A beginners guide to Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) & Mud Runs

what is obstacle course racing?

Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) is one of the fastest growing sports currently in the UK. There are more OCRs taking place in the UK than half and full marathons combined. Obstacle course racings popularity has grown so speedily over the last five years, it has overtaken triathlons in attendance.

Why? Well let’s look at the reasons…

An OCR is an off-road run with obstacles such as cargo net crawls, walls, monkey bars, balance beams and muddy ditches. Think of it as a cross between a massive adult playground and a military assault course. Some races take part in an urban environment, which is on concrete but still has as many obstacles.

Most events are hosted in our great British countryside so you can enjoy being outdoors with beautiful scenery and fresh air in abundance.

The majority of OCRs involve masses of mud, which makes for some fantastic photo opportunities and lots of fun.

getmuddy

why take part in an obstacle race?

The main reason to involve yourself in this sport is to have fun. You will laugh and smile the whole way round the course.

Another great reason is to get fit. You will use every muscle in your body to pull, jump and crawl your way over and under obstacles.

Your cardiovascular fitness will increase from the running. You will gain mental strength from doing things you did not think you could do. It is a full body and mind workout and you will be filled with feel-good hormones at the finish line.

Some events are timed meaning they are competitive and some of these are affiliated to a world championships. Most events (such as Xrunner) are not timed, meaning it a more fun, relaxed experience.. Xrunner is a challenge, not a race meaning anyone can take part, without being elbowed out of the way by someone trying to get their best competitive time.

getwet

mud run fun run obstacle race training xrunner

what can I expect from an OCR

You will experience an overwhelming sense of camaraderie within the OCR community. You will make friends with complete strangers, who will help you over obstacles and the spectators and marshals will cheer and motivate you. It will be like nothing you have ever experienced in any activity before.

In some races you will face some of your fears, but with the support from others you will overcome them and become stronger, both physically and mentally.

You will experience an extraordinary sense of achievement at the finish line and feel super human. Bumps and bruises are inevitable due to the nature of the sport, however these will make you feel strong and invincible. Plus they will be a sign of your hard work. You can call them your ‘OCR Kisses’ which you’ll take pictures of and post them on Facebook to share your amazing achievements with your friends and family.

signup

what distance in an obstacle race

The majority of OCRs are between 5km and 10km. This is an adequate distance for your first race, in order to experience what OCR has to offer. There are not many races shorter than 5km. However once you get involved, you may want to try some of the longer distances which can cover up to and over 40km!

Xrunner designs all courses to be two laps of 5K and it’s up to you if you want to finish at the 5K point or double up for the full distance. Perfect for newbies or experienced OCR enthusiasts. Although most of our runners who think they will only do the 5K distance have so much fun they simply have to go around again!

gettough

do i need to be fit to run an OCR?

ANYONE can take part in an OCR. You do not have to be fit, young, experienced, strong, agile or robust to take part.

People of all ages and abilities do OCRs and that is the best part about the sport. Fellow runners will help you over obstacles if you struggle and you will experience incredible support from all involved. You can sprint, jog or even walk the course. The main thing is that you finish. The fitter you get, the more competitive you will become with yourself and others.

gettough

do I run alone or with friends?

An OCR can be run alone or with a team or group of friends. If you run it alone, you are guaranteed to make friends along the way, helping each other with obstacles.

If you are want to run competitively, then running alone is the best option so you can push yourself. Alternately, running with friends allows you to mess around and have some serious muddy good fun. Participating in an OCR is also the perfect platform for fundraising for your favourite charity and makes a great team building experience for corporate team entries.

findevent

are there any disadvantages?

The only disadvantage you may experience is an addiction to OCR and therefore your bank balance will take a beating. Oh and your diary will now be fully booked as there are events on any weekend in the year!

However, your health, fitness, friendship circle and passion for life will increase! You cannot put a price on that. So get your training gear on, get outdoors, get healthy, get muddy and be happy!

getmuddy