BONEFROG TRIDENT
What is it?
The Trident is a special medal that you earn for running each of Bonefrog’s core three race distances in a single race year. You need to complete a Sprint, Challenge, and Tier-1 distance to earn this medal. Bonefrog also offers something a lot of the other competition does not, a chance to earn your medal in one day at one event by running The Trident race.
Unlike a Trifecta, where you need to go to multiple events and run multiple races to earn them, this event can be one and done in a single day. The Trident heat has the earliest start of the day, and you will need it. In order, you run the Challenge distance (roughly 6 miles), the Tier-1 distance (roughly 9 miles) and finally the sprint distance (roughly 3 miles) or better described as a Challenge, Challenge, Sprint, Sprint. Depending on the race venue this event will be just a bit over half marathon distance with close to 100 obstacles by the end of the day.
What does it cost?
At first glance, the price tag for the Trident looks pretty expensive. But at $265 you are actually saving money. If you were to sign up to run Sprint, Challenge, and Tier-1 individually for the day you would be paying over $300 to earn the trident. The only reason I could see someone deciding to do this is if they are a very fast runner and want to earn an elite podium in the Challenge or Tier-1 race.
The other important price point to consider with running the Trident in one day compared to doing it over several events is the cost of travel and hotels. The initial cost of the Trident race will seem daunting but when you consider you are either doing it locally or traveling to the event and only doing it this one time, you are saving a lot of money in the end. The extra expense will just be the gear and food you will need for the race itself.
A side note for anyone looking to sign up. You won't find the Trident heat directly on the Bonefrog website for the event location. You can find them by clicking register for whichever location you are considering, and the Trident heat will be near the bottom of the registration page.
But how can I prepare to do it in a day?
To run The Trident in a day, you should approach this race like it is an UltraBeast, but with less urgency and panic. When running The Trident you get access to the Endurance drop bin tent. So between each lap, you can go to a drop bucket and get whatever nutrition and water you need to successfully start the next lap.
In your drop bin, you should have the type of nutrition you require to get you through the next lap. Pack your favorite snacks, solid food, fruit smoothie, gels, or soylent green that keeps you moving during your races. You should also bring your own water and electrolyte additives to keep you properly hydrated. For this specific event, I recommend Nuun Endurance because it is formulated to keep you fueled for longer events and comes with a healthy dose of vitamins, electrolytes, and a tiny dose of caffeine to keep you moving.
I also recommend storing these items in your drop bin, these are items specific to certain racers. Bring a good pair of gloves to wear for certain obstacles. Since you will be doing or attempting a lot of obstacles during this event it is a good idea to protect your hands. Bonefrog obstacles are mostly made from metal and overtime can do some real damage to your hands. Bring salt pills to take between laps to help prevent cramping and muscle fatigue. A hydration belt or hydration pack. Bonefrog has a lot of water stations on course but in my opinion, it is better to play it safe and carry your own. Finally, sunglasses, because depending on the course the sun may become intense and you really want to wear your sunglasses to look super cool in your final photos.
Final Thoughts.
My overall impression of this race is pretty good. Compared to a Spartan Trifecta and Savage Syndicate, the Bonefrog Trident feels like the best multi-race achievement on the market. You get to run 3 races in a single day, at a slight discount instead of running 3 different lengths at different events, not including travel and hotels at different venues. You get to play on some of the tougher obstacles available. In the end, you get to receive a medal for each distance, those medals then get mounted onto a bigger medal, The Trident medal. For under $300 race registration you get to sport the Megazord of medals.
I think everyone should run the Bonefrog Trident as a single event because it is the most cost-effective way to earn this medal. It is also a great place to test out some endurance training for those longer OCR events that are on the market. An added bonus for those competitive runners is that right now Bonefrog is awarding a gold medal to the fastest male and fastest female times, so it is looking like in the future this could become a podium event.
This author is part of the Mud Run Crew and received a free race entry in return for an independent review. All opinions are those of the author and were not influenced by the race sponsor or Mud Run Guide.
Why is it that there is no schedule event listed for California ? Thanks. Hooked on Mud Run.