So many cars got stuck in the mud, and the monkey bars and Olympus were pretty much impossible. Training is integral for any beginner athlete regardless of the type of race they are prepping for. Check out our picks for the best fitness recovery products and bring your health back to 100%. The Spartathlon was created by British RAF Wing Commander John Foden, who is a student of ancient Greek history. ), Yet Another Honorable Mention: Colorado Springs, Colorado. You start at a surface elevation of 6,224 feet and climb toward 9,900 feet. Bucharest has taxis, automobiles, tram, and the choice of walking. Another Honorable Mention:Chandler, Arizona, Yet Another Honorable Mention:Killington, Vermont. In some instances, youll have to run through snowy trails and then deal with the blazing sun in the next section, challenging your body to adapt quickly. When we visit this venue, West Virginia mountains provide steep inclines and rolling hills, numerous water features keep you swimming and constantly covered in mud (which cakes and cracks in the intense heat), andracers usuallyfindthemselves traipsing through some incredibly thick brush. Super obstacles are more difficult compared to shorter Spartan events, and with a distance of 10K (6.2 miles), you'll need a pace strategy. Run by volunteers not affiliated with Spartan Race. Killington ultra is the hardest Spartan race in the U.S.. OCRWC is one of the hardest obstacle races. Count on the trails being insanely rocky and having to watch your footing. 8. A standard full marathon is 26.2 miles of hard work and dedication, but this list is going extreme with races that go beyond the norm, heading into the territory of suffering and self-discovery. Lastly, maybe you are wanting to earn some prize money. Or, choose to do the Spartan Super; an 8-plus mile, 25-plus obstacle giant. SPARTAN Official Climbing Rope It all began, fittingly, in Vermont. The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. That means dramatic mountains; plummeting canyons; oak and Joshua tree-covered hills; and broad, heavily-wooded valleys will make this course challenging, but still runnable (, has been dubbed the most beautiful course in the country, but dont let the name fool you. When the weather cooperates, this is a tough race. Date: December 9-10, 2017 Worlds Toughest Mudder is an intense, 24 hour race that will challenge you both mentally and physically. At these epic obstacle runs, youll likely climb mountains, jog through woods and maybe even swim around a lake all for the sake of a hard-earned medal. Date: September 30-31, 2017 Roughly 500 people participated not bad for a maiden event and all finishers received a medal. You can compete as an individual or as a team and the winner can run up to 96 miles total over 24 hours. The shared challenge, perceived danger, and fun obstacles are just a few factors that have led to OCRs growth. Youll have 48 hours to conquer this race, starting at Death Valley and ending at the finish on Mt. 2. What are other ones? While the U.K.s Tough Guy race (commencing in 1987) is often credited as thefirst modern-era OCR, Warrior Dash, Tough Mudder, and Spartan Racethe most popular races held Statesideall launched within two years of one another (2009 for Warrior Dash, 2010 for the other two) and have put on thousands of events for millions of racers in less than a decade. Do You Really Need a Greens Powder in Your Life? Date Name Type Location Feb 26, 2023 Arizona Spartan Trail Trail 10K Fort McDowell, AZ, USA. A course like Attica (Chicago Beast) could be tougher than a mountain course if you struggle mightily with deep sand. Sure, youll probably hit a wall or two along the way if this is your first 100-mile race, but at least youll be surrounded by lush greenery and will be able to live the island life after youve earned your medal. 3. 2023 DailyBurn, Inc. In about 30 years of The Barkley Marathons, only 15 people have finished this incredible test of athletic ability and mental prowess. Challenge Locations. The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network. If you have participated in a Spartan race before but want to take things up a notch, then the Beast might be perfect for you. Date: November 4-5, 2017 Kevin Donoghue, a Spartan elite athlete, Spartan SGX coach and head trainer for the Daily Burn Spartan program, says the Tri-State Sprint is one of his favorite races because of the unexpectedly tough course and it also happens to be in his hometown. Run one to get your feet wet, feel things out, and get the swing of OCRs.Length: 5kNumber of obstacles: 12Difficulty: BeginnerNumber of 2017 events: 25, Spartan Race was designed to make sure that youre working near max capacity on every obstacle, from start to finish. Man, we've come a long way, but we'll never forget those glorious first days. Event Location & Nearby Stays: Host or Publisher Oscar Mike. It's not a mountain series. The almost cult-like ultramarathon is based on the historic 1977 prison escape of James Earl Ray, the assassin of Martin Luther King Jr. Its a secretive race held in a tiny town in Tennessee where the course is ever-changing. Which venue has the hardest Spartan Beast. If you want a traditional OCR that provides a longer distance and more obstacles than the typical race, then the Spartan Beast might be perfect for you. Most participants are geared with a wet suit, since it can get quite chilly during the midnight hours. GET SPARTAN READY: Try Daily Burn Spartan, Free for 30 Days! Although the spirit of competition runs deep (and leaves you covered in dirt), its more about taking care