Surviving Mud Runs

Before the events that would come to be known as the Spartan Race came to be, there existed a “death race” version of it which was one of the first MAJOR, televised, event that took place somewhere in Vermont.

The challenge would involve an X amount of people having to cross an X amount of land (which could be mountains, rivers, and other difficult terrain) and overcome various challenges besides the terrain itself. Tasks and obstacles would be placed across the event and if competitors were to finish the event, they would have to complete all the said obstacles, fully. 

It sounds like today’s regular Spartan Race, such as the Super or Beast, but these events were shaped thanks to the Death Race version. And based on what I remember for the Death Race, it was more difficult. But that’s not to say the current Spartan Races aren’t tough, not at all. It’s just that this particular event was built for the most toughest challengers.

The event would take anywhere from several hours to even a day or more to complete and it would test the endurance and mental resilience of even the most hardcore athletes in this world. 

I remember watching the Spartan Death Race on television and seeing how people were climbing mountains, carrying heavy bags full of nails, answering puzzles, overcoming challenges and even having to do a 100 push ups at the finish line, and all of these people were seeking to complete the said challenges in the fastest time possible. 

Winners could get money, recognition and fame in the process. But whatever happened to this event?

The last time I heard of it being held, it was somewhere in 2014. While this event itself drew a lot of attention, there were many people who wanted to participate in it but could not, due to a lack of funds, physical abilities, having the logistical opportunity to travel to where the event would be held and overall with there being a cap on how many could do it, this created a lot of difficulties for the everyday person to do.

Additionally there is said to have been disagreements between the 2 main creators of the event, something that led to lawsuits, and overall a refusal for one person to continue the events while the other wanted them to go on. Additionally, there were also reports of money issues, payout issues and other miscellaneous business issues. 

However, this “break up” and “end” to the death race brought forth the idea of making it into something different, more accessible to people across the country/world. This would lead to the creation of the following Spartan events:

Spring, Super, Beast and Ultra Beast (I’ve done them all except the last one). Here’s explanations on each.

By spreading these events across the world and in particular areas where people from large metropolitan areas could get to easily enough, the event would then become:

Far more accessible to the general public. 

It was also a lot easier than the original death race, no more 24 hour + events, now it was slightly more doable for most athletes and they could choose from the 4 events above, based on their physical level. But just because it is more doable than the past death race still doesn’t make it easy.

I personally think out of all the mud runs I’ve done, the ones which were EASILY the hardest for me to complete were the Spartan Races. They are physically and mentally draining beyond belief…

Prices were also cheaper as now people who were in the area of a held event could actually pay and get there without having to take a plane.

This proved to be a very successful venture as a few years later, this event and it’s 4 different versions have become an ever growing event, with millions across the world participating in it, including people like myself. As for the death race, it is apparently not around anymore. 

If you look at the official Spartan challenge site, there is no mention of this anymore. There are championships held, but I believe this is for the existing 4 versions of the event, not the previous one. 

As for what happened to the creators, for all we know, there is still some lawsuit going on behind the scenes, with the death race put on hold until it’s settled as far as I know. From what I saw, there was no official “end” announced for this event, but in it’s pause, the 4 other events took over and today, this is what the Spartan Race is best known for.

What types of alternative events are there?

Well if you’re into crazy mud runs, here are some alternatives to consider:

Spartan Beast. You’re looking at 12+ miles of harsh hiking and obstacle crossing. Elite level athletes MAY be able to cross this in a manner of 3-4 hours (which is the record from what I know). Regular runners may have to do it for 10+ hours. More info.

Ultra Beast. Just multiply the beast by 2 (2 laps that is). This is literally a marathon long event, except on mountains. I would say this may take nearly a day for most competitors to complete but you’ve got to be in some seriously sick physical condition to consider it. I finished a beast and I am glad I never went for the ultra…

Toughest Mudder. A popular competitor to the above events is Tough Mudder and their hardest event last for 24 hours. Your job is to cross whatever they put in front of you as many times as possible, so if their overall length is 12 miles (which it usually is), you’ll have to see how many laps you can do around that. I think the record is 70 miles in 24 hours…

Any type of iron man challenge out there. It’s not exactly a typical mud run/OCR, but it is still one of the most grueling physical events in the world. I believe it involves 2 km of swimming, over 100 km of cycling and a finale of jogging for 26 miles. There’s numerous areas in the world which host this one…

These 4 alternatives aren’t even classified as “hard”, there’s ridiculously difficult and you need to really consider your health and physical shape as well as mental fortitude to do ANY of them. Luckily with the huge popularity of the mud run industry, you have other events with their own options that have sprouted and you can pick one out based on your physical level here.

