After each mud run or obstacle race I compete in, you'll get my review and grades for each event to help you decide which ones you might want to sign up for. The following categories will be discussed:

1. COURSE- the design, venue, and setup of the race itself- how creative/ adventurous/ difficult the obstacles were, and obviously... how was the MUD?!?

2. FESTIVAL- all the fun beyond the actual race- the social atmosphere which usually includes food, beer garden, dj/ music/ concert, contests, vendors, and more during the after-party

3. SWAG- the included goodie bag and prizes up for grabs- all the "free" stuff that comes with price of entry and the quality of awards, shirts, and other giveaways

Feel free to use the search box to read up on any past topics you might be looking for.

VIKING OBSTACLE RACE, Greenville NY, 6/13/15

Last year this course would probably have won my Best Surprise of the Year award, as I took a shot in the dark on some friends recommendations to try it out.  It was the very first permanent-built OCR I'd done, and the quality of not just the 5+ mile race but also the experience as a whole, has made this one I'll likely have on my schedule every year.  And this time around, their inaugural team competition also pulled in a few of my racer friends from AL1VE Magnetics to challenge the best that would show up.

1.  COURSE-  Very little was changed from the year before, but that's probably what myself and most returnees were hoping for anyway as this permanent course satisfies just about every OCR want and need.  I still have yet to visit the Shale Hill VT course, but the man who designed both this Viking Race and his Benson Bear Challenge are the brainchild of Rob Butler.  From the reputation of both of these events now, it's clear his focus on creative and challenging obstacles are what he'll always bring.  As I mentioned new for 2015, the team challenge option put a whole different spin on getting through this tricky course, as coed teams of 3 or more raced together, helped each other complete obstacles, and as an added bonus for Flag Day, carried a homemade team flag the entire distance (and not letting it touch the ground). Without going heavy into describing all the obstacles again, read up on last year's Viking Report, which easily earned this top grade once again. GRADE = A

2.  FESTIVAL-  I won't lie- during the nearly hour and a half it took our team to finish the race, at least a dozen times I must have caught myself daydreaming about the amazing lunch that we knew was waiting for us at the end.  As good as the course is, the post race picnic BBQ is one of my favorite summer OCR moments.  Unlimited buffet style burgers and salads (and believe me I can eat!!!) were the perfect treat after burning all those calories.  Everyone was treated like a family member and welcome to stay and relax for the afternoon. We luckily got another gorgeous day in the Catskill Mountains to race and then recover at Sunny Hill Resort, which I'm hoping to plan an overnight stay for my next visit.  GRADE = A

3.  SWAG-  Still the only wooden medal, or woodallion, I've ever come across, so major uniqueness points again.  They upgraded their t-shirt to a dri-fit material, so that automatically bumps up its spot in my shirt rotation.  What I was most excited about, and didn't know before the race, was that our team's tough come-from-behind victory earned us Viking's very first "Top Clan" (fastest team) flag to take home!  Each member of our squad also got a souvenir pack of a branded pint glass, stretchy buff, and bracelet.  The takeaways were fantastic, but still the best Stuff-We-All-Got was a great race day at a reasonable price, and where else do you get a big hug from the resort owner when you cross the finish line?   GRADE = A


OVERALL GRADE = A