Mud Run Guide

Mud, Fun, Color and Obstacles!

I did my first and only mud run back in 1988 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in California. That’s right, I said 1988, which is about 20 years before big name mud runs tapped into the warrior ethos and brought difficult mud and obstacle course races to the masses. Color runs soon followed at the other end of the spectrum with their own brand of technicolor happiness. Fringe events rode the surge throwing foam and glitter at us and sometimes arming us with glow sticks on a night time course. As the initial trend wanes the big players are still standing along with a few home grown events that have been quietly (and not so quietly as in the case of the USMC Ultimate Challenge Mud Run) challenging and entertaining us for years. In fact, this marks the 22nd year of the USMC Ultimate Challenge Mud Run. Make no mistake, mud, fun and obstacle course races are here to stay. To help you find the best race for you, we put together this guide that highlights the key elements of each genre.

– The Editor

Race Key

Distance defines cost at most running events and triathlons, but not so at obstacle races. Sometimes, there are ninjas! You’d want to know that, right? You would also want to know if you’re going to party like you’re at Woodstock (the muddy one, of course) after the race. To help you pick the best race, we created a key for a few defining aspects of your next fun run.

 Don’t wear your best clothes – there will be mud!

 Leave the marshmallows at home ’cause you’re jumping this flame!

 Bring a Q-tip to swab the mud from your ears, there’s gonna be music!

 If you are of legal age to consume alcohol, there’s beer. (Purchase required at some events. Check the race website or bring $$ just in case.)

 Wear white and go home with a Jackson Pollack-inspired shirt.

Hodges Family Farm April Fools Run

Charlotte – April 11

 The inaugural Hodges Family Farm April Fools Run promises a day of dirt, obstacles and fun! This 5K race will start near the historical farmhouse and take you across the acreage of this century old farm. The obstacles will put your muscles and strength to the test, but they will not be impossible – it will still be fun! This race is intended for ages 13 and up. Sign up at www.hodgesfarmnc.com.

USMC Ultimate Challenge Mud Run

Columbia, SC – April 11 & October 24

Don’ t be fooled by “mud run” in the name, this is no 5K with a couple of mud holes. This is a real obstacle race that’s been held since 1993 – that’s right, this race has been around for over 22 years! Designed and built by a Marine drill instructor, this race includes a whopping 36 obstacles spread over 6.2 miles. Actual Marines are positioned throughout the course to help motivate your team. No empty promises, you will sweat and you will probably bleed but, somewhere on the Leatherneck obstacle you will find the point where you think you can’t go any further and you will push on. If you conquer the course, your sense of accomplishment and pride will be with you forever! The USMC Ultimate Challenge Mud Run does NOT accept individual enlistments, only teams. Sign up at www.ultimatechallengemudrun.org.

Spartan Sprint

Charlotte – April 11

Located on the 100+ acre Porter Farms, this course is over 3 miles, ripe with obstacles. It takes long days to uphold the farm, as well as demanding, strenuous, and backbreaking battles with nature. In that same sentiment, the vast and open farm is filled with troubles sure to test any Spartan’s will. Always look ahead. Don’t quit. Accept the challenge. Dominate.

Glow Run for the Lights

Newport, NC – April 17

GLOW Run for the Lights is a fundraising event to help raise money for the Newport Little League to purchase new lights for the field. Sign up.

LoziLu Women’s Mud Run

Charlotte – April 18 | Raleigh – April 25

Let your energy shine at this women-only 5K festival for all athletic abilities to love! Start with a 5K and add flowing trails, exciting obstacles and a fabulous after-party. LoziLu is your perfect girls’ day out. Cleverly crafted obstacles with catchy names like Fishnets, Bad Hair Day, Tan Lines, Fun House, Party Oasis and The Exfoliator are just a few of the challenges for all athletic abilities.

MARSOC Mud, Sweat & Tears

Jacksonville – April 25

Mud, sweat and tears is exactly what you will get when you run MARSOC Mud, Sweat & Tears 5-mile mud run. The Marines from Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC) pride themselves on physical superiority and mental toughness. See if you can hang with them! The Mud, Sweat & Tears off-road course includes forest terrain, dirt paths, winding trails, fallen tree obstacles and mud! For 5 miles, this challenging race will test your strength, stamina and endurance. Be forewarned – you will be challenged! For registration form and for more information, visit mccslejeune.com/grandprix or email at lejgrandprix@usmc-mccs.org.

