The GOCHRIST Challenge

Obstacle courses like the "Tough Mudder" are hot right now, and it is a metaphor we find in the Bible.

With summer on the way, a lot of folks will be heading into the great outdoors to challenge themselves with a tough hike or a long run after a winter of being cooped up inside. Many others will prefer to stay inside, however, and watch others exert themselves.

Take the popularity of a show like American Ninja Warrior, for example, where contestants train for months to complete obstacle courses that were clearly designed by experts in torture. The ultimate winner gets $1 million, but only two people have actually made it all the way through the course in its eight seasons.

Of course, you might be the kind of ambitious person who is inspired by watching these amateur athletes climb and jump their way toward glory, and you might be looking for something closer to home where you can get out and push yourself over a similarly grueling course. The growing popularity of obstacle course racing across the country means that you're likely to find a race nearby with a name suitable to its...