Audray Muscatello Yost witnessed an obstacle run nine years ago in Rhode Island with her daughter.

She immediately brought the idea home to Butler as a fundraising and fun-raising idea for the Golden Tornado Scholastic Foundation.

Saturday marks the eighth year for the Foundation’s Tuff Tornado Run and Yost’s race directorship. The community event is 2 miles of running, walking, climbing and balancing through 22 obstacles in Butler’s Alameda Park. The rain-or-shine, slip ‘n’ slide event is staged from the Odd Fellows Pavilion and includes both wooded trails and open areas.

Along the way, you’ll encounter a run through 40 tires, crawls through giant tires, and a large pipe, rope bridge, laser maze, balance beam, hay bale climb, the new Granny Pants toss and much more. Yost credited longtime volunteer Sam Zortolo for construction and assembly of the obstacles, and Boy Scout Troop 19 and student volunteers for marking the course and helping on race day.

The run portion is timed, but there are no incentives to finish fast.

All levels of runners and walkers from toddlers to old-timers and teams of any size can enjoy slime, color, foam and mud-running portions before the final “carwash” rinse at the finish. (There will be sunglasses available for kids in the color run.) Costumes are encouraged.

Kids particularly like running through the foam. And the Butler Township Volunteer Fire District loves filling the mud pit to at least ankle deep. Yost said some people just take their shoes off before they go in.

Yost expects close to 500 participants for this year’s Tuff Tornado. As of Monday, there were also 24 teams registered.

For safety, the event is run in heats of a maximum of 75 runners/walkers starting every 15 minutes from 10 a.m. through 12:30 p.m. The early heats usually sell out first. Registration is open online until midnight Friday with kids 4 and under free and family pricing for up to six members. There is day-of registration from 9 a.m. to noon at a $5 price increase, cash or check only. It’s too late to order a T-shirt, but shirts will be on sale at Odd Fellows Pavilion on race day.

The Tuff Tornado Run is only part of the party. Spectators are welcome to watch the mayhem, listen to music by DJ Mark Buchek, stretch to music with Legacy Fitness, enter a 50/50 raffle or purchase food from Ice Cream Emergency and IronMikes food trucks.

Tuff Tornado Run is truly fun for a purpose. The event raises funds for Golden Tornado Scholastic Foundation’s Kids Weekend Backpack Program, Creative Teaching Grants, scholarships for graduating seniors with financial need, much-needed technology and other scholastic projects supporting Butler Area School District students. Local sponsors for Tuff Tornado Run have already pledged more than $20,000 for this year’s event. Check out a sponsor list, donate or register for the event at www.adventuresignup.com/Race/PA/Butler/TuffTornadoRun

If you’re participating in Tuff Tornado Run, remember to bring a change of clothes. Butler Fall Festival takes place on Main Street, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday with a car show, kids activities, arts and crafts, music and food vendors.

Sept. 26, 8:30 a.m.: Pumpkin Festival 5K Run and Walk, Barnesville, OH. Also free kids race. Ceramic pumpkin trophies, door prizes, huge smorgasbord of post-race food. runsignup.com/Race/OH/Barnesville/PumpkinFestival5kRunWalkandKidsRun

Sept. 26, 10 a.m.: Tuff Tornado Run, Butler. Obstacle and mud run in Alameda Park. Run in heats from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. All ages welcome. www.adventuresignup.com/Race/PA/Butler/TuffTornadoRun

Sept. 27, 8 a.m.: Great Race 5K Run & Walk, Pittsburgh. Run from Oakland to Downtown. www.rungreatrace.com/5k

Sept. 27, 9:30 a.m.: Richard S. Caliguiri City of Pittsburgh Great Race 10K, Pittsburgh. Run from Frick Park to Downtown. www.rungreatrace.com/10k

Oct. 3, 8 a.m.: Coop’s Loop Endurance Run, Beaver Falls. Individual or relay event at Brady’s Run Park. Run as many 2.1-mile loops as possible in 6 hours. runsignup.com/Race/PA/BeaverFalls/CoopsLoopEnduranceRun

Oct. 3, 7:30 a.m.: October Half Marathon, 10K Run and 5K Walk, Hollidaysburg. Part of Hollidaysburg YMCA Race Series. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Hollidaysburg/BlairRegionalYMCAOctoberHalfMarathonDistanceRaces

Oct. 3, 10 a.m.: Applefest 5K YMCA Race for Any Pace, Franklin. Also Tiny Trot 50-yard dash and Junior Jog 1-Mile. www.grovecityymca.org

