how big is the obstacle course racing market

What is obstacle course racing?

Obstacle course racing (OCR) is a sport in which a competitor, traveling on foot, must overcome various physical challenges in the form of obstacles. Races vary from mostly obstacles such as obstacle courses like Ninja Warrior "Ninja Races", to track races, to urban and cross country events.

How many people run obstacle races each year?

According to Obstacle Race World: The State of the Mud Run Business, 4.2 million people worldwide participated in an obstacle race in 2014. This number is expected to grow to upwards of 5 million by the end of 2015.

How many obstacles are there in a half marathon?

These organizations put on OCRs that cover distances between three and 30 miles with the addition of up to 35 obstacles along the way. In some of the most intense races, participants might be asked to army crawl under live electrical wire or carry 60-pound sandbags up a ski slope in the middle of running a half marathon.

Are obstacle courses making marathons loneliness worse?

While marathons are not inherently communal, obstacle course races show that the loneliness of the long-distance runner need not be a chronic condition of the sport. Consider also that while marathon participation is on the decline, Running USA reports that relay races have been growing in participation over the last decade.

How much do professional obstacle course runners make?

Even Brit Jonathon Albon — who made more than $82,000 as an obstacle-course racing (OCR) professional in 2016, including a $50,000 one-day payout on the top World's Toughest Mudder team — is getting a part-time job “to give my week some structure and help my Norwegian learning,” he told GrindTV.

Who is the best obstacle course racer?

How much are the top racers in the obstacle racing world making? Nicole Mericle won more obstacle racing prize money that any one else in 2019. This is a massive jump from 7th on our 2018 list with $27,000.

How many people participate in Spartan races?

Spartan is: America's Fastest growing Lifestyle Sport with 450,000+ U.S. Partici- pants (7,000-15,000+ participants per race), 200,000+ annual spectators, 10,000+ Spartan TRIFECTA finishers and a highly engaged Social Media Community of 5MM+ Strong.

What is the toughest obstacle course in the world?

The Spartan Death Race is arguably the most difficult obstacle course race in the world. This race is so difficult that many times, only about 10% of the participants actually finish the race. This highly unpredictable race takes place in Pittsfield, Vermont and the course varies from year to year.

Do Spartan racers make money?

Spartan gives the top elite male and female finishers at its world championship a $15,000 cash prize. McIntyre, the professional obstacle racer, wouldn't say exactly how much he makes annually nabbing podiums. But he says rockstars who compete throughout the year can rake in six figures.

Can you make money doing Spartan races?

Few endurance sports offer anyone a shot to make $1 million for 3 races. But Spartan has raised the stakes by offering the Spartan $1 Million Trifecta. Any Spartan in 2018 who takes 1st place in all three Spartan World Championships in the Elite category will take home $1 million USD.

Who owns Spartan Race?

Joe De SenaJoe De Sena (born January 2, 1969) is the CEO and founder of Spartan and the Death Race.

What's harder Tough Mudder or Spartan?

Participants also say that Tough Mudder obstacles tend to be more creative and fun, while the Spartan obstacles are more physically challenging. You're also allowed to skip obstacles during a Tough Mudder race, while doing so during a Spartan race will cost you 30 burpees.

Did Spartan buy Tough Mudder?

Spartan Race acquired Tough Mudder, which had been forced into involuntary bankruptcy proceedings, in February 2020. Spartan Race purchased Tough Mudder assets for $700,000 and the assumption of debts, including honoring prepaid tickets, which was approved by the bankruptcy court for the District of Delaware.

What is the easiest obstacle race?

The 5k Foam Fest is the easiest, all the way down to Spartan Race Sprint as the hardest “beginner-friendly” races. If you're looking for a good reason to get muddy and experience a challenging obstacle course race (the cool kids say “OCR”), our best suggestion is to start with Warrior Dash or Rugged Maniac.

What is Spartan Death race?

The hallmark of the Spartan Death Race, which requires athletes to run distances of up to 50 miles on hilly trails in rural Vermont, is the assortment of challenging, quirky, and sometimes absurd tasks required of its participants. The race's tasks center on a theme, and this year's theme was religion.

Is Spartan Beast hard?

A Spartan Beast is 12-13 miles with about 37 Obstacles. Running is the easy part. I drove about 8 hours down to Spartanburg, South Carolina, and checked into my hotel -immediately seeing people covered in dust and mud.

When was the first obstacle course race?

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 Sunday 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.

What is OCR in racing?

Obstacle course racing (OCR) is a sport in which a competitor, traveling on foot, must overcome various physical challenges in the form of obstacles. Races vary from mostly obstacles such as obstacle courses like Ninja Warrior "Ninja Races", to track races, to urban and cross country events.

What is the toughest mudder?

The final event of the Tough Mudder season is the World's Toughest Mudder. This is a 24-hour event in which competitors will run a shorter Tough Mudder course that has much more intense obstacles than a normal Tough Mudder and is designed to be more grueling as well. The goal for a participant in World's Toughest Mudder is to complete as many laps as possible within a 24 hours period. The athletes (solo male, solo female, team) who complete the most laps are declared the World's Toughest Mudder. The top male and female each receive $10,000 and the top team receives $12,000 (total).

What was the first OCR?

Muddy Buddy (1999 - 2010) was the first national OCR series in the United States emphasising man made obstacles and mud. Unlike later OCRs it included a bike leg, making it a "ride and run" OCR. The event series was produced by Competitor Group and sponsored by Columbia in later years. Muddy Buddy ultimately went out of business under pressure from Tough Mudder and Warrior Dash which had simpler run-obstacle formats.

What are obstacles in the military?

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 distance and difficulty, often combining trail running, road running, and cross country running.

What is OCR in sports?

An obstacle racer, dressed in costume, crawls through a mud pit topped with barbed wire. A girl gets over an obstacle in a mud run. Obstacle course racing (OCR) is a sport in which a competitor, traveling on foot, must overcome various physical challenges in the form of obstacles.

When did the rough runner start?

Rough Runner. Launching in the UK in 2015 as a reaction to the hard-core image created by the multitude of tough, military-style obstacle events, Rough Runner introduced an event with multiple distance options to cater to a wider array of fitness levels with a 5 km, 10 km and 15 km course to choose from.