Off Course: Inside the Mad, Muddy World of Obstacle Course Racing

by Erin Beresini

A　fun, funny, fist-pumping　romp through the thriving new fitness culture of obstacle course racing　 Obstacle course racing is the fastest-growing sport in U.S. history. Every week, thousands of marathoners, CrossFitters, and casual weekend warriors shell out money to run through mud and fire, crawl under barbed wire, scramble over ten-foot walls, and dodge baton-wielding gladiators. Some even sprint through electrically charged wires only to suffer muscle-seizing shocks and faceplant in the muck.In　 Off Course, Outside 　journalist and endurance athlete Erin Beresini dives straight into this strange world to reveal a new subculture of military-inspired amateur competition and the industry that’s rapidly growing to support it. Having reached a crossroads in her own athletic pursuits, Beresini embarked on a　journey to train and compete in several obstacle races herself, culminating in the world’s first marathon-length event, the grueling Spartan Ultra Beast. Along the way, she met a wild cast of characters, from frat boys to housewives, fitness buffs to financiers to fanatics, and uncovered the sport's biggest scandals, lawsuits, and rivalries.　As Beresini inches ever closer to her goal — and gets pretty buff in the process — she also illuminates the history, psychology, science, and sociology of this new sport that’s taking the endurance world by storm.

Genres: Nonfiction, Sports, Fitness

239 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Erin Beresini's sports journalism has appeared in the New York Times, Outside magazine, Triathlete magazine, Inside Triathlon, and espnW. She is a former senior editor of Competitor magazine. She writes Outside's Fitness Coach column. She is a world champion triathlete. She lives in Redondo Beach, California.

Reviews

[Liralen · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Facebook profile picture was, for some time, a photograph of me crawling through a mudpit. I'm drenched, shoulders-deep in brown water, glancing up at the barbed wire above me. I look very determined. (Also filthy.) As far as profile pictures go it was, if I do say so myself, pretty damn awesome.

It was also taken at the exact sort of race Beresini is writing about here: the kind where you run a bit, and then climb over a wall, and run up and down a few very muddy hills, and crawl under wire, and climb over another wall, and...

Beresini found herself in obstacle-course racing (OCR) after she more or less burned out on more conventional racing (I suppose triathlons can be considered conventional by now?). She was reluctant at first, but it only took a 5K for her to realise that she'd met her new obsession -- and to promptly sign herself up for the most challenging OCR she could find, a freaking marathon-length terror.

She's insane. But that's beside the point: Along the way, Beresini started researching OCR. As a sports journalist, she was more than up to the task...but what she found was a mess of competing companies, lawsuits, and an uncertain future for OCR. The resulting book is a back-and-forth between OCR history, legal matters, stories from OCR's (unofficial) hall of fame, and Beresini's own limping progress to whip her protesting body into a place to take her rightful place as an Ultra Beast finisher.

To be perfectly honest, I am less interested in all the background of Spartan and Tough Mudder races and their competition with each other (reminds me of nothing so much as a pissing contest between grown men; makes me reluctant to support either company) than I am in individual stories of obstacle-course races. It's brilliant fun to read through Beresini's racing experience, and I would have loved to see more in the same vein -- either more stories of others racing (those are present here, but usually in the context of big names within the sport) of more races that Beresini ran. She had the athletic background and creds to pull off the marathon version (perish the thought!), but most of us are...not there...so it would have been nice to see more from people who just do it for fun, not to be crazy insane burpee-happy Ultra Beasts.

That said, that's really my only beef with the book, other than that -- completely unrelated to the written content, the author, or my rating -- my ARC came complete with a very large, very squashed fly on page 144. To whoever squashed that fly: I accept flies, dead or alive, as a normal part of OCR, regular racing, and life outdoors in general. I do not accept them as part of my shiny new books! Shame!

I received a free copy of this book via a Goodreads giveaway.