Oct. 4, 9 a.m.: FAAP Fall Classic 20K, 10K and 5K, Gibsonia. Trail runs beginning at North Park’s Harmar Pavilion. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Gibsonia/FAAPFallClassicNorthPark

Oct. 10, 8:30 a.m.: Lyndora Historical Walk, Run, Roll 5K and 1-Mile Runs, Lyndora. Begins at new Lyndora Blue Fields. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Lyndora/LyndoraHistoricalWalkRunRoll5KAnd1MileFunRun

Oct. 10, 9 a.m.: Slippery Rock Community Library Halloween Hustle 5K Run and Walk and Half-mile Kids Fun Run, Slippery Rock. Run at Coopers Lake Campground. runsignup.com/Race/PA/SlipperyRock/SlipperyRockCommunityLibraryHalloweenHustle

Oct. 10, 9 a.m.: Mahoning Shadow Shuffle Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, and Kids Fun Run, Punxsutawney. All events run on rail trail. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Punxsutawney/PUNXSUTAWNEYMAHONINGSHADOWSHUFFLE

Oct. 11, 8 a.m.: Northern Ohio Half Marathon, 2-Person Relay and 5K, Mentor, OH. Starts at Headlands Beach State Park. runsignup.com/Race/OH/Mentor/NorthernOhioMarathon

Oct. 11, 9 a.m.: HAEE 5K Run/Walk, Hampton Township. Run at Hampton Community Park. runsignup.com/Race/PA/AllisonPark/HAEE5k

Oct. 17, 9 a.m.: 21st Annual Buffalo Creek Half Marathon, Cabot. Point-to-point on Butler-Freeport Rail Trail. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Cabot/BuffaloCreekHalfMarathon

Oct. 17, 8 a.m.: LECOM Costume Caper 5K Family Fun Run/Walk, Pittsburgh. Run on Riverfront Trail, part of Pittsburgh Monster Pumpkins Festival. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Pittsburgh/PittsburghLECOMCostumeCaper5k

Oct. 18, 9 a.m.: Preston Park 5K and 10K, Butler. Run either or both races on scenic trails. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Butler/PrestonPark5k

Oct. 24, 9 a.m.: North Ridge Nightmare, Trail Race, Allison Park. Choice of 6.66K or 13K on North Park trails. runsignup.com/Race/PA/AllisonPark/NorthRidgeNightmareTrailRace

Oct. 24, 10 a.m.: Run for your Life 5K Run/Walk, Kittanning. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Kittanning/KittanningRunforyourlife5k

Oct. 25, 9 a.m.: Halloween 5K and 1-Mile Fun Walk, Glenshaw. Run from Kiwanis Park. runsignup.com/Race/Events/PA/Glenshaw/Halloween5KAndFunWalk

Oct. 25, 3:20 p.m.: 16th Annual Great Pumpkin Race 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run, Zelienople. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Zelienople/8thAnnualGreatPumpkinRace

Hot to Trot 5K, July 18: Phillip Silvis, 1st Overall M, 18:41; Jacob Bischak, 3rd Overall M, 20:36; Emily Keir, 1st Overall W, 21:21; Samantha Croach, 2nd Overall W, 22:24; Mandy Matus, 3rd Overall W, 25:37; Eric Bergman, 2nd 30-39 M, 22:36; Cameron Sparks, 3rd 40-49 M, 22:39; Morgan Stull, 3rd 20-29 M, 24:25; Brett Nesbitt, 3rd 30-39 M, 25:00; Erin Hart, 1st 50-59 W, 25:47; Lauren Kampi, 1st 20-29 W, 25:48; Kellie Olaughlin, 1st 30-39 W, 25:49; Megan Rippin, 1st 40-49 W, 25:59; Addison Portman, 1st 19U W, 27:11; Reese Carrel, 2nd 19U W, 27:30; Britt Cranmer, 2nd 30-39 W, 29:06; Madison Hunt, 3rd 20-29 W, 29:58; Robin Portman, 3rd 30-39 W, 30:21; Olivia Scaglione, 3rd 19U W, 33:31; Anthony Sunseri, 1st 70+ M, 35:44; Nancy Luttrell, 1st 70+ W, 36:45; Jennifer McCurdy, 3rd 60-69 W, 40:30; Chase Scaglione, 3rd 19U M, 42:08; Kevin May, 22:45; Ed Kremmel, 27:45; Rick Olszewski, 29:30; Will Fisco, 29:35; Mike Holinda, 31:43; Derrek Jones, 32:09; Rowan Jones, 33:34; Michelle Burgess, 33:34; Jacob Mineweaser, 34:36; Bailey McCullough, 34:54; Joseph Vivirito, 34:54; John Shandor, 35:00; Brad Kriley, 37:34; Ben Gross, 38:34; Chuck Scaglione, 39:53; Lindsay Scaglione, 42:11; Emily Eldridge, 43:23; Kathi Burgess, 43:31; Deborah Takacs, 44:23; Samantha Jones, 49:13; Ashley Kruszewski, 50:09

