Down and Dirty

by Matt B. Davis

  In 2013, Spartan Race Australia launched. Spartan has not done as well as its American counterpart, attracting between 2,000 and 3,000 participants per race. Also in 2013, a league of elite obstacle athletes formed, but only includes about 150 racers.

  The verdict is still out in Australia, as new races are popping up as quickly as other races are closing or failing to get off the ground. Meanwhile, Tough Mudder returns in 2014 with seven races, currently averaging 12,000 to 15,000 per event.

  2 THE CURRENT STATE OF OCR

  The Big 3 led the explosion in obstacle course racing and mud runs worldwide. In 2010, an estimated twenty events attracted 50,000 participants. In 2011, those numbers grew to seventy events with 250,000 participants. In 2012, the number more than doubled again with 150 events and 1.5 million people signing up to race. In 2013, that number most likely will double again, with more than 300 events and almost 3.5 million entrants.

  Hold on though, it’s not all Spartan rainbows and Mudder lollipops. With any boom comes several busts. In the recent months before this writing, Hero Rush, Ruckus Race, and the Great American Mud Run recently closed their doors because their goals were bigger than their wallets.

  Don’t forget to hold your breath when you are face-deep in mud.

  Caught up in the OCR gold rush, new race organizers are planning nationwide tours several months in advance, assuming they’ll get thousands of people to turn up, just as they do for every event the Big 3 puts on. Many times, the reality is, they barely break 1,000 participants, or even worse, they only get a few hundred.

  Because there are so many races, the smaller events tend to cannibalize one another. Also, what a lot of these smaller companies fail to realize is that while the Big 3 all had small beginnings, they’ve grown to multimillion-dollar marketing machines. They’ve spent a pretty penny to attract their now very loyal and ever-growing customer base.

  So where are we in terms of the life of OCR? Are we still in infancy? Are we going through growing pains? Everything in this sport happens so fast, it can be tough to tell.

  OCR brings out the whole family.

  One week, we get news that a new race series with huge payouts is coming. The next week, a well-liked event series goes out of business. In any given week, a familiar OCR athlete goes down with an injury, while a new face pops up no one has heard of, looking prepped to take on all comers.

  The most constant state of OCR is change, and that is one of the reasons it is so exciting.

  The OCR industry is still so young. We won’t have answers to the following questions for a few years.

  • Will the Big 3 keep to themselves, or will they start to look at what can be done to organize the sport?

  • Will some of the smaller races band together to create some sort of league to compete with the Big 3?

  • Will there be a governing body that covers safety and consistency of obstacles?

  • Will it all wash away as one giant fad? (Gasp!)

  For still other questions, we do have some answers.

  FUN AND THEMED RUNS

  The incredible growth statistics on page 27 don’t include the hundreds of thousands of people who participate in the very popular color, water, foam, or nighttime glow-in-the-dark runs. These races, which often get lumped into obstacle course racing (OCR), are also gaining massive popularity.

  These “fun” races offer a chance to sign up with little to no physical fitness of any kind. The events are almost never timed because they are not about being competitive. Instead, they’re about getting off the couch and running and/or walking with your spouse, kids, and friends.

  These events are far less expensive to produce than obstacle course races. Even though quality fun run events put on a good show, they don’t need huge build crews, don’t require any obstacles to be built, and don’t require dirt to be moved around.

  Some people transform themselves into beasts through OCR.

  Will There Be More Permanent Races?

  One of the shifts we may see in the industry is more permanent race sites. We’ve already seen successful examples of quality locations putting on high-caliber events. For example, Jonny Simpkins puts on a dozen races a year near Orlando, Florida, at his permanent site for his event series called Rock On Adventures. Camp Rhino, in Las Vegas, has a great training facility, which they are looking to turn into full-on obstacle races. The people over at Dirt Runner, in Illinois, bring in hundreds on any given weekend. Rob Butler and his team at Shale Hill, in Vermont, have an awesome location with some of the most challenging obstacles anywhere. In addition, Butler has already been hired to produce obstacles at another permanent location in upstate New York. What if these permanent sites worked together to somehow form their own race series? They could all save the huge amounts of money that go into “putting a show on the road.”

  If the permanent race sites in the U.S. don’t decide to band together, the successful regional “mom and pop” races might take over by themselves. Companies such as Mud Endeavor in mid-south Florida, Tuff Scramblers in New England, and Mudathlon in the Midwest, all can have successful events with only 500 to 1,500 participants—although they often bring in many more.

  If regional races tried to move their race series all over the country, they could never survive on their numbers. However, keeping it close to home, they can maximize deals with local vendors, save on travel costs, and build relationships with the local race communities that pay back huge dividends. Keeping races local also makes it more likely that the races carve out enough of a name that the traveling races could no longer compete with them, and might stop coming altogether.

