2019 Hawaii trifecta weekend Spartan
Much like crossfit did in the early years, the term OCR has created alot of buzz. OCR also known as obstacle course racing is what I would consider to be a fusion of strength, endurance, and coordination. Imagine if terrain trail running and ninja warrior had a baby the offspring would be OCR.
Before my first race in 2018 I had heard about organizations such as tough mudder, and Spartan racing but didn’t really know what all the races entailed. I decided that the best way to find out was to throw myself into a race and figure it out from there. Sink or swim I guess you could say.
Before I go ahead and give a brief list of what to do and what to bring for your first race I thought it best to give a list of WHAT NOT to do first.
1) DO NOT think you can do well in one of these races without being able to at least run 1 mile non stop under 10 minutes.
2) DO NOT eat to much just before your race, instead start carbo loading two days prior and the night before.
3) DO NOT go gun ho at the very beginning of the race be conservative and go all out toward the end. Countless times I have seen in shape people hunched over after mile 3 because they exerted themselves to much at the beginning.
4) DO NOT go out and party the night before you will be in bad shape race day and could be a hazard to yourself and others.
The famous fire jump. I salute you.
Now that the DO NOTs are out of the way. Here is a list of what you SHOULD DO.
1) DRESS appropriately whatever you normally train in is what you should be using during your race. Do not go out and by a whole new wardrope and shoes that you are not used to. Although for longer distance races I recommend using a trail running shoe these tend to have more grip on the bottom and support for running on uneven terrain.
2) GEAR UP- you will get wet, muddy, and sweaty so make sure you have a change of clothes ready for after the race. You may want to bring a towel as well alot of races will have stations to rinse off at post race. If you have a hard time with your grip consider bringing gloves for some of the obstacles. Hydration packs are recommended for the longer races but optional for the shorter 5k and under races.
3) HAVE FUEL - if you plan to carry a pack it is a good idea to have some carbs on hand. I recommend honey stingers or Gatorade gummies for quick fuel.
4) EXTRA PLASTIC BAGS you will be muddy after and be wondering what to do with your mucked up outfit bring 2 trash bags to stash those clothes.
5) Body weight is the way. Its back to the basics for training pushups pullups bear crawls and burpees. Alot of the obstacles you will encounter will require alot of upper body strength I recommend 5 sets of 20 per exercise every other day if you are not doing any other resistance training.
6)DON’T OVERTRAIN its easy to get carried away but more is not always better. It is important to give yourself plenty of rest. If you race Saturday I recommend a light 3mile run on Thursday then rest up.
7) GET THERE EARLY depending on the venue parking can be a bit crazy alot of people miss their start times as a result of trying to find parking.
8) BE A GOOD SPORT- If you see someone else struggling help them out and encourage them, its all about karma you never know when you yourself will be needing an assist.
Overall just have fun. This event will be like no other sport you have ever done. It will challenge you, motivate you, and most of all make you feel accomplished.
For more info on how to program or interest in training reach me at
www.justinknowsfitness.com
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