Congrats to Our Facebook Cover Photo Winners!

A few weeks ago, we asked our Facebook fans to change their cover photo to our own Ruckus image to enter to win a free ticket to Ruckus Kansas City on April 6.  After many of you entered to win, we drew five names from a hat to determine the winners.

Congratulations to the following RuckStars!  You’ve won a ticket to Ruckus Kansas City 2013!

• Christina King
• Billy Stuecken
• Kristin Jay
• Brad Lynn
• Aaron Helton

Did you miss out on the opportunity to win?  Don’t worry!  We will have many other opportunities to win free tickets to all of our Ruckus events.  Just keep up with us on Facebook to learn more!  

Mud Runs: Just As Fun for Spectators

Ever been to a regular 5K, half- or full-marathon, but not competed?  Yeah, it’s not that fun.  You probably just stood on the side of a city street as racers passed you with looks of defeat on their faces.  At Ruckus, we think the experience should be just as fun for the spectators as it is for our RuckStars.   

Back to those repetitive road races – we’re guessing you went to a spot on the course, saw your friend or family member pass by, then moved to one or two other spots to watch them momentarily pass again.  We know you want to watch your loved ones struggle up some of our daunting obstacles, so we make nearly the entire course visible to spectators.  Beforehand, you can decide if you want to see them crawl through mud pits, climb up and over walls or tackle countless other challenges. 

Plus, once your runner’s heat is over and you’ve had your fill of watching them get extra messy, you will have the chance to experience the great Ruckus atmosphere with all of the competitors (although you won’t be as muddy!).  The spectator area at Ruckus also features a health and fitness expo, a beer garden and food trucks – the recipe to an awesome Saturday whether you’re running or just watching. 

Be sure to reserve your spectator pass online for only $10 and be a part of the fun and exciting atmosphere at Ruckus (children under the age of 10 and registered participants do not have to purchase a spectator pass). Or we guess you could stand on the street during your husband’s regular 5K and hand him water as he drenches you in sweat.  It’s up to you.

3 Tips for Getting into the Ruckus Champion’s Heat

So you’ve decided to participate in Ruckus – way to go! You’re joining the coolest mud running obstacle course in the world. We know you’ve done your training and you’re ready to compete.

Many of our participants go above and beyond the call of duty and shoot for making it into the Champion’s Heat. The Champion’s Heat consists of the top 10% of the men and women’s races from the morning runs.  The Champion’s Heat runs the same course in the afternoon, bringing their total Ruckus mileage to 8 miles for the day. The winners from each division bring home the coveted Golden Helmet!

Planning ahead for the Ruckus Champion’s Heat will be crucial to your success. Here are a few tips for achieving your Champion’s Heat goal:

• Train as if you are going to run the entire 8 miles. This will give you a lead in the regular Ruckus race, while also preparing your body for the Champion’s Heat later in the afternoon. If you are prepared to run 8 miles, the first course will go much smoother.
• Train on challenging terrain. Kansas City is full of steeps streets, lengthy tracks and outdoor stairs (the Plaza and UMKC to name a couple). Training on steep, challenging terrain will make the Kansas City mud run more approachable on race day.
• Pace yourself. It can be easy to overreach during the initial course if you’ve got the Champion’s Heat in mind. Remember, you need to be in the top 10% of your division to compete. Pacing is crucial to ensuring you don’t expend all your energy on the first course, leaving you empty for the Champion’s Heat.

We are so proud of all our participants. Your drive to be healthy and have fun in Kansas City’s great mud obstacle course reminds us of the difference we’re making through Ruckus. We can’t wait to see you out there...whether you’re in the Champion’s Heat or not!