Middle of the Pack

Gone are the days of the Spartan burpees?   With the news of the change to Age Group and Elite Spartan Races, Megan and Brian called an SOS; Save Our Sport!   Middle of the Pack jumped on IG Live to chat with the community about our reactions, our thoughts, and our concerns for the sport. What does this news mean for the future of Obstacle Course Racing??   Tune in for our first LIVE, unedited Middle of the Pack Podcast. Stay tuned. More live episodes coming soon!   www.instagram.com/middleofthepackpod

Obstacle Course Racing World Championships is the premier event in OCR every year. This year, OCRWC definitely did NOT disappoint!   Join MeggieBATC and Lynch_BMX_OCR as they recap all of the fun that was OCRWC 2022 in Stratton, Vermont.   Warning! This episode is not for the faint of heart. You know what you're signing up for when you sign up to race at OCRWC; you know what you're getting into when you start a Middle of the Pack episode. We love this sport, we love this community, and we want to see every athlete continue to grow and thrive within the realms of Obstacle Course Racing.

Walking away from an Ultra with a DNF can weigh heavily on an athlete. Regardless of if the DNF was due to mental or physical issues, leaving without a buckle can either drag you down or it can light a fire under you to come back stronger.  For Matthew Latawiec, his 2021 Killington Ultra DNF was a daily motivation to return to Vermont with a mission. In today's Middle of the Pack Podcast, Matthew tells his story of battling back from an achilles tear, an ATV accident weeks before Killington, and ultimately a DNF to come back to the {Ultra} Beast of the East with one goal; to burn his 2021 Ultra Pinnie after jumping over that Killington Fire. Make sure to like, subscribe and rate MOTP on your podcast app! And definitely add Muddy Buffalo to your 2023 OCR Calendar.

What Happened with Battle of the Lions? Are Laches here for good? How did the "No Swim at Killington" rumor get started?!?   Join The OCR Trainer and @Lynch_BMX_OCR for a recap on what's been going on in the sport of OCR and their prediction on what more is to come.   Don't forget to join in on the conversation! Join the Middle of the Pack Discord server and share your input with us on Facebook and Instagram! This is a podcast for the Middle of the Pack, by the Middle of the Pack.

Is this goodbye to Indian Mud Run?! With 106 obstacles over a "10k", The 10th Anniversary of Indian Mud Run rejuvenated our souls and reminded the OCR community exactly of what we love most about this sport; the people. We left our blood, sweat, and tears out along the trails of Coshocton for arguable the most difficult obstacle course race in North America, and we sent this beloved race brand out in style. Nobody can truly describe Indian Mud Run with justice, but we do our best to pay homage to such an incredible race. So what's next for the Coshocton Obstacle Course Race? We give our opinions and our feedback on what we hope to see in future races in Coshocton, Ohio. *There were technical difficulties with sound during recording. Please forgive the choppiness in some volume changes.* Want to join the Middle of the Pack? Join our Discord server to give your insight and feedback for future episodes! https://discord.gg/FrpNGgMBCS

You ever do a big race and you still feel the mental wear and tear linger for a couple days after? The racing hangover is real, and no we aren't talking about partying too much after a race. The race hangover that lingers on your mind, and makes you ponder where and how things could have gone better. This week Charles and Megan discuss their recent ultras and how the fallout from the race has affected them in different ways and give advice on how other racers can learn to move on from their races.

If you are involved in a race design and build, should you be allowed to race competitively?? This week on Middle of the Pack Podcast, Megan and Corey sit down to discuss all the grey areas between helping on race build and actively competing, and how the sport as a whole can set definitive guidelines on maintaining fairness across the competitive playing field. This is definitely one topic that is meant to spark debate.  This episode is one of our toughest topics to date! Give it a listen and let us know your thoughts. Should competitive racers be allowed to help on course design AND collect podium awards??

You can run a 5k with obstacles, you can run a half marathon with obstacles, but can you withstand a FULL DAY of running with obstacles?! In the world of obstacle course racing, ultra racing is NEXT LEVEL! It is more than just how fast can you run, but more of how long will your mind and your body allow you to run. This week Charles and Megan go over their mental prep for their upcoming ultras and from their previous ultras.

The title of Pro is thrown around a lot in our sport. But what really makes  a pro obstacle course racer a pro? Is it merely running in the pro wave? Holding an elite qualification? Or collecting a paycheck? Is it time for OCR to have a pro qualification that keeps racers from cherry picking their races for the easiest podium? We discuss these topics and more with aspiring pro obstacle course racer, Miranda Kielpinski.

Obstacle course racing is a sport that requires mastering more than one specialty, how do you find what you're good at? How do you make sure you're using your specialty to your advantage? Do you run specific races? Train overtime to fill in the gaps? This week we breakdown how you can make the most out of what you are good at in obstacle racing!

Traveling to all of our races and trying to save money can be tricky. What's the proper etiquette for staying at a group house? What about bringing food to said house? Can I sleep on the couch or the floor? Should you pay for gas when carpooling? In this episode we bring you the best tips and tricks from us and the community for traveling to races.

Still riding that high of being at OCRWC? So are we! The Pack is here to unpack everything they experienced at OCRWC 2021. We discuss what we liked and didn't like about obstacles, changes, formats, and everything in between that we could remember. This is a relaxed episode and if you want to contribute, shoot us a comment or DM on our socials and we will share your thoughts!

