Adventure racing is hot. Tough Mudder, Spartan Races, and Warrior Dash are just a few of the big ones out there. These races involve running anywhere from a few miles, to a marathon and then throw in a dozen or dozens of challenging obstacles to overcome. They are fun and range from competitive, to light hearted.
And best of all, this new(ish) form of racing is not just for adults, there are lots of opportunities for kids. And as Spring will be here soon, we’ve put together a list of some adventure races that your kids can experience.
1. Kids Adventure Games - The Kids Adventure Games™ offers kids, ages 6 through 14, the opportunity to experience the thrill of adventure racing. The races emphasize teamwork, problem solving, sportsmanship, environmental awareness and fun. One of the unique elements is that kids work together in teams of two. There are six races scheduled for 2018 at mountain resorts from VT to California.
2. Spartan Race Kids - The Spartan Kids Race encourages kids to jump, run, get muddy, help each other, and have a good time while conquering obstacles. They have divisions starting at age 4 and going up to age 14. They are held in conjunction with their grown-up races and they offer races year round across the Country.
3. Kids Obstacle Challenge - Kids Obstacle Challenge is an adventure and obstacle course race series for kids ages 5-16, with 12-15 fun and challenging obstacles and mud. They say they are the largest touring adventure and obstacle course event series for kids in the nation, with about 14 stops in major cities across the US. And a fun fact, parents get to run with their kids for free. This may be good for some kids and some kids may be fine to be on their own, your call.
4. The Great Amazing Race - This fun adventure race, is modeled after the popular TV show and features teams of two people racing in competition with other similar age teams. Teams complete a variety of fun mental & physical tasks at multiple stops along the course. "Teamwork" is the key skill as each challenge requires the involvement of both racers in order to complete before advancing. Teams of two can be adult/kid, kid/kid, or adult/adult. This series is limited to 100 teams and is hosted by local organizations for a grass-roots community vibe.
5. Tough Mudder/Mini Mudder - Mini Mudder is a 1 mile obstacle course mud run designed specifically for adventure-seeking kids. The course gives kids the chance to work as a team, get muddy, and experience the thrill of adventure. Kids must be between the ages of 7 and 12 and be at least 42” tall.
6. Epic Series Obstacle Challenge – The Epic Series is mostly in California and the Southwest. Their kids Course is a junior-sized version of the adult courses Featuring over 10 obstacle challenges, kids will be running, crawling, jumping, lifting, pulling, and climbing their way through this course in under ¼ mile, roughly an obstacle every 125 feet. Two lanes allow obstacles to be scaled for ages 7-9 and ages 10-12.
Each race has something different to offer and one my be perfect for your child. So stoke the sense of adventure and sign them up...better yet, sign up the whole family for some adventure fun!
