Running with (through and over!) Obstacles
On the Run
By Clint Cherepa
Now is the time to jump into an obstacle event. You will be challenged mentally and physically while having the time of your life. The availability of races is growing and it is getting easier to find one close to home. But not all obstacle events are the same.
We’ve come up with six classics to tempt your inner competitor.
Warrior Dash
The Warrior Dash is considered more of an obstacle course than a race. Still, it is a good entry into the world of obstacle races, as there are no penalties for missed obstacles. Expect to crawl through mud, leap over fire, climb cargo ropes and come face to face with other obstacles as you try to cover the 5k course.
You will leave the course with mud and memories, along with a stomach full of food and drinks. Don’t forget to bring home your warrior helmet, and the pride that comes with finishing the Dash.
Dates: July 19, Bonney Lake, Wash.; Sept. 6, North Plains, Ore.
More info: www.warriordash.com
Tough Mudder
The Tough Mudder organizers believe in these three facts:
- Marathon running is boring.
- Mudders do not take themselves too seriously.
- You cannot complete a Tough Mudder course alone.
The Tough Mudder deems itself not as a race, but a challenge. Each course is different. You can expect to be challenged by a dumpster full of ice, crossing a field of hanging live wires full of electricity and running up quarter pipes that are covered in mud and grease.
Teamwork is vital as you cover the 10 –12 miles that will test you psychologically and physically.
If you take home a top finish you could be granted qualification for another event, “The World’s Toughest Mudder.”
Dates: June 21–22, Whistler, BC;
Aug. 9–10, Portland, Ore.;
Sept. 27–28, Black Diamond, Wash.
More info: www.toughmudder.com
World’s Toughest Mudder
If you happen to have the guts and grit to finish at the top of a Tough Mudder you can qualify for the World’s Toughest Mudder. Competitors run a Tough Mudder loop course as many times as possible during a 24-hour time period.
Organizers warn, “before you consider entering World’s Toughest Mudder, you must understand that only those in peak PHYSICAL and MENTAL condition should even think about this. The event will push you beyond your limits and is not for the weak of mind and body.”
The Toughest Mudder is the one who completes the most loops, and will receive $10,000.
Date: Late autumn, location to be determined
More info: www.toughmudder.com
Spartan Race
Spartan Race courses can be anywhere from 3 miles to 13 miles. Depending on race distances, events can last from 30 minutes to five or six hours. The races are held on a variety of terrains, from paintball parks to ski slopes. Your endurance will be tested as you haul logs, run through a gauntlet of gladiators trying to knock you down, and count pennies while sleep deprived.
Their goal is simple, “to get you off the couch, throw you in the mud and trails, and feed you one tough endurance event day that will be the adrenalin rush of your life.”
It is suggested that newcomers start with the Spartan Sprint, then move on to the Super Spartan and finish with the Spartan Beast. If you complete all three levels, you have officially completed the Spartan Trifecta.
Dates: May 10, Flathead Lake, Mont.; June 14, Vancouver, BC; Aug. 2, Washougal, Wash.; Sept. 27 & 28, Sun Peaks, BC
More info: www.spartanrace.com
GORUCK Challenge
This team event can go from four hours to four days. The challenge is led by Special Operation Cadres who will instill teamwork and leadership. Organizers stress that the GORUCK is a challenge and not a race.
Success hinges on working as a team as groups of 30 participants complete mental and physical feats.
According to the GORUCK website, to ruck is to move with a rucksack, and implies action, energy and purpose.
It is a unique challenge that calls for adaptability and humility.
Dates: May 2, Sept. 19, Portland, Ore.; May 9, June 13, July 4, Aug. 29, Sept. 19, Seattle, Wash.; May 9, July 4, Boise, Idaho; May 30, Missoula, Mont.; Sept. 19, Bozeman, Mont.; Sept. 19, Anchorage, Alaska; Oct. 10, Dec. 12, Bellevue, Wash.; Oct. 24, Bend, Ore.
More info: www.goruckchallenge.com
Mud Factor
The Mud Factor is a “seriously fun” 5K mud run. They call themselves the “Misfit” of mud runs because there is no keeping score, no first or last place—just thousands of people playing in the mud. This is the kind of obstacle race for the whole family. They also have a MF Kidz program for 4 –13 years.
One nice aspect of this obstacle race is that the impediments are meant to be fun for everyone. If you feel you are unable to accomplish an obstacle, you can skip it.
Dates: June 8, Anchorage, Alaska; Aug. 10, Sumner, Wash.
More info: www.mudfactor.com
Give your running and training a new twist with an obstacle course event this year. There is no denying that they are a great way to add some spark and fun into your running.
Clint Cherepa is the Running Columnist for OutdoorsNW. He is currently in Nicaragua, where he has been busy ultramarathon-training and working on a new venture: www.strongerrunners.com
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