Obstacle races are the new rage in the fitness world: combining the grueling nature of military training with the fitness involved with long distance running, obstacles races are the new, mud-covered events people are signing up for in the thousands across the country during the summer months. Here are the five best obstacle races we could find in America:
Spartan Race - 500,000+ entrants/year
Combining the tough training regimens of the military, American Gladiator, and the Spartans, the Spartan Race collective presents the most grueling, physically draining challenges available. The shortest of these, the Spartan Sprint, typically runs about 3+ miles, has barbed wire, fire, and water strewn about the track, and is the “lightest” option they offer. The Super Spartan and Spartan Beast are 8+ and 10+ miles respectively with more than 30 obstacles each (not to mention the 26+ mile marathon edition, one of two marathon obstacle races in the United States).
hey’re the most physically challenging and surpass just about every other race on our list (only around 60% of the people who begin the Spartan Beast actually finish it). Don't miss an obstacle, either: anyone caught skipping an obstacle has to do thrity burpees on the spot – and everyone gets to fight with Gladiators before crossing the finish line. Not for the weak-hearted, or those not in the best shape of their lives - if you think you're ready to handle it, grab a Spartan Race coupon and sign up for the next local event. (Note: NBC will be airing Spartan Race in September, so those interested can check it out on their local network).
Tough Mudder - 460,000+ entrants/year
By their own definition, the Tough Mudder is not a race – it's one of the most challenging events in the world, full of dangerous obstacles (live wires with 10,000 volts of power, anyone?) to encourage racers to work together to complete what some consider the hardest race on this list.
With 25+ obstacles (including a dumpster full of ice water people have to swim across) and 10-12 miles of grueling terrain awaiting, the Tough Mudder earns its name and reputation with the daunting, extremely dangerous challenges it presents (another great one is the Funky Monkey: monkey bars slick with mud and butter that run over an ice-cold pit of water).
Warrior Dash - 700,000+ entrants/year
The Spartan Races and Tough Mudder are for experts only: those looking to dip their feet into the waters of obstacle racing should check out the Warrior Dash, a 5K race that is more about the after party than the actual race. Skipping obstacles doesn't incur any phsyical penalties (it just disqualifies racers from winning special individual awards); the course is more about fun for beginners than pushing people to the extremes of their physical and mental limits. Short and full of mud, this is just a race about having fun - beginners looking to get muddy can grab a Warrior Dash promo code and save big on their first 'dash'.
Survival Race - 30,000+ entrants/year
The race for “former couch potatoes”, The Survival Race is the most family-oriented event around, designed to help a generation of people living in front of the TV and computer a reason to get out and enjoy some sweat and sunshine (but before leaving that computer, check out all our obstacle course coupons). It has its mental and physical challenges, but the idea of The Survival Race is to get those from “9 to 99” up off the sofa and into nature, for a little running, obstacle conquering – and of course, getting covered in dirt and sweat. A great option for those getting back into shape, as a way to test your growing level of fitness.
Run For Your Lives – 100,000+ entrants/year
Ever wanted to feel like you were in a horror movie? Then sign up for Run For Your Lives, a race where people dressed as zombies chase you from beginning to end, hiding behind obstacles and appearing out of nowhere to try and steal the three life flags of each competitor. The goal is to make it to the end with at least one left: and when you've arrived, a huge festival with food, DJ's and beer are awaiting. Got a group of friends looking to get dirty over the weekend? Find a coupon code on our dedicated obstacle race page, then head over and sign up for the harrowing, post-apocolyptic race: nothing says “getting into shape” than sprinting through a maze, trying to outrun the bloodthirsty undead chasing you.
sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tough_Mudder
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warrior_Dash
http://toughmudder.com/press-room/tough-mudder-facts-and-figures/
