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Playing in the Mud

The OCR Buddy Blog

Race Review: Filthy Monkey

I love local brands, so when I found out there was a race that I wasn’t tracking the same distance that I drive to work every day I was super excited.  I did there winter version, The Frozen Monkey back in December, but this was my first time running their summer event, The Filthy Monkey. 

10 Questions: Your First Mud Run

Your First Mud Run is an obstacle race in which the whole family, parents and children, run the course together.  This family-friendly event, featuring medals, shirts, free bag check, free parking, no spectator fee and more is the brainchild of Brad Vaccaro. Brad took some time to sit with us and be the next guest

Why Stretching Is Not Resolving Your Tightness

You have a constant tightness that will not go away no matter how much stretching you do for it. You have done all the stretches and rolling that your physical therapist, chiropractor, massage therapist, friend, YouTube, and/or Dr. Google told you to do for it, but still aren’t back to training like you want to

10 Questions with James Burton

James Burton is an elected Director of the United Kingdom Obstacle Sports Federation and a top obstacle racing athlete. He has competed around the world and is preparing to represent his country at next week’s European OCR Championships in Italy.  James was kind enough to join us as the next guest on “10 Questions with…”

The Reason Running Injuries Occur

Many running injuries happen annually. Depending on the research you look at, between 50-75% of runners get injured every year. Many of those are chronic injuries…and also what I call preventable injuries. Running in itself typically does not cause injuries (unless you trip over something and injure yourself) and yet many runners tend to end

Ventures Endurance partners with Shoes that Fit

For Global Running Day on June 1, 2022; the parent company of Rugged Maniac, Ventures Endurance, is partnering with Califonia-based non-profit Shoes that Fit to make a difference in low-income children’s lives. From Shoes That Fit: Shoes That Fit tackles one of the most visible signs of poverty by giving kids in need new athletic

Race Review: Highlander Assault Dark Ages

May 14th, 2022 marked the third year that Highlander Assault held Dark Ages, a night race that includes overnight camping and the opportunity to create lasting memories around the bonfire with the racing community. They have continually built on the idea, adding new obstacles and new experiences every year. Last year they added the option

10 Questions: Ultra Marathon Edition

This past weekend, three OCR Buddy Ambassadors completed their first Spartan Ultra. While fresh in their mind, I thought it would be great to spend a little time with them and ask about their preparation and event. Let us introduce you to Greg Champion, Emma Bivens and Sherry Valenzuela as they are today’s guests on

OCR Everest: Climbing “Everest” with Obstacles

It’s time again for my annual Ultra-Obstacle Course Racing (Ultra-OCR) self-created and painful charity event.  In 2022, the plan is to run the height of Everest (29,029 feet) while doing obstacles at the course of Tough Mudder New England the weekend of June 4-5th in Stratton, Vermont. While I’ve done self-created charity events every year

Returning To Running After Time Off

You’ve been forced to stop running for a few months due to an injury and you have now been cleared to resume running. You’re excited to get those shoes on and step out the door for your first run in months. You feel great and your body feels good. You end up running 3 miles;
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10 Questions with Evan Perperis

Evan Perperis is many things. Athlete, Author, Military. He is known as the Ultra OCR Man and just released a new book titled “On Endurance: A Practical Guide to Unlocking the Secrets of Super-Human Performance ” that is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold. He is the leader of the Mudgear-Battle of the
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Update from the Mud Gear/Battle of the Lions Pro Team

The first quarter of 2022 has seen the Mud Gear- Battle of the Lions Pro Team take to the course at American Ninja Warrior, Hyrox, and Spartan to start. They reflect on a successful first three months of 2022. OCR Buddy is a proud supporter of Mud Gear- Battle of the Lions Pro Team.  1)

Race Review: Bear Crawl OCR

On April 30, 2022,  I was presented a chance to run a local OCR Event in my home state of North Carolina.  The Bear Crawl OCR.  The Venue is located in Morganton, North Carolina. About Bear Crawl OCR –  The Bear Crawl OCR was created to replicate the obstacles and challenges we face in life. 

Train Smarter

Train smarter, not just harder!  Don’t get me wrong, as athletes we want to train hard and push ourselves. Personally, I train hard on a regular basis. But there is more to training than just continuing to push harder. We also need to train smarter when we are training. What does training smarter mean? It

10 Questions with Ian Adamson

Last week, it was announced that an obstacle discipline will most likely replace the equestrian discipline of the Modern Pentathlon.  OCR Buddy immediately reached out to Ian Adamson, President of World Obstacle, to answer “10 questions” regarding the news, what’s ahead and what this means for the sport of obstacle racing.  Here is the Modern
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The Reason Behind Your Pain

Your habits can make you or break you. This is not only in life but also in how you move. The body is great at moving to allow you to function…but sometimes to your detriment. Look at any toddler or young child, and you will see them perform a great squat – weight on the

OCR and The Pentathlon: The Olympic News

Many people are excited about the recent news regarding obstacle course racing.  In a poll recently performed in the OCR Buddy Community Group on Facebook, 85% of those who responded indicated that no final decision regarding the obstacle discipline in the Modern Pentathlon had been made, but many are hopeful. I went through the internet

