local charities.
These are historical milestones from Your First Mud Run's original story, not a live current total — but they're the reason the charity side of every event exists at all.
$50K+Raised for local causes
100+Local charities supported
“We've helped raise over $50,000 for 100+ local charities such as the Rotary Club of Fair Lawn and the VFW of Garfield.”
From one course to many communities
How it grew, in order
- 2011
The first Your First Mud Run — six obstacles in the hills of northern New Jersey.
- Growth
Up to 10 events a year across six Northeastern states, growing to more than 20,000 racers across 50+ events by that point in the story.
- 2020
Covid-19 shuts events down for an entire year — like most businesses built around gathering people in person.
- 2021
Attendance comes back strong, and Brad decides to expand.
- Expansion
Brad buys a truck to transport his own obstacles farther — as far as North Carolina and Florida, with California under consideration next.
- Community events
Your First Mud Run begins bringing the course directly to organizations like Harbaugh Village in Mullica Hill, NJ — tailored to each group's space, needs, and ages.
Fifteen years later
The course changed. The idea didn't.
The obstacles have changed. The venues have changed. Every family on the course is different from one weekend to the next. What hasn't changed is the idea Brad started with: build the version of obstacle racing for the people who don't think it's for them — including the whole family. That's still the mud run the family does together.
What drives us
Our mission & vision
Mission
To bring families and friends together through affordable, welcoming obstacle-course mud runs that inspire movement, teamwork, confidence, and lasting memories.
Vision
A future where every family feels included, stays active, overcomes challenges, and creates unforgettable memories together.
Owner and Event Director
Michael Regina, “Dr. Mike”
Dr. Mike is a physical therapy doctor, Board-Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist, and healthcare professional with more than 20 years of experience. Throughout his career, he has helped people move better, stay active, and understand how regular movement supports long-term health, quality of life, and injury prevention.
As a husband and father, Mike understands how difficult it has become for families to step away from their screens, get outside, and spend meaningful time together. He was drawn to owning and operating Your First Mud Run because it offers a distinctive and affordable experience built around movement, teamwork, and family connection. Mike's goal is to carry forward the family-first concept Brad created while providing safe, welcoming, and well-organized events where families can challenge themselves, laugh together, get muddy, and create lasting memories. Participant feedback will also help shape and improve each future event.
Original Founder and Event Director
Brad Vaccaro
Brad Vaccaro is a fitness-industry professional and experienced obstacle-course participant who founded Your First Mud Run in 2011. After hearing that traditional obstacle races seemed unaffordable, too difficult, intimidating, or raised concerns about injury, Brad recognized the need for a different kind of mud run. Your First Mud Run was created for first-time participants and families who wanted to experience obstacle racing together without the pressure of a traditional competitive race.
Brad continues to serve as Event Director, bringing his years of experience, operational knowledge, and original vision to each event.
“We've made so many people happy and even changed some lives by getting folks into a new sport or back into fitness. What I'm proudest of at the end of the day is seeing how much fun everyone has.”
It started with people who thought a mud run wasn't for them.
Thousands of muddy families later, that's still exactly who we're building it for.