I always advise people don’t go too crazy, start with a simple one and work their way up to the harder ones, and even then, always consider your safety first…

I’ve used the Camelbak Rogue hydration pack for a number of years, from hikes, to mud runs and would love to give you my review of it and who it’s perfect for.

Camelback is a company which has created many different types of outdoor equipment, but in this review, we’re going to cover one of their best products, the hydration pack, particularly the “Rogue” which can carry 70 oz of water. 

While going through a very tough 12 km mud run a year ago, without the help of this backpack and it quenching my thirst, I don’t think I would have completed that race.

At the time, that back pack (which was a Camelback) belonged to a friend of mine but I decided if I was going to continue doing mud runs safely, and because I enjoy other outdoor sports, especially the most difficult ones, I’d need one of my own.

So I bought a slightly more popular version of that one: The CamelBak Rogue and had a lot of time to inspect and test it for this review. What I’ll cover is:

• What’s inside the this Camelbak product and it’s features.
• 5 very critical tests I ran it through.
• If 5 specific groups of outdoor type people can benefit from using the Rogue.

A video review of the Camelbak Rogue:

Exploring the Camelbak Rogue from all angles:

From the outside:

• The length of this product is a little over a foot.

• As you can see, it’s about the length of my forearm (under 2 feet long).

• The tube from which you drink is about 2 feet long.

• The harnesses which you put over your back have a clip which can be extended to fit just about any size of the person wearing it.

• There is also a tube on one of the harnesses designed to hold the tube in place as you’re running and it makes drinking from it a lot more comfortable where you don’t have to use your hands to adjust it.

• The little grey holder you see in the middle of the bag is what you pull on to remove the top strap and expose the hydration pack.

• And there is also a little hole at the bottom of the bad (from the other side) where if water gets in, this will be where it comes out from. This hydration pack is waterproof, but if you fall into deep water and it becomes completely submerged or the hydration pack isn’t tightened well enough and water leaks out, this hole will help get rid of that water while you’re running.

Now from the inside:

There’s 3 pictures I added here:

1. This is an outside view of the rogue, but it shows 3 areas, A, B and C which you can open to put things in. B is hard to see right now because the hydration pack is covering it.

A can fit personal small belongings like wallets and anything you cannot have getting wet. C can also fit that kind of stuff and there is also a little net for carrying small things like paper or possibly cards.

2. When you remove the hydration pack, B becomes very easy to see, but how roomy is it?

3. This is a picture of B from a different angle so you can see how much can fit in there. Obviously the hydration bag will take up about half the space when filled with water, but it can also fit some clothes and other supplies like food.

As for the blue bag that you fill up with water, you can see the circular button removed in B. You can easily detach the water bag from the rest of the product and fill it up and also if you’re short on time, you can fill it up while it’s still inside the bag.

Every compartment you see in this product is also by default in other Camelbak models but the Rogue gets the best reviews out of them all.

The 5 tests I put this product through!

Since I do trail hiking, mud runs and sometimes cycling, I needed this product to beat a number of tests:

Test 1: Is the waterpack and actual bag itself waterproof!?

1. In this picture, I filled up the bag fully, held it upside down and took a picture. No water dripped out. 

2. I then put in a light blue sticky note into the top compartment of the bag, zipped it up and poured lots of water on it. The yellow circles show where the water is and the SN sign is the actual sticky note. My camera’s flash was on so it looks like it blends in. Anyway the test was also successful and no water got in meaning you can safely store fragile items there (cameras, electronics, ect…)

3. I ran the same test with the bottom compartment of the bag and it also turned out to be waterproof.

So is this whole product water proof? Yes! 

Test 2: Is there enough space to keep a number of things?

For one person I think you can easily store your keys, a couple of sandwiches, some important clothing, and obviously lots of water. Since I first tested this product in a mud run, a few of us stored our keys and phones in both these compartments and some food in the main bag where the hydration pack is located.

Obviously this bag isn’t going to carry a laptop or any large major belongings (you can carry a tablet in this easy). For one person who is going on a long outdoor trip, this bag can carry a day or two worth of supplies easily.

Test 3: Is this product comfortable to wear?

Very comfortable! I filled it up with water and a few supplies and put it on. When I carried the same kind of bag in my mud run, it was also comfortable.

Test 4: How heavy is it when filled with water? Is it too heavy!?

Without the bladder (the thick plastic bag), the whole pack itself hardly weights a pound, with it, around 4 pounds, with other supplies, 5-6 pounds. On your back and being pretty small, you’ll hardly feel the weight.

Test 5: How easy is it to clean the actual hydration pack and the rest of the product?

The bag doesn’t have any hidden or difficult to reach areas other than the long tube. Cleaning the main pack is easy with a brush. I think you can also throw it into a washing machine after you use it. 

The water bag itself can be taken out and there is a circular top that you can twist to open and poor in water and the space is big enough to fit a brush through it or at least fill it up with something to clean it. 

So yes, it is very easy to clean.

On all 5 tests, this product passes!

The 5 groups who will totally benefit from using the Rogue:

Cyclists:

I don’t ride bicycles much but I do know many people use hydration packs who do. Obviously while riding, whether through trails or on the road and for long distances, stopping to drink water can be annoying and with this tool, because it’s comfortable to wear and the water tube attaches to one of the harnesses and you can drink it with minimal need to use your hands to adjust it, cyclists will be very comfortable riding and drinking from it.

Trail Hikers: 

I love hiking and this kind of bag is very convenient for me. If it starts raining, I know the stuff I keep in the compartments is protected from any amount of rain, whether it be a drizzle or torrential rain. Plus since it weight little and carries easy, it won’t get in the way when I climb or move around.

In fact, when running, this bag does NOT bounce up and down either.

Mud runs. Yep this backpack rocks for those too. 

I honestly think the CamelBak is the best back pack for mud runs like the Spartan Races and Tough Mudder and I recommend everyone who does them should carry one.

Usually water stations at a mud run race may not be around at the right times and if you’re running through these races when it’s very humid or hot, staying hydrated by having this product on you at all times helps. It’ll keep you nourished until you reach the next water station/s. 

The only area of mud runs where it may be inconvenient to have this back pack is any obstacle where you need to swim (just carry it then). On certain races, like the Beast I did, some obstacles involved going underwater, and what many people with hydration packs did there was they took it off, left it on a nearby table, completed the obstacle, then retrieved their backpack. 

Marathon runners: 

I have never seen marathon runners carry them, but I know some people use them. Obviously jogging long distances with no water supplies in sight is dangerous so keeping a bag like this on you will be helpful!

Adventure Racing:

This is a sport that mixes elements of mud runs with trail runs and marathons and they can last for days. I did say one bag can carry up to 2 days worth of supplies (maybe 3 days). If you’re doing these races with multiple people and each has this type of bag, you are supplied and have minimal weight to carry as you do these races.

Camelbak Rogue pros and cons:

Pros:

• Easy to carry, easy to keep on your back in most situations.
• Water bag is easy to fill up and clean.
• The bag is very water proof from outside rain and other weather elements. 
• Carries several days of supplies. 
• Great for outdoor adventurers. 
• In extreme circumstances, this product can literally save lives.
• This product is durable and can be used for a very long time.

Cons:

• Because there is one hole at the bottom of the bag (designed specifically to filter out any water should the bag leak or if you dive into water), it is not recommend to submerge this bag fully. This hole is only for the main compartment, not the upper/bottom ones where it is 100% water proof. As long as you don’t dive into water with it, this bag will not leak through.

I am very happy with the CamelBak Rogue Hydration Pack and recommend it for all outdoor activities that require a lot of movement and nothing getting in the way. I think they are perfect for the 5 groups of people above. 

Having this on a mud run will greatly increase your chances of completing it. And if not a mud run, then a regular or long hike, cycling, ect… will also show you how useful this backpack is 🙂

Doing a Spartan Race for the first time? Then let me, a person who has done 3 of them ranging from the Sprint to the Beast give you my 10 tips to finish them. 

I have personally completed a Beast, a Super and partially a Sprint (About me).

The reason I say partially is because due to crazy rain/storms, the race was cancelled mid way but considering the Super and Beast are significantly harder, I think my 10 tips will suffice either way! 