[Carianne Carleo-Evangelist · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is absolutely no chance I'd do a Spartan, Tough Mudder or otherwise. Primary reason? I don't like being dirty. But she made them sound fun. I like that, along with her own journey to ultra beast, she chronicled other sports personalities including Ray, Hobie, and others. It puts a face on the OCR world. It's not all pretty even off the course with the competition between the two and the legal challenges Tough Mudder faced, but both have endured and the sport has exploded.

I also loved her description of OCR wherein she said " OCR has given grown-ups permission to play, to explore, to get outdoors. To pick up rocks and logs and get dirty and run around... Before OCR, playgrounds were just for children. Now kids line up behind grown-ups to use the monkey bars and swings and ropes (at least on the weekends in Los Angeles). Training is no longer tied to distances run or biked or swum or skied. It’s about being outside, enjoying nature, and making the most of one’s surroundings."

Quick, engaging read

[rabi · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounded up.

There's a reason Outside magazine articles aren't 250 pages long -- the format is better suited to a shorter narrative. At a certain point the connections between the Ultra Beast race-in-progress and the backstory digressions started to feel very contrived.

It did make me miss OCRs though!

[Paul Mashack · Rating 5 out of 5]

These folks are nuts.

[Doyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent book covering the topic of obstacle racing. Written from a participatory journalist viewpoint, as well as research. Wasn't sure I would enjoy it at first, I mean how does one write about obstacle course racing. You train, you race, there are obstacles. I was very much wrong. Interviews, viewpoints, facts, and written to be informative but captivated me after the first chapter till the end. If work and life wouldn't have interfered, I would have read it straight through.

[Heather View · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book before I ran my first OCR. Found it very helpful in what to anticipate:)

[Anita Pomerantz · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone who has dabbled in endurance events (3 marathons/1 half Ironman) and a HUGE fan of the television show, Survivor, I have to admit to being a little curious about these obstacle races that seem to be all over the place. This book takes a pretty good look at two of the more popular options, Spartan and Tough Mudder. It highlights some of the people who brought obstacle racing to its current level of popularity and delves into why it might have taken off the way it did. In addition, the author tackles a very tough race herself called the Ultra Beast so we get an insider perspective on what it is like to race such an event.

If I ever thought I might like to do one of these races, I have to say that this book wasn't inspiring me to take that next step and actually register. The Tough Mudder events sound particularly un-fun to me with their electric obstacles that shock you. What I didn't realize is that Tough Mudder isn't even a race . . .it is a cooperative event . . .which frankly sounds even less interesting. Kill yourself and you don't even get a ranking or a time? Uh, no thanks. The Spartan race is more of a very exhausting race, but the obstacles sounded more like something you might do in the military which seemed slightly more appealing. Personally, none of it sounded like the types of events they do in Survivor. If they created a Survivor style set of obstacles, I'd be all over that . . .maybe I should write to CBS and suggest it.

At any rate, I digress.

All in all, the books reads like an engaging Outside magazine article - - which is a good thing. It's not fine literature. It's not some incredible insightful analysis. So it gets 3 stars. But if you are interested in the topic or ever thought about participating in one of these events, I definitely think the book is one to pick up.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up a copy of this book because I am interested in obstacle courses/mud runs. While I have not done one yet, I am planning to check one out in the near future. So I wanted to see what this world was all about and why so many people are crazed to do it. I am familiar with Tough Mudder but I had not heard of Spartan Ultra Beast. Wow that is insane. That course is one that I would really have to work towards and train for. Because I would not want to skip a station no matter what. The alterative is 30 burpees. Anyone who works out knows what a burpees is and everyone hates them. Although they are a good total body power move.

Back to the book. I thought that Erin did a wonderful job of really giving me the reader a nice insightful look into this world of obstacle courses and Crossfit training. Which I also am familiar with. A excellent training. What I found interesting was the different ways that the two founders of Tough Mudder and Spartan racing approached this world and their personalities. While the Tough Mudder I would do as it does seem easier for the moment as it is untimed, I don't like the founder's attitude. Again, I like that the author really gave me not just a look into obstacle courses but the history behind them and some amazing athletes.

