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Playing in the Mud

The OCR Buddy Blog

ORORO Vest Review: A vest that is half the weight, but twice the warmth than other competitors

I recently received the ORORO Heated Vest and I am extremely impressed with its performance. The vest not only provides much needed warmth during cold weather, but also does so without feeling bulky or restrictive. The heating elements are distributed in key areas, keeping me warm and comfortable without any hot spots. The battery life

10 Questions with Jake Moore of War-X

The 2023 OCR Buddy Community Choice award winner War-X has quickly devloped a cult following in the mid-west of passionate OCR racers. We sat down with Jake Moore to find out more about what War-X is and the vision he has for the future. 1.  Please introduce yourself and how you are involved in obstacle

Naked Protein Coffee (Mocha Latte) Review

I don’t drink that many flavored beverages besides coffee, so when I see a coffee based product that includes additional benefits like protein, I’m immediately interested.  With that in mind, I picked up Naked Nutrition’s Protein Coffee to give it a taste test to see if this is something I want to drink instead of

10 Questions with Claire Bowman

She is the FINA World Champion. She won “Best Ninja Athlete” and was the runner up for Best Female Athlete. But a common thread we heard is “We don’t know Claire Bowman.” We sought to fix it. In this edition of 10 questions, we introduce you to this up-and-coming Ninja athlete as she talks about

10 Questions with Sara Nunes; New Owner of Xman Race

In 2023, Canada’s own XMan race was sold. Today, we sit down with the new owner of XMan Race in this interview that discusses the future of XMan, the reason she came to the sport, and what she sees for the future. My name is Sara, born and raised in Portugal for 28 years, but

2023 OCR Community Choice Award Winners

You nominated You voted And the winners are here. Congratulations to all.

Part Three: Spartan Answers the Community

Spartan CEO Joe De Sena asked OCR Buddy to ask the community to gather their questions about Spartan Race and the status of the sport of Obstacle Course Racing. And he is answering. This is the third set of answers. They have only been edited for some grammar and punctuation or there has been context added by OCR

World’s Toughest Mudder Comparison: The One With the Really Long Penalty Loops

With 2023’s World’s Toughest Mudder (WTM) coming to an end, the inevitable question is how does this one compare to other World’s Toughest Mudder events.  As someone who has done every event starting in Las Vegas in 2014, here’s my thoughts broken down by topic:    Terrain:  Honestly at this point, the courses are starting

Flag Football in the Olympics: Why it Made the Cut Over Obstacle Course Racing

Many are buzzing about the inclusion of flag football in the Olympics, even over obstacle course racing. Let’s take a closer look. In 2028, the Olympic roster will welcome five new sports: baseball/softball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse, and squash. Modern pentathlon and weightlifting will remain as Olympic sports. This selection aligns with IOC President Thomas

Unlocking the Future of OCR: 2028 Olympics and Beyond

Let’s clarify the situation: Obstacle course racing isn’t an independent sport in the 2028 Olympics. It has been officially incorporated into Modern Pentathlon, a confirmed Olympic sport. While OCR isn’t an Olympic sport by itself, it’s a positive step forward. It guarantees global exposure to OCR, regardless of whether it’s a 25-second sprint, a 3

Race Review: Muddy Water OCR

I’ve been traveling around the Midwest more than usual this year looking for hidden Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) gems.  Whether it be amazing obstacles, great atmosphere or just a fun course that stands out among the 150+ events I’ve done.  Well, I think I stumbled upon one last weekend and here’s why… Venue & Terrain: 

Part Two: Spartan Answers the OCR Community

Spartan CEO Joe De Sena asked OCR Buddy to ask the community to gather their questions about Spartan Race and the status of the sport of Obstacle Course Racing. And he is answering. These are the second 20 answers. They have only been edited for some grammar and punctuation or there has been context added

Race Review: Wildwood Obstacle Run

There’s an Obstacle Course Race (OCR) 20 minutes from my house that I haven’t been to over the last 2.5 years I’ve lived in the area until this weekend.  The event typically falls on a major race weekend like Obstacle Course Racing World Championships (OCRWC) but luckily this year, OCRWC is later than normal.  After

Part One: Spartan CEO Joe De Sena answers.