Tip 1: 

Pick a version of this event that corresponds to your physical level. You have a 5k, an 8 mile, a 12 mile and a 26 mile event to choose from here. 

Don’t overrate your abilities, you have to understand that this is NOT a normal sporting event, it is dirty, gritty and unpredictable, especially for first timers. And if you have any injuries involving the back and/or joints, do not do this event. It’s just not worth that risk, believe me.

And if you’re new to mud runs and have never done an OCR, look at these other mud runs and consider an easier level. For me, I did 2 mud runs before I even got involved with a Spartan Race, it was a MudmanX and a Survival Race, both of which were easy, but when I the Sprint for the first time, it was SIGNIFICANTLY harder.

Tip 2:

Anyone who is new to mud running should begin with the 5k, nothing further. Even if you’re active, even if you jog, do trail runs, and consider yourself in good shape, you really are going to be taken by surprise when you do a Spartan Race, so do a 5k to gauge how it’s going to look and if you don’t do well on, then be thankful you didn’t do the more harder events, but if you do well on it, move into the 8 mile event, and if you completely own the 5k, try the Beast! 

Tip 3: 

Go with at least one or more people who are physically fit and positive.

Trust me, having good, strong, positive people carry and inspire you throughout the event will help you get further in it. There’s a lot of mental fortification required to do the Spartan Race and having a positive surrounding goes a long way!

• For the Sprint, I went with 5 other people. 
• For the Super, I went with 3 others.
• For the Beast, I also went with 5 others.

Tip 4: 

Practice walking up and down stairs or any elevated ground (hills, streets, ect…) with some sort of weight that ranges from 10-30 pounds. You WILL be tasked with carrying logs, rocks, gravel inside a bucket (that’s the worst…), and sandbags on ANY Spartan event you do. Their weight ranges from 10-30 pounds (except the rock which is about 70 pounds…).

There is also an obstacle where you’ll have to pull up a sandbag that weights 70 pounds via a rope. Get used to the sensation of moving around with a heavy item, it could even be a backpack. 

Let me tell you, prior to doing the beast, my workout routine absolutely saved me for it, because I was so used to carrying heavy things that by the time race day came along, it was no problem to handle.

Tip 5: 

Become good at doing calisthenic exercises, aka exercises that involve using your body weight. We’re talking push ups, pull ups, squats, burpees (huge deal here), monkey bar scaling and more. 

You have to be absolutely proficient with these sorts of exercises to be prepared for a bulk of the obstacles in this race that require that you use your body weight. Having good calisthenic conditioning will go a very long way in helping you conquer the challenges as well as giving you good reliance to continue along the way. 

Tip 6:

Practice walking and running uphill. Now tip 4 sounds exactly the same, but that’s with weights and the obstacles in which you’ll have to carry them around will involve uphill walking, but it’s typically short.

However, for the MAJORITY of the event, you will be scaling mountains without them and that is in essence what makes the Spartan Race so difficult. You need to work up the resilience of walking up and down long distances. 

As I mentioned in my workout routine for the Beast, I would almost always use the stairs to get to my apartment, no matter how tired I was. I cannot tell you how much this helped and can’t stress how important it is you do this…

Tip 7:

Do NOT try and beat the clock or race others unless you’re a super athlete.

This whole event is basically a mini to full marathon and it requires that you PACE yourself. The last thing you want to do is burn yourself out by trying to run up a mountain or go none stop for as long as you can.

Believe me, you won’t complete the event if you do this…

Even the super athletes intelligently pace themselves throughout the course.

• They walk up the hills.
• They run down the hills.
• They take their time on the obstacles.

Do what they do, just at a slower pace if you’re not in their shape.

Tip 8: 

Take breaks, frequent breaks. This is especially true if you’re doing one of these races in the Spring/Summer seasons. Believe me, the heat can and will take you down if you’re not careful. 

And if it’s cold, you’re just going to dehydrate just as fast if not faster. So pacing yourself, but at the same time taking that break every so often will help you recharge and move forward.

Tip 9: 

Stretch and do it each time you take a break. This is absolutely imperative for longevity and since these races are marathon length events, your muscles will get sore, they will be under stress so resting and stretching them will keep your body going. 

I’ve seen too many people break because they didn’t stretch throughout these events. Don’t make their mistake. 

