Give Yourself Some Extra Time
Mud Run venues are notoriously crowded; you will likely have to wait a while to park, pick up your race packet and check your gear. Sometimes venues are so ill-equipped to handle the volume of traffic that they receive that people may wait to park for more than an hour. So try to get there two hours early and find ways to get there that don't involve a car. If you have extra time, check out the obstacles you will have to tackle, take a few pictures, and if you're really antsy, you can try to run in an earlier wave.
Warm Your Muscles Up
Yes, a good warm-up can prevent injuries, but did you know that it will enhance performance? If you are running competitively (even against yourself), you must devote 12 minutes or more to getting the blood flowing and opening up the capillaries. It is only after you warm-up for that time period that all of your capillaries will be open and the blood will be moving so that you can run your fastest and give your best effort in the race. So spend some time jogging, and do a few sprints and push-ups.
Choose Wisely At The Start
The starting lines in some races can have upwards of 600 people, and most of them will start out at a faster pace than they can maintain for the whole race. If you are running a race competitively, then work your way to the front and be ready for the quick pace that many will start at but few will continue. If you are hoping for a competitive time, it is helpful to beat the masses to the first obstacle or two, or you might lose some time waiting in line for the initial obstacles.
If completing the course with your fastest time possible is not on your to-do-list for the race, then start towards the back of the starting line and don't try to keep up with the short-lived sprint. If you feel nervous about the course or about the first obstacle, then this game plan is ideal for you because you won't be around the competitive folks when it comes time for you to do the first obstacle. You can feel a little more relaxed knowing that people behind you aren't in a hurry.
You Can Do It
Half of the battle when it comes to many obstacles is the mental blocks that you will encounter. Races don't disclose the specific obstacles on the course, so that you have that "uh oh, I didn't know I was going to have to do that!" feeling when you first spot an obstacle. Our survival instincts kick in and tell us not to get near the fire, get shocked or climb 50 feet up on a tower. All of these intrinsic, natural and healthy fears can trigger that panicked feeling in your gut as you approach an obstacle. But instead of letting yourself wallow in this fear, use the time as you are approaching the obstacle to watch how other people are completing it successfully (or unsuccessfully as the case may be).
Mud Run venues are notoriously crowded; you will likely have to wait a while to park, pick up your race packet and check your gear. Sometimes venues are so ill-equipped to handle the volume of traffic that they receive that people may wait to park for more than an hour. So try to get there two hours early and find ways to get there that don't involve a car. If you have extra time, check out the obstacles you will have to tackle, take a few pictures, and if you're really antsy, you can try to run in an earlier wave.
Warm Your Muscles Up
Yes, a good warm-up can prevent injuries, but did you know that it will enhance performance? If you are running competitively (even against yourself), you must devote 12 minutes or more to getting the blood flowing and opening up the capillaries. It is only after you warm-up for that time period that all of your capillaries will be open and the blood will be moving so that you can run your fastest and give your best effort in the race. So spend some time jogging, and do a few sprints and push-ups.
Choose Wisely At The Start
The starting lines in some races can have upwards of 600 people, and most of them will start out at a faster pace than they can maintain for the whole race. If you are running a race competitively, then work your way to the front and be ready for the quick pace that many will start at but few will continue. If you are hoping for a competitive time, it is helpful to beat the masses to the first obstacle or two, or you might lose some time waiting in line for the initial obstacles.
If completing the course with your fastest time possible is not on your to-do-list for the race, then start towards the back of the starting line and don't try to keep up with the short-lived sprint. If you feel nervous about the course or about the first obstacle, then this game plan is ideal for you because you won't be around the competitive folks when it comes time for you to do the first obstacle. You can feel a little more relaxed knowing that people behind you aren't in a hurry.
You Can Do It
Half of the battle when it comes to many obstacles is the mental blocks that you will encounter. Races don't disclose the specific obstacles on the course, so that you have that "uh oh, I didn't know I was going to have to do that!" feeling when you first spot an obstacle. Our survival instincts kick in and tell us not to get near the fire, get shocked or climb 50 feet up on a tower. All of these intrinsic, natural and healthy fears can trigger that panicked feeling in your gut as you approach an obstacle. But instead of letting yourself wallow in this fear, use the time as you are approaching the obstacle to watch how other people are completing it successfully (or unsuccessfully as the case may be).
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Want to hear even more strategies to prepare you excel at an obstacle course race? Visit this site for even more Mud Run Tips. You can also visit the Mud Running Calendar at this link.
