Beasts Obstacle Course Racers (Beasts OCR) is a group for people who love obstacle course racing in the North West. Beasts OCR started one night when 12 people who met online got together because they were always looking for people to run obstacle course races with and train with. This group will be looking for OCRs and other races in the North West as well as setting up meeting times for OCR training and runs. We are all about supporting each other and creating the largest regional team in the North West with a focus on OR, WA, ID, MT, and BC Canada!
Here are some of the Testimonials from Beasts on why they love this group
together because of an interest in obstacle course racing. What being a part of this team has meant to me is simple. I feel as though I am a part of something bigger than me. It has been incredible to see the friendships that have developed because of the team. It has been amazing to see people come to their first obstacle course race feeling unsure of themselves and intimidated but then connect with a Beast that has been to a few races and is a similar skill level and they finish the race together. There is not one race I have done with the team where at some point I did not need their help. The one thing I know above all else is that if I am ever in need on or off the course, my family of Beasts is there for me. I love knowing that new people joining up with the team will always have someone to run with. Once you throw on a Beasts shirt and start walking around the festival area of a race you know you are not alone. People nod to you, smile, say hi, and help you when you need it. Nothing better than being a part of Beasts OCR.
got to watch my first Spartan race. What an emotional ride. Watching all of these athletes. The blood sweat and tears. I cried right along with them because I couldn’t believe what dedication they had. My heart racing to finally see my partner cross that finish line. And then going back the next day to do it again. I remember leaving the race Sunday and Amy asking me when I was doing my first Spartan. My response probably never this shit is hard. And then may 30th I went to my first Spartan workout and volunteered. Why was I volunteering not to get a discount in a race. Because I didn’t want to workout for two hours with these insane people. I might have a heart attack. But then there was this girl in the field that i started taking to and she asked me if I was racing in Washugal. I laughed and said no. She asked why not and I think I probably said because I’m completely out if shape. She said well so am I and I do them, they are fun. That was when I met Kari Koler. And also Mike James. I tell you this girl is relentless. We had lunch after the workout when I met Stevie Williams, Brandon Chinn I believe Jodi Van Inwegenwas there too and Andrew Hooper. All of a sudden I felt a sense of family. Gathered around a table laughing and sharing their stories from when we were in Montana. I felt a sense of sadness because I was only there on the sidelines bring what we call a beast aid in my new beast family. Because that’s how you feel in the beast ocr team. It’s not only a team it’s family. June 27th I got the pleasure of watching yet another Spartan in salt lake city Utah and spending the day with Jodi. I still was undecided if I would be racing in August, But I wanted to sooooo bad. That was such an emotional day of waiting as 
so many people were being taken of that mountain by aid due to heat exhaustion. The wait was killing us. But i wanted this more than anything. I finally signed up i think three weeks before my race in Washugal. Getting there and walking from the parking lot to the venue I wanted nothing more than to just quit. Go to the sidelines where I belonged and just cheer them on. But then all the hugs came. And I got that beast ocr shirt on. What? I’m part of a team for real now? I put that Spartan headband on and was filled with sooooo much emotion. This was real now. I wish I could say I had the best race. We started and that first hill I was ready to turn back. I felt like I was going to be sick. But Cory kept coaxing me on. Even after my freak out on the cargo net. Anything I needed help with he was right there. I couldn’t have made it through without him even though I skipped a lot. But I did make it to that finish line. I sobbed uncontrollably at the finish. I did it to the best ability that I could at that time while running into the most supportive people along the way. Every time I felt like quitting there was someone telling me you’ve got this girl. So that’s when I fell in love with Spartan. Now I am determined to do it the right way. With my team. No skipping just doing it. I also got to do something amazing and do the high ropes challenge in Seattle where I met Kim Collings. What an amazing experience! I have started this new challenge where every month I do something I’ve never done before. So far it’s working out pretty well. I hope I don’t run out of ideas. I have caught the fever. Signed up and pre registered for many races next year. Waiting on word since I want to start my year off with a bang with Temecula. To fort Lewis and Montana. Hawaii and Jersey. I’m already signed up for battle frog, warrior dash, multiple 5ks and am about to register for survivor. Rugged maniac the freeze and the inferno. I can’t be more excited about this. And I know it’s so long winded. But without the people I’ve listed plus many many more I couldn’t do it without any of you pushing me in the beginning. I love all of you to pieces and hope to be as bad ass as all of you are.
