OCR - what is it good for and what do you bring to the table?

I’ve been asked to write about OCR and what it is good for and I start by hearing Jackie Chan singing “what is it good for? Absolutely nothing”

I silently laugh in my head.

Because I know it is good for a lot of reasons. At least for me. But who am I? And why should you keep reading what I have to say?

I don’t know what reason you have to keep reading but something tells me you are in to this and that OCR has a firm grip on your being and you want to know what I might reveal that you didn’t know.

So here are my firm beliefs to why I think OCR is something special.

And I’m starting off with the thing I love to hate the most:

Training. Preparing

You say you are preparing for the races, at least I did. I used to “prepare” by going to outlets and specialized shops online  to get “the right gear” and ending up on the start line wearing everything that made me “feel” good.

The right brands on the shoes, the right compression clothes and so on. I admit, it made me feeeeeeel good.

Halfway in I realized that all that didn’t matter, the clay, the dirt, the cold water, the taste of the iron in the dark waters in Scandinavia... it was all the same, no gear could make me feel better once submerged in a soup of whatever we run through. For every medal I hung up on my wall I slowly realized that it wasn’t about the gear nor the medals or my time on the leaderboard... I made it all the way to third place in an Elite wave so I know what that was all about. Although I admit some gear are better than other and some brands know why the make gear and for what purpose . But No, it wasn’t about that. It was about something else. Something I felt I used to miss after finishing school, after finishing doing all those social things like drinking and partying in the weekends. You know when you feel like everything spins around you and that feeling of being fulfilled is present... that feeling. I found it in the social gatherings of OCR. Whether it was going to a race, being in a race or finishing a race and going out for dinner I have always felt like the people around me was all about friendship and love.

Well, not all, some douchebags have always been there but never for to long, but let’s focus on the good side of OCR. We are all familiar with the ocr kisses, the bruises, the muscle ache and so on, so we don’t need to get into that.

I went to see a football game the other day and I was supporting my friend who was a supporter for team A.

I wore a flag and learned the song. When I saw a supporter from the other team I said “hi! Good luck today!”

And he gave me the finger and said “ dra åt helvete! ”

I was in chock! My flag kind of lost the ability to dance and I didn’t want to go to the game.

That would never happen in a field with OCR champs and athletes. My eyes might be selective but I can swear I have never seen anything else than cheering and keeping the good faith. Supporting everyone, shouting out comments that gives energy not takes it away.

The OCR community is really living up to the hashtags that they spread, for example:  #ocrfamily and #beatyourobstacles and many more that is pointing you forward and up. I like that. It makes me feel safe and sound.

I used to run my fast run and then my fun run, the fast one for myself, for my own challenge, to push myself. The fun run was all that, fun! Have you ever laughed so hard you fall of the monkey bars? I have, and I loved it every time. I even laughed all the way up a rope, it took me a while, but I did it.

How many times have you climbed that ramp in the end of the run and forgot to go down and finish the race? Just because it is more fun to hang halfway down the ramp pulling people up? Laughing of course and cheering.

I could spend hours up there banging my hand on the ramp offering my help. Making signs “t.a.k.e o.f.f y.o.u.r g.l.o.v.e.s” so it would be easier to grab a hand.

I love it!

I love it so much so when I had the chance I took a microphone and just started talking, I can’t really remember what I said or why but I might had something really really important to say. After that I was asked to be the speaker and start people on their journey. To give them energy and help them relax from their tensions.

I guess many of you reading this has a lot to contribute with, we all have amazing stories, fun stuff that have happened, crazy shit you’ve seen other so on the obstacles that “normal” people wouldn’t ever dream to do, sad stuff like accidents happening, but all in all, OCR is like the world. A lot of stuff happens and we are all part of it and we all bring our positive vibes to the table.

And that is the sole core of this sport, this movement. You don’t have to be a fit, superhuman, muscular, athlete to be successful. You only have to be better than you used to be, you only have to have a will, a thought that will take you a few meters on that direction, over and under or through that obstacle.

As long as your body is working and responding well to the occasion you are in it. And being in it is a great place to be!

As good as it is you know there are times you question yourself and ask out loud “why am I doing this?” And you always get that “because you can!” from someone right by your side.

You’re never alone in this. Don’t ever forget that.

And the last person in the track is ALWAYS a Marshall

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/Jorge Lattof/

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Foto: Foto Moije och Hom Television: Foto och Video

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