10 Questions with Bob Clark of UNAA

Bob Clark is the founder and CEO of Ultimate Ninja Athlete Ninja Association (UNAA).  The UNAA is a worldwide ninja association, with championships happening in Las Vegas in July.  We wanted to learn a little more about Bob, the start of UNAA, and what are his long-term plans.  We thank Bob for his time, and

10 Questions with Luke De-benedictis

Luke De-benedictis is on the Spartan UK Pro team, Co-Host of Multi-Sport Media Podcast, Ambassador/Representative of many companies, and in my experience, and all-around good guy.  We asked Luke to give us a few minutes of his time between work and training, and he is the next to join us on “10 Questions with… How

10 Questions with Al Agra- President of POSF

Al Agra is the President of the President of Pilipinas Obstacle Sports Federation, the Obstacle Sports Federation for Asia, General Counsel to the Philippines Olympic Committee, and the Treasurer for World Obstacle. There are very few people in the world with as much knowledge and involvement in the sport of obstacle racing. The Philippines is

Lower Leg And Foot Pain In Runners

Many runners experience pain in the lower leg, ankle, and/or foot at some point.  Sometimes it is due to trauma, such as an ankle sprain, but most times it comes out of nowhere.  When this happens, you do everything you can think of to resolve it – consult with Dr. Google, consult with YouTube, ask

Local Race vs. Small Race: The difference

Last week, OCR Buddy posed the following question to the OCR Community: “What is the difference between a local race and a small race?” And followed it up by also asking, “Also, does/can a race series qualify as a local race? Can a one-time race not be “local”?” The answers were interesting to see and

10 Questions with Alex Walker

A few years ago, I interviewed @alexandra_tx_ranger (Alex Walker) and called the article, “The Best OCR Athlete You Never Heard Of”. That has obviously changed. Through her training and perseverance, Alex had positioned herself into one of the top athletes in obstacle racing today. She does that while balancing training, life, and work. We thank

10 Questions with Race Ready Obstacles

Most people, when completing an obstacle, do not think about how it was made or who built it. Aaron and Dana of Race Ready Obstacles not only wondered about those questions but became one of the premier obstacle builders in the OCR Community. They took a few minutes out of their schedule to join us

10 Questions with Dave Claxton

Dave Claxton is well known around the OCR Community. He is the co-host of Obstacle Fitness X, oversees Team OFX, moderates OCR Tribe on Facebook, and co-hosts The OCR Weekly Show on Obstacle Racing Media. He was kind enough to sit down and be the next guest on “10 Questions with…” Dave Claxton. How did

10 Questions with Hannibal Race

The Hannibal Race is one of the most successful obstacle races in the Middle East. Their popularity is growing. Since 2014, Hannibal Race has produced events in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. OCR Buddy recently spoke with the two people behind The Hannibal Race, Amine Dib, and Hiba Rayess Chehyaeb. We welcome them as the

10 Questions with Joe DeSena Death Race Edition

How do you explain; the Death Race to those outside the community? Peak Racing explains it like this. The race, created by Ultra athlete and Spartan Race founder Joe Desena, was developed as a way for athletes to test themselves both mentally and physically. The Death Races take place in the unexpectedly challenging terrain of

10 Questions with Nicole Mericle

Nicole Mericle was on top of the obstacle racing world when she tore her ACL. While the injury stopped her on the course, she continued to inspire people with her training and progression during her rehabilitation. Showing people that being knocked down is not the end but a new beginning can be as important as

10 Questions with Leon Kofoed

Leon Kofoed has been a European and World Champion. Most already know about him that he is a good, approachable person with a booming personality. We were lucky enough to corral him long enough to join us for “10 Questions with…” Leon Kofoed. How did you find out about obstacle racing, and what was your

Training Tips: Savage Race Sawtooth

Sawtooth is an iconic obstacle for Savage Race, and can challenge the best of OCR athletes. In this edition of Training Tips: We check in with Savage Race as break down how Sawtooth works and share their tips and tricks for making Sawtooth a little easier. Previous Tip: Savage Race Great Wall

Training Tips: Savage Race The Great Wall

The Great Wall is a landmark obstacle for Savage Racers. But learning how to tackle walls is a standard skill that all obstacle course racers need to know to succeed in their OCR journey. In this edition of Training Tips, we check in with Savage Race as they present tips on how to tackle; The

Training Tips: Spartan Monkey Bars

Monkey Bars can be trouble. Especially if you are just starting in your OCR journey. In this Training Tip, we join Spartan Ireland as they share different tips on how to tackle the bars. Previous Tip: Sandbag Carry

10 Questions with Stefano Zappa

Stefano Zappa is the President of the European Obstacle Sports Federation, which oversees the National Federations of over 30 countries in Europe and the very popular OCR European Championships. He is also an experienced obstacle racer who views where our sport is heading, and he is prepared to help lead into the future. We recently

