OCD FOR OCR

This amazing race/event was held at the Old Hill Golf Course, in Coshocton, Ohio. It was surreal overlooking the course from the old clubhouse first thing in the AM and seeing some of the obstacles and knowing one of (if not the best) the best OCR courses was hidden in the woods! The venue is vastly scenic with postcard views at almost every turn. The temperatures started in the mid 60’s and climbed towards 70 degrees throughout the day.

• Registration and Festival:

Registration was breezy in the clubhouse, whether you did packet pick up the eve before or at the event. Indian Mud run offers a next level 6.6-mile epic obstacle course, a challenging 5k obstacle course, a team format a legit affordable kid’s course (12 and under), and for the exceptionally determined, a 3 loop 18-mile Chiefs Challenge.

IMR has stepped up their festival village game up in the 3 years I’ve come to this event, making it worth hanging out at for 3-4 hours after you finish. Slick raffling from awesome vendors, great food (tacos, grilled chicken, rice and beans), literally the Big Ass Burger and a bucket of fries to name a few menu items, refreshing refreshments (Wooley Pig Brewery and Berserker Brew), the food vendor was Big Bamboo Concessions owned by Hubie’s better looking brother, Dick Cushman.

The village MC, Brian Polen (who was actually the owner of the timing company, IMR used, doing double duty) whom held it down with a light almost family picnic like atmosphere. Fun games , great music, soulful dancing in the sun, bounce castles and plenty of post-race challenges to keep guests and participants entertained. Strong military, and first responder’s presence is always respected and appreciated. First aid, massage and recovery aid available in this village as well.

The Mayor of Coshocton Steve Mercer, top hat and all graced the gauntlet style top of the hill finish line which was cool. This old golf course turned obstacle course is set and designed to be very spectator friendly as there are pathways leading to most obstacles and shuttles running up and down the hill all day. Giving opportunities to see some of the river crossing obstacles which can be viewed at the bottom of the old hill.

• Pre-race MC:

Coach Pain!!! No script here!! He always makes it personal, because to some, such as myself it is! I may be a bit biased, but his words at the 2016 OCRWC in Collingwood, Ontario, Canada during the Journeyman division brought me to tears. I registered OCRWC Journeyman 2017 from my hospital bed. As Coach says, “Respect is given to skin in the game” and the meaning of those words have and still are instrumental in getting me motivated to continue my fitness journey after surgery and qualify age group at this year’s NORAM/OCRWC.

Maybe you don’t need a motivational speech before you run. Maybe you don’t want inspiration before your race. Just be respectful to those who do. Pre-Race MC’s are important to our sport. Coach Pain is genuine and truly cares about people. OCR is of course bigger than any one person, however, let’s do what’s good for the sport and keep the best at their game in it. MC’s, Race Directors, Course designers, athletes, Photos etc. included.

• The Course:

I will start and probably finish by saying this course is world class! I ran the 6.6-mile 72 obstacle course (not a typo). The smooth send-off starts atop the hill and blasts down a plush grass path with tall grass on either side, over a set of knee high hurdles and then a short wall as it hairpins to a 6-feet wall and back towards the start to a gate climb, then 4-feet round hay bales and the frontier power wall (an inverted wall to a straight wall combo) awaited racers to go up and over.

The first quarter mile of this race is guaranteed to have your heart pounding as it then skirts the tree line through a mud pit and over “Tonka logs” (full trees) before disappearing into the single lane forest trails adorned with mature trees in combination with new growth blocked the suns reflection off and on creating a film effect. Underfoot soft soil, rolling rocks, sporadic mud puddles, and enough roots to snatch your soul through your souls make the uneven running, especially technical with all the natural step overs (trees). Balance walk (4×4’s in a Z fashion) was the next obstacle which is fairly straight forward and was placed in a great spot to give confidence before  arriving to dirt cliff, just the start of the climbing on this course.

Once racers reached the top of the climb, the course turned and headed right back down, where a 25-foot “A-frame Cargo Net” was waiting and primed to set racers up for a championship course equivalent funishment! “Oh shit” hill is eloquently named, this course is not at a ski resort (coming in just over 1300 ft of elevation) however, every climb, hill, cliff is very steep and some required ropes for assistance, proper footwear is highly recommended.

The first of many extreme technical obstacles was up next, racers exited the trails to “Nuclear rings” which is a metal barn shaped structure with many lanes of pegs going  first up and then down the A-frame structure. Participants are required to use two rings to monkey traverse across the pegs. After conquering “Nuclear rings” the course took racers back into the bush to “log steps”, which are giant logs gapped apart and gradually elevated.

This race has several unique cliffs climbs, where racers find themselves either climbing ropes, cargo nets, rope ladders and even a suspended twisting ladder up a rock face wall! IMR also brings true meaning to the term hitting the wall, with every wall conceivable or inconceivable. 4-feet, 6-feet, low wall, medium wall, high wall, 11-feet slip wall, 12-feet slip wall, 3 types of floating walls (Hub, cargo walls, rock climbing wall, warped walls, destroyer, Walter’s wall (floating slip wall).

Force 5 Gibbons was new this year and seemed to be a challenge for most whom hadn’t tried it before. Essentially, it’s two dowels wherein participants attempt to place said dowel into holders hanging on swivels. Indian red rig follows right after gibbons. The “Red rig” is a square low shimmy bar, to low ring, to vertical ropes, under the attached cargo net, and finished with a shimmy bar to bell. These two obstacles back to back really tested grip strength and set the tone for what’s to come.

After running in the shadows of the forest, climbing obstacles for about another mile or so, the course popped back out onto the flats of the old golf course for a nice relaxing “Wreck bag carry”. It was at this point; I was wishing I had more left in the tank. No sooner, racers put the Wreck bag down and just ahead was an amazing floating on water, body weaver to tax racers even more! As far as I have experienced, this is the biggest weaver in the business and only one floating over water (which is damn cool).

