Top 5 OCR Races in 2019
I have always had a passion for fitness; however, it usually found its way back to the roads, my feet pounding the pavement again and again in a constant cadence many of you are so familiar with. I would listen to YouTube, podcasts, or audio books about motivation, marketing, or advertising as I made my way down the twisty side roads of Western New York. The road was always forgiving, always there for you when you wanted to blow off some steam, clear your head, or reinforce that thought you had. I was a roadrunner.
Tim Ostrander and Scott Sauer introduced me to trail running at Chestnut Ridge park just outside of Buffalo New York and I was immediately hooked. There is something to say about the mental sharpness required to navigate the rugged trails of the ridge. I didn’t know the trails at all and to this day I still get lost on those trails. Your cadence changes, your pace gets slower because you no longer have a clear path in front of you, and you have to think about every step that you take or you will fall on your face. I was now a trail runner.
For a while I used to see ad’s on social media about these races where you ran through these courses filled with obstacles and mud and thought, now that’s bad ass. It took many years daydreaming about actually doing one until I met John Orefice and Joseph Bow of the Muddy Buffalo. At the time they were planning their 1st race Rally at Three Valley at Three Valley Camp Grounds and needed a marketing guy … I immediately offered my discounted services in exchange for race registrations.
I quickly learned about the training that went into preparing for these races and immediately found myself signed up for a Spartan Sprint at Greek Peak. I had no idea what passion I would spark for this sport.
In preparing for a winter obstacle course race I found myself outside working out in single digit weather with Joseph Bow and other OCR enthusiasts I met from a local group called #onebuffaloocr look them up on Facebook. The workouts included bucket carries, log carries, tire flips, rope climbs, trail runs, and don’t forget the burpees. Anyone in this sport has a love hate relationship with burpees.
My first step into the corral at Spartans Greek Peak I had only a sliver of an idea what was coming next, by the way it was -10 or so on top of the hill. It was so cold but the adrenaline that pumped through my veins warmed me from the inside out, I was ready. After a few inspirational words I was off … I didn’t do very good. I failed more than half of the obstacles but I did my burpees. As I crossed the finish line, I knew this sport would change my life in one way or another. I was an OCR racer.
Since my first OCR I have done Bonefrog, Spartan, Tough Mudder, Shale Hill, multiple road/trail races, and of course Rally at Three Valley and the Muddy Buffalo. I am hooked and love this sport and look forward to competing in many more races. Here are the 5 races that I would recommend to anyone in the Northeast to compete. I may not be able to do all of them but one can dream right?
- The Muddy Buffalo – August 24th Colden NY www.muddybuffalo.com
This is a MUST race of 2019 for anyone in the Northeast! They have a 5 Mile course crammed with approximately 30 natural and man-made obstacles! Elite and non-elite waves are available. The race is at the Buffalo ski club, so expect many elevation changes. Some obstacles you will see are rope climb, repelling, wall climbs, low crawl, weighted carry, more wall climbs and much more.
2. Indian Mud Run – June 22nd Coshocton OH www.indianmudrun.com
The Indian Mud Run is a competitive OCR race covering over 6 miles of rolling hills, steep elevations, mud, canals and natural rock formations. This course will challenge you with over 50 obstacles, both man-made and natural.
3. Newbsanity Ultra – August 17th Binghamton NY www.nubsanity.com
This 8-hour event will take place on both the Newbsanity Mud Gauntlet course and the Newbsanity Extreme Ravine course. Athletes will have 4 hours on each course to complete as many laps as possible, with a one-hour break between each course section. They also have other events throughout the summer.
4. Barber Beast – September 9th Erie PA www.barberbeast.org
The 7th annual Barber Beast on the Bay is set for Saturday, September 7, 2019, at Presque Isle State Park in Erie, PA. Participants will take on 10 miles of sand, water, and trails – it’s the nature of the Beast! They wave over 30 obstacles through the isle and looks like a blast!
5. Spartan’s Greek Peak Sprint and Hurricane Heat – March 9th Cortland NY www.spartanrace.com
Sprint – The very race that cut my gums is the entry level Sprint and they also have a Hurricane Heat. The Sprint is Spartans shortest distance race, but it’s still a favorite among both new and returning racers. It’s the perfect distance for those looking to start their Spartan journey. The Sprint also allows returning racers a manageable distance to see how far they can push themselves. Delivering 20 obstacles over 3+ miles.
HH12HR – The HH12HR finds a balance between team building and individualism. By utilizing tactics similar to those of the Special Operations groups of various Military Branches the most qualified Spartans will be selected. Those who are selected and are capable of getting their squadron across the elusive finish will have earned their place among the few. Only 40% of those who sign up for a HH12HR finish, will you be one of them? Must be 18 or older to participate.
Yes, this list is biased towards the Northeast but it is an amazing list of races not to miss in 2019. If you want to see how hard you can push yourself physically the Nubsanity and the Hurricane Heat at Greek Peak will challenge you. If you are new and looking for something easier Spartans Sprint at Greek peak is for you… but if you are looking for all around challenging races that are not too crazy to attempt then go for the Muddy Buffalo, Indian Mud Run, or Barber Beast.
I do want to note that this is my opinion … there are other great races such as Tough Mudder, Noram, Savage, Black Swamp, Bonefrog (done multiple times), Viking, and others that are great and I indend on being a registrant for in the near future. The opinions on these races are gathered from my experience and conversations with others whom have expressed to me these are the top 5 in 2019.
