Obstacle Races

Plan your Obstacle Race adventure for 2025 with our OCR running calendar! Discover the best Obstacle Races in Germany, Austria, Swiss and Europe and save your favourites directly to your personal watch list.

Top Obstacle Races

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Obstacle Races, a trend sport taking the world by storm

Obstacle running originated in Wolverhampton, England, the home of the legendary Tough Guy. The first ever obstacle race took place here in the 1980s and is now considered the ‘mother of all obstacle races’. For decades, however, the Tough Guy eked out a single existence, as the obstacle race was neither trendy nor particularly popular in the running scene. Participants were often met with incomprehension when they reported that they had voluntarily crawled through ice water and mud, exposed themselves to electric shocks and overcome countless obstacles in the process.

But with the turn of the millennium, the tide turned in favour of the obstacle race. More and more organisers entered the market as a whole movement slowly but surely got underway. In Germany, the first real obstacle run was organised in Weeze in 2007 with the Fishermans Friend StrongmanRun. This was also the kick-off for a trend sport movement that continues to this day and has inspired hundreds of thousands of participants in Germany. But that's not all. It is thanks to the obstacle race that Trophy Runners exists at all. Trophy Runners was originally launched as a pure running calendar for obstacle races.

The obstacle races has experienced an incredible boom since the Tough Mudder (2010) and the Spartan Race (2010) entered the market. Today, over 1,000 events take place worldwide, with millions of athletes taking part. This means that obstacle running has become an integral part of every running calendar.

Obstacle Race definition

In the classic sense, an obstacle race (also known as an OCR) is a drill course used in the training of soldiers. The aim of an obstacle race is to overcome physical and mental limits. Obstacles of various shapes and types are used. These are integrated into the running course and must be successfully overcome by the participants.

Types of Obstacle Races

In our running calendar you will find three different types of obstacle runs, which can be roughly categorised as follows.

Obstacle runs:
Classic obstacle runs are usually timed. The ratio of running and overcoming obstacles is very balanced, with the running part being relatively high. The obstacles require a high level of strength and coordination from the participants.

Mud run (also known as dirt run):
The mud run is a modified form of the obstacle course. It is usually not timed, as the obstacles generally require a high degree of teamwork. For example, deep mud pits can usually only be overcome with the help of others, which makes fair timekeeping almost impossible.

Fun run:
The so-called fun run can be a mix of both, but there is no timekeeping in a fun run. The main aim is for the participants to enjoy overcoming the fun obstacles and not to be pushed to their performance level. Fun runs are therefore usually the introduction to ‘real’ obstacle runs.

Obstacles from A - Z

Whether with or without mud, with or without timing, in the end it is the obstacles that make an obstacle race an obstacle race. At present, there are certainly well over 100 variations of obstacles, although it is of course questionable at what point an obstacle can be counted as a real obstacle. So does an obstacle start with overcoming a ball of straw or does a 20kg sandbag have to be carried up a slope first? Everyone can decide for themselves, but certain standard obstacles have become established and can be found in almost every obstacle race.

We give you a brief overview of the top 3 obstacles in OCR (Obstacle Course Racing) sport:

Monkey Bar
The so-called monkey bar is a hanging obstacle that can now be found in almost every obstacle course. In this obstacle, you have to shimmy over a 10 metre long section. If you slide down, you usually end up in a pool of water or mud.

XXL slides
XXL slides have also become an integral part of obstacle courses. Nowadays, it's no longer just about offering a slide, but having the steepest and longest slide by far.

Steep walls
Less spectacular but still usually challenging are steep walls. These can be 2m to 3m high and, depending on the height and incline, require a great deal of skill and strength from the participants.

Well-known Obstacle Races and Mud Runs

In recent years, various obstacle race organisers have entered the market in Germany. Some of them have developed into real heavyweights that claim a large part of the market for themselves and should not be missing from any running calendar.

The largest and best-known organisers of obstacle races in Germany:

Spartan Race
The Spartan Race is one of the most popular obstacle races of all. Even if the number of events in Germany is manageable, the Spartan Race can hardly be beaten in terms of popularity by any other event.

Tough Mudder
When it comes to obstacle courses, the Tough Mudder is mentioned in the same breath as the Spartan Race. Thousands of participants flock to the events at each Tough Mudder to conquer some of the most ingenious obstacles in OCR sport.

Hotfoot Run Nürburgring
Of all the obstacle runs in Germany, the Hotfoot Run has by far the longest tradition. The Hotfoot Run (formerly StrongmanRun) was the first obstacle run ever to be organised in Germany and today attracts around 13,000 participants to the Nürburgring at the same time.

XLETIX Challenge
The XLETIX Challenge is Germany's largest series of obstacle runs. In Germany alone, XLETIX organises around 6 to 10 obstacle courses every year. There are also obstacle runs in Austria, Switzerland and Spain.

Muddy Angel Run
The Muddy Angel Run is Germany's largest and leading series of obstacle runs designed ONLY for women. If you take part in the Muddy Angel Run, part of your entry fee will be donated to Breast Cancer Germany.

Equipment for obstacle courses

As extreme as obstacle races can be, the demand for suitable running clothing is just as high. Basically, running clothing for obstacle races such as Tough Mudder, Spartan Race or XLETIX must be as functional as possible. No cotton, lightweight and breathable - these are the simple basic principles.

By far the most important thing, however, is the right running shoes. Without special running shoes, not only does the risk of injury inevitably increase, there is also the danger that the fun will literally fall by the wayside. Without suitable running shoes, not only will you constantly slip in muddy conditions, but you will also have serious problems overcoming many an obstacle. 

In addition, suitable gloves offer extra protection and provide additional grip at various obstacles. Whether you think gloves are good or bad for an obstacle course is ultimately a matter of taste. Many runners like me prefer gloves, while others categorically reject them. The best thing to do is simply get a pair and take them with you on your next obstacle race.

Running calendar for Obstacle Races in 2025

In our running calendar for obstacle races in the 2025 season, you will find well over 150 obstacle races, over 1,500 race evaluations and numerous reports on OCR races. This makes our obstacle race calendar Germany's first port of call if you want to get an overview of upcoming obstacle courses.

Would you like to rate or comment on an obstacle race or mud run yourself? No problem, just search our running calendar for the obstacle run you have taken part in and you can leave a comment or rating.

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