Strong Viking vs Tough Guy and Gal Challenge: distance, stations, price & difficulty compared (2026-27)

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.

The Tough Guy and Gal Challenge is New Zealand's longest-running mud run series, organised by Event Promotions (Cambridge, NZ) with naming sponsor Middleware. Adult events offer roughly 6 km (1 lap) and 12 km (2 laps) obstacle courses plus a 6 km Team Challenge (teams of 5+, at least 2 women), with Open (13-39) and 40+ grades, and a daily cap of 1,500 competitors. The 2027 adult series runs at Camp Wainui (Wellington), Kumeu Showgrounds (Auckland) and Lakes Ranch (Rotorua), alongside junior, secondary-school and family editions in more cities. Entries for 2027 open 1 November 2026.