They’ve also been known to make the terrain more difficult than any other race series. For example, at the 2013 Virginia Super Spartan, the elite winners took longer to complete the course than they had any other previous Spartan Beast race! The Spartan Races also have the most challenging obstacles of any race series, plus they enforce burpee penalties if a racer misses an obstacle, which sap tons of energy and confidence. The Spartan Race is easily the most challenging of the Big 3.
THE ELITE WAVES
At Spartan and other races, typically, the first wave of the day is called the Elite Wave. These waves usually have an additional charge to enter, penalties are more strictly enforced, and you’ll be competing against the best the sport has. Pride, podium spots, and prize money are on the line.
At the end of the day, your experience will be what you put into it. Some people have done a Big 3 race as their first race and stated it was the greatest time in their lives. Other people who show up with certain expectations will want their money back.
NON–BIG 3 RACES
Next, I want to talk about selecting a race other than the Big 3 for your first event, or how to select your second and third event after you have done one or all of the Big 3 and want to try more.
In recent years, more than 250 different race series have popped up in the United States. In the U.K., there are 80 race organizations putting on 170 events. In Australia, there are 40 race companies with 60–65 races per year. How do you know if you’re going to get a great race with fun obstacles, or if you are going to be sorely disappointed? Here are some important points to watch out for.
LOOK CLOSELY AT THE RACE ORGANIZER’S WEBSITE. What, they have no website? Experience tells us that a Facebook launch before a website is live spell trouble. Also, what do the photos and videos on their website and social media look like? Are the photos advertising the race actually old race photos from another race? Is their video stolen material? As a new race director, it’s tough to show your stuff before your first event, but you can do it without ripping off other race series.
CHECK OUT THEIR EVENT CALENDAR. Are they promising many events, all over the country? Rather than being a sign of encouragement that they are doing well, this should be an immediate red flag—especially if they haven’t already hosted their first event! An additional red flag is listing race cities and dates with no locations. Time and time again, I’ve seen these dates eventually disappear off their websites when they don’t get enough people registered. Have they posted both Saturday and Sunday race days? This is another red flag. These companies expect to sell enough tickets to host two days of racing, when even the Big 3 don’t do multiday events in some cities. A new race that does it right starts out small. They don’t make unrealistic promises. They produce local events, and after garnering success, they start to slowly grow and add additional dates within their state or region of the country.
ASK QUESTIONS. Post a question on a race organizer’s Facebook page or email them directly. Do they get back to you in a timely manner? Does the response look professional, or does it look like it was typed with the syntax of a teenager texting? If something seems fishy or unprofessional, it usually is.
CONSULT A GROUP. In chapter 4, I talked about finding or starting an OCR group. These groups are going to be your best bet for immediate knowledge and feedback. The members of these groups will have great insight on races—either because they have already run that particular race, or because they know and are already working with that race director directly to help put on a top-quality event.
CHECK OCR WEBSITES. The websites in Appendix B on page 217 will have tons of reviews available.
USE GOOGLE. When all else fails, Google is your friend. Simply typing in “
Let me be clear, I’m not saying “Never sign up for brand-new races.” Plenty of new races do an adequate job the first time around, have some bumps in the road early on, listen to feedback, and continue to improve and become thriving series in OCR. However, they aren’t the ones boasting to be the “toughest day of your life” and posting nationwide dates, thinking they’re the next big thing.
If you don’t mind gambling a few hours of your time, a race is nearby, the cost of entry is manageable or discounted, and you set your expectations low, you really can’t lose. It’s when you pay a pretty penny, drive several hours, and have to pay accommodation costs that you’ll be kicking yourself if the race is bad or cancels with no refunds.
You may not look at tires the same way again after an obstacle race.
Some consider Slip and Slides more fun than obstacles.
Note: Some portions of text from this chapter were taken from http://obstacleracingmedia.com/editorial/which-new-races-should-i-avoid written by Matt B. Davis and Paul Jones, which was first published August 16, 2013.
DOWN AND DIRTY TAKEAWAYS
The Warrior Dash, sometimes called the “OCR gateway drug,” is an excellent choice for most people attempting their first obstacle course race. It’s a great way to get your feet wet.
• Ask questions. Post questions to race organizers about newer races that you are unsure about. Their timeliness and professionalism (or lack thereof) will tell you whether their race is worth registration for.
• Start today. Don’t wait until you are “ready” or “in shape” to register. Pick a race, mark your calendar, and give yourself a goal to shoot for by registering.
How would you attack this one?
6 OTHER KEY POINTS FOR NEWCOMERS
Included in this chapter are some key points to registering for and preparing to participate in obstacle course races that are not mentioned in other parts of this book. They are invaluable pieces of wisdom gained from experience from countless obstacle course races and obstacle course racers. These important notes will help you immensely in your obstacle course racing journey.
Be prepared to get dirty.
