Normally, we only end up running through mud if it’s at a festival. But this time we’re heading for OCR — Obstacle Course Racing at Reffen. And no, our OCD won’t help us one bit.
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Disclaimer: Apropos Magazine received access or a review copy. As always, we share our own impressions — unfiltered.
Six stars
Nordic Race has been around since 2012 and is Denmark’s biggest OCR organiser. They are serious, thorough and professional in a way we rarely encounter in the music and gaming worlds. Everything has been thought through down to the smallest detail. We’re not entirely sure how much sweat and pain we can personally take, but we have a vague hope that the arena format at Reffen will help a little. The audience will be right up close to the participants at all times — cheering, maybe judging — and that creates an intensity you rarely get in a forest on summer holiday.
Obstacles we’re already afraid of
We’ve looked at the list: Monkey Valley, Pyramid, Power Pulls, High Wall, Irish Table, Hammertime… and all the rest. At first, we honestly thought it was the lineup for next year’s Copenhell. We tried military obstacle courses 25 years ago, crawled through forests 30 years ago. That experience gets us about as far as nothing.
Then we saw photos from previous races: very trained, muscular types struggling with the same obstacles. If they were sweating and groaning, what on earth would we do? It was a little off-putting, but also absurdly motivating — if they could do it, maybe we could too. The completion-rate statistics weren’t there to reassure us, but to remind us that even the strongest people struggle with some of the obstacles.
Still, it helps that the whole thing is only 5 kilometres — in theory. Rumour has it you can also be sent on penalty laps if you don’t dare, and yes, we sincerely hope we won’t be put on the long route.
Training, or something like it
We’ve tried to train a little. Running, strength exercises, a few attempts at pull-ups. Mostly so we can climb the ropes without crying. It doesn’t seem like much, but it’s a place to start. If you want a realistic chance of getting through in one piece, it’s actually a good idea to go for a few runs, work on some core and arm strength, and practise pulling yourself up. There are also beginner heats where you can get help from a coach, so you don’t end up looking like a total loser at the first obstacle. For those who want a bit more, there are also elite heats, where the pace is turned up and everything becomes much more intense.
Togetherness, charity and absurd respect
Nordic Race is more than mud and pain. They focus on community, charity and inclusive experiences — also for people who don’t normally move around OCR courses. We’ll be cheering each other on, laughing a little at ourselves, and hoping — or fearing — that someone films it so we can use it as social proof for our self-confidence later.
This is an experience where people with wildly different backgrounds meet, help each other and cheer each other on. It’s not just a race — it’s a chance to test your limits, physically and mentally, while still having a bit of fun along the way.
Excitement, nerves and anticipation
We’re excited, but nervous. It’s going to be physically tough, the audience will see everything, and we don’t know how many times we’ll think: “What have we gotten ourselves into?” But we also know it will be fun, intense and — all things considered — an experience we won’t forget anytime soon.
Mud, ropes, sweat and a little humiliation are waiting. Our OCD won’t help, but maybe we’ll make it anyway. Our advice to other beginners: train a little beforehand, start on the beginner route with a coach, be prepared to be sent on a few extra laps, and take it all with a strained smile and look forward to the satisfaction afterwards. And for the more hardcore: the elite heat is waiting — if you dare.
We’re taking on the challenge, and we can’t wait to see what we can survive.
