Community.
More than racing
Obstacle racing has always been built around community. People arrive because they want to race, get fitter or learn something new. Most of the ones who stay do so because of the friendships, clubs, training groups and shared misery of a wet Saturday morning.
Who is in it
Recreational, competitive and elite athletes. Age Group, youth and adaptive athletes. Clubs and training groups. Coaches, Technical Officials, race organisers and volunteers. Gyms and training facilities. And the families who stand in fields holding coats.
Every one of those is load-bearing. The sport does not run without the last three.
Ways in
Join a club or find somewhere to train. Enter your first event. Volunteer. Become a coach or a Technical Official. Start a club. Join OCRA.
Everyone had a first race
Every experienced OCR athlete was once standing at a start line with no idea what they were doing.
You do not need to be an elite athlete, complete every obstacle, or arrive with years of training behind you. There should be room in this sport both for people chasing a podium and for people who just enjoy the training and the company — and where there is not, that is worth telling us about.
Clubs are the foundation
Local clubs and training groups are what make a sport sustainable. They give people a reason to train between race weekends, somewhere to learn from people further along, and a way to be involved beyond entering events.
OCRA wants stronger links between clubs around the country, and to help new ones start where OCR has not reached yet.
Events bring it together
Independent race organisers introduce thousands of people to obstacle racing every year across a range of formats — see the events calendar for who is running what.
OCRA works with those organisers while developing national competition, qualification and athlete pathways.
Volunteers
Obstacle sport runs on volunteers. They support competitions, clubs, community activity, technical operations, athlete services, event delivery and OCRA programmes.
Volunteering is also how a lot of people find their way into coaching, officiating and event organisation. Volunteer with OCRA covers what is involved.
Keep up with it
OCRA shares events, club news, Team Ireland updates, athlete achievements, coaching and officiating opportunities, and developments in the sport through the website and: