So you want to partake in an obstacle course race (OCR)?

I am by no means an expert at obstacle racing but I often get asked for advice, so here I have compiled my personal pointers to getting started:

Common misconceptions.

  • "Eeek Mud." Obstacle runs doesn't necessarily mean it will be a mud run. There are all sorts of events, some cross country focused and others located in an urban environment. A bit of mud isn't gonna hurt you anyway!

  • "I can't run X miles." You can always work your way up to the big events. Even starting with the normal 5k runs. There is also no reason you have to run the whole way, or for that matter even run at all. (Nothing stopping you walking it if you choose to). What I like about OCR events is that the obstacles are rest times between runs.For big events there may be a big queue for obstacles, which sometimes is a blessing!

  • "Looks great but I don't like the look of that obstacle." Remember you are paying to participate in these events so no one is going to force you to do an obstacle you don't want to.

  • "It's just for men." The clientele usually is a good mix of male and females. In fact our Tough Mudder group was predominately girls.

  • "I don't even go to the gym." Nor do I. Signing up to the event will however get you motivated to do some exercise during the week, be it a run around the area or hanging out at the local monkey bars.
Tips.

  • If it's a hot day then you may be better off with a quick moisture wicking shirt, often referred to as Technical clothing. Or Dri-Fit, which is actually Nike's brand name. However a friend has recommended wearing a surfing top, which will instead keep a small amount of water around you which will warm up, giving you insulation and prevent you from losing as much heat. (Will try this at the next event and report back here).

    For undies I wear cycling shorts.
    Then another loose pair of running shorts on top. 

    Whatever you do definitely avoid cotton, unless you like carry lots of water around the course with you!

  • If you're with a large group having team shirts is not a bad idea as it will make it easier to spot your teammates. As on larger events you could get split up after queuing for obstacles. 

Trail Shoe

  • Shoes. People say to wear old trainer as they will get ruined. However if they're too old they may lack the necessary tread to give you decent grip, especially if the course you are running on is very muddy. For mud events it's best to get some trail shoes as the last thing you want is to twist your ankle because you slipped up.
              So, check your treads or get some new shoes right for the job. These days companies are beginning to acknowledge OCR events and are developing footwear specific for these occasions. One brand I have not tried but often hear about is Inov-8.

  • Gloves are optional but can offer that extra grip needed for certain obstacles. Make sure it has some kind of tactile rubber embedded to help when the course gets wet.

    I've tried the cheap DIY approach but don't think they'll last many events.

    A lot of forums have been talking about Darkfin Gloves. (I am yet to try these).

carabiner and sports bands combo
  • OCR events are great fun to do as a group. Events such as Tough Mudder focus on comradery to help each other out on the course. If you decide to sign up on your own you'll find others more than happy to give you a helping hand if you need.

  • Bring a change of clothes. 

  • Bring a black bin bag to drop all your mucky gear in afterwards.

  • My friend is a testament to the fact you don't need to train for these events. Albeit he was a bit shattered towards the end. However as a motivation remember every little bit of exercise you do in the run up will make your life that bit easier and that bit more fun on the day!

  • The elite racers are usually in the first wave. So if you're one of them that's where you want to be, otherwise most of the other wave slots are more chilled.

  • If you're taking a camera make sure you have a way to secure it, especially if your event involves deep water. A combination of a sports wristband(s) and carabiner works well.

  • In the storage areas a lot of people have black bags for their belongings. At larger events having something to help identify your bag may give you less headache in your search.
  • Watch this video for an excellent tutorial on how to get over walls. This technique works great on those angled walls too:
  • There's more to OCR than just Tough Mudder. Because of the heavy marketing surrounding TM it is the one everyone will have heard of, even if they don't know what OCR is. It's worth checking out forums such as Mudstacle and Muddy Racer for the latest events on the UK OCR scene. Both of these OCR community sites also offer discounts for many UK events.

  • Stop procrastinating and book now. Many events offer good early bird prices if you plan ahead. Subscribe to newsletters of events you're interested to avoid missing out on deals.