As summer winds down, so too does most of our race seasons. Sure there are some fantastic, bucket-list type OCR races during the winter months (there are still a few left of our best 2019 OCR races here). But that doesn’t mean we need to lose our motivation or focus on training because 2020 promises to be a fantastic year for OCR. Below are our 5 Best Offseason Tips for OCR.
One: Keeping up with the Cardio
It’s easy to get into a routine of some winter lifting, and not get in much more cardio than a warmup mile or two at the gym. Don’t be that person! Part of the spirit of OCR is being able to go out in the elements and keep moving. Leave your watch at home, don’t worry about tracking your miles, and just go. This is one of the most important of the 5 best offseason tips for OCR.
Two: Getting a Grip
The biggest thing I took away from my first OCR season was that my grip strength is lacking. Those grip obstacles that were so easy in June are now way more difficult. The best thing to do is to dedicate extra time toward heavy lifting during the winter. Heavy carries and pull-type exercises are must-add workouts during the off months.
- Try this: get a grip strength trainer on Amazon and improve your grip while you work, drive, or watch TV.
Three: Finding your Accountabilibuddy
I can’t remember where I heard that term, but it fits perfectly with what you need to do to stay motivated during OCR offseason. Whether it’s an OCR team, or just a friend who wants to stay fit during the winter, tell them your goals for the offseason and what you hope to do to stay fit. Make sure you check in with each other and don’t let the other forget why they are staying motivated.
Four: Plan your 2020 OCR Races
Look ahead, set some targets and goals, make a new tab on that spreadsheet, and start saving your Christmas money! A great way to stay motivated is by making a list of more races than you can realistically expect to go to, and start identifying those best 2020 OCR races. Draw a big circle around your house on a map and find every race within 100 miles. Then target some races that might require some travel, and come up with a plan. You don’t have to buy your season passes, but just know when and where your races could be and you’ll keep motivated to stay fit.
Five: Staying Locked in to the Sport
It’s easy to forget about OCR during the winter when friends aren’t posting race pics as frequently, or our race calendar starts looking bare. Listen to podcasts (our favorite is Obstacle Dominator), watch highlight videos of some of the OCR Championship races, and stay on top of any news from the OCR world. Most of the best racers have incredible social media pages, and will give you OCR Wanderlust from all around the world.
