Getting Tough - The Race vs Mud Masters : distance, stations, prix et difficulté comparés (2026-27)

Getting Tough - The Race is a German extreme obstacle race brand that has run since 2011, organised by GETTINGTOUGH GmbH. It became known for its winter race in Rudolstadt, Thuringia, a 24 km course with around 900 m of climbing and obstacle parcours where failing an obstacle leads to disqualification.

The current event is Getting Tough 5Elements in Oberhof, Thuringia, held in late June in the Thuringian Forest winter-sports town. Adults choose a 9 km run or a 17 km run, or combine both as the 5Elements eXtreme ticket (9 km + 17 km); there is also a 'Legend of Speed' format. The YOKI AHORN Kidsrun offers 2 km and 5 km courses for children aged 6 to 16. The event is aimed at runners who want a demanding obstacle course with real elevation, while the 9 km option is the more accessible entry point.

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.