MacTuff vs XLETIX Challenge: distance, stations, price & difficulty compared (2026-27)

MacTuff is a Scottish events company, MacTuff Limited of Glenrothes, Fife, that runs mud and obstacle challenges for adults and children along with a road half marathon. Its obstacle events include the Really Muddy runs at Castle Fraser, Sauchen near Aberdeen, and in Fife and Kinross, plus MacTuff Kids events in Fife.

The Really Muddy events offer a 3 km kids course and 5 km and 10 km adult courses through mud, water and obstacles. MacTuff Kids is a roughly 3 km course where children run alongside participating adults, with obstacles built in two heights so that adults and children can tackle them together; the organiser sets adult-to-child ratios by age. Participants receive a T-shirt and medal, with free parking, spectator access, photos and bag drop. The events are aimed at families, groups, charity fundraisers and newcomers to obstacle running rather than competitive racers.

The XLETIX Challenge (presented by MaxiNutrition) is a team-focused obstacle race series organised by XLETIX GmbH, a Berlin company founded in 2013 by Jannis Bandorski and Matthias Ernst. Events take place at seven locations in Germany and Austria, including Berlin, Tirol Innsbruck, München Erding, NRW, Norddeutschland and, from 2027, the Nürburgring.

Participants choose one of three distances, 6 km, 12 km or 18 km, with up to 35 obstacles involving mud, water, walls and slides. The course is run in 6 km loops, so team members can pick different distances and anyone can stop after a completed loop. The focus is on getting through the course together rather than on finishing times. The series suits groups of friends, colleagues and first-time obstacle racers as well as fitter runners who want the longest distance. The same company also runs XLETIX Kids for children aged 5 to 15 and the women-only Muddy Angel Run.