So you’ve signed up to your very first obstacle course race. Whether you’re aiming to run it competitively and for time or just looking to complete it with friends, it’s good to have an idea of what you are in for and what to expect.

Nerves and a little anxiety are all completely natural especially when you are going into the unknown. This can be incredibly daunting for first-timers so here’s a little insight as to what to expect and how to prepare for it come race day.

  1. Obstacles. Well, that’s pretty obvious isn’t it really? However, most of these OCRs vary and aren’t all the same. Even if the race has released their pre race day schedule for you to view, you still won’t be entirely sure as to what they may be or how to approach them. Trying to train for this in advance can be a little tricky but there are certain areas you can work on.
  2. Crawling. It’s very likely you’ll be spending time on your hands and knees, so be prepared and practice this way of movement in your training sessions.
  3. Grip strength. This is another key area that we would recommend you work on. Many obstacle races involve monkey bars or climbing of some sort, so preparing yourself for this by improving your grip strength will come in very handy for you (literally).
  4. Carrying. This is another area to work on. You may have to carry objects or even other individuals as part of a team effort so getting used to carrying heavy items or doing exercises such as ‘farmers walks’ would be a great idea.
  5. Water and mud. You can almost guarantee you will be seeing a lot of these two on race day – particularly at Mud Nation! – so be ready to be plastered in mud and drenched from the off. Ensure your clothes and shoes are appropriate for this kind of environment as it can really effect how your day will go.
  6. Running. There will certainly be periods of running in between the obstacles throughout the race that you will need to endure, so we would massively recommend you are getting in the miles prior. This will help you build up a good endurance base.
  7. Fun. The whole point of these races are for the fun and enjoyment of it! From start to finish you will be grinning from ear to ear. OCR’s have the power of bringing people together and creating a community. No-one is there to judge, everyone wants you to finish and you will be surprised how many strangers will lend their hand to help you around the course!

Enter Mud Nation – 20th October 2019

Enter Battle of Lansdown – 28th March 2020

Back to Blog