Hot to Trot 1 Mile, July 18: Maddie Pierson, 1st Overall W, 6:37; Tyler Cranmer, 1st Overall M, 7:02; CeCe Pierson, 8:25; Skyler Joy, 8:27; Payton Olszak, 8:44; Charlotte Klatt, 8:47; Evan Olszak, 8:47; Rachael Dunmire, 9:41; Paige Volz, 9:41; John Shandor, 17:01; Darby Lawton, 17:03

Rube’s Run 5K, July 25: Chase Bowen, 1st Overall M, 15:17; Tessa Szymanski, 1st Overall W, 20:50; Julia Peterson, 3rd Overall W, 23:21; Douglas Basinski, 1st Masters M, 21:07; Erin Hart, 1st Masters W, 25:19; Tyler Crummy, 1st 40-49 M, 21:54; Vern Morrow, 1st 60-69 M, 22:07; Keaton Olsheski, 2nd 18-29 M, 23:01; Josh Tustin, 3rd 18-29 M, 23:21; Jeremy Peterson, 2nd 40-49 M, 23:22; David Snyder, 3rd 40-49 M, 23:22; Tim Sloan, 1st 50-59 M, 23:37; Jim Gallagher, 2nd 60-69 M, 24:14; Aaron McAfee, 1st 30-39 M, 25:03; Noah Zajac, 2nd 30-39 M, 25:18; Caleb Nichols, 1st 13-17 M, 26:26; Abigail Benninger, 2nd 30-39 W, 26:31; Bruce Soule, 2nd 50-59 M, 27:33; Hannah Plunkard, 1st 18-29 W, 27:46; Alex Tustin, 2nd 13-17 M, 28:01; Kayla Daugherty, 2nd 18-29 W, 28:26; Sarah Miller, 3rd 30-39 W, 28:30; Carrie Birckbichler-Smith, 1st 40-49 W, 28:56; Jack Bosiljevac, 1st 12U M, 29:33; Amy Nichols, 2nd 40-49 W, 29:54; Jessica Hamilton, 3rd 40-49 W, 29:58; Emelia Olsheski, 1st 12U W, 32:56; Renee Dambrosio, 1st 60-69 W, 33:16; Suzanne Schaefers, 3rd 50-59 W, 33:42; Robin Trinko, 2nd 60-69 W, 34:10; Sherree May, 3rd 60-69 W, 34:11; Anthony Sunseri, 2nd 70+ M, 34:31; Dave Plaisted, 3rd 30-39 M, 34:34; Louis Dechambre, 3rd 13-17 M, 39:22; Carol English, 1st 70+ W, 42:38; Kathy Shoaf, 2nd 70+ W, 44:48; Conrad Claycomb, 3rd 70+ M, 48:36; Claire Dechambre, 2nd 13-17 W, 1:02:52; Matthew Nichols, 23:53; Nicholas Stutz, 27:22; Eric Miller, 28:10; Zach Marra, 28:17; Josh Albert, 28:27; Jeremy Cameron, 28:42; Nathaniel Willison, 28:51; Adam Bosiljevac, 29:34; Megan Plunkard, 30:32; Christopher Olsheski, 32:57; Tom Tustin, 30:48; Kim Miller, 34:03; Rick Orlowski, 35:19; Alycia Brehm, 35:48; Ash McCrea, 35:48; Kate Zajac, 37:13; Pamela Beck, 37:17; Emily Cress, 38:54; Laura Benninger, 39:14; John Grenci, 40:44; Mark Schaefers, 44:40; Heidi Tustin, 45:35; Greg Ochaba, 48:31; Anderson Ross, 50:11; Dylan Nichols, 50:12; Grace Bickert, 54:57; Louise Phetteplace, 54:58; Cathy Maser, 54:59; John Snyder, 57:58; Joe Hays, 1:05:27; Madelyn Olsheski, 1:07:17; Lee Ann Kradel, 1:10:07; Brenda Davis, 1:10:07

Pat Neubert is a running columnist for the Butler Eagle. Send comments and suggestions: Patricia Neubert, phone 724-822-1577, email lotzak@consolidated.net