One of the Coolest Obstacle Course Races Is Coming Up This Fall in Missoula

I'm often impressed by the number and variety of races and challenges that take Olympic-level skill and talent that happen right here in Missoula.

We're home to the Missoula Marathon, one of the best marathons in the country, and the City to Sky, a 50K trail race, and so many more races are run in Missoula thanks to Run Wild Missoula. There are also cyclo-cross and cycling events thanks to MTCX. 

But what I also appreciate about Missoula is the opportunity to celebrate people of all abilities and that's exactly what the Zoo Town Challenge is, and it's coming up this fall. If you don't know anything about it, here are the details you'll need to know. 

What is the Zoo Town Challenge

It's a race and obstacle course hosted by VRTX Fitness for people of all ages and abilities with proceeds benefiting Opportunity Resources Inc. There are six races you can choose from:

• Double Griz 10k 45 Obstacles
• Expert 5k 20 Obstacles
• Novice 5k 20 Obstacles
• Teams - 4 person
• Junior - Ages 10-16 5k 18 Obstacles
• Kids Race 5-10 years

Not sure you're in race shape? You can attend training classes at VRTZ for free as long as there's enough space.

The obstacles range in difficulty and skill. There are rope climbs, a sandbag carry, a tire flip, but there's also target & paint, and cornhole.

Where is the Zoo Town Challenge

How cool is this: the whole thing takes place at Washington Grizzly Stadium. Imagine competing on an obstacle course on the same field as the Griz?!

When is the Zoo Town Challenge?

The race is September 28th but there are price increases for registration. If you're interested in the Expert or Novice races, the prices increase after August 31. If you're interested in the Griz Double, the price increases after September 1. Registration closes for the Juniors and Kids races on September 28 and the All Abilities race closes for registration on September 27.

Why You Should Participate in the Zoo Town Challenge

"You aren't just racing - you're directly a part of something bigger." That's the message in big letters on the homepage for the Zoo Town Challenge. Opportunity Resources Inc. is such an important organization in our community and it's awesome. Even if you're not interested in racing, you can be a volunteer for this amazing event.