BC recently interviewed Rob Dickens of Rugged Maniac, an obstacle race company that Mark Cuban invested $1.75 million in on Shark Tank. Their mud run is unlike others in that it welcomes fat guys, sells cheap craft beer, and attracts girls. Sounds like the only mud run I’d ever consider doing.
What is “Rugged Maniac” all about? How is it different from all the other mud runs?
Rugged Maniac is a 5K obstacle race that features 25 crazy obstacles ranging from towers of stacked shipping containers and underground tunnels to trampolines and water slides. Rugged Maniac is different. We have more girls in our events than anyone else. We have more obstacles than anyone else. And we offer craft beer for reasonable prices in the festival, limit the number of runners on the course so there aren’t massive lines, and build big, epic obstacles that people love. It’s a massive festival that celebrates achievement with music, food, and plenty of beer.
What obstacle is everyone’s favorite?
Everyone loves the “Particle Accelerator”, which is our 50-foot water slide. It’s always at the end of the race so it’s a great way to cool off with a thrill and a splash after running three miles.
Can fat guys do it?
We get people of all shapes and sizes at our events. Rugged Maniac is about getting off your couch and doing something awesome with your weekend. For many people, it’s the perfect motivation to start getting in shape. For others, it’s simply an excuse to get muddy and party. Either way, everyone has a blast.
Who would win a Rugged Maniac race – Tom or Gisele?
Although Gisele looks like she’s in amazing shape, the training Tom goes through undoubtedly gives him an edge. But most people run with their friends or significant others as part of a team, helping each other over the obstacles. I highly doubt Tom would leave his beautiful wife behind just to win a medal. I could see him giving Gisele a piggyback ride just to make things a little more challenging (and fun for her).
Tell us about the party afterwards. We hear it’s epic.
The festival tends to be pretty rocking due to the perfect gender mix we attract to our events. Throw in some mechanical bulls, a foam pit dance floor, a kick-ass DJ, stein-hoisting & pie-eating contests, awesome food, and plenty of craft beer from our east coast festival sponsor, Harpoon Brewery, and you have one heck of a weekend.
Mark Cuban is an owner in the business. How is it working with him? Does he treat you like he treats NBA refs?
Mark is an incredibly intelligent guy with tons of advice and insight for upstarts like us, so he’s been a great resource. Of course, he has his own companies to manage so he generally leaves things in our capable hands when it comes to running Rugged Maniac. We’re just waiting for him to completely recover from his hip replacement surgery before we get him out on a course!
Participant tickets for all Rugged Maniac events are available at www.ruggedmaniac.com and increase over time from $39 to $110. Students and military personnel with valid identification receive $10 off. Spectators get in free. All participants receive a t-shirt, medal, free professional race photos, and a beer with registration.
