5 Reasons to do an Adventure Race

Guest post by Amanda Brooks from Run to the Finish

Have you tested your limits with a marathon and now wonder what’s next? Or ever thought you aren’t such a huge fan of just running for miles on end, but you really love nature?  Then it might be time to consider an adventure race.

Adventure racing is the combination of two or more events such as hiking, kayaking, cycling, climbing and so on. You are usually on a team and required to navigate through the woods to multiple points to make your way to the end and earn points.

Here are 5 reasons to put an adventure race on your calendar:

1. Challenge: You will be required to challenge yourself mentally and physically in new ways.
2. Team: Spending hours on end with a group creates a bond! Beyond relying on each other to complete the challenge you will be creating memories to laugh about for years to come.
3. Food: As a good friend of mine noted: “you get to eat!” Because you are on the go for hours straight, but at a lower intensity than a marathon your body can handle actual food and will relish the carbs you might normally avoid.
4. Pride: A lot of your friends have completed a race, but how many have forged a river, climbed a rock and navigated through the woods at night?
5. More than Athletic: If you do the training almost anyone can gut it out for 26.2 miles by honing in their athletic ability. An adventure race doesn’t require the same kind of athletic ability, but instead requires you to find creative solutions and simply be willing to try.

While you can start small with a Muddy Buddy or Spartan Race, the true adventure races are much longer and usually organized or sanctioned by USARA. Do some research and pick a race that is the perfect match for you and your team of friends. Fall is a great time to get involved in new races as the weather is getting cooler and you can continue to focus on your fitness post-bathing suit season.

Read more from Run to the Finish.

Have you ever done an adventure race? Which race would you most want to try?

Feature photo via