Combat Mud Run

Wilmington – April 25

The Combat Mud Run is a 5K course with obstacles and of course, mud! Serious competitors can opt for the “Meat Head Mile” which is the 5K course with a one-mile extension offering an extra challenge for the person who likes to punish themselves. Some of the obstacles include 4-, 6-, and 8-foot walls, mud crawls, a 12-foot rope climb, chin-up station, monkey bars and lots more!

Y Run Kids 5K Obstacle Challenge

Charlotte – April 26

Designed for kids ages 6 through 12, this race features a 5K course. There will be obstacles throughout the 5K. The Y Run Kids 5K Obstacle Challenge is located on the Harris YMCA grounds in Charlotte. Sign up.

Big Muddy Challenge

Raleigh – May 2 & September 5 | Charlotte – August 22

The Big Muddy Challenge is returning to Hill Ridge Farms this May and September! In August, BMC will host an event at Patterson Farms in Charlotte. The Big Muddy Challenge is an event series designed for parents and children to share the adventure race experience. Families and friends utilize each-others strengths and spirits to reach the finish line. BMC participants navigate age appropriate obstacles in this “race” themed event. How fast you finish matters, kind of, but not as much as how you tackle the course. Sign up at www.bigmuddychallenge.com.

Perry Harrison Run for the Mariners 5K and Obstacle Course Run

Pittsboro – May 2

Perry Harrison Run for the Mariners 5K is a great course with a mix of quiet streets and a few moderate hills to break up the pace. This is a family friendly 5K and is designed with kids in mind but is also challenging for runners of all ages. Returning better than ever is the Kids Obstacle Course. This off-road obstacle course travels through approximately one mile of fields and trails. Kids go out in waves to a variety of obstacles such as mud pit, tire run, tunnel crawl, hay climb, and more! Kids are not going to want to miss out on this awesome event! Sign up

Great Glow Run

New Bern – May 2

Participants of all ages and abilities run, walk, or roll in this fun, eye-catching spectacle. Join “glowthusiasts” by dressing in your favorite glow gear: headbands, necklaces, LED clothing, body paint and more. Shine your brightest while creating lasting memories with family and friends. Runners navigate the glowing, certified 5K course with the help of LED lights while illuminated volunteers guide your way. The start and finish areas feature black lights, digital lighting effects, and energizing music. There’s even a black light photo booth to help you capture all the fun!

Color the Hill Run

Chapel Hill – May 2

The Color the Hill 4K Fun Run is the wackiest time you can have on a cross-country course! Make sure you show up at the start line as a blank canvas. White attire is best. Then run, walk, skip or dance your way to the finish line while you move through a rainbow of fun. All ages, skills, sizes and shapes are welcome and having a blast at the Color the Hill event is what it’s all about. By the finish line, you’ll look like a Jackson Pollock painting! As you make your way through the 4K course and encounter five color stations along the way – green, purple, yellow, pink and blue – you’ll be blitzed with non-toxic color by our volunteers. The finish line will feature an epic color extravaganza! Sign up at www.colorthehill.com.

The Ninja Challenge

Raleigh – May 9

The Ninja Challenge is a 5K obstacle race that will see if you are fit to walk the path of a ninja warrior. While anybody can run, only a ninja can run up walls. The Ninja Challenge goes beyond a simple race and will truly test your athleticism. Running becomes only half the battle when you face 15-plus obstacles that only a true ninja can complete. Obstacles will rely on your strength, balance, dexterity and stamina. There will be volunteers helping out at each obstacle and we recommend running in groups so you can work as a team. Sign up at www.theninjachallenge.com.

Bash Color Dash 5K

Mooresville – May 9

The 4th annual Bash Color Dash 5K encourages all ages and levels to participate! Feel free to run or walk or even push a stroller! All proceeds will go to support the Back to School Bash 2015, a community-wide event providing free shoes and school supplies for area students. If that isn’t reason enough to come, they will also provide a white Color Dash t-shirt for all who pre-register by May 6th. As you pass various intervals on your route, you can be sprayed with a different color of non-toxic washable paint! A prize will be awarded not only for fastest times, but also for most covered in color! And if you are a student and need yet another reason, we are going to have a trophy over 5 feet tall awarded to the Elementary School, Middle School and High School with the highest percentage of their student body registered! Bring the trophy home to your school! Sign up at www.bashcolordash.com.

