Name | Description | Comments |
Mountain Crawl | Up a hill under a camouflage net meant going on all fours | If you’ve ever done mountain climbers, this is what they’re for, only here you’ve got to move your arms too! |
Culvert Tunnel | a Belly crawl through plastic tubing | I was too big to really get my knees involved, so more than anything else this meant pulling myself along with my arms |
Cargo Net | A loose net about 10-12’ high. Climb up, over and down the other side | You swung around a fair bit making falling off a real possiblity. I got my foot caught just as I had the other on the ground and wanted to leave the obstacle. I did a jiu-jitsu roll to get free! |
Rope Climb | Straight up a rope (with no knots) for guys, rope ladders for girls | I doubted my upper body strength on this one, and after a quick try, I realized my technique was lacking too. I did the 20 burpees instead - the only obstacle where I did that. |
Kettle Bell Pulley | Raise a couple of kettle bells to around 20’ by pulling a rope down. | One of their ‘obstacles’ which is more of a straight fitness/exercise station |
Mud Pit Barb Wire | Get under the barb wire by crawling through the mud | Ow. There were roots to scratch up your knees (see photos). You couldn’t avoid them because you couldn’t see them. |
Mud Pools | Without barb wire you still have to wade through hip to chest height mud | By the time you get out, you’re carrying another 5 pounds worth of mud in your clothes. A hallmark of these kinds of races |
8’ wall | Get over the wall | Did it in one jump and pull-up. Burbathlon came in handy... |
12’ wall | Guess.... | Unless you’re the size of a pro-basket ball player, you need help of other racers (or to cheat by grabbing a foothold along the side of the wall - that was me). |
Bag of Cement | Carry a bag of cement (20-30lbs, I figure) on you shoulder (or however you choose) about 100m or so | This was one of the easier ones for a parent of small children. There was only one bag, and it never screamed in my ear. |
Spear Throw | Throw a spear at a large straw dummy. As long as you make contact, you’ll avoid extra burpees. | Lucky they’re lenient on hitting the target. My throw grazed it lightly. |
Wheel Barrow | Cart a wheel barrow-like device for 50-100m. | Not much to say |
Crooked Balance Beam | Stay on the narrow, zig-zagging beam or do burpees | Proud I didn’t fall off. Burbathlon came in handy... |
Fire Jump | Jump over flames 2-3’ high | Another jiu-jitsu roll for me - OVER THE FLAMES! I got an ‘oooh’ from some spectators |
Rowing Machines | 20 rows on a rowing machine/ergometer | Obstacle? Sure... |
Hay Bales | Climb over hay bales using the attached netting | |
Gladiator Gauntlet | Two guys with padded staves and a third un-armed (to push or wrestle you?) | By this point the race had run longer than I planned and I thought of my wife having to deal with two screaming kids. This must have given me the crazy eyes, because I barged straight through those guys with body checks. They managed to take out my friend Rob though (see photo) |
Big Ramp | The final climb. There are ropes, but it’s still slippery and steep. | Managed to make it on my first try, though I benefited from watching people in front of me. |