Obstacle course racing (OCR) and mud runs have been popular for the last 10 years and are set to become an Olympic sport— Odds are if you are a runner, many of your friends or coworkers have tried one.
While OCRs are booming, some still haven’t ventured far off the street or trails. Many runners are 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 need to be such a daunting task. Find the next nearby race. Accept the challenge and start making preparations!
One benefit of OCR is it gives you a chance to break up the monotony. Rarely is any one course exactly the same as the other, so each race you sign up for is a completely different challenge compared to the local 5K run you do every year. Getting out of your comfort zone can be scary, but the reward is worth it. Shorter races are around 5 kilometers or less long and will only have a few or maybe 5-8 obstacles. 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. Medium races of 10-20 KM are more challenging with more different obstacles and then the ultra-long adventure races could have 50-100km through all terrains and run 12-24hrs or even days.
Depending on your current fitness level and goals, almost anyone can go out and survive an OCR race right now. Even if you walk the majority of the way and fail a lot of obstacles, you can still make it through. However, if you want to do more than just finish, you will want to dedicate six to eight weeks to OCR-specific training. Running and short sprints (for endurance and stamina) is still the main component of any OCR race so emphasis on 50 to 70 percent of training out on trails should be a big component of the program. Treadmills and running around the neighborhood streets get the job done but spend some time on hills and dirt paths for added complexity. Grip strength is the 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. Always train pull-ups with a standard grip or neutral grip. Both positions 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 assist. Also work on “negative pull-ups.” This is an exercise where you start from the top of the pull-up and lower yourself slowly.
When you’re assessing the time you expect to complete the course, make sure you add about 25 to 50 percent to your expected finishing time of an equivalent road or trail race. The added strain and exhaustion from completing obstacles will slow you down greatly.
In summary, running coupled with hill sprints and crawls together with practicing at your local park or playground on monkey bars is all you need to get started. If you have the space and budget then take your training to the next level. Tactical Racer OBOX is designed for athletes and weekend warriors preparing for their next Ninja or OCR race. Contact info@metalmuscle.com.au for more details.
Contact information
METAL MUSCLE ATHLETICS
Tel/whatsapp: +61 478 848 033
Email: info@metalmuscle.com.au
WeChat: metalmuscleathletics
No comments:
Post a Comment