This summer has been particularly scorching, with high temperatures sweeping across the nation,7In the month of15, Shanghai's highest temperature reached38degrees Celsius, and the heat index soared as high as44degrees Celsius, yet this did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the participants in the "Mud Run."

 2017The "I Dare" National Tour Mud Run Shanghai Station (hereinafter referred to as the "Mud Run") was held as scheduled at Dishui Lake in Shanghai. Even as the sun blazed down on the course, the event still attracted5000participants from all over the country, including sports enthusiasts from more than50running clubs, whilelululemonthe Shanghai area also formed teams to compete with athletes nationwide. This cross-country running event, which originated from British Special Forces training, featured three categories at the Shanghai station: Elite Race, Challenge Race, and Family Race. After fierce competition, in the men’s Elite Race, You Peiquan claimed the Shanghai championship with an outstanding time of39minutes and28seconds; the women’s champion was Zhang Xueqing, who finished with a time of53minutes and48seconds. The Mud Run awarded prize money of8000,5000, and3000RMB to the top three male and female finishers in the Elite category.

 And even if you’re not among the elite runners with top scores, many participants came for the fun and thrilling obstacles of the Mud Run. A total of25obstacles were set up along the course. "This is the most fun obstacle race I’ve ever taken part in—it was exciting the whole way through!" said participant Santian in an interview with reporters. "25obstacles may sound like a lot, but the well-arranged course kept me fully immersed in the thrill of conquering them. Especially the 'Shake, Warrior' obstacle—it wasn’t just physically challenging, but also had an element of surprise. I felt like I was progressing through a big online game."

 Yu Qie, who traveled from out of town to take part in the race, is a loyal fan of the Mud Run and has participated in multiple events. He believes that the Mud Run has made great progress in a short period of time—the obstacles have become more reasonable and fun. Especially the Family Race introduced after the Beijing event this year, which gave adults the chance to tackle obstacles together with their kids.

 It is understood that preparations for the Shanghai Mud Run took80working days. The staff went to great lengths to ensure the safety of participants and the fun of the event. The two weeks before the race were dedicated to testing, during which the staff personally experienced the obstacles multiple times. As Huang Sichen, Chairman and Founder of the event organizer "Sikelang" Sports, said in an interview with reporters: "Shanghai is one of China’s most developed cities, and only the best events can attract the discerning players of the Magic City. The Mud Run has earned recognition in Shanghai for two consecutive years—a great start—and we will continue to grow. That’s why this year we introduced new categories and new obstacles, and the positive feedback from our fans has made us feel that all the effort has been worth it."

 The Shanghai Mud Run has now come to a successful close. The next event will be held at the end of8in Shenzhen. It remains to be seen what new experiences it will bring to the off-road running enthusiasts there.