Three Trainer Tips to Prepare for Your First Obstacle Race

Have you always wanted to compete in an Obstacle Course Race (OCR) but never had the courage to take the plunge and sign up? Now's your time. 

OCRs are for everyone! Weekend warriors, desk jockeys, runners, swimmers, moms, dads, teens, and nearly every 20- and 30-something in the U.S. can be considered an OCR “competitor.” 

Heck, even marathoners and 5K'ers have jumped ship to trade pounding pavement for climbing, jumping, and crawling. 

The thrill of the unique obstacles, the intoxicating sense of camaraderie, and the high-energy, party-like atmosphere that comes with OCR is something everyone should experience. So, if you weren't already convinced, you are now :). 

Preparation is the key to success — and survival — when it comes to OCR. Let's dive in on what you need to know from our team of OCR experts. 

Set Some Baseline Goals 

Use your OCR registration as the ultimate motivation to take care of your body. Set some goals. 

One important part is done for you: The race date won't change, so you have a firm deadline to achieve what you lay out. 

For first-timers, your best bet is to set some baseline health and fitness goals, like these: 

• Work out a minimum of 3 days per week now until race day 

• Lose 5 pounds and pack on some muscle 

• Identify a few exercises and plan to set new PR's at the gym. 
  
  

You can then tack on some nutrition goals (more on that here), like these: 

• Treat yourself to only one cheat meal per week 

• Eliminate all processed food five days per week 

• Or, start small and remove sugar from your morning coffee. 
  
  

 You get the idea: Leverage your commitment to race day as a way to set some healthy goals. 

 The best part? All of these goals will benefit you when you hit the starting line. 

Fine-Tune Your Workouts With Race-Ready Exercises 

Don't wait until the week of the race to start hitting the gym — unless you want to be an OCR horror story. 

Despite what you might think, these events are not reserved for elite athletes and massive bodybuilders, but they do require a foundation of strength and endurance to complete. 

The good news? You don't need to hit the gym everyday, pump iron, and run on a treadmill until your legs feel like they'll fall off to get race-ready. 

In fact, you shouldn't do any of those things :). 

Hop into a workout routine that emphasizes circuit training so you can get a blend of cardio and strength work in a fast-paced atmosphere. This will start building a foundation conducive to racing. 

Add in some longer runs and extended cardio work, and of course, practice movements that mimic what you can expect on race day. 

Some of our favorite OCR-inspired exercises include Army crawls and bear crawls, pull-ups and chin-ups, and skater jumps and broad jumps to prepare you for the crawling, climbing, and jumping you can expect with every course. 

If you have access to specialized, race-ready equipment like we do here at Journey 333, rope climbing, tire flipping, sandbag carrying and ladder agility drills will pay huge dividends on race day. 

Finally, work on your mobility and flexibility. 

You'll need to be nimble to make it through several of the most common obstacles. 

Run Your Own Race 

It's a fantastic feeling to take on your first OCR and experience the cool camaraderie the event brings out in all of us. But you can't let others impact you. This is your race. So, treat it like so. 

• Go at your own comfortable pace 

• Walk and rest as needed 

• Watch and learn from others as they take on obstacles 

• Have fun :) 
  
  

There are no expectations with OCR. There's no magic time you must beat. And there's no one sitting from the sidelines judging your every move. 

These events are popular because they're fun. So enjoy. Our guess is you're gonna be hooked!