Obstacle Race-St. Claire Scramble

The St. Clair Scramble is located in a small Alabama town. This group is well organized an put on a great obstacle. They've got a website, Twitter, and Facebook accounts. Today was a stormy day and they coordinators posted race updates regularly and let everyone know that there were no cancellations planned. Just more mud.

I arrived at the school and paid $10.00 for parking and transportation to the race. Once there, I received my race packet which included a shirt, sample drink packets and coupons. Once checked in, I listened to music, stretched, warmed up and waited for my heat to start.

The scramble is a challenging obstacle and mud event  featuring steep hills. If the hills aren’t challenging enough for you (I'll bet they are, they kicked my rear), there are 25 obstacles ready to meet any fitness level. So, 3.1 miles with 25 obstacles is nothing easy, but the hill training, burpees and obstacle prep really helped.

As I mentioned there were 25 obstacles. Not many were physically demanding in and of themselves. But, combined with the exhausting hills, they proved breath taking. On event featured a trench filled with muddy water with a grate above the water line. The trick is to propel yourself along pulling on the grate all the while submerged. I’m a good swimmer and decent with holding my breath, but this short ride kicked me.

Other challenges included tire, hay, mud hills, rope climb, log carry, more obstacles and more hill dashes. All tough and definitely of US Army Ranger certified as claimed. And….usually following a grueling hill climb.

There were water points along the way and water and fruit at the finish line (at the end of a long hill climb...well played). 

The times would not be posted for another day or two, so this was an anti-climatic, no award ceremony ending. But, this is not unusual for the obstacle races I have attended. It just takes time to get the scores together and ready to present. 

There are showers and a changing tent for those quick clean ups at the end.

I recommend this run. It’s challenging and fun!!! The staff and vendors are very helpful and friendly, the best I've seen yet.

Recommended exercises specifically for this course:

• hill sprints
• bear crawl
• rope climb
• tall obstacle climbs
• log carry