We may be on the run to Christmas, and your thoughts are about finishing work, holidays, Christmas gifts and Christmas lunch, but Rebekka Battista, Our Kids Fundraising Coordinator said to keep the 2026 Samson Challenge in mind over the festive season.

"It's our 16th Samson Challenge for 2026, and today we're getting all the items out and putting out a call for people to train for the Samson," she said.

"Everyone's allowed to have Christmas and New Year's off, but then it's back to training."

On 7 March 2026, teams from across the region will come together to compete in this iconic Northern Rivers fitness challenge and help raise vital funds for Our Kids.

The Samson is a four-person team event featuring twelve demanding challenges, including a farmers walk with jerry cans, a prowler push, a 130 kg truck tyre flip, a burpee challenge, a 2 x 2 km run, a 1 km team swim, a sled pull and an obstacle course… and to complete the course 100 burpees are required from each team. A tough end to a gruelling, challenging event.

The fastest team will take home the coveted Samson title. However, it is not always the fastest team that wins. In 2025, the Ballina RSL team raised over $4,000 and took home the trophy for raising the most money.

All money raised is going towards purchasing a new ventilator for the special care nursery to replace the 15-year-old one. With $60,000 already raised through the Winter Ball, Lismore, Casino and local Government Golf Day, and the Melbourne Cup Luncheon, another $10,000 will get it over the line, with any additional dollars put towards the next piece of needed equipment for the Lismore Base Hospital.

"The special care nursery sees around a third to a quarter of the babies in the Northern Rivers, and a ventilator is a vital piece of equipment," Rebekka said.

The 2026 Samson will again feature a full weekend program, including Samson Solo, Samson Teen Sprint, and Samson Kids, giving the whole community an opportunity to take part. Last year, the youngest competitor was 14, and the oldest was 72.

The 41st Battalion Royal New South Wales Regiment (41 RNSWR) and the Goonellabah Sports and Aquatic Centre (GSAC) team have also continued their strong support for next year’s event, with the Army donating equipment to assist the day and GSAC to host the much-loved swim leg.

Rebekka, along with Kris Van Bibber and Sandie Judd from Switch Gym, said you can't just turn up and expect to complete the course.

"We do ask people to train for the Samson because there are weights involved. That's why we launch in December to say, Right, this is the time to find your trainer or contact a local gym. All the gyms in the area participate and do Samson training, so it won't be hard to find one," Rebekka explained.

Having completed the Samson several times, Kris said the sled push is his toughest element.

"That's always been my Achilles heel because it's usually later, and it's a lot harder to push in the middle to late part of the day. It's like pushing a car uphill. It taxes the muscles, depletes the lung capacity, and you feel like throwing up when you're done."

Rebekka added that it has been nicknamed the 'vomitron' by some participants.

"There's a combination of strength elements, so your lifting, your carrying and your pulling at the beginning of it, which really depletes the energy sources. But then you have to run and swim at the pool here at GSAC, before running back, and then you do a fun obstacle course. It's a great way to end because there's a lot of agility and there's body weight components, like jumping into a tip of water after you do the monkey bars, jumping over a frame wall, climbing under and crawling under cargo nets."

If you are new to the Samson Challenge, Kris suggested you start with resistance training and a lot of grip strength-type exercises.

"Because there's a few components where you have to lift, carry, and throw a dead ball over your shoulder. But also, going for a good run or a swim would also be great components to add to your workouts."

Typically, Kris sees the bigger, stronger people struggle on the run or the swim, while the cardio-fit people struggle with the weight components.

Sandie said that girls get a bit of a reprieve with some lower weights.

"They get to share the tyre flip, which is a little comforting. When you do some of the carries, we get a little bit lighter weight."

The Samson attracts people from across New South Wales and South-East Queensland, as well as locals, to test themselves physically.

"It brings the community together and, along with our huge team of volunteers, helps put Lismore on the map for sport and fitness,” Rebekka added.

“It is a great way to get involved and help support local children when they need medical care”, Rebekka said.

Registrations for Samson 2026 are now open. Early bird registration is $360 per team.

To register or to learn more about the course, visit www.lismoresamson.com or go to the Samson Challenge button on the front page of the Lismore App.

For further information, please contact the Our Kids office on 6620 2705.