Fear and worry seem to be one of the biggest reasons people are hesitant to sign up for an OCR. When I asked what they feared the most, it seemed pretty consistent: Worry about being able to do the obstacles, how long the race would take, would they even be able to finish or keep up with friends who had run before. Would people laugh at them when they failed an obstacle or had to walk? What if you need help over the starting wall?
All of these events are big on fun, and in descending order of difficulty. WIPEOUTRUN is the easiest, all the way down to Spartan Race Sprint as the hardest "beginner-friendly" races. If you're looking for a good reason to get muddy and experience an actual mud run/obstacle course race with guys and gals, our best suggestion is to start with Warrior Dash. Yeah, we know you're the adventurous type - but recommend getting at least one OCR under your belt before you move up to Spartan Race Sprint; even the short distance is pretty darn difficult with mandatory obstacle completion (the only one on this list that requires it)!
If you have friends who have never run an OCR or Mud Run before and give you the same old "No way, I can't do that" excuse, then share this post with them! Brett takes on the excuses that keep everyone from enjoying obstacle course races and mud runs in an interview with TotallyFIT Radio - and here's a checklist on how to introduce EVERYONE to this awesome sport!
