So the time came when I turned my attention to an interesting type of racing, namely obstacle races, and at the same time a little distracted from the road and trail races and try something new for myself, where you need not only to run but also to overcome various obstacles. And in this article to prepare the list of races with obstacles that are carried out in the territory of Ukraine.
Obstacle Course Race (OCR) is a distance of 5 to 30 kilometers with numerous tests. Most often, such activities take place on rough terrain, and obstacles can be very different: overcoming high barriers, climbing mud ditches, carrying heavy objects, and falling into icy ponds. In general, participants need to go through real fire, water, and copper pipes.
In Ukraine, hurdles are represented by five brands, the international "Spartan Race", "Race Nation", "Strong Race" and "Legion Race", and the national "Dyka Gonka". Getting to know the hurdles will start with those races that are more professional and allow you to qualify for the World and European OCR Championships, namely "Spartan Race", "Race Nation", and "Dyka Gonka".
Spartan Race
- Distances: Spartan Sprint (5 km / 20 obstacles), Spartan Super (10 km / 25 obstacles), Spartan Beast (20 km / 30 obstacles)
- Categories: Standard, Elite
"Spartan Race" is a series of obstacle races that originated in the mountains of Vermont, and was created by a world-class athlete, Joe De Sen. They are based in the United States and have franchises in 30 countries, including Canada, South Korea, Australia, and several European countries. The main feature of the Spartan Race is the annual World Championships, and to participate in it, men and women must finish in the top five in a series of US championships or regional championships in their respective categories.
Race Nation
- Distances: 5 km. / 20 obstacles, 10 km. / 25 obstacles, 20 km. / 30 obstacles
- Categories: Standard, Elite
Race Nation is a specially designed obstacle course that allows athletes and amateurs to test their strength and spirit, as well as endurance and physical training. Obstacles include ascents and descents, water, swamps, sand, cold, altitude, balance, moving objects, fire and exercise, and more. The Race Nation brand was created in Ukraine but has become international since 2016, as in addition to Ukraine, the Race Nation is also held in Kazakhstan. In addition, participants in the Race Nation race have the opportunity to qualify for the World and European OCR Championships.
Dyka Gonka
- Distances: Wild Mile (1 mile / 15+ hurdles), Daring Five (5+ km. / 20+ hurdles), Crazy Ten (10+ km. / 25+ hurdles), Powerful half marathon (21+ km. / 30 + obstacles)
- Categories: Pro, Age, Open
“Dyka Gonka” is a Ukrainian series of obstacle races that combines three types of activities: cross-country running, overcoming dizzying obstacles, and fighting the challenges of nature. Participants will run, climb, jump, overcome both artificial and natural obstacles and make their way along stunning routes. In addition, Dyka Gonka participants can qualify for the World and European OCR Championships.
Beginners who want to see what an obstacle course is can try their hand at Strong Race and Legion Run.
Strong Race
- Distances: 5 km. / 15 obstacles, 7 km. / 18 obstacles, 10 km. / 20 obstacles
- Categories: Amateurs, Prof
“StrongRace” is a series of obstacle races that take place in ordinary terrain, where participants need to overcome a number of obstacles in addition to running.
Legion Run
- Distances: 5 km. / 15 obstacles,
- Categories: Amateurs
Legion Run is an approximately five-kilometer, team-oriented obstacle course made of dirt, fire, ice, and barbed wire, held in various countries around the world.
Thank you for reading, I hope you found it interesting.
If you have any thoughts or opinions on this article then I'd love to see your comments.
Check out my website for more of my work.