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Runmageddon – what is it and how do you prepare for it?

Runmageddon – what is it and how do you prepare for it?

Publication date: 23.07.2026

Category: Runmageddon

Runmageddon – what is it and how do you prepare for it?

Top locations, a great atmosphere, a battle with yourself and an adventure that brings emotion, memories and plenty of satisfaction. In just a few words, that is how you can describe taking part in the cultural phenomenon that Runmageddon has become in recent years – an obstacle race where everyone can find something for themselves.

If you have already heard about it and are even considering taking part in this sporting event, be sure to read the rest of the article. You will find a complete knowledge capsule about this event here. Check what it is, who it is for, how to prepare for it and, above all, why it is worth it.

What is Runmageddon?

Runmageddon (RMG) is an obstacle race in the OCR format (obstacle course race), held on various courses featuring a wide range of challenges – both natural terrain obstacles and specially prepared structures.

Before the start, each participant receives a timing chip, thanks to which they can check their results and compare them with other people or friends. At the finish line, a medal awaits – the perfect way to complete such an adventure.

The phenomenon of Runmageddon is best proven by the fact that it is by far the most popular sports event of this kind in Poland. During every event, several thousand participants line up at the start. The first edition took place in 2014, and since then hundreds of thousands of people have taken part in all its editions.

Who is this obstacle race for?

It would not be an exaggeration at all to say that this obstacle race is an excellent option for absolutely everyone. The variety of available courses and, along with them, levels of difficulty (which you will read about in a moment) means there is “something” for younger and slightly older children, entire families and, of course, adults as well.

And what about sporting level? RMG offers “something” both for amateurs, who can successfully compete in the open wave, and for semi-professionals or full professionals, who can take part in races under elite rules. You will find more information about both options below.

Adult formats you can take on during RMG

Each format has its own name, which clearly defines what every participant can expect during a given race. In this way, we can distinguish options such as:

Intro, the route with the lowest level of difficulty. It is 3 kilometres long and includes around 15 different obstacles. It is ideal for starting your obstacle race adventure.
Rekrut, a slightly more difficult 6-kilometre course with a moderate level of difficulty. It offers close to 30+ obstacles. It also comes in a version held after dark (the so-called Night Rekrut).
Classic, a relatively demanding 12-kilometre course featuring more than 50 different challenges.

If the prospect of taking on the traditional formats is still not enough for you, you should know that at least once a year the organisers of Runmageddon also offer participation in much more demanding challenges.

Hardcore is a series held on a route as long as 21 km, where as many as 70 obstacles await you.
Ultra is 2x Hardcore, which means as much as 42 kilometres and 140+ obstacles.

All of the above formats are held in two versions – open and elite. The race time itself depends on the distance and the level of experience of individual participants. In the case of the shortest routes (Intro / Rekrut), it may last a few or several dozen minutes. For the longest ones (Hardcore / Ultra) – even several hours.

The regular division applies to Rekrut, Classic, Hardcore and Ultra. The elite debut in the Intro series took place in 2023 during championship qualification.

What about fans of short and more intense races?

For fans of this type of challenge, the organiser offers the so-called Runmageddon Games. These are races on short courses (up to several hundred metres long) featuring from a few to a dozen or so obstacles. Perfect for fans of the increasingly popular discipline of ninja!

Obstacle formats for children and parents

RMG also does not forget slightly younger seekers of adventure and good sporting fun. It is with children in mind that it offers obstacle race formats such as:

Kids, which means around a 1 km course with 10+ obstacles adapted for children aged 4–11.
Junior, which means close to a 3 km course with 15+ challenges that young participants aged 12–15 can take on.
Family, which means 2 km and 15+ obstacles that teams made up of parents or guardians and children can tackle together.

What is the difference between the elite series and the open series? We explain the rules of Runmageddon!

Open is an option for people looking for excellent sporting fun who at the same time may not necessarily boast top fitness or outstanding skills.

If you cannot handle a given challenge – no problem! At any time, you can get help from other participants, who will gladly help you carry weight, get across a balance obstacle, a wall or many others. And if help is not possible, you will do 20 penalty burpees to continue along the route.

Things look completely different if you decide to take part in elite. This is a series for professionals who left their first obstacle race adventures behind long ago. In this option, recreation takes a back seat so that it can be replaced by healthy sporting competition and overcoming your own limits. The difference lies in the way obstacles are completed. You must deal with each of them on your own, and if you cannot do it, a judge will ask you to hand over your band and you will complete the rest of the course under open rules.

In both cases, you have an unlimited number of attempts to complete an obstacle. You can repeat it until you manage to do it or “give up” (in open by doing the above-mentioned burpees instead, and in elite by handing over your band). The only exception is series in which participants compete in the Polish OCR League or qualifications for the OCR World or European Championships. In that case, each person has only 1 attempt to complete a given obstacle. For every failure, they lose a band worn on the wrist. After losing all 3, they are no longer classified in the elite series.