Time of Day
When you race can have a huge impact on the kind of experience you have. At almost every race series, the first heat of the day is reserved for the “elites.” If you aren’t an elite, and if you’re concerned at all with how long the course will take you, you’re going to want to run at the next possible heat or the one immediately after that. For a safe bet, choose the 9 a.m. race time.
If you race in the middle of the day, or sometimes even as early as 10 a.m., there’s a good chance that you’ll experience backups at one or more obstacles from all the people on the course. Some people view these backups as a chance to rest from the running and to chit-chat with their friends. This will drive other people crazy, and they might even want to just skip that obstacle.
Another advantage to racing early is that this will often make for an easier course. Racing in the morning means thousands of racers haven’t yet muddied up slippery obstacles or made mud pits even harder to get across. In later races, the course will certainly be at its muddiest.
Opt for synthetic materials when choosing race clothing. Never wear cotton; it is very unpleasant to wear when wet.
The early waves typically sell out the fastest, so you may have no choice but to race in a later wave. If that happens to you, you can console yourself with the thought that often the last waves of the day are actually less crowded than the morning or afternoon, because almost everyone is done. So you may not experience lines at the obstacles.
Many races do not strictly enforce the time you race, so you can often “sneak in” to an earlier (or later) wave. But I can’t personally guarantee that will work.
Volunteering
Did you know that you might be able to race for free by assisting for a few hours race day morning? Most races employ this policy as a way to get additional help. Most of the time, by showing up at 6 a.m. and helping until noon, you can run in an afternoon wave that very same day for free.
Some races even pay for help. For example, a large race series such as Spartan will pay a small stipend for working in ce
rtain shifts and give you a free race. If you don’t mind getting up really early, this is an awesome way to save some money and become really involved.
Beyond getting a free race, service can be its own reward. Greeting participants in the morning at registration with a smile, cheering them on at obstacles, or putting medals around hundreds if not thousands of necks can provide an experience that you’ll never forget.
Volunteering can also have some very happy unexpected consequences. I know people who have made lifelong friends, found their life mates, or gotten job offers as a result of being OCR volunteers.
Most race websites will have a direct link for volunteering. Many times it can be found on their FAQ page or as a part of your race registration. If you cannot find the info you are looking for, simply contact the race directly, and they will be happy to tell you how you can help.
Hazards
I’ll start with the worst. There have been a few catastrophic events at obstacle races. A few people have died, and others have had life-changing injuries. When you look at the millions of people who have participated to date in the United States, the number of catastrophic events is tiny, at around 0.0003 percent. There have been a few major neck injuries due to falls, and the deaths that I’m aware of as of this writing were from heatstroke or drowning. Every race company will tell you they put safety first. The majority of them do a great job. When done right, you’ll find helpful volunteers at every obstacle. At water obstacles, they’ll have certified lifeguards, EMTs, and other safety personnel in the water and on land ready to help at a moment’s notice.
Being overly cautious is never a bad thing. If you’re at a race, and you see a wall or other wooden obstacle that looks unstable, don’t get on it. If you see water obstacles and not enough safety personnel, don’t do that obstacle, and don’t get in the water. Also, bring it to someone’s attention as soon as possible because you may be able to help the next participant. Sometimes, a person is too tired or too caught up in the moment to be as aware as they should be of their surroundings.
What to Wear and Bring
The questions of what to bring and what to wear are probably the most asked by newbies.
Opinions vary widely on what brands to wear or what kinds of nutrition to bring. But I can tell you about 95 percent of the experienced OCR veterans I know will agree on the following things.
• DON’T WEAR COTTON. None, not a stitch of it, not even underwear. One thing is sure, no matter the race, you will be wet and muddy. Cotton becomes extremely heavy—a lot heavier than you think—so you don’t want any of it on your person. You may not own a lot of synthetic “racing clothing.” (I didn’t when I started.) Luckily, many stores sell this stuff fairly cheaply. My first few races were in cold weather, so I had to borrow compression tights and a long-sleeved shirt from a friend. Slowly, but surely, I bought more and more clothing, and now I’m prepared for any season.
• MORE LAYERS DON’T MEAN MORE WARMTH. Because you’re going to be wet and muddy, layering up will not help, and it will in fact weigh you down. In colder weather, I suggest wearing two layers at max on any part of your body.
• LESS CAN BE MORE. Some athletes are brave enough to wear next to nothing on race day. Men choose to wear shorts only, and women will wear shorts and a sports bra only—even on the coldest of days. The theory is that skin dries faster than clothing will, and the body will heat itself faster.
You won’t always get this wet, but you will get wet.
When it comes to clothing, less is more.
A trick I found that can work is a “best of both worlds” situation. If it’s an especially cold day, I remove my outer layer (or only layer) before submerging myself in a water obstacle. Then I can put the dry layer back on after getting out of the water.
