A few weeks ago we covered Five Things you Need to Know for Enduro: Travel. Now that your travel plans are set, it is time to focus on your reason for the trip: Racing the Enduro. This topic is much larger than a single article, in fact it is so big, I wrote a book about it “Mud Run Guide’s Ultra-OCR Bible”, the only book focused on endurance Obstacle Course Racing. However, I’m going to try to consolidate this down to the couple of key points that make this race unique.
Pit Setup and Crew
Unlike some other major endurance OCRs, you don’t need to get there at opening to get a prime pit spot. Enduro has the course run through the pit, which means there are a ton of first row spots. This not only makes the event more fair for the competition, but also more fun because you can see athletes weave through the pit getting ready to go back out for their next lap. So show up with time to set up your pit and get yourself ready, but you don’t need to be first in line.
World Championship Feel Down Under
The North American OCR Championships and the OCR World Championships have a unique feel that is hard to explain to those that haven’t been there. Assembling large groups of obsessive athletes all in one place for the weekend brings out energy in everyone that is hard to describe, but it is magical. Lots of great people combined with a stellar athlete experience with things like customized athlete credentials, finisher medals and belt buckles for mileage achievements make this an event like none other. Adventurey has always been known for their #athletesfirst approach to race organization and this event is no different.
Multiple Race Options
Traveling a long way can be stressful, especially with expectations you are putting on yourself to perform well. If you are worried about the jet lag or just want to have a little more fun, I highly encourage grabbing three friends and doing the team relay option. You can still run competitively going for a personal best but running with friends and not having to stay awake all 24 hours might make this a better option. Plus, if your training doesn’t go perfectly this year, the rest breaks between laps make this a good alternative.
Camaraderie
Endurance competitions create a special bond between athletes unlike other events. At the OCR World Championships, Jon Albon will finish with a time under two hours, meanwhile the last official finisher has a time of over 3x as long. At the OCR Enduro World Championships the person who finishes first and the last finisher across the line after 24 hours have spent the same amount of time on the course. Even though their mileages are different, there is a bond of shared suffering out on the course you don’t get at other events. Combine this shared hardship with the race experience delivered by Adventurey and it truly takes things to another level.
Obstacles
Let’s be real for a second. The obstacles are what makes OCR fun and Enduro World Championships has a bit of everything. Walls, law crawls, rigs, A-frame cargo nets, warped wall, slip walls, Tyrolean traverse, tires, drags, carries, monkey bars, rope climb, inverted walls and more awaits you. And if the weather is right, add in a mud mile…like a legitimate one-mile of knee to chest deep water you have to cross, and it is an experience I’ve never seen anywhere else in OCR. This water movement means you are going to want to come prepared with options for neoprene to stay warm during the event (reminder June in the southern hemisphere is winter). If you can’t do all that for 24 hours, don’t worry you can penalty out of some of the obstacles. Plus, the obstacles are achievable and fun so there will be some athletes that are still doing all the obstacles at 20 hours into the race.
Overall, OCR Enduro World Championships is an epic event that should be near the top of your list this year right up there with the NorAm and the short course OCRWC. If you’re looking to take these on and need more information on race preparation including packing lists, training, obstacle techniques, training plans, nutrition information and interviews with some of the best endurance OCR athletes in the sport, check out my book “Mud Run Guide’s Ultra-OCR Bible”.
Evan Perperis, NSCA-CPT, is an athlete on the Conquer The Gauntlet Pro Team and author of three books on Obstacle Course Racing. Included in his 39 podium finishes is a 2nd place Pro Coed Team at the 2018 North American OCR Championships and 1st Place Team at 2018 World’s Toughest Mudder. Find more of his content at www.teamstrengthspeed.com.
