Lafayette, IN Outdoor Activities

Twenty-five-year-old Jamie Stevenson has been working her entire life toward making horses the focus of her career. When she was just knee-high to a pony’s tail, Jamie started saving her pennies inside her "horse money box." Though this fund never got big enough to help Jamie buy her own horse, she was eventually able to achieve this goal and more thanks to the engineering degree she earned at Purdue University. Jamie’s day job as an operations process engineer bankrolls her equine interests and makes it possible for her to maintain the riding facility where she first learned how to ride—and where she met the four-legged love of her life. Today, Jamie and her trusty sidekick, Dart, help riders of all ages and abilities overcome their fears, fine-tune their riding techniques, and succeed in riding competitions.

After donning absurd costumes and slathering on ample amounts of wet earth, runners at the 5K Disaster Dash take on an exhilarating series of mud-slickened obstacles. Waves of runners are released onto the course every 30 minutes to dance between spare tires, slide down mudslides, and crawl through mud bogs. Climbing walls, rope ladders, and balance beams also await, intimidating runners with treacherous names including Tornado Alley, Crater Climb, and Hail Storm. After making it through the course, runners enjoy a post-race party with beer, food, and music at the Survivor's Saloon.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the American Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis, whose volunteers often rush through harsh, dirty conditions of their own to deliver food, clothing, shelter, and comfort to those in need.