of your fellow racers than showing them up. In one of the most epic finishes in Spartan history,Cody Moat andHunter McIntyre battled tirelessly for second place, and it culminated when they jumped over the fire at the same time. But a select few of our races if you can persevere to the finish will REALLY test you like never before. Ultra and Beast availability make for a greater trial, to see just how far you can sustain your pace on this course. If you are a seasoned obstacle course race (OCR) participant and you are looking for a challenge, you may be wondering what the most difficult obstacle course races in the world are. Miles: 100 Location: France and Italy Purchase: $295 Hurt100 You can also expect to jump into the lake at some point during the race, as well as spot peaceful trails with stunning views of green mountainsides and calm waters. Spartan races are proudly for everyone who commits toputting in the hard work to gettougher. The 2013 Spartan World Championships in Vermont was featured as a special on NBC, but it wasn't until two years later during the Montana Beast and Sprint Weekend that Spartan debuted theU.S. Championship Series on the network. Battle the extreme Morocco heat and unforgiving sand dunes all while rucking your own gear and fighting off hallucinations during the energy-sapping journey to test your might. Ill talk about that much more in another post, but that program combination will serve most OCR and Hurricane Heat athletes very well. Over the course of the past decade, obstacle course races have blown up in popularity. SPARTAN RACE - Charlotte Spartan Sprint Weekend happening at Porter Farms, 4455 Mount Pleasant Rd S,Concord,NC,United States, Concord, United States on Sat Apr 15 2023 at 05:00 am to 03:00 pm . After a $1.75 million investment from Mark Cuban on Shark Tank, Rugged Maniac exploded onto the OCR scene in 2013 and boasts eight obstacles per mile, making this race devoid of any monotony.Length: 5kNumber of obstacles: 25Difficulty: Beginner to advancedNumber of 2017 events: 30, A tough step up from a beginner course, each and every Tough Mudder is unique in its own way, making training for obstacles more difficult. I've heard from other Spartan races that the Palmerton, PA, venue is one of the hardest courses. (He tackled his very first Spartan race here, too.) At Spartan, we build the hardest races and obstacles, and run thousands of miles testing them. The good news is that there are plenty of crazy difficult obstacle course races out there, so you can always find something a little more difficult to tackle the next time around. After three years in Killington, the Spartan World Championships moved to its new home, inOlympic Valley (near Lake Tahoe). In the past, participants were asked to chop wood, complete a 14 mile hike, complete 3000 burpees (for 10 straight hours) and crawl under barbed wire for 14 straight hours, all within the same race. This tough, wild course fits right in at No. It can depend on what you're used to. The Spartan Death Race is designed to stretch the participants to their limit, both physically and mentally. These ultimate races arent for everyone, so you need to be absolutely sure youre willing and able to withstand the torture. Location: Amazon Jungle, Brazil. And when it doesnt (spoiler alert: it usually doesnt), all hell is let loose. On the Sunday of championship weekend, Spartan held its first fully-gated championship day in its history. The Asheville Super last year was darn near a Beast in distance, and if you saw the parking lot aka mud pit where everyone without a truck or big SUV got stuck, then you know how difficult the course. Trust me, I totally get it. Taking place in Southern Colorados San Juan Range, the Hardrock100 is 100.5 miles of pain and triumph. With over 50 miles of mentally and physically challenging obstacles over the course of 40+ hours, it doesnt get more difficult than the Spartan Death Race. According to Running USA, the number of participants tripled between the years 2011 and 2013, going from one million to three million. Just 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles, Castaic Lake State Recreation Area is SoCals gem for hikers and mountain bikers and now, Spartan racers. Youll be running from Belfast to Blyde River Canyon, which is the third largest canyon on the planet. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. When you think of theSpartan World Championships, Killington and Lake Tahoe come to mind. But this one is on another level. Then there's the Spartan Beast, featuring 12-plus miles and 30-plus obstacles. Bucharest is a fanon leg created by KittyFan37, the capital of Romania, in Race Around the World. NBC Sports televises the Spartan elite mens and womens competition from this very event. Only 145 applicants are accepted for each event. These OCRs arent for the faint of heart or someone who gives up easily. Find Yours at One of These 12 Epic Locations. Running in itself can be tough. So what are you waiting for? The Spartan Beast is a great intermediary OCR if you are looking for a challenge but dont want to commit to the Toughest Mudder or Spartan Death Race. We use cookies to optimize our website and our service. Location: Sahara Desert, Africa. I would have figured these difficulties would have been a little more flat.. The Ultra is one of the longest OCRs and it also has the most elevation gain out of any other obstacle course races. Use course ratings to help pick the perfect event, dial-in your training, and prepare for a fun and rewarding race. START TRAINING: Sign Up for Daily Burn Spartan!