8 events in Ulster County, New York

RACE 3 CANCELLED DUE TO WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY- SEE EMAIL FOR DEFERRAL OPTIONS

🐾 Polar Cats Winter Race Series: The Bowl Series is Back! 🐾

Originally created by Bill Kehoe in the ’90s, the Polar Cats Winter Race Series returns for another fun, low-frills, low-cost winter running season around Rochester!

Each race has its own “Bowl” theme — and you can run one or all four!

🏆 Race Schedule

Race 1: Holiday Bowl 5K – December 6, 2025 | RACE 1 HERE

Race 2: Sugar Bowl 5K – January 18, 2026 | RACE 2 HERE

Race 3: Super Bowl 5K – February 8, 2026 | RACE 3 HERE

Race 4: Cereal Bowl 5K – March 1, 2026 | RACE 4 HERE

🏈 Race 3: The Super Bowl 5K

Celebrate Super Bowl Sunday by wearing your favorite team gear and showing your spirit!

Enjoy warm drinks and snacks at the finish line as you kick off game day with a fun run.

📍 Location: Seneca Park – Wegman Lodge

📦 Packet Pickup:

Saturday February 7 @ Rochester Running Company – 10AM-1:00PM only

Race Day (Sunday February 8) – 9 - 10 AM at the race site

🎉 After the Race: Post-race party and Series Awards Ceremony!

🧤 Series Registration Includes

Polar Cats Sweatpants (upgrade to Vuori Joggers available)

Race T-shirt for the Holiday Bowl 5K (Race #1)

Entry to all four races

Post-race refreshments

Eligibility for age group and overall prizes (per race & series)

Keep your bib for all races, or grab a new one at packet pickup if you forget!

If you are keeping your bib for the series, please still check in at Registration on race morning to confirm we have the correct bib number for you!

🏅 Awards

Top 3 male & female finishers (each race + overall series)

Top 2 age group winners (each race + overall series)

❄️ Friendly Note

Polar Cats races are traditionally scheduled opposite Freezeroo Series weekends so you can enjoy both series! (One overlap this year.)

👉 Freezeroo info: https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/Rochester/FreezerooSeriesIndividualRace

A scenic 5K race located within the confines of the Headless Horseman Hayrides and Haunted Attractions at 778 Broadway Ulster Park, NY 12487. Experience a behind the scenes view of the number one haunted attraction in America while running on pavement and through fields. More info can be found at the Esopus Fire Department Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/esopusfire)

**Bib and T-shirt pickup will be on May 14th, 2026 at the Esopus Fire House, 1142 Broadway, Esopus, NY from 5pm to 7pm.

Obstacle Wonderland is pleased to bring you the region's best permanent outdoor obstacle course!

Welcome all Wonderlanders to our newest event, the "Rise of the Obstacles" for adults and kids! A family fun time, for every fitness level!

RISE OF THE OBSTACLES!

A New Chapter at Obstacle Wonderland – May 30-31, 2026

Welcome to Rise of the Obstacles, the evolution of Obstacle Wonderland’s signature experience, marking a new chapter where every athlete big, small, young, and old can step onto the course, face real obstacles, and RISE.

This is not just a trail run. This is not about miles. This event is all about you versus the obstacles... skill, grit, confidence, and heart.

Rise of the Obstacles offers TWO drastically different racing distances to test you on a curated lineup of OW’s most iconic and challenging builds. Every step brings you closer to mastering walls, rigs, crawls, carries, balance challenges, and Wonderland-exclusive creations you won’t find anywhere else. There are no penalties for failure only the determination to try again! This is a race where the strongest athletes push their limits, and first-timers discover what they’re capable of.

Earn your way to the most epic medal Wonderland has ever forged- a 3D hybrid design with glow accents, obstacle-themed elements, and a backside tribute to the warriors who rise above every challenge. Are you ready?

YES, YOU MAY ENTER MORE THAN ONE RACE DISTANCE

10% DISCOUNT WHEN REGISTERING FOR MULTIPLE EVENTS

AGE GROUP BREAKDOWN

KIDS events Saturday 5/30

ADULTS events Sunday 5/31

ADULTS "CROWN OF FIRE' 100 METER SPRINT OCR

Our fastest, most intense test at Obstacle Wonderland.

This is pure power, precision, and execution. Athletes will face a straight-line, obstacle-packed course designed to push speed, strength, grip, and technical skill to the absolute limit. Every move matters. Any mistake costs time. This heat is built for athletes who thrive under pressure and can move aggressively while staying composed. Strategy matters but execution wins. If you want a true test of obstacle skill where speed meets mastery, this is where you prove it. One course. One shot. One champion.

