Listopedia: The Adventure Race Bucket List

There’s a new breed of traveller out there – they’re fit, fast and ready for an adventure.

If you’d rather be climbing a mountain than hopping on a tour bus, here’s our Listopedia of adventure races from around the world.

GODZone Adventure Race, New Zealand

New Zealand’s Lake Wanaka is the setting for the next GODZone Adventure race and with 500km of hiking, kayaking, mountain biking and downright exhaustion ahead of them, competitors are already training for the Feb/March 2015 start date. Travelling non-stop, day and night, with rest at your own discretion, this is not a race for the faint of heart, stamina or will power. Teams of four, containing at least one woman, will spend seven days out in the wilderness – or less if they don’t stop to sleep or eat. The course is usually kept top secret so teams will literally have to think on their feet and rely on strength, both mental and physical, to make it through to the finish line.

Mud Run, Sydney

A good one for adventure race beginners, this annual event takes place in Sydney’s west on a 7km course. As the name suggests, there is a fair bit of mud involved and obstacles ensure everyone gets dirty. Competitors will have to run, wade, slide and crawl through the course, next held on December 6th. If you’re keen to kick start your fitness regime, there’s a 12 week “couch to 7km” workout guide too.

Jungle Marathon, Brazil

Piranhas nipping at your heels – one way to make you run faster. This grueling 254km marathon (there are 42 and 127km options too) takes place in the heart of the Amazon, where nature throws everything it’s got at the competitors. Expect river and swamp crossings, mud running and the occasional anaconda obstacle. Not that the presence of dangerous animals in guaranteed. The village of Alter do Chao is the assembly point, from there it’s a 10-12 hour boat ride along the Flona Tapajos river to base camp. Don’t worry, you’ll be briefed in jungle safety – how to deal with snakes and poisonous plants – before six days in the wild.

Badwater 135 UltraMarathon, Death Valley California

Well, the name says it all. This 217km race takes place in the height of American summer, with temperatures soaring up to 48 degrees Celsius. The race doesn’t actually pass through Death Valley National Park anymore but tracks a harder course into the Sierra Nevada and up more than 17,000 feet of elevation. The fastest runners cross the finish line in 24 hours but plenty of competitors are still running past the 35 hour mark.

Ceres Highland Games, Ceres Scotland

Not exactly an adventure race, but with 700 years of history behind it, the Ceres Highland Games have been held every summer since the battle of Bannockburn back in 1314. There’s a fun mix of wrestling, running, pipe music and dancing. Don’t miss the famous caber toss, when kilt-wearing contestants lift up 80kg tree logs and toss them into air. And of course there’s the all-important tug of war, also undertaken wearing kilts.

Wife Carrying World Championships, Sonkajärvi Finland

Forget weights or dumb bells. Grab your wife and get training. The Wife Carrying World Championships have occurred in Finland since 1992, with the entire premise based on a local ruffian named Rosvo-Ronkainen from the 1880s. His troops would carry off the village women. These days the women volunteer to be slung over their husbands, brothers or friends’ shoulders and hauled along on a 253.5m obstacle track. It’s not a smooth road either – grass, sand, water and obstacles keep things interesting. Start training now for the 3-4th July 2015.