7 OCR Races You Should Do In The Midwest That You May Not Have Heard Of
"There's no OCR's in the Midwest."
I can't believe how many times we've heard people say this, because the Midwest is a HOTBOX for OCR (aka Obstacle Course Races). But sadly, because most people only know of Spartan Race, which is only one brand of OCR, people think that because there aren't many Spartans in the Midwest means there aren't many OCRs in the Midwest.
But that would be incorrect.
While most people know of the "big" brands of OCR: Spartan Race, Savage Race and Tough Mudder, I'm gonna share with you some races that you may not have heard about. Each of these races, we have personally participated in either as racers or we work with them in building and setting up their courses.
1. Abominable Snow Race - Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Abominable is a very unique OCR, as it's one of very few OCR races that happens in the winter. Snow and obstacles make for a fun challenge. The venue is great, with a lot of running sections of single track trails. The obstacles are a good mix of fun and challenging, one being an epic tube slide down a hill. There's also a Yeti roaming around, so be sure to get a photo with him.
Check them out HERE.
2. Mythic Race - Sikeston, Missouri
Mythic is a great event that packs a lot of cool obstacles into a 5k course. They also have an endurance division. You'll do obstacles at this event that you won't find anywhere else. Every year they add new obstacles so you can always count on a fun challenge. The venue is pretty flat and has a lot of open field running, but the property also has a nice section of trails.
Check them out HERE.
3. Frontline OCR - Byron, Illinois
Frontline is a race that honors our military and first responders. Every year the race is dedicated to one of the military branches or first responder units and the medal that you earn is themed with that. While it is a race for everyone with open waves, endurance, competitive and even a kids course, it has the ultimate challenge for Elite racers, because it requires you to go through the race while wearing a weighted vest, approximately 20lbs. It's a mandatory obstacle completion race (only for competitive racers), but instead of losing a band for not being able to complete an obstacle, you lose your vest. If you can make it through the entire race with 100% obstacle completion, you get to keep the vest. The venue is a motosports park, so there's dirt track running mixed with wooded trails.
Check them out HERE.
4. Highlander Assault - Holiday Hills, Illinois
This is another race that has something for everyone. It offers several distances ranging from a 4 mile course all the way up to a 26.2 mile course...aka the King Arthur's Challenge. They even have a night time event which is super fun where you get to run around wearing a headlamp. The venue is a perfect place for an OCR event because it features a lot of trails, technical terrain, creeks and even has a small lake. It's Scottish themed, so you'll see a lot of people come out in kilts.
5. Case Creek Obstacles - Coal Valley, Illinois
Case Creek is a great course, especially for families. We love running this one with our kiddos. This is a permanent course that features a lot of fun obstacles like mud pits, several types of climbing walls and much more. This race is typically held in August and the temperatures are usually 90+ degrees out, so be prepared for a hot one. The course takes you through several sections of a creek so take advantage of cooling off in the water.
Check them out HERE.
6. WAR-X - Thurman, Ohio
War-X has an awesome course and while you go through it, they have people driving around setting off explosions, flame throwers, and more. Don't worry, it's perfectly safe. It has an epic 350ft water slide that looks like an American flag, as well as, a lot of other cool and unique obstacles. The venue consists of huge fields of rolling hills and several sections of wooded trails. This is a veteran-owned race and they do a lot to support Operation Enduring Warrior.
Check them out HERE.
7. Midwest OCR - Marseilles, Illinois
We may be a bit bias on this one, since it is our event, but Midwest OCR is designed to challenge athletes of all levels. The course delivers a championship-caliber experience that is both tough and exhilarating. It stands out with its innovative obstacles, meticulously designed to test strength, endurance and mental grit. If rigs (aka hanging grip obstacles) are your jam, you'll love this race, as it has more rig obstacles than any other race that we've participated in. The venue has a wide variety of technical terrain including hills, creek running, rocky trails, but is an absolutely beautiful venue.
Check them out HERE.
While there are many more OCR's in the Midwest, these are just some of our personal favorites. If you want to find more races that may be near your area, you can download apps like OCR BUDDY that will help you find more events.
Let us know if there was an event(s) that hadn't heard of before.