22 replies to this topic

[Trlicek's Whip]

I didn't see a dedicated thread for these types of events and wanted to break it out from Running Dogs, since I'm not in the marathon/half-marathon stages of my career.

As the thread title suggests, usually these events are 5K or longer trail races that incorporate a dozen or more physical obstacles laced throughout the course. Think FULL METAL JACKET or OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN; quite a few of these races are designed by former military personnel so often borrow similar obstacles. Many obstacles jerk you out of your comfort zone (claustrophobia, barbed wire, heights, mud, water).

If anyone has run these in the past, feel free to post tips, pics, stories, or progress reports here. I'm just getting into this world and really love it so far.

Last year I got off my ass and started exercising, hitting the gym, and going to boot camp fitness classes. This year to avoid plateauing my New Year's resolution was to participate in three "adventure" style races in 2012. Like the crossfit explosion, these adventure/obstacle races are cropping up all over the country

These races are also more social in that they are usually capped by an optional outdoor party post-race - a festival atmosphere with beer, food, live music, and usually the option to camp out in the area with the participants.

Last weekend I completed my first race of this type, and had a blast.



RUN FOR YOUR LIVES is a zombie-themed 5K obstacle race. So in addition to running through mud and in forest and over/under obstacles, you wear a flag-football harness with three "health" flags. Other participants registered as "zombies" lurch along the trails, trying to grab your flags. If you lose all your flags, you are "dead." The survival rate for the entire weekend was only 20%.

The event took place in Amesbury, MA (at the old ski slope), and 7200 people participated over the two days in heats of 250-300 every half-hour. This race was light on physical obstacles - but that was counteracted by the hundreds of zombies on the course that caused a lot of zig-zagging routes, adding time and effort.

Running on terrain - mud, uneven ground, and especially hills - after exclusive treadmill training really is a sea change. My biggest "tweak" for future races (including a Spartan Race next month) is to increase my cardio endurance.

Edited by Trlicek's Whip, 10 May 2012 - 04:12 PM.

[Trlicek's Whip]

My next race is the Spartan Race in June - one of the most established obstacle races of the "genre" which I think has been around the longest. They host races all over the country and also in the UK, year round.

They have varying lengths - the Sprint is the traditional 5K with 15+ different obstacles (which is what I'll be doing).

You can upgrade to a Super Spartan, which is 8+ miles and 20+ obstacles. They also have a Beast, which is 12+ miles and 25+ obstacles (comparable to another popular race in this format the TOUGH MUDDER). They also host a unique Death Race once a year, which is a 48+ hour no-joke event with only a 10% completion rate.

They just added a special "one-time only" Spartan Race event which will take place in Fenway Park on November 17. It's a Time Trial, so it's only a 1 mile obstacle course and is geared more towards finishing fast instead of slogging through mud. It's an awesome way to see Fenway, it's easier to jump into than a 5K or higher. I'm planning on signing up for this one too.

[Trlicek's Whip]

Finally, I wanted to post this 2012 Schedule of Adventure Race/Mudder events that are taking place in the Northeast. I didn't see any one place they all lived, so started a Google doc to compile them.

If anyone has more to add, PM me or I can send you a link to the doc for DIY edits.