Spartan CEO Joe De Sena asked OCR Buddy to ask the community to gather their questions about Spartan Race and the status of the sport of Obstacle Course Racing. And he is answering. These are the first 20 answers. They have only been edited for some grammar and punctuation or there has been context added

Update Part One: Cool Events Parent Company Addresses Issues

EDITORS NOTE September 2023: It has come to our attention that OCR Buddy made comments that may of reflected that The Original FIT Factory did not to their due diligence before investing in Cool Events. This was not our intent and we apologize for any misunderstandings. After publishing our article about the current situation with

Update Part Two: Cool Events Parent Company Addresses Issues

After publishing our article about the current situation with Cool Events; OCR Buddy founder; Russ Blatt continued to reach out to executives with The Original Fit Factory, the new parent company of Cool Events and has been able to connect to Kasey O’Leary, the Chief Marketing Officer for The Original Fit Factory. We were able

Ultra-OCR Man Documentary Now Available

After a couple of years of shooting, producing and editing, my documentary is finally available for release.  Professional filmmaker Bobby Ross followed me around periodically for a couple of years to get all the footage required.  The 24 minute documentary is now available for digital download or streaming here. The movie covers a couple two

Race Review: The Siege

I took a trip out to Garden City, Kansas for the second year in a row to run The Siege Obstacle Course Race (OCR) put on by Core Fitness.  A couple things had changed even though the event was at the same venue.  Here’s how it went and if The Siege is getting better by

In Your Own Words: What can OCR do better?

The question felt pretty simple. What is the one thing you wish OCR would change? We asked this in the OCR Buddy Community Group and honestly, I had been amazed at the answers. They shared the passion and enthusiasm this community has for a sport that is changing We are sharing your answers in the

Answering the Call? The OCR Communities Questions for Spartan CEO Joe DeSena

Right after the “Spartan Mona Lisa” incident, Joe DeSena went on social media and explained what happened.  I commented on his post and after that time, Joe and I were emailing back and forth about ideas that OCR Buddy sent to him in the past. In our discussions, Joe challenged me to gather 100 questions

Community Q and A with Spartan’s Joe DeSena

Feed from our friends at http://www.theocrreport.com The OCR Report came together with Inside OCR, OCWC and OCR Buddy to sit down with Joe DeSena to talk about the firestorm caused by Joe DeSena’s recent social media posts and the future of the sport. They discussed the marketing decisions that lead to the AI posting and

Wichita Gladiator Dash: Race Review

There’s been a race within a couple hours of my house that I’ve had a conflict with since 2016.  Wichita Gladiator Dash is Wichita’s longest running Obstacle Course Race (OCR).  They’ve been putting on events since 2012 and it finally fit into my schedule so I went down there to check it out.  Check In/Location: 

Rugged Maniac OKC Race Review

The biggest party race in the country is still going nationwide.  Rugged Maniac has been around since the beginning of Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) holding events all across the US.  I headed south to Oklahoma City to check on the brand and see if they are still delivering the same high quality party atmosphere and

The Realities Behind Cool Events LLC and Terrain Race Cancellations

Update: We have since met with The Orginal Fit Factory the parent company of Cool Events. You can read the updates here: Update One: Cool Events Parent Company Addresses Issues. Update Two: https://ocrbuddy.com/update-cool-events-on-the-road-to-change/ Editors Note: Due to the size of the screenshots that correspond to the research in the article, all screenshots are at the

Remembering Charity Fick: A Beacon of Inspiration and Support in the OCR Community

Charity Fick, a beloved member of the OCR community in the Pacific NW and Canada, recently passed away at the age of 42. Known for her infectious smile, supportive nature, and desire to see everyone shine, Charity inspired and motivated all who met her. I talked to several of her friends in the community. The

Race Review: Tough Mudder Infinity Philly

Tough Mudder kicked off their endurance event series in the US last weekend with Infinity in Philadelphia.  This was my 2nd Infinity event and more than 50th Tough Mudder event.  Here’s a rundown of how it went and where Tough Mudder Headquarters (TMHQ) fell short of their normal high standard: Parking:  Parking was offsite, which

Race Review: T.H.O.R.

