You make some good points but there are
some other considerations I'd like to propose.
On one side are the folks
more interested in having a good time while doing some running (without a
specific objective or goal) for whom a well organized mud run might be a great
option. That can take some of the 'pain' out of constant training. To your point
about injuries, someone I know was very recently injured in a mud run and looks
like surgery is now being planned... that is a real risk of obstacle
courses!
The team building aspects (or opportunities) of preparing for
and completing a 200 mile relay race, with 6 or 12 people running (one at a
time), is pretty special. It takes a certain amount of preparation and
committment for that to come together in a way that many in EMS are not well
tuned for, that is setting and achieving long term goals.
The bonding
opportunities are many and not everyone needs to keep the same pace or have the
same level of preparation for it to work. This is obviously going to be more
attractive to those willing to put a bit more into it than a 5K
project.
There aren't many team/group opportunities for runners unless
you join a running group or otherwise make friends... and not many chances to do
'fun stuff' especially if you have a spouse and/or kids that can't keep your
training schedule.
You make some good points but there are some other considerations I'd like to propose.
On one side are the folks more interested in having a good time while doing some running (without a specific objective or goal) for whom a well organized mud run might be a great option. That can take some of the 'pain' out of constant training. To your point about injuries, someone I know was very recently injured in a mud run and looks like surgery is now being planned... that is a real risk of obstacle courses!
The team building aspects (or opportunities) of preparing for and completing a 200 mile relay race, with 6 or 12 people running (one at a time), is pretty special. It takes a certain amount of preparation and committment for that to come together in a way that many in EMS are not well tuned for, that is setting and achieving long term goals.
The bonding opportunities are many and not everyone needs to keep the same pace or have the same level of preparation for it to work. This is obviously going to be more attractive to those willing to put a bit more into it than a 5K project.
There aren't many team/group opportunities for runners unless you join a running group or otherwise make friends... and not many chances to do 'fun stuff' especially if you have a spouse and/or kids that can't keep your training schedule.
Cheers,
Nick