About the Race & Course FAQ

EVERYONE! Hero Rush is a dynamic event that will give a variety of participants a great experience. Whether you are an obstacle race/mud run enthusiast, avid runner looking for a change of pace, a family looking for a fun day out, a fire department, public safety agency or company seeking an awesome team building activity ... coming alone or coming with a big huge gigantic group, Hero Rush is looking for you! Register today!

Note for our Junior Heroes: If you will be 14 or older on Race Day, you can run the full Hero Rush course with your parent's permission - they'll need to accompany you onsite to sign the Hero Rush waiver form with you.

For those under 14, there are two kid's races - see the for details!

Every course will be at least 3 miles and possibly up to 5 miles -- and with varied terrain and lots of up, down, under and over, it will feel FAR longer (so be in shape!). At some locations, we'll be trialing alternative routes, varied level obstacles and actual distances will vary by venue! We know you'll be challenged by the obstacles themselves, but we'll also be exploring unique ways to make the course even more so!

Hero Rush is created by lifelong firefighters and promises the most authentic firefighting experience you can get without responding to a 911 call.

Our obstacles are unique and intense! If you’re looking for new challenges, obstacles unlike other races and are ready to go beyond mud right into mayhem – Hero Rush is for you. You’ll race to the scene and tackle many things a firefighter would do at a blaze or other emergency... You’ll slide, climb, crawl, get wet, search for victims, drag and carry equipment, carry stretchers, race up stairs, fight your way through smoke and flames .. and more! Did we mention you’ll get WET?

Check out our obstacles page for more info!

The 343 Wave honors the lives of the firefighters who perished in the Twin Towers on 9/11/2001. Each participant running in the 343 Wave will wear a commemorative racer’s bib showing the name of one of those fallen heroes. The 343 Wave costs an additional $10 – all of which goes to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Hero Rush will match that $10, for a total donation of $20 per runner in the 343 Wave.

All runners in all waves will be timed; however, only those running in competitive waves are eligible for timing prizes.

Be prepared to run, squeeze into (and through) small spaces, crawl blindly through smoke and have the heart of a hero! For some specialized moves, check out the training videos by Mike Stefano.

P.S. Be sure to get over that fear of heights, the dark, or closed in spaces!

Well, a real hero wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to make a save. But if an obstacle is too tough, you may skip it and still finish the course – BUT you will be ineligible for timing awards if you are participating in one of the competitive waves. Yes, we’ll be watching.

Yes, there will be at least two water stations along each 3-5 mile course, and one at the end. Remember to hydrate yourself the night and morning before you race.

No – tools and weapons are prohibited on the course. But be sure to bring your running shoes and your Most Heroic Self.

No, there is no time limit – we want every Rusher to cross the finish line! A true Hero never gives up.

For many, just being a Hero is a reward in itself. But for those of you who want to have fun FAST – and maybe take home a prize for doing it – there are competitive waves available at each event.

• The top male and female finishers from the competitive waves get a free race pass for an upcoming event
• The top three male and female finishers also take home cool Hero Rush swag as prizes.

Note, you must be registered for and run in a competitive wave AND complete all obstacles on the course in order to be eligible for timing prizes.

There are also prizes for the Largest and Fastest Teams - check out our Teams page for details!

Yes – and be creative! We love to feature the best costumes on our Facebook page!

Hero Rush is an event for EVERYONE -- but of course firefighters are going to be a huge part of every aspect of our event. For those of you running, we encourage you to dress in fire department apparel to stand out! However, full gear/turnouts are not recommended -- there will be a lot of water, some mud and other aspects that would not be ideal for structural firefighting gear.

Many of our obstacles are going to simulate things firefighters do every day -- in training, on the scene, even in the firehouse. Combined with the 3+ mile run, we think our fellow firefighters will find Hero Rush very challenging AND fun. Many fire departments are creating teams and it will be a great team building and group event for fire departments. So bring your friends, family and perhaps even some cops to Rush with ya! Firefighters, EMS, public safety, military and students (with ID) get $5 off registration, too! Firefighters are signing up quickest for our charity 343 wave, which benefits the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

We're also seeking local fire departments close to event locations to conduct demonstrations, distribute fire safety information and more. Fill out our contact form to get more information.