What is OCR?.
What is Obstacle Course Racing?
The Obstacle Course Racing Association of Ireland (OCRA ÉIREANN) supports the development and promotion of obstacle sport across Ireland.
Obstacle Course Racing, commonly known as OCR, is a sport that combines running with a variety of physical and technical obstacles.
Depending on the event and race format, athletes may be required to run, climb, carry, crawl, balance, jump, swing, traverse or negotiate purpose-built obstacles as they progress through a course.
OCR can test a combination of:
- Running speed and endurance
- Grip strength
- Upper-body strength
- Balance and coordination
- Agility
- Technique
- Problem solving
- Mental resilience
One of the things that makes obstacle racing different from many traditional sports is the variety involved. Two courses can test very different skills, and being the fastest runner does not necessarily mean being the fastest obstacle racer.
OCR is for Everyone
Obstacle racing is not only an elite sport.
Events range from accessible recreational races designed around participation and enjoyment to highly competitive national and international competitions.
People come into OCR from many different backgrounds, including running, athletics, climbing, gymnastics, functional fitness, strength sports and other disciplines. Many people also begin OCR without having previously competed in any organised sport.
There are opportunities for children, teenagers, adults, age-group athletes, elite competitors and adaptive athletes.
You do not need to be able to complete every obstacle before getting involved. Like any sport, obstacle skills can be learned and developed through training.
Competitive OCR
Competitive obstacle sport can take several different forms. Depending on the competition, these may include:
Short-Format Racing
Fast obstacle races designed to test speed, explosive movement and technical obstacle ability.
Formats such as 100 metre and 400 metre obstacle racing place athletes on compact courses where small mistakes can make a significant difference.
Short Course
A race combining running with multiple obstacles over a shorter endurance distance.
Short Course competitions typically place greater emphasis on the combination of running speed, obstacle efficiency and endurance.
Standard Course
Longer obstacle races requiring athletes to combine endurance with the ability to successfully negotiate obstacles throughout the course.
Team and Relay Events
Athletes can also compete as part of teams or relay formats, with the exact format depending on the competition.
Recreational and Endurance OCR
Many obstacle races are designed primarily around participation, personal challenge and community rather than championship competition.
These events can range from relatively short introductory races to demanding endurance events covering considerable distances and terrain.
Obstacles
Obstacle design varies between events, but common challenges can include:
- Hanging and traversing obstacles
- Monkey bars and rigs
- Walls
- Rope climbs
- Balance obstacles
- Crawls
- Carries
- Technical grip obstacles
- Over, under and through obstacles
Competitive events may have specific rules governing how an obstacle must be attempted or completed.
Getting Started
There are several ways to get involved in OCR through OCRA and the wider Irish obstacle racing community.
You can:
- Find an OCR club or training facility
- Attend an obstacle training session
- Enter a recreational OCR event
- Join OCRA
- Take part in competitive events
- Train towards national or international competition
- Become a coach, Technical Official or volunteer
You do not need to begin with competition. For many people, the best introduction is simply finding a local OCR community and trying the sport.