2012 Schedule of Adventure Runs & Obstacle Races in the Northeast

8/11/2012 - 8/12/2012	Warrior Dash 5K	New York	Windham Mountain, 33 Clarence D Lane Road, Windham, NY 12496	$75 by 6/17 + $85 by 7/30	http://warriordash.com/
6/16/2012	Rock Solid Mud Run	New Jersey	Raceway Park; 230 Pension Road, Englishtown, NJ 07726	Fees not listed	http://www.rocksolidmudrun.com/
8/25/2012	The Survival Race - 5K mud run	New Jersey	380 Mt. Airy Road, New Windson, NY 12553	$50 by 6/25 + $60 by 8/18	http://thesurvivalrace.com/
9/8/12 - 9/9/12	Spartan Race - SUPER Spartan (8+ miles)	Tri-State - New Jersey	Mountain Creek Waterpark, 200 Route 94, Vernon, NJ 07462	$113 by 5/8 + $119 by 6/8 + $125 by 7/8 + $131 by 8/8 + $138 by 8/22 + $145 by 9/5	http://www.spartanrace.com/
9/8/2012	The Survival Race - 5K mud run	Long Island (NY)	TBD	TBD	http://thesurvivalrace.com/
9/8/2012	Dirty Girl - Female-only 5K Mud Run	Upstate NY - Buffalo	Kissing Bridge Ski Area, 10296 State Rd Glenwood, NY 14069-9623	$75 by 9/5	http://www.godirtygirl.com/
9/15/2012	Warrior Dash 5K	New England - New Hampshire	Gunstock Mountain Resort, 719 Cherry Valley Road, Guilford, NH 03249	$60 by 7/22 + $70 by 9/3	http://warriordash.com/
9/30/2012	Merrill Down & Dirty - 5K	New York	Pelham Bay Park @ Orchard Beach, Bronx, NY 10461	$55 by 7/22 + $60 by 9/9 + $65 after 9/9	http://www.downanddirtymudrun.com/
9/30/2012	Merrill Down & Dirty - 10K	New York	Pelham Bay Park @ Orchard Beach, Bronx, NY 10461	$65 by 7/22 + $70 by 9/9 + $75 after 9/9	http://www.downanddirtymudrun.com/
10/20/2012 - 10/21/2012	Tough Mudder - 12 miles	Tri-State - New Jersey	Raceway Park; 230 Pension Road, Englishtown, NJ 07726	$135 by 6/31 + $145 by 7/31 + $155 by 8/31 + $180 9/1-10/7	http://toughmudder.com/
10/27/2012	Run For Your Lives - Zombie-themed 5K	Maryland	Camp Ramblewood, 2564 Silver Road, Darlington, MD 21034	$77 by 9/12 + $87 by 10/12	http://runforyourlives.com/
11/3/12 - 11/4/12	Hardcore Mudd Run - 5K "Warmup" Race (starting in 2013 this will be a 12 mile race)	New England - Massachusetts	Jiminy Peak Mt. Resort, 37 Corey Road, Hancock, MA 01237	$65 by 7/2 + $75 by 10/1 + $85 after 10/1	http://www.hardcoremuddrun.com/
11/17/2012	Spartan Race - TIME TRIAL at Fenway Park - One-time only 1 mile obstacle race that takes place inside Fenway Park	New England - Boston, MA	Fenway Park, 4 Yawkey Way, Boston, MA 02215	$100 by 5/17 + $110 by 6/17 + $115 by 7/17 + $120 by 8/18 + $125 by 9/17 + $130 by 10/17 + $140 by 10/31 + $150 by 11/9	http://www.spartanra...print-2012.html

Edited by Trlicek's Whip, 09 May 2012 - 10:23 AM.

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[savage362]

I ran the Warrior Dash in Amesbury last year. Acquired large amount of poison ivy from that one, as did many other people who ran. I've also talked to people who didn't get it at all. I've since noticed Warrior Dash did not return there this year, instead opting for a few different locations in the northeast (NH & CT).

I just ran the Tough Mudder at Mount Snow, VT this past weekend. It was without a doubt, the toughest event I've done, just based on elevation climb for the course. The obstacles added to it.

I'm registered for the Warrior Dash in New York in August. I'm hoping it will take the sour taste out of my mouth from my first Warrior Dash experience. I enjoyed the first one, but the poison ivy put a real damper on it.

[Trlicek's Whip]

We didn't do any off-trail running unless it was 100% muddy slogging - but there was no brush or uncleared areas to tromp through, so there wasn't poison ivy risk last weekend.

Incidentally, 2011 was the first time that Warrior Dash was at Amesbury/Massachusetts. It was only at Windham Ski Slope in 2010. This year it returns to Windham, so it's likely they've gotten the kinks worked out if any. I also suspect that since it's at a ski resort that there is less a chance of that happening, even in the forested areas. Amesbury isn't the worst place to host one, but it's pretty much all off-road outside of the hill to start and finish it.

[TallerThanPedroia]

I'd love to hear more about how that zombie run worked in practice.

Races like these are one of the reasons I want to hurry up and BQ already, because I'm too skittish to do them before I do. A friend of mine broke her tailbone sliding down a muddy slope and hitting a hidden rock. Ouch!

