Related: Learn about other wacky fitness trends to gain popularity this year.
Spartan Race (spartanrace.com)
If you’re looking for variety, the Spartan Race should be your pick. Its wide range of events—including the Spartan Sprint (5-K with 10 obstacles), Super Spartan (8-plus miles with at least 15 obstacles), Spartan Beast (10 to 12 miles), and Spartan Death Race (lasts 24 hours and accepts only 200 participants)—all include elements of fire, mud, water, and an obstacle containing barbed wire. In addition to these staples, each race features venue-specific and terrain-inspired challenges. You’ll run through desert conditions in Arizona, ascend hills in New York, and wade through water crossings in Florida.
Fitness level: Above-average fitness recommended
Dates: The 2011 tour will hit Palmerton, PA (Sept. 10), Staten Island, NY (Sept. 24), Marseilles, IL (Oct. 15), Malibu, CA (Nov. 19), and Glen Rose TX (Dec. 3)
Competitors per team: Individual, 4-person, and 10-person (or more) team options
Price: $60-$70 for individual; $240-$270 for 4-person team; $50-$60 per person for team of 10 or more
Equipment required: Running shoes
Average race time: Forty-five minutes to one hour for the Spartan Sprint; 70 minutes to 2 hours and 30 minutes for the Super Spartan; at least 180 minutes for the Spartan Beast
Charity: Home for Our Troops and Help for Our Heroes
Warrior Dash (warriordash.com)
One of the most popular mud runs nationwide—races held on Saturdays and Sundays usually draw an average of 20,000 participants—the Warrior Dash repertoire usually includes hustling up and over huge straw bales, stampeding through a junkyard of dilapidated cars, traversing wooden planks, and trudging through waist-deep water. The website includes three training programs—for the “Virgin Warrior,” “Casual Warrior,” and “Ultimate Warrior”—to prep you for the 3-plus-mile race.
Fitness level: All
Dates: Before wrapping up its 2011 season, the Warrior Dash will host races in Carrollton, OH (Sept. 10), North Plains, OR (Sept. 10 and 11), Manchester, TN (Sept. 17), Twin Lakes, WI (Sept. 17 and 18), Tulsa (Sept. 24), Charles City, VA (Oct. 1), Old Monroe, MO (Oct. 15), Hollister, CA (Oct. 29 and 30), Cedar Creek, TX (Nov. 19 and Nov. 20), and Deerfield Beach, FL (Dec. 3)
Competitors per team: Individual
Price: $40-$60, depending on date and location
Equipment required: Running shoes
Average race time: Between 30 minutes and one hour
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