Tips: Navigating Obstacles on the Course

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6 TIPS FOR NAVIGATING OBSTACLES

When running any obstacle race, runners should be careful to approach obstacles with the right mental attitude. In this game your mental state determines your amount of drive. If you believe you cannot complete an obstacle your brain will begin to accept defeat. This leads to less drive and determination to navigate the obstacle, and a bigger chance at facing the penalty for non completion.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when racing.

Number one: Believe. 

Believe in your body and its strength. Your body is capable of doing what your mind tells it that it can accomplish. As you near the next obstacle stare it down like a predator eyeing its prey. Imagine yourself completing the obstacle and you are much more likely to defeat it.

Number two: Plan.

As you approach any obstacle the second thing on your mind should be visualizing how you will conquer it. With just a little forethought about technique before you reach the obstacle you will be more prepared for it.

Number three: Monkey see, monkey do.

Watch other racers ahead of you as they navigate the obstacles. You won't believe how often you will see them use a technique or approach you may not have considered. By watching a few runners encountering the obstacle ahead you can get a leg up on your competition. I recall a race I ran last year and how I gained significant speed on my total course time simply by watching how people interact with the obstacles.

Number four: If you are running as a team take advantage of the buddy system. If not help those around you.

This comes into play largely with obstacles such as walls, mud hills, and net climbs. By working together with your team or fellow racers you can defeat tough obstacles much easier. Chances are the person you helped or whom is helping you will remember you and you may find yourself working with them again later on in the course.

Number five: Take your time...

For any obstacles you feel unprepared for simply taking a moment to think through how you will complete it can be the difference between success and failure. A great example here is stopping to take time to dry off your muddy hands before doing rope climbs or bar crossings. Pausing quickly for a little strategy now can save you major time on your total course completion.

Number six: Don't forget to have fun.

Obstacle racers are insane. Plain and simple. We enjoy doing things others would never do. We enjoy running past the pain and sore muscles. We enjoy being punching bags for the course. When you are on the course make sure to enjoy it. Often racers get so caught up in getting great times or simply completing the course - that they forget to enjoy it.

Obstacle races are like playground for adults. Make sure you have fun at recess. Dive headfirst into the mud pools, yell like an indian war chief, encourage others on the course by shouting positive things like "you can do it, we are beasts!" Other runners will enjoy the encouragement and may very well do the same for you later on in the course.

All in all, the obstacles are always the best part of any course. Embrace their unique challenges, push yourself to stay in the right mental state, and most important of all. Have fun.

Yep, You Just Got Passed By A Girl!

YOU JUST GOT PASSED BY A GIRL Hollywood media would have us believe that beauty is measured by physicality. That concept is quickly killed when you run an obstacle race. True beauty comes from strength and resilience. Most men who run obstacle races for the first time are surprised by how many women love obstacle racing and cannot wait to attack the course. And for some of them, their surprise is even greater when they get passed by these women on the course. Make no mistake in thinking of these women as "the weaker sex", these ladies aren't here to look pretty. They're here to kick some ass and take some names. Women who love OCR seek challenges and embrace their inner strength. They are not afraid of the unknown and they are determined to conquer any obstacle they set their minds to. To us, this is the mark of true beauty. WOMEN EVOLVED AND FURTHERED THE SPORT OF OCR Take a look at any advertisement for obstacle racing and what do you see? You see just as many photos of women racing these courses with looks of fierce determination as you will photos of men. This is not a coincidence. As more women joined these events during the inception of this sport, race companies realized something. For men who once thought they weren't fit enough to enter these events, seeing women of all ages and various athletic abilities conquering obstacles while covered in mud forced them to realize that they really had no excuse no to sign up. In this regard these first women of OCR literally doubled future race attendance and helped make the sport national. WOMEN MADE OCR MORE FUN When men do anything athletic as a team, there is an underlying competitiveness. Teams of men originally ran together but in a more competitive sense each trying to beat the time of fellow team members. Bragging rights and all of that. But while watching female teams compete you notice a stark difference. Laughter. Watch any female OCR team run the course and you will find them smiling from ear to ear, laughing out loud, and helping each other to cross obstacles. In these teams, women work as a unit to make sure every member finishes the race. As men began to see this, they realized that it was ok to have fun and to admit when you need the help of another team member. This attitude was infectious and it forever changed the way men competed as teams. While there is still competitiveness between male teams, as the sport has evolved men have embraced having more fun and taking things a little less seriously.    ONE WOMAN WHO PERSONALLY CHANGED THE SPORT Another great example of how one woman individually impacted the sport of OCR is Margaret Schlachter. In 2010 Margaret started an online community called Dirt In Your Skirt to get more women involved in the sport and to increase the sport's presence to the general public. This community has since grown exponentially into a thriving hub for female obstacle racing enthusiasts and even offers events and coaching such as the first ever women’s only week long training camp committed to all things obstacle course racing, fitness, wellness, clean eating and overall health which is scheduled for August of 2014. Margaret has taken her love of the sport and how it empowers women and shared this with women around the world inspiring others to take on OCR as a sport. Thanks to Dirt In Your Skirt OCR events now see more female entries than ever before. WOMEN GET MORE GUYS OUT TO COMPETE The idea of tough women who are not afraid to get dirty and who are not afraid to physically challenge themselves on a rough outdoor course is not only inspiring to other women but it is incredibly appealing to mean as well. Thousands of single men are drawn to these events for this very reason...the hope of meeting these kinds of women who seem to defy every stereotype society places on them. OCR women who are not single also drive thousands men to register. Their boyfriends and husbands. What guy wouldn't feel compelled to run an obstacle race if their girlfriend or wife had already signed up.  m       LADIES...WHEN YOU ARE READY - WE WILL BE THERE   At atlas race we believe women not only changed the sport, but helped to make it a successful sport. Every race we have we get inspired by the many women's teams and how they take on our tough courses with fierce determination. If you have not run on obstacle race before we invite you to come out and see what its about. 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. For all the ladies who are already into OCR and to those considering trying it out for the first time - we salute you and we hope to see you out at an Atlas Race soon.  WE ARE OBSTACLE RACING WE ARE THE CHANGE YOU WERE LOOKING FOR WE ARE ATLAS RACE - AND YOU ARE READY SIGN UP FOR AN EVENT TODAY FIND US ON FACEBOOK

