Obstacle course racing (OCR) and mud runs have been popular since 2012—nearly 500,000 people participated in 2017 according to a recent industry report. Odds are if you are a runner, many of your friends or coworkers have tried one.
While OCRs are still booming, it’s possible your racing hasn’t ventured far off the street or trails. That leaves many runners hesitant to sign up and give one a try, with common excuses like: I am not fit enough, I am afraid that I will get hurt, or I don’t even know where to start!
But it doesn’t have to be that daunting. With the right advice from some of the top professional obstacle course racers and coaches, you can overcome these fears and get out there in the mud.
Push Yourself
One benefit of OCR is it gives you a chance to break up the monotony. Rarely is any one course exactly the same from the other, so each race you sign up for is a completely different challenge compared to the local 5K you do every year.
Josh Stryde, a personal trainer and coach with more than 30 obstacle race podiums, says in OCR that doesn’t exist. “OCR provides relief in not having to chase times,” Stryde says. “Everyone knows what their typical 10K time is, and it can be disappointing always chasing your best.” In fact, he thinks it’s a good break for some and can reinvigorate your overall love of running.
Ryan Atkins, a 32-year-old obstacle racing champion from Ontario who has won World’s Toughest Mudder five times, thinks that’s reason enough to give an OCR a try. “Getting out of your comfort zone can be scary, but we rarely regret it afterward,” he says.
The first place to start is to pick a race that sparks your interest. Warrior Dash and Rugged Maniac are perfect for beginners, and they are two of the most popular events around today. Those events are 5 kilometers long and will only have two to three obstacles that better than average upper body strength. Think of them as a nice trail run with a few things to crawl over, under, and through, on your way to the finish line.
Both race companies put on 20 to 25 races nationwide, and early-bird pricing is usually between $50 to $65.
How to Get Ready
Brakken Kraker is one of the original members of the Spartan Race Pro Team and runs LeaderboardFit, a coaching program geared toward obstacle racing athletes who want to gain endurance, speed, and strength. He also has experience working many runners who were once new to OCR. When he meets up with new participants, he assures them that while the training may be a break from what they are used, the changes will not be so great that they should be deterred.
“It obviously depends on what your current fitness is and what your goals are,” he says, “but anyone can go out and survive an OCR race right now. You may walk the majority of it and fail a lot of obstacles, but you can make it through.”
If, however, you want to do more than just finish, you will want to dedicate six to eight weeks to OCR specific training, Kraker says.
Rea Kolbl, currently ranked 3rd in the United States Spartan Championship Series, sees your main strength as a huge benefit to starting. “Running is still the main component of any OCR race,” she says. “I always put a lot of emphasis on that—trail running in particular. I spend about 50 to 70 percent of my training out on trails.” (Find more ways to crush the run in any OCR with these training tips.)
Grip strength is second most important training factor. Anything from hanging on a bar, pull-ups, or holding yourself up on a bar with your arms in an L position will make you stronger for those climbing or pulling obstacles. “I always train pull-ups with a standard grip or neutral grip,” Stryde says. “Both elements will be important when you are pulling yourself over walls or traversing American Ninja Warrior style rigs.”
If you can’t perform a pull-up, you can start with a resistance band to help you start. You can also work on something called “negative pull-ups.” This is an exercise where you start from the top of the pull-up, and lower yourself slowly. (Need more help getting strong? Try these five moves on your next trail run.)
What Gear Do You Need?
Yancy Culp has been a certified fitness coach for 20 years and trains more top OCR athletes than anyone else. He said the first thing runners new to OCR ask is about shoes.
“You’re going to need a shoe that provides good traction. Altra, Inov-8, and Salomon all make several models geared toward obstacle racing,” he says. Kolbl added that another key feature to look for with your shoes is water drainage. “There is going to be some sort of water crossing in almost every race, and you don’t want to be running around with a puddle in your shoes.”
In terms of clothing, every experienced obstacle racer recommends the “no cotton rule” while racing. This includes all garments worn including socks and underwear. Cotton gets heavy when it is wet and muddy. “Compression gear is your friend,” Brakken says. “Every major brand has an offering to cover you head to toe. Go with what fits comfortably without chafing.”
To minimize cuts and bruises, Yancy pointed out an added benefit of long compression pants is to provide a level of skin protection while dragging your body over obstacles and rocky surfaces.
Essential OCR Gear
Ultimate Direction Womens Race Vesta 4.0
Darn Tough Vertex No Show Tab Ultra-Light Cushion Sock
Avoid Newb Mistakes
Much like a first marathon, ending a race much later than you planned can send runners into a downward spiral of self-doubt. “When you’re assessing the time you expect to be out on the course, make sure you add about 25 to 50 percent to your expected finishing time of an equivalent road or trail race,” Kolbl says. “The added strain and exhaustion from completing obstacles will slow you down greatly.”
Another common mistake is assuming races will have an abundance of hydration and nutrition on the course. Many who run a longer race of any length can expect a stop to refuel every 1.5 miles. It can also be common at ultramarathons for aid stations to be loaded with yummy treats.
Obstacle races can be very different. Most aid stations are water only, with the occasional sponsored nutrition bar, which may or may not be to your liking. ”Approximately every 40 minutes, you need to be taking on calories, and if you’re going to be doing a lot of walking, the time it takes you to get to each water station may be too long,” Yancy says. He recommends wearing a pack to carry Gus or gels.
A final thing to consider is the overall experience. Most OCRs have great festival areas, with food-trucks, beer, and DJs. You are going to be covered in mud and want to partake in these postrace activities despite how sore and mucked up you are.
“I like to bring a big trash bag or a five-gallon bucket to throw my dirty clothes in, and of course bring a spare change of clothes, shoes, and towels with you,” Yancy says.
Matt B. Davis is the founder of Obstacle Racing Media and the industry expert in the sport of obstacle racing. At last count, he has completed over 125 obstacle races of every length and difficulty level. He is also one of the hosts for Tough Mudder Live. You can check out his weekly podcast here.