Tip 10:

Bring proper gear and supplies and put the supplies in a backpack. Here’s some essentials:

• A good backpack like this will be great for carrying the small things and you really don’t need a lot. Plus if you’re going with a group of people, have them carry their own backpack to increase the supplies you can carry, but at the same time, it won’t weigh you down.
• Protective and safe clothing. 
• Energy gels. 
• Granola bars. 
• Drinks with electrolytes and water (although water stations are present there).
• Comfortable shoes like these that are perfect for this. 
• A GoPro (with extra batteries) or any other action camera, and this is considering you want to document your event.
• A hat/cap if it’s hot outside.

Overall, do/keep these 10 things in mind and do your research beforehand!

I’ve got several articles on specific obstacles that are in this event you should look at, but in addition to that, look up YouTube videos of people doing these races so you can see how they look/feel and what to expect.

One of the most unexpected moments I ever had doing these races was the Super. Prior, I had done at least 3 other mud runs and though they were easy, so I assumed that this one would also be simple.

So naturally I didn’t prepare as much and by the time I realized my mistake, it was too late to turn back and I really had to push myself farther than in any other mud run I’ve ever done to finish it. I was extremely sore and injured for the next few days.

Do not underestimate this mud run people, it’s extremely difficult, don’t make it more difficult by not being prepared for it. Yes you will have fun, but torturing yourself via underestimating it is not something you need to do to your body and mind…

*Finally, do note that NO ONE has the right to force you to complete any of the challenges on these events, nor do you have a responsibility to push yourself beyond your limits to satisfy your ego or prove something.

Yes there are burpee “punishments” if you don’t complete an obstacle, but honestly, don’t do them if you’re not up for it. No one has ever called me out on it and if they do, just move forward, you paid a huge amount of money to participate, they can’t force you to do them :). So skip what you have to and don’t ever feel compelled to complete anything on these races that will endanger your health.

If you have your own personal tips you’d like to share for the Spartan Race, I’d love to know what you recommend, below 🙂

When you mix mud, hiking, running, climbing and other outdoor activities together, make it into a competition, you’re bound to have people unprepared for it and even more likely to suffer injuries.

As much as I have enjoyed going on Tough Mudders and Spartan Races, this is an unfortunate fact and one that has less chances of happening IF you’re careful.

So I would like to list the 5 most common injuries you can experience on these mud runs as well as ways you can reduce the odds of them happening. And I will share with you one major injury I sustained in a Tough Mudder and how you can avoid these things from happening to you should you participate.

Do note, any mud run out there or any physical activity HAS the risk of injury happening, so you really have to be intelligent and examine what you’re doing before you put your body through the risk of completing an obstacle or the said physical activity and if you’re got doubts, just don’t take that risk people…

1) Sprains. 

Without a doubt, the most common injury is a sprain.

It can happen on your ankle, feet, it can happen on your knees, elbows and shoulders. The point is, when you’re running for so long, going up and down obstacles and putting a lot of pressure on your feet, this is where and when they can happen most often.

Things you can do to reduce that risk:

1) Wear good sneakers. I’m telling you guys, there is a HUGE difference between regular running shoes and ones geared towards trail running and more importantly mud runs. Here is what I use and I have seen massive improvements and FAR less sprains hence. Read my specific experiences with mud runs and what happened when I switched to these shoes here.

2) Stretch the feet, ankle and overall body. When you’re doing these events for so long, the body, especially joints will be strained. Make it a habit to rest and stretch them.

3) Slow down on obstacles and downhill runs. Those areas require you take your time. If you rush into them, especially the downhill runs, you’re less likely to make a safe decision/action if a situation occurs. 

2) Muscle tears. 

These can happen when you lift props on these events without proper form of preparation. I would say the more difficult ones are found on the Spartan Race as the things you lift there are far heavier than on Tough Mudder, at least the ones I did.

What to do to help with this:

Learn how to lift heavy things. Do weight training prior. Get your body used to this. 

Muscle tears can also happen when you don’t stretch the body and particular area enough and place too much strain on it. Make sure to actively stop and re-stretch the body, something I believe is mandatory!

In my case, I sustained a very bad muscle tear in my ankle (with a sprain to boot) when I tried to leap to a monkey bar a little bit too soon, causing me to slip and fall on my right foot. It took months for this injury to go away, but YEARS later, I still feel the effects of that injury as that area gets sensitive from time to time.

