Tao of Obstacle Racing

In the week leading up to the 24-hour 2013 World's Toughest Mudder, I remembered the quote above from Bruce Lee: "Be like water." It resonated. With just days to go before the race, Tough Mudder announced fairly dramatic changes to the course -- the 2013 version of WTM would feature a 5-mile course instead of the previous 10-mile course. It also wouldn't feature long, cold swims as an obstacle; competitors had a chance to stay "relatively dry," provided they completed each obstacle perfectly.

These changes caused strong reactions on messageboards. Many complained, saying the course would resemble a Warrior Dash, that the 5-mile course would make it easier. Others wondered how the focus on making the race obstacle-heavy would play out. I thought of Lee's quote.
For obstacle racers, many things are out of our control. We don't get to dictate a course; we don't pick and choose obstacles. We can just train to the best of our abilities and prepare to deal with whatever is thrown as us. By nature, we need to be able to adapt. To be like water. (I'll talk about the 2013 World's Toughest Mudder in another post.)

In many ways, this extends to the act of obstacle racing in general. In each race we need to be able to adapt, to handle both expected and unexpected challenges. Whether we're confronted by obstacles that take us out of our comfort zone, or terrain that is exceptionally challenging, we need to be able to roll with the situation and adapt, rather than be broken down by preconceived expectations or fears.

So when it came time to start this blog and I needed a name, it seemed like the Tao of Obstacle Racing fit. It's a nod to Lee and his famous book (Tao of Jeet Kune Do), his focus and work ethic, his approach to his craft, and, let's face it, his really awesome way of kicking ass. This certainly isn't meant as The Way of obstacle racing. Obstacle racing and training is a highly individual thing. There is no one fit; different things work for different people. Which, in a way, also makes Lee appropriate here, as he viewed Jeet Kune Do as a shapeless, formless craft, adaptable to different challenges.

On this blog, I'll chronicle my own experiences with obstacle racing and training. I'll give thoughts on techniques, training, nutrition and various preparation. Or it may evolve in a completely different direction . . . like water.