I took a trip down to Wichita Falls, Texas to check out Texoma’s Hellish Obstacle Run (T.H.O.R.) this past weekend.  Here’s how it went and if you should make the trip to northern Texas to run their course.  Parking & Check In: Check-in was smooth and easy with parking available right next to the festival. 

ChatGPT on “How to Train for OCR” Part 2

In Part 1 we asked ChatGPT about advice for training for OCR. In Part 2 we asked ChatGPT about a training plan for 3 months of OCR. We advise you to to take this with a grain of salt. We published this because we are interested in how ChatGPT can interface with our community. Yes,

ChatGPT on “How to train for OCR” Part 1

ChatGPT. Even Joe DeSena is talking about it as a tool to train. Our question is, what can it give you? In part 1 we asked it to give us a blog post with tips for training. In part 2, which is coming soon we asked it for a specific training plan. We leave it

Hazelwood OCR Massacre Race Review

Ask any participant in an obstacle course racing (OCR) event what was their favorite part and they seem to always say “the obstacles”.  People show up to OCRs for the obstacles and a common complaint is, “I wish there were more obstacles”.  If that sounds like you, then you need to head to Hazelwood OCR

ChatGPT discusses Obstacle Course Racing

They say curiosity kills the cat. And I was curious. Could ChatGPT talk about obstacle course racing? For those who have not seen anything about ChatGPT in the news. The easiest way to explain ChatGPT is it is a well-trained AI bot that responds to human interaction and can produce text accordingly. Best explained in

The Return of Bonefrog Challenge

Bonefrog Challenge is BACK. After it was announced that 2022 that Bonefrog would not be returning the OCR world was surprised by the announcement that Bonefrog had been sold to Josh March of EmPowered OCR. They will be launching on September 2nd 2023  with one event in Lancaster PA with their eyes on future events

Race Review: Hannibal Race Kuwait

I recently had the opportunity to travel all the way to Kuwait for Hannibal Race, my first Obstacle Course Racing World Championship (OCRWC) qualifier of 2023.  This is my 5th Hannibal Race and third time I’ve taken a transatlantic flight to make it to one of their events.  Here’s how I thought 2023 went and

The 2022 OCR Buddy Awards Results

You nominated. You voted. And the winners are here. OCR Buddy is proud to present the 2022 OCR Buddy Community Choice Award Winners. The awards show: The data: 2022 OCR Buddy Nomination Data Voting Results Editors note: We had a couple technical glitches with the voting form which is why some nominees may look like

2022 OCR Buddy Community Choice Awards VOTING OPEN

Last year the community spoke and named their favorites when OCR Buddy presented the OCR Community Choice Awards. The awards are back and we want to hear your voice as the community picks its favorites in the 2022 OCR Buddy OCR Community Choice Awards. Voting Closes December 14th 2022. Your winners will be announced: TBD

The 2022 OCR Community Choice Awards: Nominations OPEN

Last year the community spoke and named their favorites when OCR Buddy presented the OCR Community Choice Awards. The awards are back and we want to hear your voice as the community picks its favorites in the 2022 OCR Buddy OCR Community Choice Awards. Nominations are open now through November 25th, 2022 Voting will open

Stretching Is Overrated

Stretching Is Overrated! Yep, you read that correctly. Stretching is overrated. In my opinion, at least. Let’s simply look at common situations: An athlete gets injured and says it is because he/she does not stretch enough. Another athlete who does stretch often, and perhaps does yoga, becomes injured. The injured athlete starts stretching only to

