There's a boom in offbeat races鈥攇ravel grinders, obstacle-course runs, cyclocross events鈥攕o it's never been easier to experiment with a new sport. Here's how to decide which one's right for you.
Sup Racing
What:听Paddling around in some of the world鈥檚 most scenic locales, like North Carolina鈥檚 Outer Banks.
Why:听It鈥檚 a day on the water that gets you a workout and a tan. And you don鈥檛 even need your own board. Rentals are ubiquitous, and many races offer them on-site.
The Best:听Ta-Hoe听Nalu听(Kings Beach, California; August; tahoenalu.com); Carolina Cup (April;听Wrightsville听Beach, North Carolina; wrightsvillebeachpaddleclub.com)
Cyclocross Racing
What:听An hour spent circling a one-to-two-mile off-road loop, with frequent dismounts to hop over logs and hay bales.
Why:听It鈥檚听Nascar听run on a muddy, grassy track, with pit stops to swap out broken or gumbo-caked bikes. Spectators drink, ring cowbells, and heckle participants.
The Best:听Cross Vegas (Las Vegas, Nevada; September; crossvegas.com); Providence听Cyclocross听Festival (Providence, Rhode Island; October; providencecrossfest.com); Cross Crusade Series (Nationwide; crosscrusade.com)
Outdoor Games
What:听A celebration of outdoor sports held at mountain-town festivals.
Why:听There are countless events with varying degrees of difficulty, from dog-friendly mud runs to multi-discipline all-mountain challenges.
The Best:听GoPro听Mountain Games (Vail, Colorado; June; mountaingames.com); Dominion听Riverrock听Festival (Richmond, Virginia; May; dominionriverrock.com)
Obstacle Racing
What:听Mud pits, fire jumps, barbed-wire crawls鈥攍ike gym class on steroids.
Why:听They鈥檙e as much a party as a race. The keepsakes for completing them鈥攖he orange Tough听Mudder听headband, Warrior Dash鈥檚 fuzzy Viking helmets鈥攃ome with bragging rights.
The Best:听Tough听Mudder听(toughmudder.com); Spartan Race (spartanrace.com); Warrior Dash (warriordash.com)
Gravel Grinder
What:听A race on gravel or fire roads, originally birthed by Midwest bikers.
Why:听Miles of backwoods trails on your road bike, with no cars or strip malls in sight and none of the scary downhills prevalent at mountain-bike events.
The Best:听Crusher In The听Tushar听(Beaver, Utah; July; tusharcrusher.com); Dirty听Kanza听(Emporia, Kansas; May; dirtykanza200.com)