Ace your first Obstacle Course Race
Fun and adventure are probably what you’re looking for if you’re signing up for an obstacle course race (OCR)—an increasingly popular event here in the Philippines.
But as with any athletic event, you have to prepare right, or the fun can turn quite un-fun and the adventure can turn particularly painful. For those uninitiated, OCR involves running, climbing walls and ropes, crawling through mud, and carrying various objects of different weights.
So whether or not you work with a trainer, you’ll want to focus on these 3 aspects: aerobic fitness, grip strength, and plyometrics. Learn to love jogging and incorporate pull-ups, burpees, and jump squats into your routine as these exercises replicate the moves that you’ll encounter in any obstacle, which always require explosive jumps and quick movements.
Fitness, running, and OCR coach Iris Torculas, popularly known as “Iron Iris,” said it’s important to be physically prepared to reduce the risk of injury.
“Make sure that you’re always safe,” she said during the recent Garmin Fenix 8 Challenge at the Bridgetown Obstacle Park. “Always remember that safety should always be a priority and if you really want to perform or do a strategy, just make sure that your execution is very proficient and very precise so you won’t have any accident.”
Besides the physical benefits, OCRs offer psychological challenges and the emotional rewards of conquering tasks that require planning, coordination, and strategy.
“The race allows you to challenge yourself and push you to be limitless,” Torculas said. “You need strength, stamina, and mobility and if you know that your partner is not into this sport, stay behind so you can assist.”
Helping and cheering for each other and being one with the community are surprising benefits of joining an OCR, so never to leave out the fun factor and make your first experience a learning process.
“Understand first the dynamics of an OCR. Set realistic goals, and stick to the safe side. Have fun and learn the basics,” the Pocari Sweat ambassador added.