[Ron S · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining work of participatory journalism as Outside's Fitness Coach columnist takes a look at the meteoric rise of obstacle course racing and enters the Spartan Ultra Beast, the sport's first marathon length event. Beresini is a near perfect stylist, portraying herself in a funny and self deprecating way without beating the reader over the head with it. A great introduction to anyone interested in Spartan or Tough Mudder events, or whose health is suffering from overuse injuries (typically triathletes and runners) looking for a change of pace. This is a great read for women who might normally not read a lot of non-fiction, as well as the hardcore types into Crossfit and OCR (Obstacle Course Racing) events. A Dewey Diva pick.

[Aaron Lopez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. This book does a great job introducing people to the exciting world of obstacle course racing. The author really educates you on the intricacies of obstacle course racing while introducing you to the titans of this sport. It made this runner want to consider obstacle course racing in the future. I also enjoyed the author's experience with obstacle course racing. Well done. I received an advanced readers copy for free as part of goodread's early readers program in exchange for an honest review.

[Penny Luo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beresini introduces to readers the history of Obstacle Course Racing, while giving her first person point of view on her experience in transitioning from a long-time Triathlon athlete to an OCR runner. While OCR's big names like Tough Mudder and Spartan races are well known for their fitness motto, this book also reveals how the business aspect of these corporations are ran and what are some of the values behind the founders. Overall, a great book for readers who want to get to know a little more about the OCR world.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book about the history of OCR and one woman's experiences with it. If you are into the sport you'll learns some really interesting things about the two big brands that you probably didn't already know even if you casually read about the sport online. This book can get a little slow at times, but all in all a great book.

[Kelly O'Mara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this because I needed background about obstacle course racing for school project (and I was really prepared to like it, not being in the mood for nonfiction that I HAD to read), but it was really well-done. Funny, interesting, good background information and quirky side stories. Think of it as the 'Born to Run' for obstacle course racing. I'm not sure why it hasn't gotten more popular?

[Eli · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book may not change anyone's life, but it's an enjoyable and informative read. I myself didn't want to run any obstacle races before reading it, and in fact I'm now more firm in that conviction than I was before. Still, the book was fun and easy to read, so if you're interested in the subject then you might as well pick it up.

[Margaret Schlachter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read if you are interested in obstacle racing or just stories of people taking on a sport. Written in the style of Born to Run. Beresini intermixes her own personal story with research of the industry. It's a fun snapshot of the industry in 2012 before the sponsors got into the sport.

[Wilfredo Malazarte · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast paced and lively history on the rising sport of obstacle course racing(OCR). Written in the style of Born to Run, the author goes from being a burned out triathlete to becoming an OCR fanatic and taking down the Spartan Ultrabeast.

Highly recommended.

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast and fascinating read -- and I've never participated in one of these races. The author intertwines her personal running/injury/training story with the information about the founders and the events.

[Mike Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an avid OCR competitor, I found Ms. Beresini's look at the world of OCRs right on point. It gives anyone who is interested in them a look at what competitors go through in these events along with a very interesting concise history of their rapid rise in the lexicon of sporting events.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty interesting. Definitely didn’t know much about the OCR world, but did find myself motivated to push myself harder during my workouts. Perhaps one day I’ll complete a mud run, but not anytime soon with COVID-19.

[Angela Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of interesting information about the politics and personalities of obstacle course racing.

[Matt Rich · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read for any OCR enthusiast.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great history/overview of obstacle course racing with a personal touch from the author. Her story was very inspirational and motivating.

[Arianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of the info is outdated at this point, but I learned some things I didn't know about the business side of OCR companies like Spartan and Tough Mudder. My favorite parts of the book were when she was describing her experience training for and running the first ever Ultra Beast.