New England: 5 Obstacle Course Races To Know About
The greater Boston market certainly gets a lot of recognition for our famous marathon. However, if running over 26 miles is not your thing but you still like to compete in strenuous races, here are five upcoming extreme obstacle course races that are coming up.
Perhaps you are already very familiar with the Spartan race. Did you know that its national headquarters are in Boston? With roots here, the New England market has served as the grounds of many thrilling and challenging Spartan races, including those that go up steep mountains, through the mud, or to Fenway Park finish lines.
In early 2020, prior to the pandemic taking over, Spartan acquired competitor Tough Mudder. Staying true to the values and attitudes they inspire, both endured the challenging circumstances that eliminated large public groups coming together. Then, in December of 2021, the brands came together for their first dual-brand race event.
Now, they continue to operate in their distinctive extreme obstacle styles and as entities under the same umbrella. In fact, Spartan has three upcoming races to mark on you calendar
Here Are The Extreme Obstacle Course Races Coming Up This Year
In date order, let’s take a look at some of the most intriguing obstacle course races still to come in New England this year.
- June 15, Muddy Kids Race in Haverhill, MA. Located at Kimball Farm, this is 1.5 – 2.2 miles, consisting of 15 obstacles. As the name suggests, it is intended for kids aged 5-17.
- August 3, Savage Race in Barre, MA. 3 to 7 miles (depending upon what level you select), consisting of 15-27 obstacles.
- August 17-18, New England Spartan Weekend in Barre, MA. A race through the field, mud, and rolling hills.
- September 14 – 15, New England Spartan Weekend in Killington, VT. Course options vary from family-fun variations to super-advanced levels.
- November 9-10, Boston Spartan Stadion Weekend. A Fenway Park 5K with 20 obstacles, concluding on the field of this legendary stadium.
As someone who has competed in one of these, I do have three suggestions once you are signed up.
First, although they all appear to be and are much fun, none of them are as simple to complete as they may seem. This is perhaps the most obvious thing to say, but get yourself hydrated. This doesn’t just mean making sure you bring plenty of water for race day. Make it a priority a few days before to drink as much water as needed so that you come into the race as fueled up as possible. The summer heat can be harder on your body and endurance than any of the obstacles.
Lastly, take the time to stretch. In my opinion, stretching can be quite boring. However, preparing your muscles for arduous takes like climbing over a wall after you just ran two miles through mud, cannot be understated. Stretching may not drastically improve your race time, but it will make for a quicker post-race recovery, and overall more enjoyable experience.
