An obstacle course is a series of challenging physical obstacles an individual, team or animal must navigate, usually while being timed. Obstacle courses can include running, climbing, jumping, crawling, swimming, and balancing elements with the aim of testing speed, endurance and agility. Sometimes a course involves mental tests. The idea has been adapted into TV shows and video games.
The Miami Marathon is an annual marathon racing event hosted by Miami, Florida, since 2003. The marathon course also runs through the city of Miami Beach, Florida. The 42.195-kilometre (26.219 mi) race is typically run on the last Sunday in January or the first Sunday in February, at approximately 6:00 am. The event also includes a half marathon, and a wheelchair division for both races. Marathon finish times can be used to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Shifting Gears United is partner for the disability division.
American Ninja Warrior is an American sports entertainment reality show based on the Japanese television reality show Sasuke, which also serves as a successor of American Ninja Challenge. It features a set of obstacle courses in various cities, which contestants attempt to conquer. The obstacle courses are divided into Qualifiers courses, Semifinals courses, and a four-part Finals course which is based at Las Vegas Strip. The contestant who finishes all the courses in the fastest time wins a cash prize of $1,000,000. Starting with season 10, if one remaining contestant fails on any of Finals course parts but has completed it more than the others in the fastest time, they win a consolatory $100,000 prize. The show is hosted by Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbaja-Biamila. To date, only Isaac Caldiero, Drew Drechsel, and Vance Walker have won the main cash prize. Furthermore, Geoff Britten and Daniel Gil are the only two runners-up who have achieved Total Victory.
Tough Mudder is an endurance event series in which participants attempt 10-to-12-mile-long obstacle courses. It was co-founded by Will Dean and Guy Livingstone. The obstacles often play on common human fears, such as fire, water, electricity and heights.
Spartan Race is a series of obstacle races of varying difficulty, ranging from 3 miles to ultra-marathon distances of 50k+.
Warrior Dash was a 5 km mud run put on by Red Frog Events, an event company based in Chicago, Illinois. As of July 31, 2019, Red Frog events is no longer a company and has cancelled all Warrior Dash races and ceased operations.
Obstacle course racing (OCR) is a sport in which a competitor, traveling on foot, must overcome various physical challenges in the form of obstacles. Races vary in length from courses with obstacles close together to events of several kilometers which incorporate elements of track, road and/or cross country/trail running. Courses may include climbing over walls or up ropes, monkey bars, carrying heavy objects, traversing bodies of water or mud, crawling under barbed wire, and jumping through fire. Since the beginning of modern OCR in 1987, the sport has grown in popularity such that more than 2500 events are held annually across the world and several run organizing companies are commercially successful.
Superhero Scramble was a superhero themed obstacle race series that has several levels of races. The majority of participants participate for fun, while others compete for team and individual prize money that's available at each event. Participants frequently dress in costumes based on characters from video games, movies, cartoons, and comic books. The all-day events included live bands, DJ's, emcees, entertainers, food and beer. There were also night races and kids' races.
Joe De Sena is the CEO and founder of Spartan and the Death Race. He is also a NY Times best selling author of Spartan Up, Spartan Fit and The Spartan Way.
Ninja Warrior UK is a British physical obstacle assault course game show, created for ITV. The show is based upon the format of the Japanese game show Sasuke, created by Ushio Higuchi, which is aired in the United Kingdom and other countries as Ninja Warrior.
Amelia Boone is an American obstacle racer. She used to be an attorney for the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, but now works for Apple Inc. in San Jose, California.
BattleFrog College Championship was a sports competition television series directed by Ron Luscinski and written by Luscinski, Tom Davis, and Danny Llewelyn.
Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge is an American sports entertainment competition series based on the obstacle race of a similar name. Greenlighted to order on August 26, 2015, the series premiered on June 13, 2016 on NBC.
The warped wall is an obstacle on many obstacle courses for obstacle racing.
Evan "The Rocket" Dollard is an American athlete and rock climber. He came to prominence during Season 1 of the rebooted American Gladiators, as the season 1 men's champion. He earned his nickname "Rocket" from his speed in Gladiator competition, taking it as his gladiator name, becoming a Gladiator for season 2 of the rebooted American Gladiators. He has since appeared prominently in the Ninja Warrior franchise; in American Ninja Warrior and the standalone American Ninja Warrior, also using his nickname. Dollard also hosts his own web series, "Ninja Quickies". He has also competed in local editions of Ninja Warrior.
Alanic is a sports and fitness clothing brand headquartered in North Hollywood, California, US. Alanic corporate offices are located at 1/49 Lemana lane, Sydney, Australia. It has been the official supplier of the Miami Marathon US, Vancouver Sun Run Canada, New Jersey Marathon US and Some Major Tier 1 Marathons in the United States and also the National Basketball Team of Australia. Alanic has been associated with events like ATP – St. Petersburg Open Tennis; Indianapolis Monumental Marathon 2013, Indiana; 2012 Ironman Triathlon Series in Australia, NZ & Philippines; Seattle Marathon, US; Malibu Marathon, US; where it acted as the official supplier and clothing partner. The Tough Mudder announced a new multi-year partnership with Alanic as the official apparel partner.
Jonathan Albon is a British sky runner and obstacle course racer who has won three Skyrunner World Series.
World Obstacle, institutional name Fédération Internationale de Sports d’Obstacles(FISO), is the international governing body for obstacle sports and related events. Disciplines include Ninja and Obstacle Course Racing (OCR). Headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, it sanctions world and continental level events.
The OCR Kings, extreme athletes "Mack and Damer " based in Danbury, Connecticut "attempt to dominate in the world of obstacle course racing by recreating the grueling challenges and obstacles of actual OCR's and developing the best methods of conquering them." The OCR Kings' stated mission is helping others to succeed in their fitness journey, especially in running and Obstacle Course Racing. They vow "to encourage and/or assist anyone, regardless of age or level of athleticism."
