Extreme obstacle course: Everything about obstacle course racing

Imagine you're going for a run. Let's say 12 kilometers? And let's assume you really try hard and pick up the pace. Exhausting thought, right? And now imagine that in those 12 kilometers you also had to crawl under barbed wire, throw spears, climb a wall, crawl through an ice bath, drag a 45-pound stone, solve brain teasers, jump through fire - and do burpees every time Penalize yourself if you don't do any of these things. Welcome to Obstacle Course Racing!

This story is about the trend sport of extreme obstacle running. We took a closer look at Obstacle Course Racing (also known as Survival Running). The big question: Why do millions of people worldwide and thousands in Germany register for events like Xletics , Spartan Race , Mudmasters or CrossDeluxe ? What is the appeal of running in the mud with all the obstacles? Why does this sport hold so much fascination for endurance athletes – regardless of whether they are beginners, advanced or elite? A little spoiler here: Because this sport is fun. That's right. And because it brings people together.

Would you like to find out more about Obstacle Course Racing (OCR for short)? We have summarized the most important information for you and talked to extreme obstacle runner Norman Rath from the Dextro Energy* Sport Team. In the interview he tells you more about his great passion, including tips for beginners!

Obstacle course racing involves overcoming numerous obstacles

@normanrath

Obstacle course racing – what is it, what makes the sport special?

Do you know the obstacle course from athletics? Obstacle course racing is like the loud, wild big brother of the Olympic discipline. Here the running rhythm is interrupted - even swimming or altitude difference are often part of the race. And: There are obstacles here that seem to have come out of a Mad Max film. These obstacles are also the highlight of every race. Before we take a closer look at the crazy challenges with illustrious names like Slippery Slope, Atlas Carry or Air Bag, let's take a look at the distances: How long does an obstacle race like this last?

Distances and times: How strenuous can it be?

Depending on the event and event organizer, distances or times may vary. In addition, the level of challenge is determined by the number of obstacles. A race over 5 kilometers with 12 obstacles can be more strenuous than one with 5 obstacles over 10 kilometers. Nevertheless, there are guidelines. There are actually no distances of less than 5 kilometers in length at all major events for adults (races for kids are sometimes only over 800 meters). At the maximum, at some point the calculation is no longer in kilometers, but in hours. 24-hour extreme obstacle courses are really only for professionals. The nice thing about the versatility of the individual regulations and specifications: everyone can find the obstacle race that suits them.

What would an obstacle course be without exciting obstacles?

Our OCR expert Norman Rath will tell you something about the trademark of extreme obstacle courses in the interview. But at this point I'll say this much: The obstacles are the highlight of every race. During a mud run, the actual running is strenuous enough. The obstacles turn an obstacle race into the ultimate challenge. Some examples:

• In the Atlas Carry (Spartan Race), you don't carry the world on your shoulders, but you do carry a round stone weighing 75 pounds (women) or 100 pounds (men) 20 meters.
• The Slippery Slope at the Xletix obstacle course is a classic: 45° incline, 4.5 meters high, full of mud and so slippery - no wonder everyone helps everyone to get up.
• The Black Bamba is lurking in the CrossDeLuxe: the floating obstacle waits on the water and requires an exhausting climb before it goes down the slide into the cool water.
• For the Mudmasters, the air bag spins even the strongest people through the air. Body control, nimbleness and a lot of courage are necessary when it comes to the huge cushion. Without help from others, this will be rather difficult.

In addition to these examples, you will find many other challenges with OCR. The Spartan Race attracts, among other things, javelin throwing and even brain teasers, Xletix invites you into the ice bath or to crawl through the mud under barbed wire, the Mudmasters let you fall five meters into the water in the “Execution” and CrossDeLuxe has the Black Hole or the Burrow Obstacles in store that will also demand everything from you mentally. And these are just a few events in the annual OCR calendar; many other large and small organizers attract thousands to their events, which take place all over Germany.

You see: With OCR everything is a little different. And that's what makes obstacle course racing so exciting in our opinion - even for hardened old endurance hands.

Solo or in a team: everyone helps everyone in the Obstacle Course Race

Do we now have to face these challenges alone? To put it briefly: no. If you want to pursue OCR more seriously and even take part in the World Championships, the regulations will be a little stricter depending on the organizer. In the elite competitions, the rule is: every man for himself. For everyone who wants to do OCR for fun and the experience: have fun! Whether you take part solo or organize yourself as a group (which is usually cheaper), in the end it's about completing the course together with everyone. Everyone helps everyone, everyone works together so that as many as possible get to the finish line in the end. This is also what makes survival running and the like so attractive: at Spartan Race, Xletix and all the other great events you can get together with like-minded people. Short-term alliances and long-term friendships emerge; the atmosphere is friendly and familiar.

Spartan Race, xletix and Co.: How dirty do you want to get?

Huge events like the internationally successful Spartan Races or Xletics are like obstacle course festivals. Hundreds and thousands come together here and celebrate their sport. The organizers (also) tour Germany - large events such as Spartan Races, Xletix and Co. take place all year round, some including qualifications for international tournaments, right up to the World Championships. But many other regional or smaller events and event series offer obstacles, team fun and a sporty, fair and friendly atmosphere. The CrossDeLuxe obstacle races, for example, will take place this year on August 21, 2022 in Dresden and then in Leipzig in September.

Depending on the organizer and event, different rules apply. The number of obstacles, length of the race(s), rewards, costs and more depend heavily on who is organizing which obstacle course racing and where.