Down & Dirty Adventure Run

China Grove – May 9

This is a roughly 4.5 mile trail run through the beautiful Lake Corriher Wilderness Park. The course will take you through the woods, creeks, marshes, hills and “some” mud. There will be obstacles along the way, though the course itself is an obstacle! It is both competitive and family oriented. You will be challenged, you will get wet, you will get muddy, but you’ll have a blast doing it… guaranteed! Sign up.

Color Me Fit

Rock Hill, SC – May 16

 Color Me Fit is a 5K color run promoting family fitness. The event is being organized by the elementary physical education teachers in the Rock Hill School District. The run will take place at South Pointe High School where runners/walkers will be sprayed with colored water throughout the run. This event is designed to encourage fitness in a non-competitive and family friendly environment. Sign up.

Rugged Maniac

Rockingham – May 16

Rugged Maniac is returning to North Carolina with a brand new venue – Rockingham Dragway. All parking is now right on site so no more buses or shuttles. Get ready for another round of 25 epic obstacles, three fun miles and one rockin’ party! You’ll climb towers of stacked shipping containers, crawl through underground tunnels of mud, rocket down a massive water slide and experience a lot of big new surprises like trampolines! As if that weren’t awesome enough, before and after you run you’ll get to party with thousands of other maniacs in our day-long festival, which includes mechanical bulls, adult bounce houses, and lots of new games and activities!

Let’s Glow 5K

Wilmington, NC – May 22

Get your glow on! The night lights up after the concert with the NHRMC Physician Group Let’s Glow 5K. The Let’s Glow 5K is an electrifying, after-dark, family centered, illuminating athletic event. Yep, it’s all that! Get ready to run or walk through a series of Glow Zones with neon lights, LEDs, and music. This format is all inclusive and encourages participation from all levels of fitness and ages.

The Color Run

Fayetteville – May 23 | Asheville – July 25 | Research Triangle Park – October 3

The Color Run™, also known as the Happiest 5K on the Planet, introduces its new “Shine Tour” this year.  The Shine Tour is designed to uplift and inspire runners to stand out from the crowd, sweat glitter, and continue to live their lives in a happy and healthy way. Get ready for special sparkle attractions on the course, glamorous photo ops, and new shine elements at the Finish Festival! This is the year to unleash your inner sparkle! Participants will receive a limited edition Shine Tour Participant Kit including a custom Race tee, gold finishers medal, tricolor headband with blingin’ silver stitching, special edition glitter pack, classic color pack, new gold tattoos and more! Less about your 10-minute-mile and more about having the time of your life, The Color Run is a 5K untimed race in which thousands of participants are doused from head to toe in different colors at each kilometer. The fun continues at the finish line with a gigantic “Color Festival,” using more colored powder to create happiness and lasting memories, not to mention millions of vivid color combinations. Trust us, this is the best post-5K party on the planet! With only two rules, the idea is easy to follow: 1) Wear white at the starting line and 2) Finish plastered in color!

Special Operators Challenge

Raeford – May 30

The Special Operators Challenge was founded by U.S. military veterans as a way to aid local charities and honor fallen veterans. The Special Operators Challenge will be hosting some of their events at The Carolina Horse Park in Raeford, NC. The Little Muddy 1 Mile Kids’ Run is for kids ages 11 to 17, the Little Muddy 1/2 Mile Kids’ Run is for kids ages 5 to 10, the Boomerang 5K Run is an obstacle style run with the added challenge of a few beers and a bratwurst, and the Muddy Nick 10K Resilience Run is 10K race through the challenging terrain of the Carolina Horse Park. Sign up at www.specialoperatorschallenge.com.

Dirty Girl Mud Run

Greensboro – May 30

Dirty Girl is a 5K women-only run for women of all ages and athletic abilities. Don’t worry, it’s not a race in the traditional sense. It is an untimed obstacle course designed to push you slightly out of your comfort zone, but only as far as you are comfortable going. Forming teams is encouraged, and so is helping your fellow Dirty Girls get through to the finish. At a Dirty Girl Mud Run you’ll find excitement, laughter and camaraderie as well as lots of music and even some adult beverages. It will be a day you’ll never forget.

