1. Wear the Right Fitness Gear

The 5 Km track will have you jump over high walls, crawl under barbed wires, and brave water, mud, and ice to reach the finish line. To help you overcome all hurdles with ease, you need to wear fitness clothes that are as light as they are water-resistant. Heavy fabric (cotton for example) will absorb all the mud and make your attire feel heavy and difficult to drag. Wear polyester or synthetic t-shirt and shorts instead.

2. Get Your Friends Along

We have scores of solo runners who need no motivation to take this adventure alone. But if this is your first DC race and you’re feeling a little unsure, get your friends to participate with you. Since this race is fitness agnostic, it doesn’t matter whether they are gym trained, athletes, or none of these. On the race day, you can help each other stay motivated on the track and cross obstacles together. The after-party is more fun with your homies around.

3. Train for Endurance

Now, this is serious business. All Devils Circuit races are 5km tracks peppered with 15 obstacles. Which means, you’ll need to train for endurance along with training for strength. Strength is what will help you conquer your obstacles; endurance is what will help you run the length of the track. If you’re running in the competitive category, you’ll need a proper training of 12-16 weeks before the event. With every session, work on your distance over time (speed basically) and get better each time.

4. Start Sprinting

A ‘sprint’ is running a short distance at full speed. Sprinting is one of the best ways to prepare oneself for short bursts of intense activity. If you live in the hills or somewhere you can find an inclined stretch of road to run on, there’s nothing like running upwards because it decreases the length of your pace and helps you build the strength for flat surfaces. Start with a shorter burst and increase the intensity every day.

5. Avoid Cramps

Cramps are common for runners and are involuntary when they happen. One of the reasons is improper stretching. It is highly important to try and avoid cramps during a race as they will stunt your progress. Give at least 15 minutes to stretching before your workouts to prepare your muscle for the tension you’re about to give it. Also, arrive an hour before the race to the DC venue and stretch before you hit the track.

6. Train for Upper Body Strength

We all remember swinging on monkey bars back in school. Now, amp it up as you practice pull ups on the monkey bars to build your upper body strength and to improve your grip. On the race day, these will be your biggest assets as you set out to conquer obstacles.

7. Perfect Footwear

There has been a lot of debate on the kind of footwear one should wear at an obstacle race. Wearing appropriate shoes is necessary during a DC race. We recommend that you wear normal, well-fitted, light running shoes during the race. They will keep the mud out of your soles and help you in the water-based obstacles. DC Rules dictate that runners willing to run barefoot or coming to the track with open-sole soles, slippers, or crocs will be escorted out for security reasons.