Obstacle racing

An obstacle racer, dressed in costume, crawls through a mud pit topped with barbed wire.

Obstacle racing is a sport in which a competitor, traveling on foot, must overcome various physical challenges that are in the form of obstacles. Mud and trail runs are combined and the races are designed to result in mental and physical collapse.^[1] Obstacles include, but are not limited to, climbing over walls, carrying heavy objects, traversing bodies of water, crawling under barbed wire, and jumping through fire. Many obstacles are similar to those used in military training, while others are unique to obstacle racing and are employed throughout the course to test endurance, strength, speed and, dexterity. Races vary in both distance and challenge level, combining trail running, road running, and cross country running.^[2] With race venues typically in large cities, organizers encourage athletes of all types to participate. According to the Los Angeles Times in 2012, the number of events—typically all-day festivals—rose rapidly. In accordance with the sub-culture's fast rate of growth, the Obstacle Race Magazine was launched.^[3]

Adventure racing

The terms “obstacle racing” and “adventure racing” are often used interchangeably, but in reality, the disciplines are very different. The main similarities between the two are that both involve challenges (presented as obstacles) and both involve a running component. Adventure racing differs from obstacle racing in that the disciplines of swimming, mountain biking, orienteering, climbing, kayaking, etc. along with the hardships of sleep deprivation, limited nutrition, and team dynamics add to the difficulty of the event.

Obstacle courses

The key difference between an obstacle race and an obstacle course event is that the first is presented as a competitive race, the latter is not. In an obstacle race, competitors are timed and held to a strict standard of performance; when a task cannot be completed, penalty exercises such as burpees are assigned. Unlike obstacle racers, obstacle course participants are free to skip certain challenges as they please. Obstacle course events are often not timed (or allow participants to self-time).

Mud Runs

Mud runs are often confused with obstacle races. Mud runs may or may not contain obstacles, because the events tend to focus more on fitness and muddiness. These events also tend to be less competitive. Obstacle and adventure racers often use mud run courses as training grounds because the conditions and terrain found at these events are similar.

History

From the stadion, the oldest event of the Olympic Games, to the contemporary era steeplechase, obstacles of some sort have been presented to athletes for thousands of years. The concept of using obstacles for an endurance event is a contemporary phenomenon. It widely thought that Tough Guy is the oldest obstacle course race, with the first race in 1989.^[4]

In 2011, approximately one million people registered to participate in obstacle racing events in the United States (US) alone.^[5]

Training

Because obstacle racing involves a balance of speed, strength, and endurance, training for events can vary greatly from traditional approaches to fitness. While running is the main component of an obstacle race, runners need to have a balance of endurance and total-body strength. Functional, total-body exercises (rather than isometric, concentration exercises) are recommended to enhance strength. The "burpee" is a favorite exercise among obstacle racers because it engages the lower body, core, and upper body all in one fluid movement. With events ranging from 30 minutes to 5 hours, athletes must be accustomed to maintaining an increased heart rate.

Community

A magazine was launch in the United Kingdom in 2013 called Obstacle Race Magazine which was based around obstacle racing and it's community, their Facebook page brought together obstacle racers from all over the globe. Several teams (MudRunFun, Weeple Army, Azn Armour) have very large member-bases. After reaching 25,000 nationally, MudRunFun (http://www.mudrunfun.com) has changed their philosophy from being a team to acting as the go-to community for mud run and obstacle course races. Evidence of this appears around the web with multiple Meetup and Facebook groups. MudRunFun produces the only Android, iPhone and Facebook apps within the industry.

Notable events

Tough Guy

First staged in 1987, Tough Guy claims to be the first official and toughest obstacle course race in the world. It is held on the last Saturday in January in Perton, Staffordshire, UK. The race is held twice a year in winter and summer. The winter event requires competitors to compete in near freezing temperatures and contend with ice and snow. The 2013 event was won by Knut Höhler^[4][6]

Spartan Race

Spartan Race was founded in 2009 by Joe Desena, Mike Morris, Andy Weinberg, Selicia Sevigny, Richard Lee, Brian Duncanson, Shaun Bain, and Noel Hanna. The first Spartan Race was held in Williston, Vermont in 2010.

Course

Spartan Race courses vary in distance and difficulty from 3+ mile “Sprint” courses, to 8+ mile “Super” courses, to the 13+ mile “Spartan Beast”. Average finishing times for the events range from 30 minutes to 6 hours, depending on the particular course and fitness level of the racer. Race venues have included ski slopes, state parks, paint ball parks, and more. Any competitor who completes all three race distances is said to have completed the Spartan Trifecta. The Spartan Beast, which is held in Killington, VT serves as the Championship event each year, with a $20,000 prize purse.