In my case, this injury was due to the monkey bar being slippery and the rest was a freak accident, but it happens, and I detail all of that here.

3) Dehydration.

It is absolutely a common issue to encounter on these events. Obviously the key is to drink and often. Bring a hydration pack, you’ll be happy you did.

Water stations are also readily available in both the Spartan and Tough Mudder Races, so be sure to use them, especially when it’s super hot or cold (dehydration happens faster then). Buy a hydration pack will ensure you won’t need to wait for a water station to come up on your journey through these events.

4) Obstacle accidents. 

There are plenty of obstacles to test your strength and resilience on both events and I find people who are most likely to get hurt here are those who don’t know what the obstacles look like and furthermore don’t prepare for it. 

This can lead to things like people falling from high walls, people losing their grip while climbing ropes and falling badly, people slipping somewhere and this leading to major injuries, ect…

What to do to prevent this:

Seriously, study up on the event you’re going to do. I have more than a “few” articles here on the wide variety of mud runs out there, including Tough Mudders and Spartan Races I’ve done. Watch YouTube videos of people doing this. SEE what you’re going to have to go before the event and absolutely practice going through those obstacles beforehand. 

5) All other miscellaneous injuries that occur because you’re in a hurry.

These events by their nature do not have flat land to run on, they change elevation, give you obstacles that confuse you and make you work different muscle groups. When people are in a hurry to complete these challenges, they make it more likely they’ll tire out fast or make a mistake that causes an injury. 

Injuries can absolutely happen on these events, and they are in some cases inescapable. Very often I find that it is the fault of the participant as much as the event itself that causes the likelihood of the injury to happen in the first place, as they are often careless and in a hurry.

Do each challenge on these events slowly. Watch others do it and if they make a mistake, make a mental note of what they did so you don’t do that, and if you see someone bypass an obstacle, make a mental note of what to do.

Now let me share my experience with this and what I’ve had to deal with:

-Accidents will absolutely occur and this was shown to me on my last Tough Mudder when I suffered a huge sprained ankle like I said earlier.

-I also suffered a cut on my first ever run in MudManX, one I will not forget. While it was just a tiny cut, I was at the time in dirt and I panicked at the though of catching a disease. This is not much of an injury itself, but in the circumstances I was in, it could have very well been that. I experienced that problem because I wasn’t wearing gloves.

-My uncle suffered a similar fall I did on a monkey bar climb on the same MudManX, although in his case, he landed on the ground and the impact hurt his knee for months after. He suffered this accident because he was also in a hurry to get to the next monkey bar as his strength was running out, and the bars were slippery too. He should have skipped…

-I’ve had numerous slips and falls before I started wearing the right footwear. In hindsight, it is a miracle, I didn’t suffer any sprains then, because at some point, it felt like I was ice skating down a dirty and slippery mountain with trees, branches, rocks and other debris in the way.

-I’ve had MASSIVE muscle aches on my quads finishing several Spartan Races and one Tough Mudder. I couldn’t walk for several days. In this case, I made the right changes and updated my training regiment to reflect uphill climbs. This caused my legs to be much stronger and more resilient for the following races I did.

-I’ve witnessed people get dehydrated over trying to reach their next mile where they would get a drink. Obviously, they can correct this by carrying hydration packs. 

-One of the people I went in a group with nearly suffered a heart attack because he was unprepared for the intensity of the events. The man was simply not prepared for the hardships of these events and had no business going through them.

– On one occasion I witnessed a man being given CPR on one of these events and it was quite an eye opening and scary experience. Why this happened, I do not know, but I do hope the man is OK.

Nearly all of these situations are preventable! While you cannot be 100% safe in these events, you increase those odds if you wear the right clothing, take your time with it and beforehand physically prepare for them accordingly. That’s the right approach! 

If it weren’t for someone telling me about this race in a comment, I would have never guessed it existed, but thankfully now I do and frankly, I am fascinated with the though of doing this event one day.

I’m talking of course about the Bear Grylls Survival Race (BGSR) or challenge depending on what name is on their site, a mud run that takes place in London and has some of the most diverse mixes of challenges known to the mud run world.

For those who don’t know, Bear Grylls is a man who is best known as being a “survivor” in the wild. He has a show on national geographic where he’s dropped of (usually with a camera crew or celebrities) into various parts of the world where survival is difficult and teaches/shows you how to actually make it out of there, get to civilization and basically…not die.