By the way: The necessary equipment for your extreme obstacle courses is available in our online shop. Whether Endurance Trial Package , Hydration Package or Energy* Bar Package: We have quickly available carbohydrates, minerals, proteins and more!

You shouldn't be afraid of earth and mud when playing OCR sports

@normanrath

OCR is his sport: Steeplechase runner Norman Rath in an interview

Norman Rath, who you can visit on his homepage or on Instagram , is a member of the Dextro Energy* sports team and has been an extreme obstacle runner since 2016. When the 44-year-old from Leipzig isn't crawling through the mud, he leads a 12-person IT team. We talked to Norman about obstacle course racing – and got so much exciting information from him. The whole interview now here:

Hi Norman! Your website says you used to hate exercise, what happened?

I was never interested in sports at school. I preferred to sit on the bench and watch. To be honest, this was also reflected on my certificate. A 4 or 5 in sports was not uncommon. Mathematics, physics and computer science were more my hobby. The sport stayed that way for quite a long time. In 2016, a work colleague came to me and asked if I would like to take part in a “mud run”. I said yes back then, but I was totally unfit. So I started running and doing bodyweight exercises like Freeletics. At the beginning I barely managed to run 3 kilometers. But I stuck with it, so I was able to run 10 km in just under an hour without a break before the event. This meant I was prepared for the “Cross De Luxe”, my first OCR run with a distance of 16 km.

How was the first run?

The run was very varied, the obstacles had mud holes that you had to pass through, or containers filled with mud and a grid over them, so you had to go under the grid and definitely looked nice and muddy. I enjoyed the run so much that I have participated in many more OCRs since then and continue to run OCRs to this day.

Mud run, obstacle course, bad weather race: OCR knows many terms. What defines obstacle course racing for you?

The beautiful routes and landscapes as well as the varied obstacles. When it comes to obstacles, I always think it's good if they can be realistically managed. An OCR is no fun if you regularly get stuck at an obstacle and have to run past it or do “penalties” like 30 burpees [mixture of squats, push-ups and high jumps]. For me, the solidarity is also what makes the obstacle course races so special. Everyone helps each other here.

What have been your greatest sporting successes so far?

My most successful year to date was 2019. I took part in more races here than in any other year. For example, I was in Andorra in the Pyrenees for the Spartan Race Trifecta Weekend. Another success was participation in the Spartan Race Trifecta Weekend World Championship in Sparta, Greece. To take part in a Spartan Race World Championship, you must qualify by successfully completing each race format (Sprint, Super, Beast) once on any day in a year. In total, I took part in three Trifecta Weekends in 2019 and completed a total of four Trifectas. This year I qualified for the Spartan Race Trifecta World Championship in Sparta for the third time and for this year's Spartan World Championship in Abu Dhabi for the first time.

What are the biggest challenges in OCR for you? And how do you overcome it, how do you endure the stress?

In general, I have gotten into the habit of drinking an IsoFast about 30 to 45 minutes before every run. On longer runs, I always take a few Dextro Energy* gums with me to replenish my carbohydrate stores if the aid stations are too far apart. My biggest challenges are the longer mountain runs and the various climbing obstacles. Longer mountain runs usually involve a lot of elevation gain. I live in the Leipzig plains. There are no mountains here where I can practice running up and down. Sodium loss is also a problem during longer runs. Thesalt tablets help me here. Because the long runs make you sweat a lot and, in addition to the water loss, you also have a high salt loss, which the salt tablets compensate for.

Which obstacles did you particularly like? And which ones do you not like?

I like obstacles with water when the temperatures are summery. I also really like javelin throwing in the Spartan Race. Sometimes you have to be a little lucky so that the spear gets stuck in the target. But with a lot of momentum this can usually be done easily. The Spartan Race features the Atlas Carry obstacle. Here you have to carry a round atlas stone weighing around 45 kg along a short distance. I can hardly get it lifted, so I like the obstacle less. I don't like the three meter high trellis wall at all. For elite runners it always looks very easy, but when you try to climb three meters yourself, it's something completely different.

What are your top tips for people who want to try OCR?

If you're not that physically fit yet and want to get a taste of it first, then almost all OCR organizers offer short routes between 5 and 7 kilometers. Everyone can manage the distances and the elevation gain that may be present during mountain runs is very limited.

It is also ideal to take part in a run with friends. Because this way you can support each other through all obstacles. But even on your own you can always find helpful runners, so that every obstacle can be overcome with support. The OCR community is almost like a family.

The right footwear is important. I recommend trail shoes. These have a good profile and are ideal for mountain slopes and also for slippery areas. There are also special shoes from which the water from the water hazards can flow out again during the run.

You don't necessarily have to pay attention to clothing. It should be normal running clothing that keeps its shape well. Depending on the run, it is advisable to wear knee-length trousers to avoid punctures and scratches on the knee when crawling over obstacles.

Depending on the length of the running route and the weather, take a hydration vest or backpack with you, as well as a small food belt. The gels from Dextro Energy* can be easily attached to the latter and you always have something with you on the go to replenish your energy supply. At most OCRs there are always enough refreshment points where you can get a small snack, fruit and drinks.

And my most important tip: You can take part in an OCR even if you're inexperienced and have a lot of fun with others. Try a short distance first. Most people can't stop drinking it and want more.

*Contains carbohydrates

A varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important.

PHOTO CREDITS

Header image: @normanrath