The Middle of the Pack Guide to OCRWC and Spartan Tahoe - North American Championship. First time to Stratton or Tahoe? We have the tips and tricks for you to get through the championship event of your choice. Whether you are looking for an idea of what terrain you'll be facing, or ideas of what to do at the venue, the pack has you covered.

An ultra is not solely a physical grind, it takes mental grit and fortitude. When an ultra doesn't go according to plan, will you have the ability to take the DNF in stride? This week on Middle of the Pack podcast, we hear four perspectives of Ultra Racers. We hear about the struggle. We hear about the resiliency. We hear about the fight. And we hear about ultimate decision of pushing forward vs calling it a day (and cutting course!?!). This episode features an exclusive expose of a racer looking to come clean and owning their mistakes.  Give it a listen and learn the lessons of an Ultra DNF. This is one episode you don't want to miss!

We are back with the "Middle of the Pack Survival Guide for all things Killington!" We are giving you the best tips on how to get through the beast and ultra beast based on our experiences with the two formats on the infamous course that is Killington.

Most of us know all the rules of OCR when it comes to the races we run. But what about those rules that we feel like everyone should know? The "unwritten rules" of OCR. Should Ultras be allowed first dibs at an obstacle? What about helping someone over or through an obstacle? Should we encourage the other competition in the competitive waves? We discuss these topics and much more on this weeks episode featuring guest host Jacob Bosecker of The Super Cast podcast!

Obstacle innovation has always been the focus of OCR each season. We push race companies to create new and shiny obstacles to test our abilities. But when do obstacles become too hard? Are the constant push for new obstacles causing a rift between racers and genders? Should all carry and hoist weights be standardized? We discuss all these questions and more on this weeks episode!

We are back with another episode, our schedules are a little crazy so as we go through life we will try to get episodes out when we can. We start our discussion this week by going over how our race went at Savage Maryland before we deep dive into the topic of Tapering. How do you taper and prep for a race? Do you race simulate? Rest? Stretch? Or do you have a program that pulls back your effort with being completely stagnant? We discuss all of this and more on this week's episode.

OCR is a sport that pushes us to our limits and breaking points. What makes us sign up for these races? What gets us over the finish line? Everyone has a "Why" for these races. We are highlighting stories from the community for why we race. So we are asking you, What's your Why?

Hey Pack, we took some time off to work and prep for this episode and we have a very special one for y'all. This week we are putting together the perfect OCR schedule. With the help of Russ from OCR Buddy, we reached out to small and local races to talk to them about their races and why they should be on people's race schedule. Definitely check out all of the races we mention in this episode, and also check out the app OCR Buddy and listen for a special discount!

How important is the Age Group Division to the sport of OCR? The last couple of weeks we have witnessed drama within the sport surrounding the age group division and those who believe it isn't necessary or want to under sell the importance of it. We are here to speak on the recent events and address our own beliefs about the division, while also including the insight of fellow racers in the age group division and in the elite and pro rankings.   Special Thanks to: Matthew Droll, Kelly Sullivan, Cassandra and Matt Carroll, Adam Ribeiro, and FIT Challenge Race Director Robb McCoy.

Have you ever thought about creating your own obstacles for at-home training? What goes into the creation and the build of home training courses? All your answers are about to be solved! We are focusing on all things Backyard OCR and In-Home OCR Training. We discuss the planning and the creation of home rigs, course design, and the safety measures required to design your dream home training course. Special shout out to Aaron of Race Ready Obstacles and Lynn of BoldrDash for joining us to talk about everything you need to know when diving into home OCR training. Race Ready Obstacles BoldrDash Race

When it comes to tackling race season what do you make sure is in your OCR Toolbox? Did you bring the proper gear? How should you decide on nutrition? Is my training plan really the best for this season? We talk about these topics and more as we help you decide what should be in your toolbox.

What does running your own race mean? It is a broad statement that doesn't truly apply to all aspects of obstacle course racing. So when does it apply? Is it okay to make and follow your own rules? We tell some stories from the past of racers who have been a poor example for the OCR community to help define what "Run Your Own Race" means in OCR and what integrity really looks like in the sport.

How do you manage friendships with a hobby as time consuming as OCR? Between the training and the racing, there isn't much time to see family and friends. How can you get them active in the sport you love so much? But also, how do you make friends in OCR? Using our own stories and insights from the OCR community we address these questions and more on this episode!

Without volunteers water stations would be empty, obstacles would be unsupervised, and racers wouldn't be adorned with precious finisher medals. Today we talk about the lifeblood of OCR, Volunteers. We discuss the benefits, downfalls, improvements, and most importantly we share the stories of volunteers that have made an impact on the OCR community.

At the beginning of every season we see the surge of ambassadorships being announced, so why haven't you snagged one? We discuss the ins and outs of getting an ambassadorship with hopes to help you land your next one.  Special Thanks to Julie Wolff for her insight you can follow her on Instagram @jules_ocraddix and at phoenixraceocr.com

Let's dive deep into one of the hottest debates in the sport of Obstacle Course Racing. Today, we're talking about Bands Over Burpees: Mandatory Obstacle Completion, Burpees Penalties, and the different race brand formats.

Once upon a time, three obstacle course racing enthusiasts and friends decided to start a podcast. We don't care enough about what's going on at the top level of the sport, we care more about the lifestyle and community of OCR. Welcome to our Pack.