Although Bear does have help when needed and puts on a good show, his real skill lies with the fact that he was in the British Special Forces prior to becoming a TV icon and that’s where he learned what he teaches people today. 

Several year ago, he started a mud run event named after him which today has grown in popularity, but is so far unfortunately only hosted in London. 

Basic info on the BGSR:

There are 3 versions of the BGSR that take place in the London area:

• A 5k run.
• A 10k run.
• An a very tough 30k run (8-9 miles) known as the “Ultimate Survivor”. 

Depending on the level of difficult you choose to put yourself through, one of these 3 events will suite you well. Personally, I’d love to try the 30k run since I’ve done very tough events like the Spartan Beast before and would love to take it to the next level.

What I find most interesting about the BGSR events is the diversity and frequency of obstacles/challenges that you have to go through in each event, and from every mud run I’ve seen so far, this one by far has the most challenges in the event. 

For example:

The 5k has 20 or more obstacles. No Tough Mudder, Spartan Race or any other mud run I’ve done has had this many in its 5k’s. 

The 10k has 30+ obstacles which already is amazing. The Spartan Beast I did hardly crossed 20.

And finally, the 30k one has OVER a 100, something that to me, a man who has done many mud runs has never imagined possible, but has ALWAYS wanted to do because in my opinion, paying good money to run in the mud has to carry at least some fun times with challenges that actually challenge you and give you a good time.

Obstacles and “survival challenges”:

One of the things which makes the BGSR interesting is that in addition to some pretty creative and traditional mud run obstacles is that it also has add on challenges called “Survival Challenges”. In these, you have to basically complete a series of real life challenges that involve doing things like:

• Shooting. 
• Carrying a heavy bag across a field like a soldier.
• Starting a fire with natural resources like wood, flints, ect…
• Possibly even bungee jumping which I assume is for the 30k challenge only.
• Basically these challenges are a combination of things a solider may encounter on the field as well as challenges one may find themselves having to overcome if they are lost in the wilderness, stuff that Bear himself has had to do numerous times and I find that to be awesome!

What types of challenges can one expect on BGSR?

Besides the unique survival challenges above, you will have to cross some pretty typical mud run obstacles:

• Running through mud.
• Monkey bar climbs, or doing that on props that force to cross them like monkey bars.
• Hopping walls.
• Carrying heavy props/equipment.
• Scaling across ropes.
• And other types of challenges like these.

I’ve seen challenges like a Cargo net that you have to climb that’s twice as high as the one on the Spartan Race. I’ve seen them have to slide through a tube from the very top kind of like the ones you see on a playground, but FAR higher and way scarier.

What does one have to wear to the BGSR?

Frankly, nothing changes in terms of the advice I’d give someone who decides to do this mud run:

Wear one or more of these 10 things.

For shoes, I still fully recommend these. I’ve done various hikes and mud runs with this one pair and it’s still ready to go for my next event/hike. They are amazing.

And obviously, prep your body according to which of the 3 events you’ll do. Here are some good universal prep tips for mud runs.

How does one physically prepare for this event?

Honestly, it’s no different than readying yourself for a typical mud run (well a medium level one). If you can run long distances, are able to carry 20 or more pounds across 100 feet (40 meters) and are able to do physical challenges like pull ups, chin ups, sit ups, and have a strong core, you may find yourself more than ready to do the 5k version of this event. Here’s more training regiments that will help you.

For the 30k one, that will definitely require that you are MORE than fit to do this and also flexible.

How does BGSR compare to other mud runs?

It depends on which level of it you’re doing. 

• I’d say the 5k is more of a beginner challenge.
• The 10k is certainly for intermediate level runners.
• And the 30k is without a doubt only for very fit/experienced athletes.

One more thing I have found to be awesome is the pricing. Tickets for each of these challenges vary at about 40-70 pounds which in dollars is about $70-$100, which is actually VERY cheap considering how some of the Spartan/Tough Mudder races here in the states are well above $100 and even beyond $200 if you don’t register early enough.

I think this is because the BGSR is still fairly new and when I visit London, I’ll try to do it, but if not, I hope they expand into other countries, including the states, because this is definitely a mud run I’d love to add to my list of completed runs.