THE TOP 5 OBSTACLE RACES Only The Manliest Will Survive

Let’s do a 5k! We can pay 30+ dollars to do something that we would normally do on an average day or even at the gym on a treadmill. We can be surrounded by a bunch of people that we don’t know or care to be around, while trying to beat them in a race that we won’t get to brag about. BUT WAIT! We get a shirt too…

Okay, I don’t know about the general population but I am tired of regular 5k/10k/Half Marathon races where we become zoned out in our headphones while following a group of strangers. Why not mix it up? Lucky for you, obstacle races are becoming more and more popular and are offered all over the country. Tredge through the mud, scale giant walls and get soaked in all kinds of different obstacle challenges. Consider it the training for your Ninja Warrior debut! Check out these top obstacle races that will definitely give you a kick in the a**.


Tough Mudder
There is one key feature that this race forces upon you: MUD. Whether you have to crawl through a muddy trench or run through a swamp, you won’t leave this event without being caked in some Earthy goodness. This year’s races feature some new obstacles that will certainly challenge your manliness. The Augustus Gloop is a giant tube with rungs on the inside that you must climb up. Doesn’t sound too bad, except for the gallons of water being poured on you as you try to make it to the top. The Arctic Enema features a face first slide which plunges you into a pool of ice and water. Talk about shrinkage…The race is capped off with a classic obstacle of theirs called Electroshock Therapy. Hustle through the muddy pools while trying to avoid the electrified vines hanging from above. Carrying 10,000 volts, these cables will offer your body a painful treat when you give them a rub.
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Spartan Race
Channel your inner Leonidas as you battle through this bada** obstacle race. This race is obviously focused around the theme of the Spartans, so why not experience some of their grueling training techniques? The Bucket Brigade forces you to fill a 5-gallon bucket with gravel and carry it along a preplanned route. Failure to keep the gravel in your bucket from start to finish means you must restart the challenge. Oh yeah, and there’s no handle on the bucket. Good luck with that! The Atlas carry sounds pretty similar to carrying a bucket but what the hell is an Atlas? Well, it’s a stone about the size of a basketball that you are expected to pick up, take to a flag, do 5 burpees and carry back to the starting point. The race caps off with two classic Spartan events: Spear throwing and the wall of flame. These two are pretty self-explanatory, but probably much easier said than done.
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Warrior Dash
The Warrior Dash is an event for all skill levels and is a whole lot more than just a race. The race itself has a two-story slide called the Goliath, a cargo net obstacle above a pool of water and mud called Fisherman’s Catch, and suspended pallets above an icy bath called Pallet Jacked. Post-race, take part in friendly competitions of dancing and tug-of-war being supported by a live DJ. Make sure to pick up some merch from the Warrior store and make donations to the sneaker donation center or St. Judes Children’s Hospital. After you have checked out these attractions, you can look forward to the typical St. Patrick’s Day 5k ending: BEER. What more incentive do you need?
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Rugged Maniac
For those of you trying to be more frugal with your money, this is the race to get more bang for your buck. Per their website, and a study done in 2016, the Rugged Maniac is the cheapest option when compared to the Spartan, Warrior and Tough Mudder races. Offering 25 obstacles in just 3.1 miles is definitely a dense challenge. 2017 brings the Guillotine, which is a sliding door that must be lifted and held open for you or a friend to crawl under. The Anti-Gravity area lines up two long trampolines for you to vault onto the cargo net wall where you will climb over. The Gauntlet is a standard event in the Rugged Maniac where punching bags are swinging above floating pads and a pool of mud. Try and make it across without getting wet!
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Savage Race
While this race is meant to be a fun variation of your typical 5k, some obstacles here have a completion rate of less than 60 percent. The optimist says that the glass is over half full, but you may think twice when you see what you are up against. Getting into trouble as a kid often went hand in hand with having to jump a few fences. Well, On The Fence will put those skills to the test as you try to navigate through rows of moving chain link fences that hover above an icy pool. Climbing trees was another childhood past time but nothing like the Tree Hugger event. Try not to touch the ground as you leap between a collection of wooden posts set up from start to finish. Small notches are cut into the posts, but you have to reach the top to use them. Wheel World is another new attraction that has a series of wheels rotating above yet another frigid pool. Test your grip as you rotate your way to the other side of the “canal.”
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