The Battlegrounds – Missouri’s premiere permanent obstacle course race venue will host one last race on May 19th 2018 before handing over the keys to their course to Tough Mudder. The St. Louis area OCR venue has contracted with Tough Mudder to give the OCR giant exclusive rights to the venue for the next 5 years. I recently caught up with race director Bob Holm to get more info.
It is my understanding that “The Battlegrounds” will host one final race in May before being turned over to Tough Mudder. Is that correct?
Our May 19 race will, in fact, be our last one. We are proud of all that we have accomplished since our inaugural race in 2012 (we started with just 361 runners and have most recently topped 3,000 participants.) It’s been an amazing ride!
What will happen to the permanent obstacles that are built on the site such as The Battlegrounds classic, The Gauntlet?
Tough Mudder will have full access to all obstacles (including The Gauntlet), as well as the ability to incorporate all existing trails created by The Battlegrounds.
Will other OCR companies be able to use the venue or will it be exclusively Tough Mudder? If so, what will happen to the previously scheduled Green Beret Challenge race which was to occur on June 16th 2018?
Our five-year commitment enables Tough Mudder to exclusively utilize the venue. When this multi-year deal was recently signed, The Battlegrounds did not have a formal contract with the Green Beret Challenge.
Will the Battle Corp still exist and will OCR training events still be held at the venue?
The Battle Corp team is an amazingly tight family of runners that grew to 15 members strong. We are currently working with Tough Mudder to explore any and all opportunities for our Battle Corp to represent their organization. There will no longer be training events at the venue.
What were the key factors in the decision to sign a 5 year contract with Tough Mudder?
Throughout the years, The Battlegrounds grew on so many levels in terms of size and reputation. We believe Tough Mudder was a logical choice because it allows a solid international company to take us to the next level. The five-year commitment to Cedar Lake Cellars solidifies our location as a must-see destination in terms of newness and excitement.
What do you foresee happening after 5 years?
We anticipate growth…and more growth. Missouri is positioned to become one of the largest Tough Mudder races in the United States. We look forward to seeing where Tough Mudder takes us.
Are there any other details you can give me or that you think the OCR community should know?
This industry loves suspense and mystery. All we can add is that there’s plenty of surprises ahead so stay tuned for an exciting adventure.
I also reached out to Battle Corp team captain Christopher Balven who had this to say about the change.
“Everyone on the Battle Corps Team are extremely thankful for the opportunity to represent one of the best permanent OCR venues in the US. We enjoyed every race, we enjoyed meeting all the people who came out and experienced OCR for the first time there, and most of all we enjoyed becoming a family together. Saying I am grateful for that is an understatement to the extreme. It was incredible seeing the race grow from 350 or so racers in the beginning to what it is now. I for one will be out on that course until the sun goes down on May 19. I’ll leave a little piece of my heart out there before I move on to what lies ahead.”
This action has had some mixed reviews on social media and has filled me with many existential OCR feelings which I hope to address later but these are just the facts.
Justin Smith
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We love suspense and mystery? Who the hell lied to you. We want facts, dates, and info ASAP. We HATE being kept in the dark on this shit. It’s not fun nor exciting. This may be why you had to lease your grounds out instead of running your own events haha.