Mad Mountain Run

Hendersonville – May 30

The Mad Mountain Mud Run is slated to be a madder and muddier, crazier and filthier obstacle course race and festival this year – all in Hendersonville, N.C. Teams of four will race the approximately three-mile course and traverse mud pits, creeks, gooey crawls, climbing obstacles (you will need your teammates!) and more. Those who dress in creative team uniforms will have the biggest smiles, and those who emerge the muddiest will have achieved a great victory (MUD RULES)! Afterwards there will be a full-blown festival with live music, food and local beer — all day! Fun for racers and festival-goers, and a fantastic way to spend a Saturday this summer.

Warrior Dash

Huntersville – June 6

The Warrior Dash is a mud-crawling, fire-leaping, extreme run. This fierce running series is held on the most challenging and rugged terrain across the globe. Warriors conquer extreme obstacles, push their limits and celebrate with kick-ass music, beer and warrior helmets.

USMC Mud Run NC

Pinnacle – June 6

 The Sixth Annual USMC Marine Mud Run NC will take place at Jomeokee Park in Pinnacle, N.C. The park will be buzzing and the participants will be groaning and grunting. But more importantly, they’ll be cheering… cheering and helping each other through challenging obstacles and muddy pits. The all-terrain course features mud holes, walls, trenches and other obstacles that require crawling, climbing, jumping and determination. Some people come to compete, many just come to complete. Do you have what it takes? Enlist now!

Wilson Swamp Stomp

Wilson – June 13

The Wilson Swamp Stomp is an obstacle run with approximately 12 obstacles on the 5K course and another 6 on the 8K course. The Swamp Stomp has obstacles, belly crawls in the grass and dirt and a wet tunnel crawl. A significant portion of the 5K and 8K that runs through some swampy terrain and takes advantage of the park’s natural obstacles. There is also a creek crossing on the 8K course. Based on participant input from last year’s race, the 5K course will spend more time in the swamp and there will be more mud!  Several new obstacles are being added, too. Sign up at www.wilsonswampstomp.com

Run Amuck!

Quantico, VA – June 13

Run Amuck – the muddy, messy adventure not only puts participants through the rigors of steep climbs over rough terrain and daunting dashes through awesome mud pits, it also propels runners through Marine-style physical training drills during the four-mile race to the finish. Run Amuck! is annually hosted on Marine Corps Base Quantico. The course includes giant mud pits spanning over 60 feet and more than 20 strenuous challenges such as the spider web, 20-foot pipe slither, clamber up a cargo net, the ammo can scramble and 40-foot inflatable obstacles, plus a water blast shower at the finish! Run Amuck! and its pint-sized partner Mini Run Amuck!, which covers two miles of tough terrain, is part of the Marine Corps Marathon Event Series of road races held through November.

Tough Mudder

Doswell, VA – June 13 & 14

During the off season, Tough Mudder spent countless hours holed up in their Obstacle Innovation Lab with one mission: to bring you unique, exhilarating, never-before-seen obstacles with an emphasis on teamwork and adrenaline-inducing fun. In addition to some brand-spanking-new editions, they’ve also revamped and redefined their classical favorites. Check out the new obstacles at Virginia’s Meadow Event Park, the birthplace of Secretariat, the greatest Thoroughbred of all time. The park is only 30 minutes from Richmond and two hours from Norfolk. With terrain ranging from swampy wetlands to heavily-wooded forest trails, this Tough Mudder is an all-American classic. You don’t have to be a professional athlete to cross the finish line, but there are no free rides on this track either.

Storm the Beach

Nags Head – June 14

The storm is brewin’! Run, crawl, jump, carry and endure Outer Banks Sporting Events’ Storm the Beach, a team-oriented, family friendly obstacle/challenge course in Nags Head, N.C. The number of obstacles depends on the race you sign up for. Five-milers will have the most and 0.75-milers will have very few and the three-milers will have a moderate number of obstacles compared with the five-milers. You will climb over and under things, you will get sandy, and you may even get wet. Sign up at www.stormthebeach.org.

