Monday, November 18, 2013

Addicted To Obstacle Racing


THE PROGRESSION OF AN OBSTACLE RACING ADDICT

Atlas Pro Team member Max King does it all. Road, Track, Cross Country, Trails, Ultras, and more. He's won numerous events, and even landed magazine covers. To him it's all running and about the challenge of taking on something new. He finds inspiration in the youth he coaches, pushing himself and his running, the wildness of the mountains, and now he finds new inspiration from pushing himself on obstacle courses.

Max ran his first obstacle race in 2013 at the Atlas Race Medford Oregon event. He signed up for a new challenge, and it turned out to be far more than that. Max finished in 4th place in the men's elite heat in his first ever OCR event and secured a Pro Team spot with Atlas Race along the way. This was his first impression of obstacle racing "...Probably one of the coolest events I've ever done. Don't know why I waited this long to get into it but that was awesome". Max's experience is not out of the ordinary. Most people who decide to run an obstacle race event become instantly hooked. Why does this happen?




INSIDE THE MIND OF A NEW OBSTACLE RACING ADDICT

The moment you see the finish line on the last leg of your first obstacle race is a true life changing experience. At this point of a race you are physically drained, sore, and most likely have already lost your second wind. Your energy tank is on empty and both your arms and your legs are completely exhausted. We seldom push our bodies to this level so for most of us we are barely hanging in to reach the finish. But something amazing happens when you first see the finish line in the distance. You hit a third wind. This third wind compels you to keep going. You forget for a moment how tired you are, and despite an almost complete lack of energy - you realize that nothing matters except reaching that finish line. And for a moment, when you cross that line you experience what it is like to win. This is the first thing you become addicted to.
     


THE PROMISE OF MORE

The second thing you realize at the finish line is the possibility of what else you can do now that you've proven to yourself what you are capable of. Once you have that medal it becomes real. You've defeated a major enemy: self doubt. Once you have defeated this voice within that often tells you that you will fail, setting your sights on accomplishing other goals and besting new challenges is a natural progression. Armed with this new self confidence a first time obstacle racer often sets their sights on their second event almost immediately. Could I have run the event faster? Could I conquer any obstacle I might have failed this time around when I run my next race? Could I run a longer event? These new found possibilities are the second step of an addiction to obstacle course racing.



WHEN ELSE DO YOU GET TO HAVE THIS MUCH FUN

You once loved mud and dirt. You weren't concerned with what your hair looked like or if your pants had muddy knees. You just looked for the next adventure to experience. Once you place yourself back into this mindset and begin to embrace the dirt, the mud, and the roughness of the course in general you tap into the freedom you once had to simply be in the moment and enjoy the world around you. A giant slip n slide into a huge mud puddle. Yep, that's addictive just by itself. Obstacle experiences like this one are the third thing you become addicted to.


A HEALTHY ADDICTION


Obstacle racing gives us a healthy hobby which keeps us moving and using our bodies well. As one slips deeper into their obstacle race addition they generally become healthier and take better care of their bodies as a side effect. And as with most addictions this one can become a gateway. A gateway into other sports and new ways to keep fit while challenging ourselves. This is the reward for those who are brave enough to attempt obstacle racing. The way you feel once you have completed an event, and how good it feels to push your body to this level become the final step in a healthy obstacle racing addiction. You literally become addicted to being healthy and feeling strong. 

So what are you waiting for? Sign up for an event and experience this amazing sport for yourself:
WHEN YOU ARE READY - WE WILL BE THERE
 

At atlas race we believe that each of us have only scratched the surface of who we are and what we can become. We believe in the untapped potential, in the igniting of a spark that will not only reveal what we are truly capable of, but will also tap into that need for purpose, for fulfillment, for an entirely new way of living life. It’s not what stands before us that defines who we are, but rather it’s those tough challenges taken on that will soon lay behind us and ultimately tell our life story




WE ARE OBSTACLE RACING
WE ARE THE CHANGE YOU WERE LOOKING FOR
WE ARE ATLAS RACE - AND YOU ARE READY


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