[Kremlin Watcher]

I would love to do a Tough Mudder but am ultra-paranoid about injury. I have made it now almost six months' solid Ironman training without a serious injury (a record for me); I just know that if I were to do one of these, I'd go too hard and twist my ankle or wrench a knee. Maybe next year.

[Trautwein's Degree]

I would love to do a Tough Mudder but am ultra-paranoid about injury. I have made it now almost six months' solid Ironman training without a serious injury (a record for me); I just know that if I were to do one of these, I'd go too hard and twist my ankle or wrench a knee. Maybe next year.

One of the daily mile people was pretty badly injured at one of these races. She was jumping over some fire and there was a log on the otherside. She landed on the log and rolled her ankle. She did get a great pic of it about to happen:

Edited by Trautwein's Degree, 10 May 2012 - 08:39 AM.

[Trautwein's Degree]

That's what her ankle looked like. Fall marathon in Chicago - cancelled.

[Trlicek's Whip]

I'd love to hear more about how that zombie run worked in practice.

This was my first ever race of this type, so I'll probably have more perspective in a month after the Spartan Sprint I'm doing. But it was a good first race. You could see their "first time" jitters in some of the organization, but not to the detriment of the event. They enlisted the help of active Marines from Newport, RI to serve as "referees" and helpers throughout the course - at the obstacles, and in the thicker parts of the woods. So safety was always present.

This course was lighter on the obstacles than other more established events like Spartan and Rugged Maniac etc - and maybe even other Zombie races that this company has put together. I am sure they have to work with the space they are at, and are on a budget. So for this one a lot of the race was open-field running through mud flats and avoiding zombies.

I recall the following manmade structures on the course (I think I'm missing one):

Mud pit - trench specifically dug and watered so you were thigh-deep and had to pass through it on purpose
Low clearance enclosure w/roof - one you had to stoop down to navigate but not crawl - with entrance holes on either side and sand on the bottom
A-frame two-by-fours packed close together to form a tunnel and zig-zagged to make you bellycrawl in the sand for 30-40 feet
20' high ladder/tower + slide into pool of waist-deep water. Easy to climb unless you have a bit of a fear of heights
"Slip and slide" plastic liner sprayed with water down the Start/Finish hill (think former ski-slope) that launched you off a ramp into a muddy pit of water
Electrified chain-link fencing you had to belly crawl under at the Finish Line - not cattle-prod or taser strength, but enough to make you yelp if touched.

Most of the race was straight-up running through muddy fields and forest trails, and some soggy swampy areas. And the start/finish which was up their former ski hill, so that was brutal to start. There was one shin-deep "creek" that they clearly filled with branches and logs to make traversing it slower. But it was clear where you were supposed to run - the forests had established trails, and the open fields were cordoned off with caution tape.

The degree of difficulty for this one was the zombies that chased you and grabbed at your flags. If you were trying not to get caught, then it made every route a zig-zag and longer by default. Plus the abbreviated interval bursts of speed you had to try to put on in ankle-deep mud, which made cutting tougher. I could see where injuries were possible - ankle-breaking footing in mud and uneven slick terrain, when you are distracted with the adrenaline-rush of dodging zombies.

For the Spartan I need to ramp up my cardio big time. The Spartan promises 15+ obstacles, and is a bit more "serious" and established a race. I also need to work outside more - ideally find more stairs and hills. The treadmill was great training, but I was challenged early chugging up hills in this race.

[Trlicek's Whip]

I wanted to highlight this even though it's posted in the above chart, because it's a unique one-time only Spartan event, it's shorter than their normal ones - and it's being held IN Fenway Park.

On November 17, there's a Spartan Time Trial race at Fenway Park. It's only a one-mile obstacle course in the park, so there's probably less mud and water (I would think). I'm definitely doing that since it sounds like a cool way to experience seeing the place.

Direct link is here. Early bird registration ($100) until May 17, then incrementally goes up through November 9th or until it fills up. Right now it's 50% booked.

[brs3]

Last summer I did a 6 mile Muddy Buddy, which was half biking half running with obstacles every mile. It kicked my ass, but it was a lot of fun. It made me acutely aware of how out of shape I am. I'd like to challenge myself to another one at some point.

[Over Guapo Grande]

My brother ran the Tri-State Tough Mudder last year with a helmet-cam. He uploaded some videos here:

[Trlicek's Whip]

My brother ran the Tri-State Tough Mudder last year with a helmet-cam. He uploaded some videos here:

Thanks for these uploads; they actually help a bit with strategy as to how to attack specific obstacles.