Color Vibe 5K

Raleigh – August 8  | Jacksonville – September 26

Get ready to experience more color on you than your happy levels can handle! All color is 100% safe, edible, biodegradable, and beautiful. You’ll get color blasted with blue, yellow, pink, purple, and green as you run, or walk, through the Color Vibe zones and you’ll feel like you’re floating in a cloud of double rainbow happiness while you’re doing it!

Mud & Music Mayhem

Eden – August 15

The 3rd Annual Mud & Music Mayhem Obstacle Race is one of the most challenging and beautiful courses in the Southeast. Participants will experience over 30 obstacles like climbing walls, crawling through tunnels, trudging through mud, jumping over fire and many more challenges on this 6+ mile all-terrain course. For those that want a little less mud and a lot more mayhem there will be a new 3-mile option this year. After you race, you will earn a Hanes Cool Dri t-shirt, finishers medal and a free beer. The event also offers the best post race showers anywhere. The party continues with live entertainment, inflatables for the kids, and more beer for the adults and great food for everyone. There is no charge for spectators so bring friends and family and enjoy the day.

Spartan Super

Asheville – August 29

Grove Stone & Sand Company is one of the grittiest courses in the Spartan venue. With some of the steepest slopes and rocky terrains throughout the venue, it’s as difficult slowing down while running as it is to speed up on this 8+ mile course. Grove Stone has a variety of washed and screened granite materials which are traditionally used to help with building needs, but will be used for primal Spartan challenges during the race.

Trooper Challenge

Saxapahaw – September 12

The Trooper Challenge Mud Run is a fun, unique and family friendly event. The course has military-style obstacles and mud pits that will be achievable for the novice and taxing for the elite. Sign up at www.sportoften.com.

Electric Run

Raleigh – September 18

Electric Run is one of the world’s premier nighttime 5K run/walk experiences, where the participants are an integrated part of the show. Featuring immersive “Lands” of light and sound that transport the participant into an electric wonderland, Electric Run promises to transport the mind, body and soul to a new world in a healthy and drug-free way. Participants are encouraged to join in on the art by lighting up with glow sticks, LEDs and anything else their imagination can conjure up.

Spartan Sprint

Fort Bragg – September 19

Be prepared for miles of rocky trails, a multitude of elevations, water hazards, and unforgiving acres of Carolina brush. This 3-5 mile course will be historical for all of our Spartans! Expect to see the military in full effect, during this event!

Color Me Rad

Wilmington – October 3

You may start out as clean as a newborn babe but, throughout the run volunteers will coat you with liquids, powders, and gels of blue, green, pink, purple, and yellow until your face, shirt, and body come out silkscreened like a tie-dyed hippie on the other side. Each section of the run adds a new explosion of color to your clean, painter’s palate until you cross the finish line into a final blitzkrieg of color.

Dirty Dozen Obstacle Trail Race

Charlotte – October 10

Twelve obstacles and 12 kilometers stand between you and the finish line in the 4th annual Dirty Dozen obstacle trail race. Looking for a shorter race? There is a 5K obstacle race as well. While this is not an official “mud run”, expect to get dirty along the way. You definitely want to wear an old t-shirt for this race! Put your strength, endurance and coordination to the test as you navigate your way through several physical challenges along the U.S. National Whitewater Center trail system, then celebrate your accomplishment with a fun-filled day at Fall Finale. Sign up at http://usnwc.org/play/whitewater-race-series/dirty-dozen-obstacle-trail-race/

Spartan Beast & Spartan Super

Winnsboro, SC – November 14 & 15

The Spartan Beast will push you to your limits as an athlete and as a human being. Billed as a 12- to 14-mile obstacle course race from hell, the Spartan Beast is sure to become your new gold standard in obstacle course races. Barbed wire crawls, cargo nets, seven- to eight-foot walls, ropes, fire jumps and all the mud, rocks, scrapes and bruises that come with it will challenge experienced obstacle course runners yet still be attainable for newbies. The camaraderie of your fellow racers, the supportive staff and the encouraging volunteers along the course will culminate with an amazing sense of achievement and accomplishment at the finish line! Not ready to tackle the “beast”? Come out on Sunday for the shorter Spartan Super, or if you are really hardcore, do them both!