Resting Rarely Fixes Injuries

Have you ever experienced pain from training, decided to take a couple days or maybe even weeks off, just to have the pain return when you got back to training? If you are an athlete, your answer is likely YES. And if you answered YES, you are not alone. It is a common situation for

Overuse Injuries

Overuse. Is this really a thing? Have you ever experienced an injury somewhere and been told by a medical professional that it was due to overuse? Most likely, the answer is yes, because it is used as the cause way too often for anything that is a chronic-type onset. When that happens, you accept it

Stop Blaming Your Glutes

The glutes get blamed for so many things. “My therapist told me my glutes are weak,” “My doctor told me to strengthen my glutes,” “I think my knee pain is due to weak glutes.” I could go on and on about the things I hear on a daily basis. Because of that, you spend weeks

New Shoes Won’t Fix Your Problem

Ever wonder why there are so many running shoes at the store, all of which have different types and amounts of cushion, different technology to minimize pronation, and some have claims that they will reduce injury, and yet we still have 80% of runners injured every year? It is because the shoe you are wearing

Gear Review: ORORO Buffalo Gloves

ORORO, the company known for provided great pre/post-race heated apparel and keeping my pit crew warm as I run around for 24+ hours at time (watch the OCR Everest 10 minute documentary).  Besides  having heated scarfs, vests, socks, seat warmers and jackets, they also have heated gloves.  I picked up a pair of their Buffalo

Spot Treating Pain Never Works

Does this sounds like a familiar pattern for you: You feel pain…You massage, stretch, and ice the area…You may rest for a week or two…After some online searching, you decide to do some random strength exercise you saw…Months later your pain has not changed. Or maybe yours is more like this: You feel pain…You self

Gear Review: ORORO’s New Batteries

I race in the extremes.  Extreme hot (48 hours of Endure The Gauntlet), extreme cold (OCR America 2), extreme elevation (OCR Everest), extreme pain (OCRmill 24) and extreme distance (Ultra-OCR) .  When it comes to how I spend my time off the course or between laps, I try to maximize comfort.  This is where ORORO

GoFundMe for fundraising for your favorite charity?

Every year I do a self-created Ultra-Obstacle Course Racing (Ultra-OCR) charity event.  They often get progressively more questionable each year in the past have included things like 24 hours of treadmill OCR, 48 hour multi-lap, 8 day of 8 OCR marathons in the winter and 2022’s climb the height of Everest while doing obstacles.  When

The Truth About Flat Feet

“I have flat feet, so….” I often hear this said as a statement of fact, as if it is something that cannot be changed. And yet, when talking about any other issue with the body, it is never stated as if it something that cannot improve. (Yes, I do realize that a small percentage of

You Cannot Outstrengthen Bad Movement

When injuries happen, we often think it is because an area is weak. While that is not necessarily wrong, that is not necessarily the only issue. If it were purely a strength issue, I don’t think we would see as many non-contact and ‘overuse’ injuries happen in professional sports as we do. So, what is

The Reason Your Injury Is Sticking Around

Your nagging injury and pain will not go away.  It has been months, perhaps years, and you have tried everything – physical therapy, chiropractor, ice, heat, stretching, strengthening, rest, injections, and maybe even surgery.  Nothing has helped.  You still are not able to train…or live your life for that matter.  You are frustrated to say

What’s the Difference with the BleggMit Styles?

If you’ve been in the Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) world for more than a couple of months you probably have heard of BleggMits.  BleggMits are OCR gloves created by world champion OCR athlete and adventure racer Deanna Blegg.  To put simply, they are neoprene mittens that allow you to fold back the top exposing your

Fix Your Movement Patterns

I know you have seen that person at the gym…The one that can’t get their hips down in a squat so they lean forward with their torso to counterbalance and to feel like they are deeper in the squat than they are. And that person who has a ‘stripper butt’ when they deadlift, clean, or

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