Everything You Need To Know About Obstacle Course Racing
Obstacle course racing (OCR) is a sport in which a competitor must overcome various obstacles while also running. They are both mentally and physically challenging. There are multiple types of Obstacle course races that you can do: Spartan Race, Tough Mudder, and Warrior Dash are the most popular. Spartan races range from 3 miles to marathon distances and can include 20-60 obstacles depending on the race. Tough Mudders are endurance events where you have a 10-12 mile obstacle course. A Warrior Dash is a 5K Mud Run with 12 obstacles. No matter which one you choose, here are some things to know before you do an OCR. Choosing The Race: Spend some time researching each type of race mentioned above and find the one that is best for you. If you are a beginner, a warrior dash might be a good race to start with before trying a Tough Mudder or Spartan Race. How to Train: You need to have a mixture of speed, strength and endurance. Crawling, pulling, pushing, and running are all components that you’re likely to face. You will need to split your training between cardio and strength training. Interval training is what your body needs to prepare for an obstacle race. When you mix in slow distance runs with short intense circuits you are training your body for what an OCR will actually be like. Exercises like ladder drills, box jumps, pull-ups, bear crawls, and squats are all great to prepare your body. What to Wear: Don’t wear cotton. While cotton is great it does not work well when doing an OCR. Cotton is great at holding water. Once it’s wet, clothes will lose shape making you regret ever wearing cotton in the first place.