Event features

All finishers receive a medal. The top three male and female competitors in each event receive swords, helmets, and shields – each a replica of equipment from the movie 300. At a Spartan Race, each event concludes with a “Gladiator Arena” in which a racer must run through a series of gladiators with pugil sticks, seeking to knock them down.

Peak Races/Death Race

Spartan Race's parent company, Peak Races, has hosted extreme events, most notably The Death Race. Most people who participate in the Death Race do not finish and the Death Race may last multiple days.

Spartan Race World Championship

The first Spartan Race World Championship was held in December 2011 in Glen Rose, Texas. It is an eight-mile Spartan Race course comprising 36 obstacles and includes a USD$20,000 prize purse. Beginning in 2012, the Spartan Race World Championships will be held annually in Killington, Vermont.

A costumed competitor in the 2012 North Texas Warrior Dash celebrates winning best costume on one day of the event.

Tough Mudder

In 2010, Tough Mudder's first event was held in May 2010. The Tough Mudder is not technically a race, but they do record the top finishers in order to grant them qualification into another event, “The World's Toughest Mudder.”

Course

Tough Mudder courses are between 10 and 12 miles and contain various military style obstacles.

World's Toughest Mudder

Top finishers in a regular Tough Mudder event qualify for the World's Toughest Mudder. This is a 24+ hour event in which competitors will run a Tough Mudder course as many times possible within a 24 hours period. The athlete who completes the most loops is declared the World's Toughest Mudder. The winning male and female each receive $10,000.

Atlas Race

In 2013, the first Atlas Race event was held in September. Atlas Race is an obstacle racing series offering events designed to challenge people of all athletic abilities. The company was founded by obstacle racing enthusiasts who wanted to share their passion for obstacle racing with the world.^[7]

Course

Atlas Race courses are between 4 miles (6.4 km) and 12 miles (19 km), and contain fun and challenging human-made and nature-based obstacles, as well as difficult terrain. Atlas Race also offers events designed for younger children known as the Atlas Kids Race.

Warrior Dash

History

The Warrior Dash was founded in 2010. Because Warrior Dash does not assign penalties for skipped obstacles, it is often considered an obstacle course event rather than a race. While Warrior Dash does not meet all the requirements to be considered a race, organizers do award their top finishers with non-cash prizes. All finishers receive a “warrior helmet” – a hat with two spikes.

Course

As a shorter event, winning times for a Warrior Dash may be as short as 15 minutes. While Warrior Dash features many of the same obstacles found at other races such as mud crawls, water features, and cargo net climbs.

Superhero Scramble

Founded in June 2011, Superhero Scramble is a superhero themed obstacle race series that has several levels of races where participants and spectators are encouraged to dress up in superhero costumes. Their tagline is "It's Not Just A Race, It's An Adventure".^[8]

Course

Superhero Scramble courses vary in distance and difficulty from 4+ mile “Charger” courses, to 8+ mile “Intimidator” courses, to 13+ mile (half marathon) “Villain”, to the 26+ mile (marathon) "Super Villain."^[9] Projected finishing times for their events range from as quick as 30 minutes to as long as 12 hours. Race venues have included ski slopes, state parks, paint ball parks, off-road parks, and more. Any competitor who completes all three race distances within a 12 month period is eligible to receive special designation as a "Superhero Legend."

HARD CHARGE

HARD CHARGE was founded in 2012 and held its inaugural race in Park City, KS in April 2013. It is the first televised obstacle course racing series that airs throughout the US.

Course

HARD CHARGE courses are 4-5 miles in length and have over 20 obstacles.^[10]

OCR World Championships

The sport's first independent World Championship will take place on October 25th & 26th in Cincinnati, Ohio. ^[11]

See also

References

Further reading

• "Firefighters Design Public Challenge Course". Gazette/Washington Post. Retrieved February 12, 2012. 
• "Obstacle Racing A New Fitness Trend". CBS Channel 6, Albany (Video). Retrieved December 22, 2011. 
• "'Obstacle racing' is taking off". Canadian Running. December 15, 2011. Retrieved December 22, 2011. 

External links

• Mud and Adventure - world wide mud run and obstacle race event directory
• Racing Tough community, event listing, and training for all obstacle challenges and events
• Obstacle Racers Australia – online directory and magazine devoted to all things obstacle racing Down Under
• Muddy Race – the first UK obstacle race website with event listings and articles
• Obstacle Racing Media - USA obstacle racing news and information resource