where are the most popular obstacle course races

Where: U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, Australia, New Zealand Though it strikes a more bellicose tone than most of its competitors, the Spartan Race is a global industry leader in obstacle racing.

Full Answer

Why are obstacle course races so popular?

Worth the Mud

• Spartan Race. Spartan Race has established itself as the leading race series for competitive athletes and participants interested in timed events.
• Tough Mudder. ...
• Zombie Mud Run. ...
• Warrior Dash. ...
• Ultimate Challenge MudRun. ...
• Camp Pendleton Mud Run. ...
• Muckfest MS. ...

What is the hardest Obstacle Course?

The Hardest Races in the World

1. World’s Toughest Mudder. Most twisted element: It’s 24 uninterrupted hours. ...
2. Tough Guy. Most twisted element: Participants run the race with a giant cross on their backs. ...
3. Spartan Death Race. ...
4. Antarctic Ice Marathon. ...
5. Badwater Ultra Marathon. ...
6. Run for Your Lives. ...
7. Columbia Muddy Buddy. ...
8. Race Across America. ...

How to properly prepare for an obstacle course race?

You should know:

• Whether you want to run a short race or long race
• How challenging the distance is for you right now
• Your basic level of fitness (how much training do you need to do?)
• Do you have the ability to complete the obstacles?

How to prep for your first obstacle course race?

• Check the address before you’re ready to set off. ...
• Check what you’re asked to bring, it may be a printed off waiver, or certain ID.
• Arrive in good time, parking and registration can take a while. ...
• Bring cash for parking, bag drops, and food/drinks.
• Don’t take anything unnecessary; credit cards you don’t need, jewellery, or anything else valuable. ...

More items...

What is the best obstacle course race?

7 Obstacle Course Races That Will Seriously Test Your Fitness of 7. Tough Mudder. Tough Mudder's slogan is "probably the toughest event on the planet," and for good reason. ... of 7. Spartan Race. ... of 7. Zombie Mud Run. ... of 7. Warrior Dash. ... of 7. Civilian Military Combine. ... of 7. GORUCK Challenge. ... of 7.

What is the hardest 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.

What is the longest obstacle course in the world?

The annual Rat Race in England claims to be the longest obstacle course in the world. You can dispute that superlative, but it still may be the most fun. The event takes place every year at Burghley House, pictured in background.

What is the easiest obstacle race?

The easiest obstacle course race is the 5k Foam Fest. This course is great for families and is filled with foam and inflatables. Some other easy obstacle course races are the Terrain Race and Epic series. These races are great for beginners or anyone wanting to try out an obstacle course race for the first time.

Is Tough Mudder or Spartan Race harder?

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.

What is Spartan Death race?

The race, created by Ultra athlete and Spartan Race founder Joe Desena, was developed as a way for athletes to test themselves both mentally and physically. The Death Races take place in the unexpectedly challenging terrain of the Green Mountains in and around Pittsfield, Vermont, and have lasted over 70 hours.

What is the World's Toughest Mudder?

World's Toughest Mudder is the most extreme, imposing, pulse-pounding, heart-stopping 24-hour obstacle course challenge on the planet. Set your goal. Make the commitment.

What is the hardest Mud Run?

1. World's Toughest Mudder. Most twisted element: It's 24 uninterrupted hours. In case you're not familiar, the Tough Mudder is a 10- to 12-mile challenge—they discourage the use of the word “race”—populated with military-style obstacles, most of which involve being drenched in freezing cold water.

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.

What is the toughest race on earth?

The World's 8 Toughest RacesBarkley Marathons. Category: Navigation. ... Western States Endurance Run. Categories: Elite competition and heat. ... Hardrock 100. Category: Elevation. ... Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) Category: Elevation and elite competition. ... Marathon des Sables. ... The Rut. ... Badwater 135. ... Mount Marathon Race.

Is Tough Mudder still popular?

More than 2.5 million people have taken part in Tough Mudder events across the globe since 2010. In Germany, participants for three events in 2016 totaled 34,000. Tough Mudder attaches particular importance to the fact that theirs is not a competitive but a team event.

How popular is Spartan Race?

Spartan Race The world's most popular obstacle race, with 900,000 participants in 130-plus events, is also one of its most challenging.

What is OCR racing?

Obstacle course racing (OCR) has boomed in recent years and every event will lay claim to being the biggest, the baddest and the best. From the original Tough Guy race, designed to be so hard few could make it through, the sport has developed and is now more about mass participation, with big players like Tough Mudder, Rat Race and Spartan dominating the scene.

How long is the tough mudder?

Tough Mudder is a name recognised by everyone. The flagship of the famous Tough Mudder events, this intense 24-hour race laps a five-mile (8km) course with one obstacle every quarter mile (400m) – including an ice-filled skip and a field of live wires with up to 10,000 volts of electricity.

What is the gateway race?

The “gateway race” for people who want to try obstacle racing: The Warrior Dash is a 5k mud run with the best after-party of all the obstacle races. Obstacles are designed to test an athlete’s physical and mental limits; however, you’re allowed to skip any obstacle without penalty and still receive a finisher’s medal. The only repercussion is that you’re disqualified from receiving any awards. Expect to have a lot of fun while getting covered in mud from head-to-toe.

How long is the Goruck Challenge?

“The GORUCK Challenge is a team event, never a race:” Lasting anywhere from 4 hours to 4 days, the GORUCK events test both physical and mental boundaries. Led by Special Operations Cadres who teach leadership skills and teamwork to all participants, you might start an event out as a random group of individuals, but you’ll transform into a tight-knit team by its end. There are no frills and no start line, and the only thing to prepare for is the unexpected. If you (and maybe your friends) want a unique challenge without the pressure of competition, this event is perfect for you.