What to expect:

✔ A short, explosive competitive course

✔ Dense obstacle placement no wasted steps

✔ Grip, strength, balance, and coordination under pressure

✔ Two attempts at running the course

✔ Fastest time counts

All racers will receive a finisher medal, and additional podium awards will be given to top overall male and female, plus 1st in each age group.

ADULTS "DRAGONS MARCH" 5K ENDURANCE OCR

Combines a wide variety of obstacle tasks with technical trails and terrain

Our classic race event with a twist run two laps of our newly designed course but with obstacle changes each round. The Endurance race blends a measured stretch of trail running with repeated assaults on Obstacle Wonderland’s signature rigs and field obstacles. Athletes will move in and out of the woods and straight into technical challenges that demand strength, grip, and mental toughness.

What to expect:

✔ Fun, non competitive course

✔ Trail sections to test pacing and recovery

✔ Multiple passes through rigs and obstacles

✔ Strength and grip fatigue build with every lap

✔ Designed to punish poor strategy and reward smart racing

All racers will receive a finisher medal after completing their second race lap, in addition to a ton of swag goodies!

KIDS "FIRE BREATHER" 50 METER SPRINT OCR

Just like the adult version, kids will race side by side for the fastest course clear to see where they stack up against the field of speedsters, to determine the best when it comes to combining strategy and quickness under pressure.

What to expect:

✔ A short, explosive competitive course

✔ Dense obstacle placement no wasted steps

✔ Grip, strength, balance, and coordination under pressure

✔ Two attempts at running the course

✔ Fastest time counts

All racers will receive a finisher medal, and additional podium awards will be given to top overall male and female, plus 1st in each age group.

KIDS "FIRST ROAR" 1k OCR

Small roar today, big confidence tomorrow. 🔥🐲

Kids First Roar is a fun, empowering introduction to obstacle racing designed to help kids build confidence, courage, and a love for movement. Young athletes will run, climb, crawl, and conquer age-appropriate obstacles in a safe, encouraging environment where effort matters more than speed. This heat isn’t about winning- it’s about trying, smiling, and realizing “I can do this.”

What to expect:

✔ Fun, non competitive endurance course

✔ Kid-friendly obstacles

✔ Supportive staff and volunteers on course

✔ Trail sections to test pacing and recovery

✔ Strength and grip fatigue build with every lap

All racers will receive a medal at the finish line, in addition to a ton of swag goodies!

TEDDY BEAR CRAWL

Every muddy mile helps make a difference!

We’re thrilled to have the Teddy Bear Crawl Foundation joining us at this year's Rise of the Obstacles! This heartfelt nonprofit delivers joy and comfort to kids battling tough medical journeys. A mission is to provide comfort in the form of a teddy bear to children who are admitted into hospitals around the nation.

When you register, you’ll also have the chance to support their mission because getting down for a cause makes every obstacle worth it.. Sign up, get moving, and consider donating to this incredible cause.

CUSTOM MEDALS FOR DONATIONS of $5 OR MORE PLEASE

WEATHER POLICY:

We are a fully outdoor obstacle course. Please dress accordingly and for the weather. Should we experience weather conditions that make our event unsafe, we will make necessary announcements. THAT SAID, our sport is all terrain and all weather! If it’s rainin’ we’re trainin’ and if it’s snowin’ we’re goin’! We don’t mind a little weather but we’ll always make the call with your safety in mind.

VOLUNTEERS

Arrival time- 7:30am - 8:00 am

Your Team leader will be coordinating all volunteers, please see her for your assignment! A GIANT thank you to all our volunteers! We couldn't make our events so great without the helping hands we have on deck. That said, there is always a need for volunteer help so if you're coming to watch and would like to help a bit, please let us know!

PARKING:

Please follow the signs for "EVENT PARKING" and parking attendants will guide you to your parking space. Due to the weather, parking will be as follows !!! 1) 4 wheel - AWD - High clearance vehicles will park on the upper field- All others please park below. 2) PLEASE BACK INTO PARKING SPOTS TO ENSURE SAFE DEPARTURES! 3) Please do not block driveways.

RESTROOMS:

Portable restrooms are accessible at the back of the field near tier-one parking.

As always, we thank you for your support! We’ve grown into what we are today by word of mouth, so if you have a great time, please tell a friend, and post about us online!

Your gracious host at Obstacle Wonderland,

Gabe Capobianchi

The official course address is:

Obstacle Wonderland

314 New Unionville Road

Wallkill NY 12589

Phone number: 845-629-7922