Destroy This Ruckus Obstacle: Down-n-Outs!

Try not to be too discouraged by the name of this obstacle—down-n-outs! It’s one of the many aspects that make Ruckus so much more unique (and fun if you ask us) than all those other races.

On some of our obstacles, you’ll need to sprint.  On others, you’ll need to climb.  On some, you’ll need to crawl.  But in the pesky Down-n-Outs section of our race, you’ll be doing a little bit of everything.

As we like to say, getting down into the mud is the easy part.  But getting out of these craters is where champions are made.  We figured that you could keep a few tips in the back of your mind if you happen to get stuck in the Ruckus Down-n-Outs: 

Enter the Terrain  

The first part is simply entering the challenging terrain.  The switch from running on grass to a giant mud pit can be quite a shocking change—especially if you’ve been practicing running on pavement and not on grass or mud.  Once you approach the Down-n-Outs, pick up your speed a little bit.  You want to go into the obstacle with momentum, so the mud is not overwhelming at first.   Power into this one!

Crawl on all Fours

Once you’ve gotten your shoes a little dirtier, be prepared to rub a little mud on your hands and knees as well.  There is absolutely no shame in crawling on all fours, like you did as a three-month old.  In fact, we recommend it.  When faced with mud up to your knees, you’ll need all the strength you can gather to push forward. 

Climb Your Heart Out

Soon enough, you’ll be able to see light at the end of the tunnel, or the grass at the end of the mud.  That’s when you know you are almost at the “out.”  This phase is all about climbing.  Your lower body has been taxed throughout the race, now this is a chance to show off that upper body strength you’ve been working on!  Give everything you have to pull yourself out of the pit.  And if you aren’t able, luckily you were smart enough to sign up with your team of friends, family and co-workers who will help lift you out of that muddy mess!

So follow these tips and the Down-n-Outs will be a breeze.  Or don’t, and you’ll look like this!