  In terms of permanent sites in the U.K., there is, first and foremost, Tough Guy. Mr. Mouse adds obstacles every year to his “sufferfest,” now with more than 200 obstacles on the 8-mile (12.9 km) course. Another permanent site seeing success is Nuts Challenge, located in Dorking, about an hour south of London. Nuts Challenge has a 4.3-mile (7 km) course with about 100 obstacles per lap. They structure their race to allow more fit/crazy people to do more laps. Newcomers can do 1 lap, while the most fit athletes can sign up for what they call “Tough Nuts,” which is 4 laps of the course. This takes even the fittest 4–6 hours to complete. The Commando Challenge is run on an active training center, the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines. Unlike most races, which boast obstacles “inspired by military training,” this is the real deal. Athletes run 10 miles (17 km) of an actual obstacle course that aspiring British military complete (within a certain time) to become Royal Marines.

  In Australia, Raw Challenge (www.rawchallenge.com.au) on the New South Wales central coast has a permanent course, running two major events each year. Other permanent courses run regular competitive league or themed races, catering to 100 to 300 participants (www.xocr.com.au (site no longer available) and www.muddrunners.com.au (site no longer available)).

  The Emerald Mud Run, in Central Queensland, attracts more than 1,500 to a small town of only 13,000 people. That’s a huge turnout when more than 10 percent of the town is attending (www.mudrunemerald.com.au)! You can find a mud run in northern Tasmania twice a year (www.tasmudrun.com.au) and Mud Sweat and Beers (www.mudsweatandbeers.com.au (site no longer available)) and Blood Sweat and Fears (www.bloodsweatandfears.com.au (site no longer available)) in Wagga and Darwin respectively. All three are in townships of less than 150,000 people, yet are back for their second showing in 2014.

  Will OCR Go Mainstream?

  The biggest question everyone in OCR wants answered is this: Can the sport cross over into the mainstream? For this to happen, larger dollars need to be involved. In 2013, those dollars started coming, but not enough to put OCR in front of the average person. Reebok made a deal with Spartan for an undisclosed sum. But other than renaming the race itself and putting the Reebok name on a few obstacles, not much changed.

  Wheaties put a photo of Tough Mudder’s Everest obstacle on boxes this year. But will that turn people on to obstacle course racing?


  Along with attracting large sponsors, getting the sport on television is the other obvious key to getting OCR in front of the most eyeballs. One race series, Hard Charge, has already begun televising taped races in several markets across the United States.

  In December 2013, Spartan Race aired its largest race of the year, in Vermont, for the NBC Sports Network.

  Although there’s some positive momentum going on, some things are happening that may hurt the sport in the long term. Fly-by-night companies are launching Facebook pages and websites promising a good time. Then, through either poor event management or flat-out thievery, they don’t deliver on what they promise. After the event, attendees post on Facebook or through the OCR grapevine that a race had minimal and/or poorly constructed obstacles, no beer or food as promised, ran out of medals, or ran out of water. The list of problems goes on and on.

  Do you think one day you’ll see your coworker complete an obstacle like this?

  Other races are cancelled or postponed before they even start due to low registration numbers. Again, it could have been because of a poor marketing plan, or someone who just set out to rip people off.

  This may convince racers to stay home and to never again register for another race—other than their local 5k or marathon. The other option is that maybe only the Big 3 will survive because people won’t risk their dollars on any unknown entities.

  As it stands now, obstacle course racing is still growing in overall participation. That’s the good—no, great—news for you who have chosen to read this book.

  If you haven’t signed up for a race yet, the next three chapters are going to be extremely helpful. I am going to help you choose your first race, find or start an OCR group in your area, and, with the help of my friend Muddy Mommy, give you a general overview on preparing you for your first race.

  The remaining chapters will be for the newbie and OCR veteran alike as we talk to experts on how to eat, train, and conquer obstacles.

  3 GETTING READY FOR YOUR FIRST RACE

  This can be you in no time!

  Featuring Holly Joy Berkey, a.k.a. Muddy Mommy

  Subsequent chapters in this book will go into great detail on how to train and prepare for obstacle course races. Those chapters will talk about nutrition, training for specific obstacles, and lots of various tips and tricks. In the meantime, I want to give a general overview on how you might approach your first race, having previously done little or no training.

  Two years ago, I had never run a race, never pinned a numbered bib to my shirt, and never fastened a chip timer to my shoe. I had no clue how to select the right shoe for my stride, calculate my pace, or properly train for a race. I wasn’t a runner, much less a runner who trained to run races. Running was a mystery to me, and I lived my life blissfully unaware that the quickly growing sport of obstacle course racing would soon become a great passion of mine.

  Fast forward to today. After making the decision to take an active interest in my health, I shed fifty pounds, I run almost daily, and I love to race! I’ve become the obstacle racer I never thought possible, and I’m still amazed by how much in my life has drastically changed. I feel like a different person! Had you told me two years ago that my favorite way to spend a Saturday would be to get up early and drive a couple of hours to a tiny town in the middle of nowhere to run races through the mud, I probably would have thought you were a crazy person.

  Yet, here I am.

  Muddy Mommy changed her whole life through obstacle racing.