Let’s look at Tough Mudder’s Arctic Enema (ice bath) obstacle as an example. If it’s a frigid morning, I’ll most likely leave the start line with two layers on my upper body, wearing a long-sleeved compression shirt over a synthetic tank top. Approaching this obstacle, I set one or both of my shirts down on the ground, jump into the ice water, and then run back to put on my dry layers of clothing. Often, a volunteer or spectator will even hold your clothing if you ask nicely.
• CONSIDER GLOVES. The only time I recommend gloves is if the temperature is 35° F (2° C) or below on race day. This is 100 percent for warmth purposes and not because it will make obstacles easier. Implementing the previously mentioned, “best of both worlds” situation, I take the gloves off when approaching water or mud, and then put them back on to keep my hands warm while running to the next obstacle.
• CHOOSE THE RIGHT SHOES. Most race directors will recommend that you wear a pair of shoes that you do not care about, and then donate them at the end. That would be great if you only plan on running one race. If you plan on doing this more than once, it can be very expensive. There are no less than 1 zillion blogs (I counted) on who makes the best shoes for OCR. As of this writing, a few companies are actually releasing “obstacle course racing shoes.” The verdict is not out yet on whether they will be any good. For now, I say run in whatever sneakers you have. If you have trail shoes of any kind, they would be preferred over a straight street shoe, but a street shoe will work fine, too, for your first race. As you do this more, talk to other racers, and try different things, and you’ll find what works best for you.
• BRING NUTRITION. If the race is 5k or shorter, such as a Warrior Dash, you most likely won’t need nutrition. Remember, you’ll only be out there for a short amount of time—around an hour, and that time won’t require a snack. If the race is longer, it can never hurt to bring a little nutrition—even if the race advertises there will be some food at the water stations. It’s better to have it and not need it than the other way around. Sometimes the race does not supply it at every station, they forget to get it out there until later in the day, or they run out. You can wear a SPIbelt (or other similar brands), which is a small personal item belt that allows you to carry small items and will fit several bars, GUs, or gels. Another way racers have solved the nutrition problem is to simply duct tape items onto their person.
• DON’T CARRY WATER. I don’t recommend carrying water for any race unless the race is more than 10 miles (16.1 km)—such as the Iron Warrior Dash, Spartan Ultra Beast, or certain Spartan Supers—or if you expect you will be on the course for more than 2 hours. This doesn’t include Tough Mudder races, which typically provide water every 1 to 3 miles (1.6 to 4.8 km). If you plan on taking your time and making a day of it, feel free to wear a CamelBak water bottle. Just know that you may have a harder time getting under barbed wire with your backpack on. Or plan on ditching your water source to the side before a barbed wire crawl then walking back to get it after you complete the obstacle.
Ready, steady, aim, fire!
Before you go to a race, read the racer/athlete information emails carefully. The race companies will typically give you lots of information on the kinds of aid they are providing and what they recommend you bring.
• BRING CASH; IT’S KING. Often these races take place in remote areas. There is no ATM on site, and you may need cash for parking, food, beverages, and/or bag check.
• PACK DRY CLOTHES AND A TOWEL. When you’re done with the race, whether you want to spend some time enjoying the spoils of your accomplishments with your friends or you want to just jump in your car and leave, you’ll want some dry clothes. Be sure to pack dry clothes to change into, including a fresh pair of socks and shoes. You’ll also want to bring a towel to clean off and dry off with and a garbage bag to throw the muddy clothes into so you don’t dirty up your vehicle on the way home. The “shower” facilities at races can vary widely. Some have awesome high- powered water areas, while others have lame setups, which offer little more than a trickle. Experienced racers know to find the nearest body of water to jump into after the race.
DOWN AND DIRTY TAKEAWAYS
• Run early. The early bird gets the worm.
Run in the morning if you want to avoid lines and backups at obstacles. The middle of the day typically has the most crowded waves.
• Race for free. Check each OCR’s website to find out how volunteering can earn you a chance to race with no money down.
• Don’t wear cotton. Wear anything but cotton if you want to have a pleasant race experience.
PART II
TRAINING FOR PERFORMANCE AND CONQUERING THE OBSTACLES
7 GET OFF THE COUCH AND RUN YOUR FIRST MILE
You’ll encounter a variety of obstacles during your race, but training begins the same way for everyone: getting off the couch and starting to run.
You’ll encounter a variety of obstacles during your race, but training begins the same way for everyone: getting off the couch and starting to run.
In fall 2011, I was a thirty-nine-year-old man who was not physically active. Sure, I played flag football, which required some physical exertion, and I played organized softball, which required even less. But I hadn’t lifted a weight or been to the gym since I was a teenager. I hadn’t run more than a mile since 1985.
No one would have called me obese; I was average. As a mesomorph, I never had huge fluctuations in weight; I just sort of maintained. Then I saw a video for a Tough Mudder race. It was intense, showing men and women running through fire, jumping into cold water, and crawling through mud. I watched a training video of a man who dumped cold water on himself then ran barefoot in the snow for a few miles.
Down and Dirty Page 5
