Mud runs and obstacle races. Yay or nay?

nerraw1111

Entertaining debate over on Runner’s World on the merits of the massively popular mud runs/obstacle racies.


“The Tough Mudder website claims "Marathon running is boring." At the end of a diatribe about how boring marathons are, the marketing copy concludes, "Our obstacle courses . . . are meant only for truly exceptional all-around people, not for people who have enough time and money to train their knees to run 26 miles."

“Just don't expect me to think of obstacle mud runs as an improvement on my sport. And don't expect me to join you.”

“Adding obstacles feels like a way that those who haven't put in the running miles can level the playing field and feel that they've done something really tough.

http://www.runnersworld.com/races/wading-mud?page=single

n-dawg

I've done (and won) a few of these races. Last one I jogged around at 5 min/km and still won by about a minute. I'm an OK club runner (say 35 min for a 10km)

They're OK but way over priced. I much prefer a tough XC with some seriously fast competition or a good hill race with proper natural obstacles. In Scotland a lot of the competitors seem to come from the military fitness class that have popped up in ever park throughout Glasgow. I certainly don't think they take away from running as a sport but the current standard of runner racing them means they are a bit mickey mouse. If the standard improves maybe they would make a good alternative to XC or hill racing but it will be the same top club runners winning them that win the national XC or big hill races not guys who are strong (overweight) and can pull themselves over a wall or two.

Ruu

No shortage of these races in the US. Tough Mudder, Spartan Race, Warrior Dash with varying distances available. One of them has an electric shock obstacle as well, I find these quite silly. They are not for me but if it gets you off the couch then what harm. Pricey though. Give me a good trail run with natures obstacles.

plodder

Some of the BHAA cross-countries were a bit like this - real races, but with a bit of water, mud, or a hay-bale to jump over.

average_runner

Friends of mine are doing hell and back. Thinking about doing it!

nerraw1111

Actually, I should've really posted this in the tri/messing forum. Big fans over there.

Some of the races look like good craic. Not sure about Tough Mudder tho. It's like a cult over in the US.

robinph

Whole lot of sillyness.

The BHAA hay bales are just a way of making it a bit more cross country like when running around an otherwise boring park. Once you start including obstacles with ropes or stupid rivers to cross or swim through then it's a whole other event.

Dermo09

I did the March mud run last year, and would not recommend it for a few different reasons.....

its not fun waiting to go through obstacles...
its dangerous if your tentative going through any of the obstacles as there will be impatient people behind you, who wont wait...

In my view there will be a serious accident on one of these events some day, and that will be their end....

Give me a boring LSR any day of the week....

dna_leri

n-dawg wrote: »

I've done (and won) a few of these races. Last one I jogged around at 5 min/km and still won by about a minute. I'm an OK club runner (say 35 min for a 10km)

They're OK but way over priced. I much prefer a tough XC with some seriously fast competition or a good hill race with proper natural obstacles. In Scotland a lot of the competitors seem to come from the military fitness class that have popped up in ever park throughout Glasgow. I certainly don't think they take away from running as a sport but the current standard of runner racing them means they are a bit mickey mouse. If the standard improves maybe they would make a good alternative to XC or hill racing but it will be the same top club runners winning them that win the national XC or big hill races not guys who are strong (overweight) and can pull themselves over a wall or two.

One thing that will attract more good runners is a decent prize fund - without it I can't see many risking injury.
n-dawg - What are the prizes like now, are they better than your average road race or do the organisers like to keep the big entry fees for themselves?

n-dawg

dna_leri wrote: »

One thing that will attract more good runners is a decent prize fund - without it I can't see many risking injury.
n-dawg - What are the prizes like now, are they better than your average road race or do the organisers like to keep the big entry fees for themselves?

One was a voucher for £200 for a local running shop, a cool trophy (muddy shoe stuck to some chunky welded steal) and entry into next years race:D

The other was a crappy plastic trophy:mad:

Cabaal

Ruubot2 wrote: »

No shortage of these races in the US. Tough Mudder, Spartan Race, Warrior Dash with varying distances available. One of them has an electric shock obstacle as well, I find these quite silly.

That'll be Tough Mudder, cousin of mine did it in Canada last summer.

