How To Train For An Obstacle Course Race

Have you ever wondered how to train for an obstacle course race (OCR)?

Maybe you are planning on doing one of these events, and you’re not quite sure how to prepare or what to expect.  Or, maybe you have done of these events before, and you want to be more well-prepared for your next one. (Note: You can click here for a separate article with 4 reasons why you would want to do one of these races in the first place.)

Back in 2012, I trained for and finished my first obstacle course race (OCR), a 10-mile Spartan Race event in Virginia.  Since then, I’ve completed many others as well, including Tough Mudders, Savage Races, Toughest Ice (a cold-weather OCR in Sweden), and the Obstacle Course Racing World Championships, an international event with top athletes from more than 40 countries.

As with any fitness challenge, better preparation leads to a better experience and a better outcome on the day of your event. In this article, I’ll answer four of the most common questions people ask me about training for and conquering these races.

Which OCR event should you do?

Five of the most popular obstacle course races in the U.S. are Tough Mudder, Spartan Race, Savage Race, Warrior Dash, and Rugged Maniac. While you will see similarities across races, each has signature obstacles and elements. You can visit the web sites for these companies to learn more, or you can google OCR events in your area (or in the state or country of your choice) for ideas on other races.

Give some thought to your ideal distance. Most races are somewhere between 3-10 miles, although there are also shorter and longer distances. In addition, some races are based on time, not distance. For example, World’s Toughest Mudder is a 24-hour race, in which you complete as many laps of a 5-mile course as you can within 24 hours. This is clearly one of the most intense options available. Most events are much less extreme.

What should you expect? How should you train for an obstacle course race?

Most races have videos and descriptions online for their obstacles, although they occasionally have surprise obstacles that they don’t publicize in advance. You can count on climbing over walls, carrying heavy objects, and navigating Monkey bars. No matter which race you select, it will test your cardiovascular endurance, along with your balance, coordination, core strength, and upper body strength (especially your back and biceps). As a result, you should follow a pre-race workout regimen that helps you improve each of these areas. As discussed here, one of the benefits of OCR events is that they encourage more balanced training programs than specialized events, such as marathons or triathlons- which can encourage lopsided training and frequently lead to overuse injuries.

At most obstacle course races, you will never run more than a quarter-mile or half-mile at a time- because they space out the obstacles. You could simulate what you will experience on race day by doing the circuit listed below. You could do something like this on 2-3 days each week. If you want to get even better results, you could do more specialized training on 2-3 other days- although that’s not required for recreational racers.

However you approach your training, try to gradually increase the duration and intensity of your workouts until you are about one week out from your event. The week before your race you actually want to cut back on your training, so that you are fresh going into race day.

A Sample Workout to Train for An Obstacle Course Race

Warm-up for 5-10 minutes before you begin, and cool down and stretch for 5-10 minutes after you finish. In between, try to complete this circuit at least 2-3 times, with as little rest along the way as possible.

• 30-60 seconds of running/walking
• 30 seconds of push-ups (easier) or dumbbell/barbell bench press (harder)
• 30-60 seconds of running/walking
• 30 seconds of air squats (easier) or barbell squats (harder)
• 30-60 seconds of running/walking
• 30 seconds of resistance band rows (easier) or pull-ups (harder)
• 30-60 seconds of running/walking
• 30 seconds of holding an ab plank or side plank

If the above workout is too challenging, then run/walk slower, use easier strength training movements, decrease the duration of the intervals, or decrease the number of times you complete the circuit. If the above workout is too easy, then run faster, use harder or more complex strength training movements, increase the duration of the intervals, or increase the number of times you complete the circuit.

You could do some iteration of this workout at a gym or at an outdoor location. Training at a gym allows you to use more strength training equipment. Training outside allows you to train on terrain that is closer to what you’ll experience on race day. Your best bet is to train at a variety of locations. This will also add more variety to your workout routine.

Regardless of your fitness level or the distance/difficulty of your event, make sure you do some trail runs in the woods before your event though. Running in dirt, up hills, around rocks, etc. is different and much harder than running on a track or a paved road.  It’s also a lot more fun.

Note: If you want a more detailed training plan, here is a sample 30-day program from Spartan Race: https://www.mudandadventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Spartan-Race-Couch-to-Sprint_Plan.pdf.

What should you wear for an obstacle course race (OCR)?

Check the forecast in advance because temperature and weather conditions make a big difference. Avoid cotton and any clothing that will get heavy when you are muddy and/or wet. Men typically wear tight-fitting Under Armour tops (or go shirtless, if weather permits) and wear shorts/tights that won’t be too heavy when wet. Females typically wear sports bras or long-sleeve spandex tops and shorts/tights.

If you plan to do a lot of these races (or if you want to do one competitively), trail running shoes are definitely a good investment. You can get a great pair for $75-$150. As an example, I wear the Inov8 trail running shoes. You can get by in sneakers, but your traction and grip will definitely suffer and put you at a competitive disadvantage.

Most races have a shower area (i.e. hoses) for after the race and separate changing areas for men and women. Bring a towel and dry clothes for after the race, plus a garbage bag or laundry bag for your dirty/wet clothes.

If you hose your sneakers/clothes down after the race and wash them right when you get home, they will basically be fine. Wearing dark colors is best though. Not sure what I was thinking, but I wore white compression shorts under my shorts at one of my first mud runs. No matter how many times I washed them after the race, they were never white again.

Gloves are not recommended for warm-weather OCR events because they will be slippery when muddy and wet. Bare hands are best. However, gloves can be useful for keeping your hands warm if you are doing a cold-weather OCR.

Whatever you decide to wear, make sure that you have trained in it before your race. You never want to try something new (i.e. new sneakers, a new sports bra, new running shorts, etc.) on race day.

What should you eat and drink before, during, after the race?

Eat a good meal 2-3 hours before the race with some lean protein and complex carbs. An omelette plus oatmeal and fresh fruit is my go-to pre-race meal. Make sure to drink a lot of water in the morning before the race too. Whatever you choose to eat, the same rule applies as for your clothing: no surprises on race-day. Stick to foods that you are used to eating, preferably foods that are not fried or heavily processed. In the mood for a doughnut on race day? Save it for after the race.

As for during your race, it depends on the distance and difficulty of the event. The longer and tougher your race will be, the more diligent you need to be about your fueling and hydration strategy. Regardless of your event, check in advance to see if they will provide fuel and hydration along the course. Virtually all races have water stops. OCR events that are longer than 5 miles usually also provide fuel (such as bananas or protein bars) along the course. If necessary, however, you could wear a small hydration pack during your race to store some light snacks or water.

After the race, drink plenty of water, and stretch your entire body. This will help reduce or prevent soreness in the days to follow. It’s also a good idea to consume at least 20-30 grams of quality protein and some carbs too (i.e. fresh fruit). Most races have food and drinks (including beer) for sale after the race. Personally, I never drink alcohol after any type of workout (it will dehydrate you further), but it’s obviously up to you if you want to celebrate your finish with an adult beverage!

P.S. If you enjoyed this article, you can share it by clicking one of the social media icons on this page. 

About the author: Pete Leibman is the Creator of StrongerHabits.com. He is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, executive recruiter, athlete, and peak performance coach. His work has been featured on Fox News, CBS Radio, and CNNMoney.com, and over 500,000 people across the world have read his articles.