If you are into Obstacle Course Racing you probably think a lot about the big aspects: training, nutrition, technique, gear etc. But there are also smaller easy to implement daily habits that you can easily incorporate into your day to day life and that will make you better at OCR in no time.
Daily Habit #1: Go out and move
A lot of articles on Mud Run Guide talk about the most important aspects of strength training and running. But what you do outside training hours matters at least as much as training itself. Studies have shown that one hour of training does not outweigh the damage of a sedentary lifestyle. Or a bit more clearly: sitting is the new smoking.
So try to move as much as possible. For example, you could cycle or walk to work instead of driving (cardio training) or taking the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator (incline training). You could go grocery shopping and carry them back home. (Sandbag carry training). When you are sitting down at home or at work, try to get up and move as much as possible. If you can spend a little bit of money you could even buy a standing desk or even a treadmill desk.
Daily habits like these work your body when you are not training and do not mean a lot off additional time invested.
Daily Habit #2: Get up early
Getting up early is really really hard. But it is also worth it. You can get your early bird workout in, that you never have time for in the evenings. You could get housework, paperwork or normal work done, having more time in the evenings. Or just watch the sunrise.
Becoming a morning person will not only make you more productive. It will also teach your mind and body to get up early and kick ass on race day.
If you are struggling to make getting up in the morning one of your daily habits try these 5 tips on how to become a morning person.
Daily Habit #3: Take daily cold showers
Cold showers have a lot of benefits. They train your immune system, give you great skin, and wake you up in the morning. But the most important thing: cold showers can help to adapt your body for cold water obstacles. And they can help your mind deal with the cold water shock. Of course, a cold shower is not the same as a cold dip in a lake, it is still a good daily habit.
Daily Habit #4: Stop complaining
We are all guilty of complaining a lot these days. That the weather is too hot, too cold, or too rainy (in case you are British). Complaining about the traffic, that pollution, the bad coffee or the bad tea (yes, the Brits). But the truth is: complaining will not help you at all. If you can change something about the situation, do it. If not, stop complaining. Be grateful instead. For example, you could be grateful to be healthy and alive, to even own a car, to taste coffee and tea, or even to be able to read this article now. (Yes, big parts of the world's population are illiterate and don't have internet)
And next time you complain about all the mud at an obstacle race, remember that you signed up and paid for it.
Daily Habit #5: Face your fears and become comfortable with the uncomfortable
For a lot of people, their first mud run is about facing your fears. And they overcame their fears of heights, fear of cold, fear of failure. But just as OCR can make us better in real life, real life can make us better at OCR. Go out there and do things that you would normally not do. Talk to strangers if you are an introvert. Give that talk if you are afraid of speaking in public. Try that sport you never dared to try. Climb that stupid mountain, if you are afraid of heights, and enjoy the view. And you will see that this will make you a better person on and off the course.
Great article!
Great article! Thanks for encouraging us to push ourselves 🙂 The morning person part is the hardest for me, but I’ll get there someday!