The course turned back into the woods for more walls and effort as some of the downs were more treacherous than the ups. Some of the rock formations in the ravine were unforgettable and the ravine passed under what I’m sure is the biggest cargo net crossing (over the ravine) at least for me, this portion of the course had me hurrying to get up there for the pleasure of feeling weightless. Up next came more walls and trails leading to a “water can carry”, where I came across a young man no more than 13 years old and his father. See Dad was out to teach son lessons about perseverance and son was more than ready to answer the call. Just awesome to see! This water can carry loop was nasty, especially on the way up in ankle deep slop. The young man adapted and overcame, teaching others a lesson as well. He would carry one water can up a few feet, then go back and get the other and repeat! This course brings out the best in all of us.

After the carry, racers had to rappel down and then climb back up a natural rock wall structure. Then came a fun cargo net and then shimmying across a long log chained to the cliff face. The first of two, IMR water-slides is one of the most wicked water slides in the business, launching racers violently (with lots of air) into the canal for a swim, which was the first of many canal crossings including a Lilly pad crossing , another cargo crossing, and an awesome rope traverse. A great two-tier rock-climbing wall serves as a blind for the backdrop 40-feet monkey bars with spinning rungs behind it.

Racers that made it this far, still with their wrist bands (one hundred percent obstacle completion to this point) were greeted to the upcoming and what will be remembered as an epic and famous gauntlet finish. “Indian valley” is one of those obstacles where there’s usually someone in the retry line. It’s a challenging rig consisting of Indian head grips vertical,  ropes, a swinging ladder and ended with more Indian head grips to the bell. Technique was key here as there are a few blind grabs.

Up next was Irish table, which always calls for a plan, this late into the course/race even the warped wall gave racers fits (due to fatigue and cramping). After climbing down the warped wall, racers came to Dragons Back, another legendary obstacle where even the bravest fear may be tested. A series of three sections to leap/jump and clear the gap and grab a bar. Failing to make the jump or hold on to the bar results with racers falling to the bottom of Dragons Back and either having to try again or skip the obstacle. In my opinion, this obstacle is more of a mental challenge than physical and over the years, I have seen many athletes capable of conquering it, fail because of fear. I personally think with obstacles trending towards the need for upper body and grip strength, the sport needs more obstacles like Dragons Back.

By now, grip strength was starting to fail for most, but it was no time for excuses (suck it up buttercups) because the rope climb was up next! This was a real rope climb and it took effort and technique (this late into the course/race) to ring that bell! By now you can see, hear and smell the village, but there’s no time for relaxing, there’s only time to finish strong. It was time for another, bigger warped wall and then a fun water slide into a refreshing pond, Walter’s wall (a slip wall in the pond) (created by our editor OCRSandy) which I promise you, looks a lot easier than it is! Just after, came a giant floating vertical cargo net, followed by more swimming than I normally do, had me crawling out of the water exhausted.

With two obstacles left, we made our way up the last hill to an extended version of the Destroyer obstacle and then last but not least, was the massive two-tier floating walls rig, about 8-feet in the air with several floating walls with a very difficult gap between them to traverse. Fail this giant, and you start over (not the entire course, just the floating walls rig).

This course makes absolutely great use of the breathtaking terrain and all parts of its beautiful nature. I didn’t partake or see of backups at any obstacles and I found the course markings to be fantastic. I was slow moving, but I kept my band for another year, so I’m somewhat pleased with my performance.

Hits and misses: So many hits at Indian Mud Run 2019. Hopefully all of the major expectations, wishes and needs of this event were met! Shout out to the IMR obstacles as they were the ultimate hit. Many OCR kisses were given out this past weekend, myself included. It was said there was 5 photographers, if that’s true, they were pulling double duty. No presence!

• The Bling:

Indian Mud run does it again with consistent, one of a kind finisher medals which by the way are made in America (may be the only finisher medal in the sport, that is made in America and not China).

Racers that came in top 15 for their  age group will have their name on the back of next year’s finisher shirt! Great way to keep us coming back Hubie!

The authentic America Indian tomahawks given to podium winners are unreal and are well sought after. The kids also received a nice finisher medals for the kid’s course. For the racers, I have the utmost respect for, the 3 lap Chiefs Challenge finishers received an authentic American Indian arrow! This race is all the way blinged out!

• Overall Feelings and Event Rating:

This race is an absolute gem that boasts a phenomenal start/finish line which is inviting. IMR has the same caliber obstacles as any of the championship races and this year, they stepped up their overall game, putting a great deal more effort into the smaller aspects of running these races as well. Offering competitive, pro, age group, open waves and new for this year, a team challenge are all a nice touch! Not to mention for those not ready for the full course, they offer a 5k course that is more suited for newer racers to the sport.

Hubie Cushman owner/operator has passion about this sport and it definitely shows in the product he puts out. He continues to make people better on and off the course! The man is also an incredible athlete, legend and inspiration in his own right! Many will tell you “if I could only do one race a year it would have to be Indian Mud run!”

My overall rating 5.5 out of 5 stars, IMR killed it in every aspect: course, festival, registration, bling, MC’s and all the obstacles are well built and safe. 

Editors comment:

If you love OCR, you’ve MUST run this course and experience the event. IMR is always the weekend just after Father’s Day. I am by no means saying anything negative about the other obstacle course race series, but IMR is just once a year and In my opinion and I stake my reputation on this, it’s the best OCR in North America and EVERY OCR racer that is passionate about this sport, needs to make this their # 1 OCR priority for 2020. Trust me, you will thank me, for skipping another race series that will have many other opportunities for you to experience in 2020.

Article Written by: Troy Hall