  Why am I telling you this? Well, my point is this: Everyone has to start somewhere. The majority of people have not been athletes their entire lives, but that doesn’t mean that we cannot make a change in our adult lives to positively impact our health. We have to make a conscious choice to change. We can choose to continue living a life that is sedentary and apathetic, or we can begin working toward a healthier, happier existence by taking an active interest in our own health and well-being.

  I had my realization in March 2011. At 193 pounds (88 kg) and barely able to squeeze into a size 12, I was sick of feeling fat, hating how I looked, and being embarrassed of myself. I didn’t feel good about myself, and it directly affected how I enjoyed my daily life. I finally decided that just because I was a mom, worked full time, and was a busy person that didn’t mean that I should give up on having a body that I was proud of. I began gradually changing my lifestyle.

  Slowly but surely, I shed pounds through proper diet and exercise. And then, going against my own reservations, I ran my first mud run. My life changed forever.

  Since December 2012, I’ve completed nineteen obstacle races. People who are contemplating running their first races regularly ask me how to properly train for such an event. I believe that a few key items are perfect advice for anyone on the fence about trying an obstacle race.

  “Going against my own reservations, I ran my first mud run. My life changed forever.”

  For starters, I like to remind people that obstacle course racing is physically challenging, and it’s also mentally challenging. It seems to me that the majority of people who are longing to experience an obstacle race, but have yet to actually pull the trigger and sign up, seem to be held back by one main factor: their own self-doubts. People give me all kinds of excuses for why they have yet to give an obstacle race a try, such as, “I’m afraid I can’t complete the obstacles,” “I’m not a runner,” “I’ll probably hurt myself,” and “I’m not a strong swimmer.”

  My Simple Advice

  To people getting started with OCR, I have three pieces of advice.

  STOP SELLING YOURSELF SHORT! You can do it! You can do anything you put your mind to, so why not take on a new endeavor and try an event that will challenge you while getting you out of your comfort zone? We humans are extremely resilient, and we’ve been accomplishing astounding feats for centuries. You’re no different, and the only reason you haven’t accomplished this yet is simply because you haven’t allowed yourself to. Put aside your fear, worry, and self-deprecating attitude, and get out and try it! You’ll probably have a fantastic time proving yourself wrong. You’ll need to prepare your mind for the task of training, of showing up to the race, and then of completing the race when you reach a point where you do not feel like you can continue. But the second you cross that finish line, you’ll gain a pride in yourself that no one can take away. So please, repeat this over and over until your brain finally accepts it, “Yes, I can do it.”

  “Humans are extremely resilient, and we’ve been accomplishing astounding feats for centuries.”

  YOU HAVE TO REGISTER FOR A RACE TO RUN IT. The sooner you register, the sooner you and your butt have “signed on the dotted line.” Your brain and body will change by committing to going. You show this commitment by signing up.

  Another chapter in this book will address how to choose that first race to sign up for. Skip ahead to that chapter if you like, and then come back here.

  Here’s my own simple advice for choosing a race. If you have OCR friends who already participate in races, find out which one they are doing next, and sign up. If you’re the first person you know to try an OCR, look online for races near you, pick one, and plunk that credit card down.

  YOU MUST PREPARE. Although I encourage every person—of any shape or size—to try an obstacle course race if he/she are intrigued by the sport, if you want to actually enjoy the entire race experience, you really do need to prepare for it. That’s not to say you won’t love a certain obstacle, cherish crossing the finish line and receiving your medal, or savor that post-race beer. But if you don’t actually do some race preparation, there are also some parts of the race that you may actually hate—immensely. The running, climbing, crawling, and the burpee penalties—at some events they’re inevitable, even for the most seasoned athlete! Although some participants decide to spend their pre-race days doing no exercise whatsoever, I’d bet money that those are also the racers who are the most self-loathing for a few days post-race,
as they nurse their battered and bruised bodies that aren’t used to any sort of physical activity.

  BURPEES

  Certain races have penalties for not completing certain obstacles. Burpees are one of the most popular penalties instituted at these competitive obstacle races. Spartan Race was the first to institute burpees, and many races have followed suit. Proper form is a variable that changes among the various race series. Here is the eight-count burpee that Spartan insists upon for their races.

  1. Start from a standing position.

  2. Drop to a squat with your hands on the ground.

  3. Extend your legs back so you are in a plank position.

  4. Go down into a pushup.

  5. Come back up from the pushup.

  6. Return your feet to a squat position.

  7. Stand back up.

  8. Jump up, having your feet leave the ground. (Some people clap at this point.)

  You may skip an obstacle but be ready to do burpees at some events.

  Obstacle course races are a challenge; they’re supposed to be. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t have the widespread appeal that they have today. There seems to be a curiosity ingrained in each of us that makes us seek out new challenges, that craves excitement, and that gets a thrill when we’re pushed to our limits and live to tell about it. We want to do things that make us proud of ourselves. We want the bragging rights to say, “I accomplished this!” But succeeding at any challenge takes preparation. Skipping that important part sets you up for potential failure and disappointment.