What is an obstacle race?

Obstacle Races. Obstacle course events provide an amazing full body workout, by combining running with a range of physical challenges. They are also hugely enjoyable, even if they get tough at times.

What are the challenges of obstacle courses?

The most frequent challenges at these obstacle course events include swimming in ice baths, running through electric shocks, crawling below barbed-wire, climbing up and down walls, and many more. They also often involve a lot of mud.

Can you enter an obstacle course alone?

You can enter alone, but more commonly obstacle course events are done as part of a team. You will require assistance either from teammates or from kind stangers for several obstacles, so it's important that you're prepared to help those around you in return.

How many obstacles are there in Spartan Race?

Since the beginning, they had some basic race formats: Sprint (5K, with about 20 obstacles), Super (10K, with about 25 obstacles), and Beast (about 13 miles, with about 30 obstacles).

What is the Epic series obstacle challenge?

Epic’s motto of “more fun, less run” means you don’t have to be a Strongman to win, but a strong strength base will certainly help you complete the course.

How many miles is the Tough Mudder Classic?

Today, most of that still holds true, but there have been some changes along the way. There’s now the Tough Mudder Classic which is 8-10 miles and the Tough Mudder 5K. These “newbie versions” still give the wow factor of the original, with obstacles like Block Ness Monster and Everest.

How long is a tough mudder?

Tough Mudder. In the very beginning of obstacle races, Tough Mudder was 10 to 12 miles long and “probably the toughest race on the planet.”. Its start-line pledge included phrases like, “not a race, but a challenge” and promised that each runner would “put teamwork and camaraderie before my course time.”.

How to breathe life into running?

Here’s a way to breathe some new life into your running regimen: get prepared now for an obstacle run. These kinds of races take a regular running course and pepper them with obstacle stations—everything from monkey bars to penalty burpees—that challenge every muscle in your body. Think of obstacle races as happy blend of cardio ...

Do Spartan race directors mind bushwhacks?

Their race directors don’t mind making a gnarly bushwhack situation through the side of a mountain at any opportunity. Like most race series, the first heats of the day are for those competing for cash and prizes. However, at Spartan, even the everyday “open wavers” are asked to complete all obstacles.

Where are Obstacle Runs held?

Obstacle runs now take place among others in the Netherlands, France, and South Africa.

How many obstacles are there in a Beast Run?

A Beast run guarantees a total of 25 obstacles over more than 20 kilometers. A newly added category is the Ultra-Beast run, with more than 60 obstacles over more than 40 kilometers. There are also Junior Races for children. Approach: Runs are timed in the following three categories: Elite, Competitive, and Starter.

What are the three categories of runners?

Approach: Runs are timed in the following three categories: Elite, Competitive, and Starter. Only in the Elite category are participants not permitted to help their fellow runners over obstacles. Those who fail to overcome obstacles are required to do burpees as a punishment. Group registrations are also allowed.

How long is the Tough Mudder Half?

Distances: The original event is 16 to 18 kilometers long and contains more than 20 obstacles. 2017 Tough Mudder Half is launched: The eight to ten kilometer course leaves out extreme elements such as ice or electric currents. Further additions to the series of Tough Mudder competition events are timings and prize money.

How many people have participated in the tough mudder?

Tough Mudder. More than 2.5 million people have taken part in Tough Mudder events across the globe since 2010. In Germany, participants for three events in 2016 totaled 34,000. Tough Mudder attaches particular importance to the fact that theirs is not a competitive but a team event. It is a test of both endurance and team spirit, ...

What is a tough mudder called?

Special features: Tough Mudders who have already completed several events are called Legionaries. They are set apart from other runners through the color of their headbands (depending on how many runs they have completed) and are allowed to try out new obstacles and leave others out.

When was Muddy Angel Run?

The Muddy Angel Run was launched in 2016. This is a course for women who wish to run with or without their children (ages 12 and above welcome). Mud, water, foam and entertaining obstacles are the key characteristics of this course.

How many obstacles are there in Spartan Race?

There are over 20 obstacles to hurdle, and each of the three different courses are timed and vary in distance.

How long is the Savage Race?

Savage Race isn’t equipped for everyone, but it provides you with a good balance between work and fun. This course stretches six miles, and has 25 different obstacle courses that put you through hell. Whether you’re climbing over fences in water, or sprinting over a quarter pipe, this course has just about everything.

What is the zombie mud run?

The Zombie Mud Run is exactly what you think it is. Staged during a zombie apocalypse, this three-mile race will have you hurdling over both manmade and natural obstacles. Participants will wear a belt holding three flags representing three human organs: the heart, brain, and entrails.

How long is the tough mudder?

Tough Mudder offers nearly ten different races, most of which are over ten miles long. The race gives you a chance to test your physical endurance. These courses are crafted to overcome some of the most common human fears such as heights, fire, and getting covered in mud.

Find All Nearby Events

Based on your current location, and using the magic of the internet, click “Find All Nearby Events” below, or the button, and you'll automagically find events coming up in your area! Play around with the “Range” to narrow or widen your search!

Find Events Near A Particular Location

If you're the adventurous type, you may want to find races in another area of the world - so we've got that too! Just type in the name of a country, city, state, or even a venue! Guess what? You can still use the "Range" drop-down to narrow or widen your search! Enjoy!

Share My Event Results

Once you get those results, by all means share! With one click below, all your facebook friends will be race-shamed into joining you at any/all events. Victory is yours!