Obstacle course racing pushes you to the limit
Obstacle course racing (OCR) is sweeping the country and rightly so. It’s a sport that just about anyone can get into.
OCR has the individual overcome physical challenges in the form of obstacles that could include climbing walls, carrying heavy objects, crawling under nets, swinging on ropes, or even going through bodies of water when competition is outdoors.
During the last SEA Games in December, the Philippine team swept all the gold medals at stake, clearly illustrating how talented our athletes are in the sport.
Jeffrey Reginio is one of those gold medalists after being in the sport for only three years. The former basketball enthusiast joined a fitness community and then was encouraged to compete in OCR races. He was hooked after that!
Even during lockdown, Reginio continued training, though mostly at home. He has been doing vlogs to share his experience and has also gotten into DIY wood working.
The Philippine STAR: How does it feel to compete in front of your countrymen during the SEA Games? Did you feel the pressure?
Jeffrey Reginio: Imagine you have the best and most supportive federation ever. Wouldn’t you feel pressured? I just gave it my all. I just did my best. I felt pressured, but confident at the same time because we knew how hard we trained and prepared for the race. We built a family within our team that motivated us to do better. I didn’t think much about the people around me the moment I stepped in the arena. All I focused on was to finish the race as quickly as possible. To give pride and honor to our country.
How was your experience at the World Championships in Lake Tahoe? I was told it was situated in two mountains, one of which was covered in snow!
I expected to finish the race, but I didn’t. It was the most challenging course, plus the weather was too unfavorable. Imagine running in negative degree weather, wearing just two layers of clothes. I was actually reminded but I didn’t listen. I underestimated the weather so it became a great learning experience for me. Through that, I learned to always prepare myself for the worst possible situation. I learned to humble myself, to become a better athlete. It cannot be all strength. You also need to consider different factors that will affect your performance.
Why would you encourage people to choose OCR as their sport?
Because OCR is an all-in-one sport that will push you to do more than what you are expected. You’ll also be trained to become mentally and emotionally stable, which I think is also important not just for an athlete but as an individual.
(Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @anthonysuntay.)