It has a load of electrified string hanging down that you have to run through

Gringo78

dna_leri wrote: »

One thing that will attract more good runners is a decent prize fund - without it I can't see many risking injury.
n-dawg - What are the prizes like now, are they better than your average road race or do the organisers like to keep the big entry fees for themselves?

Finished 4th in one of those type races and thought it was a bit mean there was only prizes for 1,2,3 when they had prob taken in approx €10k in entry fees.

Did Seefingen IMRA race last summer and it was both the toughest race I've done and the most enjoyable and parts of the mountain were so boggy that I doubt any mud race could compete with it.

That said, the commercial mud/obstacle/'adventure' branded races serve a purpose and make that sort of race accessible to the masses and tbh IMRA would not want/benefit/need to attract extra numbers so not taking away from anyone or anything.

DogSlySmile

dna_leri wrote: »

One thing that will attract more good runners is a decent prize fund - without it I can't see many risking injury.

I did one last year and the entry was €45 and the 1st prize was €60 cash. So the winner made himself a hefty €15 for all his efforts :eek:

It was great fun though, but I'd only do another one if the entry fee came down a good bit.

robinph

DogSlySmile wrote: »

I did one last year and the entry was €45 and the 1st prize was €60 cash. So the winner made himself a hefty €15 for all his efforts :eek:

It was great fun though, but I'd only do another one if the entry fee came down a good bit.

A commercial race for that price should have a first prize with at least 2 zeros in the number, and the first digit should be a minimum of a two or three.

brownetara

Anyone have any idea what kind of training would be god for this kind of race?

Enduro

yeah, take 60 quid out of your bank account and give it to me. I'll then point you in the direction of a few muddy fields to run around. The first bit is *very* important. You won't get any training effect for these races without it

Clearlier

nerraw1111 wrote: »

Actually, I should've really posted this in the tri/messing forum. Big fans over there.

That was my first thought actually. There's a reason that the messing (adventure) races went with the tri guys *ducks*

Dermo09 wrote: »

In my view there will be a serious accident on one of these events some day, and that will be their end....

Already happened.

brownetara wrote: »

Anyone have any idea what kind of training would be god for this kind of race?

General running training including core work and bodyweight exercises (push ups, pull ups etc.) is probably enough to handle most of these events.

I did the very first runamuck a few years ago. I enjoyed it to a point but trying to run/wade through a flooded field on very uneven ground was just asking for injury and I didn't think that it was worth taking the risk to do another one. I'm not totally opposed to the idea of doing another one but I'll likely wait until I feel that I've maximised what I can do with running before I give another one of these a go.

I kinda think of those races as Mickey Mouse gimmicky stuff to appeal to someone who doesn't have the application, the single mindedness, that is needed to do well in "proper" runs, be they on or off road. Did marathons, did IMRA runs, do enjoy the more natural feel of running off road, ad even like the mud. But any organiser that feels the need to denigrate the marathon...pffffft straight away they're kinda going for those that I suspect simply wouldn't hack it in a marathon but need to feel good about themselves.

Peterx

With the Parkruns now providing an entry route for non serious runners these races are merely a bit of harmless fun.

As harmless fun they should be encouraged and if people have the money to spare and are happy to spend it on a run instead of a massage or a treatment or a few pints then more power to them.

I am baffled by anyone giving out about the cost of these (or any) event. Running is free, thousands of folk do it every evening. If you wish to race you usually have to pay and as with many activities in this wonderful republic you have many options from the free parkrun, the cheap BHAA/IMRA and all the way up to raising many euro to do some USP charity event.

so that was a yay from me even though I haven't done one!

ThisRegard

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I kinda think of those races as Mickey Mouse gimmicky stuff to appeal to someone who doesn't have the application, the single mindedness, that is needed to do well in "proper" runs, be they on or off road.

That's a fairly sweeping generalisation. They're for fun, not because people can't hack a normal race and need to feel about good themselves. I'd bet you'd find a lot of decent runners competing in them.

Slogger Jogger

Thought provoking piece here...

http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/multisport/Man-Under-Avishek-Sengupta-Tough-Mudder-Death.html?page=all