One of the many obstacles facing competitors during the Rugged Maniac 5K Race at Raceway Park is this fire jump. The event returns to Old Bridge on July 11 and 12. SCOTT FRIEDMAN The Rugged Maniac 5K Obstacle Race is back and bigger than ever. More than 12,000 runners are expected to come to Raceway Park in Old Bridge to accept the challenge of negotiating their way around 25 obstacles over the 5K race on July 11 and 12. This is the fifth year the event has been held at the famed racetrack.
Among the obstacles awaiting them are a fire jump, underground tunnels, trampoline, swinging rings with muddy water awaiting anyone who slips and falls and a 50-foot water slide.
What has separated the Rugged Manic from other obstacle course races is the number of competitors who keep coming back. As Chief Operating Officer Rob Dickens pointed out, that’s because it tries to strike a balance between having fun and the physical challenge. They don’t want to chase people away.
“Our main object is getting people off the couch doing something physical,” Dickens said. “We want to encourage people to get out and do something different and have fun.”
Women have more fun at the Rugged Maniac than the other races, with women making up 50 percent of the participants.
Thanks to the infusion of $1.75 million from the “Shark Tank’s” Mark Cuban, owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, Rugged Maniac has been able to expand its operations. “[Cuban’s investment] allows us to do more things and make improvements across the board,” Dickens said.
The Raceway Park event is one of 23 stops in the series this year, which includes an appearance in Canada for the first time. Just three years ago, Rugged Maniac was in 14 cities in the U.S.
In all, more than 200,000 people are expected to compete in Rugged Maniac races this summer.
Dickens reported that Raceway Park offers one of the best venues for the event, and the race itself has become one of its most popular with up to 12,000 expected this year.
Runners take off in waves of 300 every 15 minutes. The first race both days starts at 9 a.m.
The Rugged Maniac crew arrives at the site of the event the Sunday before the race begins.
Tickets are available online at www.ruggedmaniac.com. In addition to advance online registration, participants may also sign up at the event on the days of the races for $110. Students and military personnel with valid identification receive a $10 discount.
The daylong festival, which is free to attend for spectators, will also feature an array of entertainment, including music, mechanical bulls, adult bounce houses, food and exhibition booths.