Mud Masters vs Strong Viking : distance, stations, prix et difficulté comparés (2026-27)

Mud Masters is an obstacle run organised by Mud Masters B.V. of Utrecht, held since 2012 at venues in the Netherlands and Germany. Current events include Haarlemmermeer and Biddinghuizen in the Netherlands and Airport Weeze in Germany, each running over a weekend. The organiser reports around 60,000 finishers per year.

The course is inspired by military training courses and built around teamwork. Distances run from 6 km (13+ obstacles, average finish time about 1 h 15 min) through 12 km (23+ obstacles, about 2 h 30 min) and 16 km (30+ obstacles, about 3 h 15 min) to a 42 km option at selected events. Obstacles include walls, monkey bars, rope climbs, tyre flips, mud crawls and ice-water baths, and routes change every season. Each weekend also has a Family Edition, and there is a finish festival after the race. The shorter distances suit first-timers and groups; the 16 and 42 km courses are for well-prepared runners.

Strong Viking is an obstacle run series held in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, with Viking-themed courses featuring mud trenches, water and climbing obstacles such as the 14-metre Fjord Drop and Storm the Castle. The organisers present it as a challenge rather than a race, with a focus on helping fellow participants finish.

Distances range from a 4 km Family Run and a 4 km Beginning course for first-timers through the 7 km Lightning, 13 km Warrior and 19 km Beast to a 42 km course and the 60 km Ultra Viking. Event weekends listed for 2027 include Wijchen, Hofstade, Frankfurt and Ghent, with most offering several distances across two or three days. Strong Viking has won several obstakels.com awards, including best obstacle run of the Benelux. The shorter distances suit beginners and groups of friends, while the longer courses are aimed at experienced obstacle runners.