October is an exciting and bittersweet time of year in obstacle racing. If you're like me, your season is winding down. The calendar only has a few dates left on it and you're gearing up for championships and the long off-season of winter training.
If you started Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) because you were looking for a challenge outside your normal comfort zone, then it is time to head to the Midwest. The Hammer Race held its first event in 2013 just outside of Minneapolis, MN and has been running ever since.
Highlander Assault really does offer an exquisite a la carte of agony. Pick your level of misery that ranges from a four-mile course, an eight-miler, a twelve-miler, or if you are a masochist, by all means, embrace an entire twenty-four-miles of struggling for yourself.
The 2018 Virginia Spartan Super kicked off on a damp and chilly morning. Recent storms had brought in a powerful cold front and substantial rain. Many Spartans were bundled up in coats, hats an gloves leading up to the start of their waves. While it did warm up as the day progressed, daytime temperatures only hovered in the mid-50s. The overcast skies and the cool, damp air was a textbook Fall Virginia morning.
Every Spartan Race starts the same way as you step the starting line. Before pumping you up with music and motivational speeches, you will hear the emcee give a run through of what lies ahead for those that have dared to take on the challenge.
Rugged Maniac returned to the DC area for the first time in several years. The race took place at the popular Budds Creek Motocross Park in Mechanicsville, MD. This venue has hosted a fair number of OCR races, so it was interesting to see how Rugged Maniac was going to make the event unique.
The build from my Social Misfit buddies touting their pleasant experiences with Savage Race and my personal goal of 100% obstacle completion on my last scheduled OCR for 2018 meant this race had a lot to live up to.
When you’ve been doing OCR as long as I have, the social media queue stacks up at this time of year with last race of the season memories. ABF Mud Run, Spartan, Hardcore, and others remind me of medals, souvenirs, great experiences, and the community of OCR athletes whom I love. This year my season ended on a different note.
Rugged Maniac X is for those obstacle course racing athletes who feel "one lap is never enough". For those who want to really challenge themselves on race day. Kathleen Davis tackles Rugged Maniac X for the first time in Pennsylvania.
Kathleen Davis heads out to Maryland to take on a Savage Race Blitz. She battled the elements on the course and off race weekend and reviews her experience.
