Event Brings Thousands to East Valley to Compete

MESA, Arizona/September 15, 2012 / –Eastmark, DMB Associates’ newest community, today announced a five-year partnership with the endurance race series, Tough Mudder. The 12-mile endurance challenge is the ultimate test of strength, grit, stamina and camaraderie.

“Eastmark is the perfect location for Tough Mudder and we are delighted to host these athletes for these weekend events. This development was home to General Motor’s Desert Proving operations, where for decades the company tested the limits of their cars. Tough Mudder will test the mettle of more than 7,000 participants in February during their two-day event,” said Dea McDonald, DMB senior vice president and Eastmark’s general manager.

Last year, Tough Mudder selected Eastmark, for its first event in Arizona and now Eastmark has committed to a five-year agreement with the Tough Mudder organizers to annually, and potentially bi-annually, host the endurance events on site.

Eastmark, a 3,200 acre community located in the heart of the Gateway area, has thousands of acres that will be developed in the future. In the meantime, community events like this are a great fit for Eastmark and for the City of Mesa. The endurance race is an incredible spectator event for the East Valley. Designed by British Special Forces, Tough Mudder features more than 20 military-style obstacles, such as “Funky Monkey,” greased-up monkey bars; “Fire Walker,” a run through 4-foot-high flames; and “Electroshock Therapy,” a gauntlet of 10,000-volt-charged dangling wires. The event brought more than 7,500 athletes to Mesa in 2012 and thousands of spectators over two days, adding to the local economy.

“We support Tough Mudder’s partnership with and commitment to the Wounded Warrior Project,” said McDonald. “In addition, we have dedicated some of the funds from Tough Mudder to local East Valley community organizations including Mesa United Way as part of our on-going commitment to this region and its families.”

About Eastmark:
At five square miles (3,200 acres), Eastmark is a vibrant, integrated and evolving regional community poised as “The Heart and Hub of the East Valley.” Eastmark sits at the center of a major transportation hub anchored by the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, three major freeways, numerous businesses and acclaimed educational institutions. An expansive 100-acre Great Park connects residential areas, resort components, employment cores, recreational spaces and commerce. Eastmark is the largest privately held, contiguous property in the Southeast Valley. www.Eastmark.com.

About Tough Mudder:
Founded in 2010, Tough Mudder is the nation’s fastest-growing and most-recognized endurance series. In 2011, Tough Mudder hosted 14 events and has expanded to 35 events in 2012 in the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia. Unlike other traditional endurance events or mud runs, Tough Mudder events are designed by British Special Forces to offer a 12-mile trail-running experience like no other. Located outside major metropolitan cities, courses are based on rugged terrain, featuring steep inclines and water hazards, highlighted by 25 to 30 military-style obstacles testing one’s fitness, strength, stamina, mental grit, teamwork and toughness.

Tough Mudder has raised over $3.5 million for the Wounded Warrior Project to date. Wounded Warrior Project is a non-profit organization aimed at helping American servicemen and servicewomen who have been severely injured in combat. http://toughmudder.com/events/arizona-2013/

Tough Mudder – Arizona: Saturday, February 23 & Sunday February 24, 2013