1. Can I do an event on my own?
Yes you most definitely can. It might be easier with a friend or two to get over some obstacles if you’re not particularly strong but chances are there will be marshals or other racers to help you.
2. How fit do I need to be?
You don’t need to be a super fit whippet. The fitter you are the more you will enjoy it as it will be less painful and the obstacles will be easier.
We recommend that you need to be able to run for 30-40 minutes non stop to do a 5km event. However, it reallty doesn’t matter and this shouldn’t put you off too much but just for your own enjoyment make sure you’ve had some training. It is not like running a 5km – you won’t run the whole event as you’ll stop for the obstacles and even walk some bits
3. What should I wear?
An often debated question. There are no rules, you can wear what you want but wearing the right gear will make it easier.
Generally less is more. You will get wet and muddy so if you’re wearing a lot of clothes these will get heavy and make you cold. Compression tops, tech t-shirt quick drying clothes are best. Check out our Essential Gear post.
In the warmer months April to September, a tech-t shirt, running vest, short sleeved compression top will do for the top half. For the colder months a long sleeve base layer and another layer on top is wise.
You’re going to get very muddy…
4. What shoes should I wear for an obstacle race?
If you plan on doing more than one event it make sense to invest in a pair of running shoes that have some grip and don’t get really heavy. Having grip will make it safer as you will be running down steep hills.
Firstly, go for lightweight shoes so they dry quickly and once they have mud on them won’t be as heavy. Secondly, you need grip and lots of it. Sometimes no matter how much grip you have you’ll still slip, but other times, it will help you get up a hill and stop you from slipping about. The grip will obviously help you go quicker but it will also help to prevent injuries by reducing slipping and any strain on your hip.
Check out our Top 10 Obstacle Race Shoes post and in general only look at trail or fell running shoes that have some teeth on the bottom.
5. Do I need a team?
No you don’t but if you do it will be more fun. You’ll get reduced entry fees and they’ll help you get over the obstacles. For an event like Tough Mudder you’ll need a team for the Berlin Walls as they’re tough to get over on your own.
Team mates can be vital…
6. How do I find an event near me?
There’s a number of ways - use our race search, view the upcoming races, use our map or browse by region in the drop down on this page.
7. What’s the best event for a beginner?
We recommend a 5km or 10km event for beginners. Go for an event between April and October so it’s a little warmer. See our top events for beginners.
8. What do I need for after the event?
A towel, a change of clothes and something to eat/drink. It’s also worth having some anti bacterial gel and/or baby wipes handy. Particularly if it’s cold get out of your wet clothes as soon as possible. On cold events my technique is to go to my car, turn on the engine, pump out the heat and get changed on the back seat. This warms you up and then you can go back out to celebrate. If you have a nice car you might want to put a blanket down!
9. Do I need energy gels or water along the course?
Most events will have water halfway so you don’t need to carry water. You don’t really need an energy gel for anything under a 10km but it’s not a problem if you do (you can just take one before but a suitable breakfast/meal the night before is good enough). Anything above the 10km mark then it’s generally recommended which will help you along the course and recovery after. Try to take a gel every 20-30 mins.
10. How hard are these events?
Many are as hard as you want them to be. That means if you race round as quick as you can then it is going to be tough. If you jog round leisurely with friends it will be more of a challenge in a different way. Both are fine with Obstacle Races, and there is no problem with either. Everyone helps each other which is so great about them.
It’s not super serious so don’t be worried if you’re a newbie. If you want something tough then there’s events for you - check out Tough Guy, Nuts Challenge, Pain and Suffering, Spartan Beast and Rat Race Dirty Weekend to name a few.