Tough Mudder is not in the cards for me in 2012; it's still my first exposure to these types of races and my distance/endurance training needs more work. My goal is to do the Tough Mudder in 2013.

[Trlicek's Whip]

I'm running the Spartan Race/Spartan Sprint this Sunday in Tuxedo, NY. Not sure if anyone else is registered for the weekend, but if anyone else is, good luck to you!

[bakahump]

Just finished the "Dynamic Dirt Challenge" (with the weather it was a Mud Challenge) with a team of 10...some of whom did the Tough Mudder this past May in VT. http://www.dynamicdirtchallenge.com/

Had a great time with the weather actually adding to the fun. I am not much of a runner (36 ish minute 5ks)....but for an old fat guy it was a good time. I can see where anyone (even moderately) more fit then myself would really find these way more fun then standard 5-10ks.

[Trlicek's Whip]

Action shot at the finish line/fire jump of the NY Spartan Sprint.

Edited by Trlicek's Whip, 11 June 2012 - 08:22 AM.

[Trlicek's Whip]

Just signed up for the Super Spartan in Vernon, NJ on Sunday, September 9. (I think there is limited late slots still open for Saturday 9/8). This one is 8+ miles and 20+ obstacles.

I've also updated the above regional race grid I posted above; when I get a chance I'm going to post it with all the new entries. There are just TONS of these races cropping up everywhere. The hobby/sport is really surging right now.

[Laser Show]

A friend of mine asked me today if I wanted to do a Spartan 5k with him. Having never done this or anything remotely like it before, any tips/things I should be aware of? What are the obstacles like/how difficult?

[AlNipper49]

I was training to run a few of these this year, and unbelievable for me atleast, I felt that I had a good shot to participate and make a decent showing. 

 

Of course then I proceed to blow out my knee.  In the hopes that my knee gets better I've been basically training entirely on pull ups and exercises which work those general muscle groups -- my biggest fear of Tough Mudder is that damn wall at the end.

[MarcSullivaFan]

Anyone want to do the Saturday TM in Michigan this June? I did Georgia, Indiana, and South Carolina last year and had a blast--although GA was really cold. I'm not doing any more in sub-50 degree temps.

My regular partner is going to be in DC doing research on fertilizer or some shit, so I've been looking high and low for a running mate for MI. I'm 35, average-ish fitness (or at least I will be by June), and I've averaged about 3 hours to finish. PM me if interested.

[MarcSullivaFan]

I was training to run a few of these this year, and unbelievable for me atleast, I felt that I had a good shot to participate and make a decent showing. 
 
Of course then I proceed to blow out my knee.  In the hopes that my knee gets better I've been basically training entirely on pull ups and exercises which work those general muscle groups -- my biggest fear of Tough Mudder is that damn wall at the end.

If you mean the vertical walls (Berlin Walls), one set is short enough to get over yourself if you can do 10 pull ups. I'm short and stalky and I made it over the small set by myself each time. As far as the big set, people usually give each other a boost--even the ripped up military guys.

If you're talking about Everest, the big quarter-pipe that's usually the second to last obstacle (the hanging wires are last), it's all legs and timing. The key is jumping up right before you hit the vertical part of the ramp and reaching out to the people on top. If you time the jump right, you won't have to use your arms much at all. Overall endurance is really important, because that shit really wears you down after a couple hours. It's not really the major obstacles that kill you, it's all the mud, hills, stream beds, that slowly break you down.

Edited by MarcSullivaFan, 17 March 2013 - 12:26 PM.

[Trlicek's Whip]

Haven't posted in a while. Today I'm running my first race of 2013 - the Spartan Race at Citi Field. I ran the inaugural Fenway race last November, and this year Spartan is working with MLB parks to host races in as many as they can. In addition to Citi Field, there are races this year announced for Citizens Bank Park (Phillies), Miller Park (Brewers), and the 2nd Fenway race this November.

 

I ran a race outside Citi Field last year (the Men's Health Urbanathlon) but was part of a three-person team, and my leg of the race wasn't inside the ballpark. This will be the first time I'll have seen where the Mets play since the new park opened.

 

If anyone else here's running it, good luck to you!