REAL TALK: If you travel to races and don't travel to Savage Race you are doing it wrong (Mid Atlantic 2016 Review)

Alright people, it’s time for some Real Talk. I don’t get paid to write these reviews, so you know it’s Real Talk. In fact, with the exception of yesterday’s race I have paid to get in to every Savage Race that I’ve ever been to (And they just so happen to be very reasonably priced)! If you read my Obstacle Race Diary from last week then you know I like obstacles. Lots of obstacles. Especially new obstacles. So, for those of you that knew I was doing Savage this weekend (not many as I didn’t realize I scheduled these suckers back to back) you knew this was coming. So, let’s get to it!

The stuff that never stops people from signing up for that next race but we complain about online because we don’t actually want to train:

I won’t lie to you. I definitely didn’t read my race packet. If I did I would have known that there was new VIP Parking that cost a touch more (from $10 to $20) and got you right up front to the entrance. Unfortunately, the right up front used to just be where you got to park when you got there early. Not a big deal, regular parking was still a short walk. Smooth as silk. Conclusion: Read the packet, fool!
Registration was so smooth I don’t even remember doing it. They had a wall with your bib # if you didn’t read the packet before the race. Once you know your bib # it’s smooth like Rob Thomas and Santana testing out baby lotion.
My second most favoritist thing at races is Merch! Maybe it’s because I used to be in a touring band and selling Merch was how we afforded to travel, eat and sleep, but nevertheless, it brings me great joy to hand over money for quality gear. Savage Merch is without a doubt my favorite. Great designs, lots of tank tops, reasonable prices and they always have something new. I saw multiple people ahead of me in line buying 2 or 3 items at a time. This time we got Wifey a dope 1/4 zip fleece and it looks J.B. Smoove. #merchgameonfleek
Food and Beer. This is usually one of Savage’s strong areas, however with my favorite BBQ food truck not back for the 3rd year I was a little disappointed in the folks that replaced them. On the bright side, they did away with buying tickets for food and allowed the vendors to charge you directly. This eliminated having to buy tickets and trying to make your ticket money add up to a specific number.
Festival Area. With the addition of the Platinum Rig obstacle (we will get to this later) Savage also has a mini Rig in the festival area for participants and spectators to play on. From adults to kids, people were constantly around the set up and playing around. It was definitely a Super Nice addition to an already solid festival area.

Why Savage Race is better than whatever race you did last weekend:*

1. OBSTACLES. obstacles. ObStAcLeS. The formula is simple:

Start Obstacle Race
Design Obstacles
Each year come out with new Obstacles to keep things fresh. This will keep the masses (and Elites) happy.

If Arby’s has the meats then Savage has the Obstacles. On top of adding a Platinum Rig (which is all the rage these days), Savage has added multiple new obstacles to their 2016 lineup. I will spare you long descriptions as they do say, “a picture is worth a thousand words.”

Say hello to New Ish** ‘Pole Cat’, ‘Platinum Rig’, ‘On the Fence’ and old New Ish ‘Wheel World’

Yup. Marvel at the Obstacles. You can stare, it’s alright. I feel you. The fact is that Savage has added more innovative obstacles this year than some races even offer in their entire lineup. Do not fret, Obstacle Racers! If looking at all of these massive obstacles gave you the sudden urge to carry something heavy in a circle Savage just so happens to offer that too!

2. Savage Syndicate. New for 2016 is Savage Syndicate, which is basically an appreciation program for Savages who run multiple events in a year. If you do 2 or more events you receive a large Spinner Medal (like Latrell Sprewell’s Rims) and pins for the states you’ve run events in. The more events you run, the more state pins you get to add to your medal! #swagcity

Wifey’s Take: “I love it! It’s fun and I think that they have the best obstacles with the perfect distance.”

Final Thoughts:

I love Obstacles. I love new Obstacles. Savage Race has old Obstacles and new Obstacles. I love Savage Race. If you run a Savage Race and don’t love it I will have Tod Sorum Brilliant mail you a Super Nice Club trucker hat. REAL TALK

*Tough Mudder is not a race, but a challenge.

** Ish is slang for Sh$t

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Keith Allen

Keith Allen is an Air Conditioning Salesman and an exhausted father of two. When not carrying his children around in Baby Bjorns he is often found cooking delicious homemade quesadillas to fuel his hunger from running OCR's