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 SIGN UP FOR AN EVENT TODAY FIND US ON FACEBOOK

Pro Team WOD (Workout Of The Day)

Train like the pros with our Atlas Race WOD.  This specialized workout was created by our Pro Team member Rose Wetzel Sinnett and was designed to properly prepare you for obstacle racing and beyond. Try it out and tell us what you think via our Atlas Race Facebook Page

Pro Team WOD (Workout Of The Day)

Train like the pros with our Atlas Race WOD.  This specialized workout was created by our Pro Team member Chad Trammell and was designed to properly prepare you for obstacle racing and beyond. Try it out and tell us what you think via our Atlas Race Facebook Page

Pro Team WOD (Workout Of The Day)

Train like the pros with our Atlas Race WOD.  This specialized workout was created by our Pro Team member John Ricardi and was designed to properly prepare you for obstacle racing and beyond. Try it out and tell us what you think via our Atlas Race Facebook Page

Are People Who Love Obstacle Course Racing Crazy?

PEOPLE DO THIS TO THEMSELVES ON PURPOSE? The answer is yes, and they're excited about doing it. The sport of Obstacle Course Racing draws hundreds of thousands of racers each year. Some are experienced and others are joining events for the very first time. One thing they all have in common despite varying levels of experience is this: These people love any challenge that makes them stronger, more confident, and ready for whatever life throws at them. These people are compelled to confront challenges and overcome them. It is a life skill that many have and many others want. The beauty of obstacle course racing is that it presents challenges which we are not normally faced with, in our comfortable modern lives. Most everything today is engineered for ease and comfort. As we became more civilized we lost a little of the primal animal within. Obstacle course racing brings us back to nature and the elements we are meant to conquer and it taps into our animal nature. THE METAPHOR BETWEEN PHYSICAL AND MENTAL OBSTACLES Facing and overcoming physical challenges brings confidence and pride. Defeating that which we once thought we could not allows us to take on future challenges knowing what we are capable of. Many first time obstacle racers had doubts about whether or not they should sign up. They doubt their physical ability. They doubt their mental stamina. But when they cross the finish line they realize they are capable of more than they ever thought. Armed with this knowledge they gain confidence in themselves and often return to more obstacle race events looking for new challenges.       FINDING BROTHER AND SISTERHOOD Another aspect of obstacle racing is becoming a tribe. Running tough obstacle courses with your friends brings a whole other element into play. Teams who run these events learn to lean on each other and embrace the skills and overcome the weaknesses of each individual team member. Facing obstacles as a group forces us to evaluate ourselves and our role within a tribe. Much like native tribes from around the globe the survival of the whole depends on the efforts and unique talents of each. Running obstacle races with a group is fun, and the sense of shared experience at the finish line is a truly memorable bonding experience. LETTING YOUR INNER CHILD OUT TO PLAY 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. This inner child still exists, but for years you have trained them to avoid the mud and play it safe. Obstacle course racing gives your inner child their own grown up sized playground. When you were a child you ran full speed toward the objects on a playground, with a desire to conquer every one. Obstacle courses are no different. In fact when you analyze them, the similarities abound. Isn't it time you got dirty? Isn't it time you felt the same sense of adventure you once did on a daily basis? Isn't it time you broke out of your comfortable routine and had a life changing experience? A LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE YOU NEVER FORGET   When you cross the finish line all doubts cease. The inner voices that sometimes tell us we cannot or will not succeed are instantly silenced.  Any recent failures we once thought mattered become distant reminders of who we used to be. Finishing a tough obstacle course is a feeling beyond compare and this is why those who are brave enough to attempt it go on to become die hard obstacle racing fans. 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 SIGN UP FOR AN EVENT TODAY FIND US ON FACEBOOK