Awards, medals and distinctions at RMG. What awaits participants besides adventure and excitement?

Every participant receives a commemorative medal after crossing the finish line as proof of completing the challenge. Each route has separate medals appropriate to the given race format. In addition to them, competitors can take part in the battle for two extra trophies:

Weteran is a special cup awarded to people who complete at least 3 different formats within one season (year). The series includes participation in Rekrut (including the night version), Classic and Hardcore. If they achieve this feat not once but twice in the same season, the so-called Golden Veteran awaits them. Apart from the commemorative cup, competitors who complete all selected races can also become owners of the iconic veteran hoodie.
Runmageddon Crown is a trophy awarded to competitors who, in 1 season, take on challenges in 4 different parts of Poland (that is: in events organised in the north, south, east and west of Poland).

Runmageddon leagues – what is worth knowing about them?

For those hungry for sporting competition, RMG also has options to take part in leagues.

RMG League is an offer aimed mainly at competitors in the open series. Points are awarded for participation in individual events, and the total prize pool is PLN 15,000 (in 2023).
Super RMG League is the field of competition between elite competitors. It takes place in traditional OCR formats (for individuals and teams) as well as in the so-called games. Points are awarded for taking specific places. The total prize pool in 2023 is as much as PLN 50,000.

What obstacles await you during Runmageddon?

The challenges you will face at practically every Runmageddon can be divided into several main types.

Natural obstacles - these are challenges making use of the specific features of a given terrain. They include: marshes, pit traps, uphill sections, tackling hills, stairs and many others.
Strength obstacles - as the name suggests, to get through them you will need above all... strength and a bit of persistence! The challenges you will face include, among others: dog walk, courier walk, a weighted loop (with a chain or a bag), tyre flipping.
Technical obstacles - these usually take the form of metal structures that require muscular strength, a strong grip and the right technique to complete them. The most popular obstacles include: multirig, kołkosznikov, dream verifier, pole dance, lightning bolts, beekeeper’s revenge, fireman, parallel bars, oponeo, madman, lowrig and many more.
Coordination obstacles - these require not so much strength as the skill to balance your body properly. These include, for example: slack line, Tibetan bridge, balance beam, etc. Of course, no race under the RMG banner would be complete without numerous walls, barbed wire, tyres and crawling (under barbed wire, nets and other elements).

Runmageddon’s obstacle “menu” includes several dozen different obstacles. This means no event is the same, while each one provides unique experiences and memories for years to come.

Where and when does Runmageddon take place? The most popular locations for this obstacle race.

However, the challenges you will face are not only the obstacles, but also the places where they are set up. The Runmageddon calendar is very full. Every year, an average of a dozen or so sporting events take place, visiting different regions of Poland and beyond.

The most popular locations where RMG appears practically every season include cities such as Wrocław, Warsaw, the Tricity area (Gdynia), Poznań and Kraków. Participants hungry for challenges can also compete on other selected courses. This obstacle race also very often visits Silesia (JSW), Bydgoszcz, Ełk, Kocierz, and abroad. Runmageddon cooperates, for example, with another sporting event – Gladiator Race – and together they create unforgettable challenges in the Czech Republic.

How do you prepare for Runmageddon?

Detailed instructions for preparing to take on Runmageddon routes are definitely a topic for a separate (and quite extensive!) article. So here, let us focus only on the essentials.

If you are planning your first start and sport has not really been your thing so far, remember that this event is above all great fun. Do not bite off more than you can chew and do not try to compete with the best right away. There will still be time for that!

On RMG courses, not only obstacles await you, but also demanding terrain and unpredictable weather conditions. That is why your first priority should be proper clothing.

You will receive a Runmageddon T-shirt in the starter pack – it will be ideal for this challenge. In addition, make sure you have comfortable bottoms (they can be shorts or leggings) that will not absorb water or mud. What shoes are best for Runmageddon? At the beginning, above all, the ones you feel comfortable in. Try to choose a pair with aggressive tread that will give you better stability and reduce the risk of slipping.

If you want to gear up “from head to toe” for your nearest event, take a look at our shop, where the full Runmageddon collection is waiting for you. In addition to T-shirts, shorts and leggings, you will also find headbands, hoodies, jackets, caps, bags, masks and much, much more!

How do you take part in Runmageddon?

To take part in this obstacle race, all you need to do is go directly to the organiser’s website, choose a location, select a format, and then register and pay for your entry. If you want to save money, it is worth planning your start well in advance, because ticket prices rise month by month.

The organiser also offers discount codes and vouchers that let you get a discount of up to several dozen percent off the original ticket price.

If you would like more information, you can find it both on the Runmageddon website and on its Facebook page. You will also find photos from previous events there.