Selectmen OK Foxborough Tough Mudder; Lane Family Threatens Legal Action

FOXBOROUGH, MA — One of the toughest runs around is on its way to Foxborough, despite threats of legal action.

The selectmen voted 4-1 Tuesday night to authorize Town Manager Bill Keegan to sign a contract to bring Tough Mudder to town in 2018. The one-year deal could be extended to five by the town if successful.

The event also got unanimous support from the recreation committee and a 4-2 vote from the conservation commission. Conditions for the event include giving the conservation commission final say on the Lane Property obstacles, with no more than 3 miles of the course on the property; a scientist must review the course layout, construction and restoration; no waivers for state or local wetland laws; no use of the Payson Road fields beyond the perimeters; and the right to review the conditions for future events if they happen.

A Tough Mudder is a 10-11-mile long obstacle course which includes obstacles such as walls, cargo nets, cold water swims, and barbed wire that participants have to crawl under. Town officials expect 8,000 to 10,000 participants, with runners taking to the course over a weekend in waves of 300 to 500 people at a time.

The Foxborough proposal has the course starting and ending at Gillette Stadium, with the Lane Property and Payson Road Recreation Complex additionally being used.

The majority of the objection to the event came from the Lane family, who sold the recreation area that was once their family home. Lawyer Jeff Lovely sent a letter on behalf of some members of the family asking the event not to be held. Other family members appeared in person to express their opposition to the event including the property due to fears of the runners and event damaging the land.

“You’re destroying this for future generations, you really are. You are dishonoring and breaking agreement between the lane family and the conservation commission in 1988,” Daniel Lane said, referring to the sale of the land to the town and limits certain activities for 50 years.

Allen Erickson of the Lane family told the board that he believed the use is not allowed by the agreement signed by the family and town and his family would take the town to court if they allowed the event to take place.

Police Chief William Baker, who has experience with Tough Mudder from his work in Westbrook, Maine, said the company backs their promises when it comes to cleaning up after themselves and restoring land that has been altered for obstacles and the course.

“They took outstanding care of the land. They may sure the participants were channeled properly in sensitive area and they 100 percent delivered on their promise to leave the land better than they found it,” Baker said.

Selectman Ginny Coppola, the only board member to vote against the event, said she wanted to see the Lane Property taken out of the plan.

“The concept is fine but I don’t think it’s appropriate for the Lane Property,” she said. “I think we could look to change the course. It’s not like we’re begging them to come here. We’re doing them a favor for them to come here.”

Keegan said no large structures will be built on the property. The only obstacles that will be placed on the land consist of hay bales and a cargo net that people have to crawl under. Tough Mudder will also provide snow fencing and volunteers to make sure the runners do not stray off-path. Spectators and parking will not be allowed on the property.

“If it was that bad, we would have been told. There would have been websites that say keep Tough Mudder away because they don’t do what they say they do,” Keegan said.

Selectman Jim DeVellis recently ran a Tough Mudder in Vermont and said that runners do not bunch up and quickly spread out during the event.

Kate Connolly of town counsel said the agreement from the sale between the Town and the Lanes does not restrict a Tough Mudder from the property.

Some parking will take place at the Payson Road Recreation Complex, but the majority is expected to be at the stadium.

Gillette Stadium officials have yet to sign off on the event, but they are expected to make a decision in the near future.

The Foxborough Tough Mudder will be the first in Massachusetts and first between Boston and Providence.

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