10 Questions with Ida Mathilde Steensgaard

Ida Mathilde is a world-class Red Bull sponsored Danish athlete with multiple successes in obstacle racing since she began racing. While her recent successes may be new to some here in the United States, the Europeans have been watching her stand on podiums for years. She has goals and a plan to get there, and

Training Tips: Spartan Sandbag Carry

There is absolutely no other way to say it. The Sandbag carry from Spartan Race can absolutely suck. In this edition of Training Tip. Spartan Australia shares their tips and tricks as to making the Sandbag a little more manageable and how to make the toll a little less on your body. Did you know

Training Tips: Tough Mudder Tips and Tricks

We commonly hear and see questions about training tips and tricks in the community, and one of the shared resources people bring up is Youtube. We wanted to share this video from Tough Mudder, which takes you behind the scenes of the TM Classic race and shares tips and tricks to tackle the course. You

10 Questions with John de Haan

John de Haan, from the Netherlands, was the runner-up winner of the European OCR Community Choice Awards for para Athlete of the Year. He is a former Para-OCR European Champion and Para-OCR World Champion. He also was on the podium for the Spartan Para World Championships. He is an inspiration to many with his attitude

10 Questions with Flynn Stewart and Dad

The OCR Boys are an obstacle racing team that aims to inspire boys and help improve their fitness through obstacle course racing. We were recently introduced to one of their members, Flynn Stewart. Although only 12 years old, Flynn has been competing in obstacle racing at a high level for years. He has made a
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10 Questions with Rachelanne Gladden

Many of you know her as the Service Manager and the smile you see at the OCR World Championships. Rachelanne Gladden is much more than the name on an email. She is well-rounded and always has a smile on her face. She is always a shining star for the OCR Community. She has been with

10 Questions with James Parrish

Nuclear Races is highly regarded and considered one of the top events in the United Kingdom.  Besides being the former home of the OCR World Championships for two years, the facility holds multiple obstacle events every year.  Besides Nuclear Races HQ, there is Nuclear Race Wild Forest Nuclear High Ropes, and much more. We recently

Advice for New Racers from the OCR Community

We recently posted on Instagram and Facebook asking “What advice do you have for people new to obstacle racing?”  The answers not only apply to those new to the sport but to all of us as well.  From the OCR Community to you, here is your advice. Shoes and Footwear “I’ve seen a lot of

OCR Training 102 – Using Rucking for Endurance

Welcome to the first segment of this new blog series called OCR Training 102, which I like to think of as a blueprint for ‘cross-training for OCR.’ As we train for OCR events, there are many other ways we can develop ourselves, especially when we work in active recovery, off-season development work, and how to

10 Questions with Cole Derosa

OCR Buddy first introduced Cole Derosa (@cjdrosa) as a future name to remember years ago. Since that time, Cole is a constant podium presence and is a past Spartan Age Group Trifecta World Champion, Age Group US National Series Winner, and many more. Cole has been active military for nearly three decades and is a

10 Questions with Rachel Watters

Rachel Watters is a member of the Mudgear-Battle of the Lions Pro Team, was the 2021 OCR Community Choice Awards Runner-Up Female Athlete of the Year, and regularly finds the podiums from 5k to 24-hour events. She mentors Lion Hearts Fitness and believes that “the impact you make as a human and how you treat

Preview: KCOCR Double Down 2022

BACK TO BACK RACING!!! If you are reading this article, chance are you like racing and maybe one of the athletes that regularly does back-to-back racing at one of the big brands. With parts of the Midwest being largely absent of Spartan and Tough Mudder events, it opens things up for some great local/regional events.

10 Questions with Ian Adamson

Ian Adamson is the President of World Obstacle. I have known Ian personally for about four years, as I am the Assistant Director of USAOCR and was brought into that position by Ian. Whenever I talk to Ian, he is on a plane, in an airport, in another country, and always working for the future

Race Review: Hazelwood Valentine’s Day Massacre

I’ve been eyeing Hazelwood’s (St. Louis, MO) races for a couple of years now; they just haven’t quite worked well with my schedule. Honestly, this one didn’t either, but I decided to live a little and head out there anyway; here’s what I thought of their unique ~3 miles with almost 50 obstacles event: Parking

10 Questions with Libbie Joyce

Libbie Joyce took the 2021 Spartan World Championships by storm, placing second in her age category at the age group at the age of 13.  That accomplishment was recently voted the Outstanding Achievement in the 2021 European OCR Community Choice Awards that OCR Buddy presented. Libbie is part of the Obstacle Mud Runner Magazine Race

OCR with Grandpa

While most people may not think of Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) as fun for all ages, in my experience it has been.  Two years ago I took my daughter, a regular participant in Young Lions OCR, at the age of 5 on her first adult length OCR at KC Timber Challenge.  Since then she continues

10 Questions with Kelly Sullivan

In January, Kelly Sullivan participated at the HYROX North American Championships in Chicago. Kelly is a member of the Spartan Pro Team, Altra Red Team, and an OCR Buddy Ambassador. I found her experience interesting, and although many people know the name HYROX, the competition itself is not well understood. So for this edition of

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