Things I wish I knew before my 1st OBSTACLE COURSE RACE - Mark Lewis

Aug 13, 2025

Intro

This is a quick summary of “Things I wish I knew before my 1st OBSTACLE COURSE RACE” from Mark Lewis. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the tips today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points

Grip matters, but it’s not the whole race – focus on hand‑tolerance and quick‑grab drills rather than just pull‑ups. Use varied grip surfaces (park‑swing bars, climbing holds) to mimic obstacle bars.
Learn the three high‑frequency Spartan skills: rope climb (use a j‑hook/s‑hook foot lock), spear throw (practice with a homemade spear), and rope traverse (practice top‑down technique). Mastering them saves seconds and avoids penalties.
Running is the core – a 5 km sprint can feel like 10 km because of stop‑start obstacles and uneven terrain. Train off‑road and practice “stop‑and‑go” intervals.
Shoes and gear – trail‑style shoes with good grip, gaiters to keep debris out, and a minimal water pack (only for long events). Test everything in training.
Mental toughness – treat each obstacle as a mental break. Keep moving forward, even when you’re exhausted.

Workout Example (Adaptable to Your Pace)

Weekly OCR Prep (30‑45 min sessions)

Grip/Hand Warm‑up (5 min) – Hang on a pull‑up bar, grab‑release on different grips (3 × 30 sec). Add hanging leg‑raises (2 × 10) to practice half‑pulls.
Skill Circuit (15 min) – 3 rounds with 30 sec each, 30 sec rest:
- Rope‑climb j‑hook practice (or use a sturdy rope).
- Spear‑throw practice: 10 throws with a homemade spear, focusing on stance and release.
- Rope‑traverse top‑down: climb over the rope, then walk back down.
Run + Stop‑Start (15 min) – Run 1 km at easy pace, then stop and do 5 burpees or 5 push‑ups. Repeat 4‑5 times, varying the stop‑exercise every km to simulate race‑day stops.
Off‑road Finish (5‑10 min) – Trail run on uneven terrain, focus on quick foot placement and hill repeats (30 sec hard up, 30 sec easy down) for 5‑10 min.
Cool‑down & Hand Care (5 min) – Light stretching, then use a sanding device or a pumice stone to smooth calluses, finish with moisturizer.

Adjust distances, reps, or time to match your current fitness level. Use the Pacing app to set your run pace and interval timers.

Closing Note

Give these tips a try in your next training week, tweak the paces to fit your own speed in the Pacing app, and watch how much smoother your first OCR will feel. Good luck, and have fun crushing those obstacles! 🚀