Here at Nerve Rush, in a never-ending attempt to catalog all things adrenaline, we’ve put together an unofficial list of obstacle races from around the world. Obstacle races have exploded in popularity and serve as a fun alternative to the tried and true 5K road race. With race themes ranging from zombies and devils to firemen and vikings, obstacle courses can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 days to finish. Yes, you read that right. 4 days.
List of Obstacle Races
| Obstacle Race Name | Location | Distance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foam Fest | US | 5K | obstacles include aqua lily pads and a Slip-N-Slide |
| Beach Dash | Australia | recently moved to Australia from Red Frog Events in the U.S. | |
| Cerebrun | US | 5-7 miles | world’s first “mental mud run” and obstacle course |
| Devil Dash | US | 5K | racers start in purgatory and battle the seven deadly sins |
| Dirty Dash | US | 3-5.5 miles | they have a kid’s version, the Piglet Plunge for $20 |
| Diva Dash | US | 5K | women-only; this obstacle race is sponsored by SHAPE |
| Down & Dirty Mud Run | US | 5K, 10K | sponsored by Merrel & Subaru , this race also has a pull up contest |
| Gladiator Rock N’ Run | US | 5-10K | brought to you by Dan Clark, American Gladiator’s “Nitro” |
| Hell Run | US | 3.15 miles | nothing special here, just a standard obstacle race |
| Hero Rush | US | 3-5 miles | fire-related obstacles |
| LoziLu Women’s Mud Run | US | 5K | women-only; they’ve got a “couch to 5K” training plan |
| Mean Streets | US | 5K | inspired by Hollywood’s best chase scenes |
| Men’s Health Urbanrun | US | 9.5-11 miles | only in three cities right now |
| Mud Factor | US | 5K | nothing special here, just a standard obstacle race |
| Mudathlon | US | 3 miles | this race includes 40+ obstacles |
| MudMan X | US | 8-10K | race course inspired by the four elements |
| Pretty Muddy Run | US | 5K | women-only; they also have a guest blogging program |
| Race the Reaper | US | 6 miles | not sure if running in 2013; only ran in Oklahoma & Oregon in 2012 |
| Racing Humans | US | 5K | sponsored by Scion |
| Ruckus | US | 2 mi, 4 mi | look out for Mt. Ruckmore, 2.5 stories and 60,000 lbs of obstacle bliss |
| Rugged Maniac | US | 5K | held a special obstacle race in Boston at Fenway Park |
| Run For Your Lives | US | 5K | zombie themed race; become a zombie when you finish |
| Savage Race | US | 4-6 miles | features some of the “biggest and most badass” obstacles in the industry |
| Spartan Race | US | 3+, 8+ miles | sponsored by Reebok, one of the most well known races |
| Superhero Scramble | US | 4-26+ miles | superhero themed race – check out the Super Villain course |
| Terrain Mud Run | US | 3 & 5+ miles | only on the west coast right now |
| Original Mud Run | US | 5K, 10K | since 1999! |
| Survival Race | US | 5K | serving racers from age 9 to 99 |
| Thunder Challenge | US | 5K, 10K | lead and produced by combat veterans and Special Forces |
| Tough Mudder | US | 10-12 miles | designed by British Special Forces |
| Warrior Dash | US | ~5K | world’s largest running series |
| Iron Warrior Dash | US | 15-20 miles | the bigger brother of the Warrior Dash |
| Swamp Dash & Bash | Florida | 5K | hot, sweaty and swampy |
| Men’s Health Survival of the Fittest | UK | ~10K | sponsored by Men’s Health magazine |
| Tough Guy | UK | 7-19K | known for the “killing fields” portion of the course |
| Death Race (You May Die) | Vermont | 40 miles | AKA the Spartan Death Race, this is a 24-hour obstacle race |
| Caveman Crawl | Texas | 5K | family focused, 20 obstacle races |
| North Face Endurance Challenge | US | many | distances from 5K up to 50 miles |
| Survival Mud Run | US | 5K | nothing special here, just a standard obstacle race |
| GORUCK Challenge | US | NA | 4-5 hour courses, all the way up to 4 days…INSANE |
| Rebel Race | US | 5K & 15K | military-style obstacle race |
| The Color Run | US & Australia | 5K | the “happiest 5k on the planet” |
| Mud Ninja | Ohio | 5K | 25 obstacles and one insane mud party |
| Tough Mountain Challenge | Maine | 12 miles | held at Sunday River ski resort |
| Reviver Challenge | Rhode Island | 2.5 miles | proceeds donated to Mayan Families and Kids in the Canyon |
| Civilian Military Combine | US | 5-7 miles | ultimate test of strength, endurance and agility |
| Muddy Buddy Series | US | 3-7 miles | distance depends on course; obstacle race and biking |
| ROC Race | California | 5K | “ridiculous obstacle challenge” |
| Wild Warrior | West Virginia | 5K | inspired by National Guard training courses and designed by the WVU Army ROTC |
| USMC Ultimate Challenge Mud Run | South Carolina | 5K | organized by U.S. Marines, all of this race’s money goes to charity |
| Zombie Evacuation | UK | 5K | zombies are after you here; run fast |
| Apocalypse Run | New Hampshire | 5K, 10K, 15K | one price, but racers get to choose one of three courses; launches 8/13 |
| Alpha Warrior | US | 5K | the best obstacles I’ve seen in any race; pipe bombs, chopper crawl, etc. |
| Monster Race | UK | 5K or 10K | launching in November 2013 in Wiltshire, 10 min from the M4 |
| Miles of Mud | Texas | 4 miles | randomly hand out money before, during and after the race to participants and spectators |
| Prison Break Race | Canada | 5K | you have been convicted of a crime you did not commit…run! |
| The Great Bull Run | US | NA | bringing the Spanish tradition to the States…yes, with live bulls |
| The Bone Frog Challenge | Massachusetts | 9-12 miles | created, owned and operated by US Navy Seals |
| Extreme Nation | Michigan | 2 miles | designed by Hobie Call, this is the first spectator-friendly obstacle race |
| American Gladiator Series | Wisconsin | 5K | inspired by the television show, with gladiators protecting obstacles along the course |
| Born Survivor | UK | 10K | designed by Elite Royal Marine British Commandos and 1,000 feet of climbing, this obstacle course is tough |