I will always run with Beasts OCR. one of their team members found out I was traveling out of state to run my first Spartan Beast all on my lonesome after my friends had backed out, not only did she offer me a group to run with, she also found me room in a house they were renting and someone to carpool with for the 14hr drive. With the Beasts I didn’t find teammates, I found a running family I am proud to be a part of. We are there for each other for every run, every training session, and when someone needs help reroofing their house. There isn’t a better group to be a part of.
Obstacle Course Racing – Teamwork! Compassion! Strength! Integrity!Teamwork:
The Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) Community is really amazing. Way beyond what I ever would have expected. Everyone is there for each other during the race and between races with encouragement, advice, and unconditional support (and sharing post-race stories like giddy teenagers when you’ve exhausted your talking/listening quota with friends and family).
Compassion:
What I also really admire is the way the OCR’s give back and support various charities and give us an opportunity to be a part of that, making the races about more than the runs themselves, but about making a difference in other people’s lives.
Tough Mudder supports The Wounded Warrior Project which has raised over $8.5 million to date.
https://toughmudder.com/wounded-warrior-project.
Spartan Race partner’s with Everydayhero to allow racers to raise both money and awareness for those in need, with 40 official charitable partners.
https://spartanrace.zendesk.com/…/202704033-Spartan-Race-A-…
I belong to an on-line OCR group called the Beasts Obstacle Course Racers . They are just an amazing bunch. The group is setting up their own 501C3 to help at risk people by introducing them to OCR races and sponsoring them.
Strength:
OCR’s build more than physical strength. Getting through something you never imagined you could, makes you stronger in every way imaginable. One of my favorite examples was at Tough Mudder this year….a group of three 60-something women were running it together. They struggled, looked concerned along the way, and asked how in the world they were going to do it. With other’s help (including my two amazing running partners Gene and Chris Hunter), they got over, under, and through the obstacles and they looked so incredibly happy. Their eyes absolutely twinkled like a little kid doing something super fun for the first time! They didn’t give up…they grew and became stronger (and had a ton of fun doing it).
Integrity:
I’ve really found my passion in OCR races and admire the people I’ve met and the integrity they hold. I’ve heard so many stories of getting belongings back to their owners, helping people above and beyond, and of course helping others conquer obstacles during the race.
Teamwork! Compassion! Strength! Integrity! Being a part of something bigger than the individual is what brings the magic to the sport.
Finding the Beasts
For me being a Beast means I am not only part of an amazing and loving team but I have a family. I know that I will meet more Beasts at any given race OCR or just a 5k anywhere in the Pacific Northwest and that takes the fear of running alone out of my mind. We all have our different strengths and running abilities and no matter if you are an elite racer or a wogger you will find someone who will be at your side to aide you on and off the courses. Along with the support on the course the Beasts take care of each other off the course no matter what is happening in my life I know that I can turn to my teammates for support and help if needed. That alone is the best feeling in the world and is a priceless thing to have. I can’t wait to see where this team goes in the future. Thank you for being my second family.Last year I started out with this crazy idea to run the Seattle Super and I had no idea why or how, but I signed up anyway. I was invited to join the Beast OCR group shortly after the Spartan Workout Tour in February of 2015. I remember seeing this group of people laughing and joking around during the workout but had no idea who they were. Later in May I finally got together with the group at the next workout tour and could not believe how much fun we all had during the long and challenging workout. There were many times we were exhausted and sweating like crazy but everyone kept pushing each other, laughing and having fun.
The real testament to how this group really is happened for me started at Warrior Dash in July 2015. Warrior Dash was my first OCR and I was really nervous. When I found myself falling back I met up with two other team members who stayed with me and helped me as I started to conquer my fear of heights while climbing obstacles that really pushed my limits.
In Tough Mudder I ended up running with team members that were much faster than me, but never left me alone. The line “no Beast left behind” proved to be very true. I rolled my ankle and injured my ears around mile 4 of the 10 mile course but I was determined to not give up and the guys I was with were also determined to finish as a team. No madder how slow, someone hung back with me and we finished the course as a team. On the course it wasn’t un-common to hear the battle cry, “How deep? BALLS DEEP!!” being yelled across the course. This battle cry came out when ever we needed a morale boost or saw team members ahead or behind us. This provided not only encouragement but also served as comic relief to all that were on the course. The course left me bruised and beat up but my confidence in the team was only made stronger.
Then came the Spartan Super in Seattle. The night before I had completed the four hour Hurricane Heat which ended around 10pm then started in the 8:30am heat already bruised and sore from the night before. While on the course I ended up by myself for a little bit but eventually met up with other members of the team, 3 of which had just done the Hurricane Heat the night before as well and another person whom this was her first Spartan race as well. What happened on that course was awesome. We spent the entire time helping each other both physically up and over obstacles but also mentally by always being there to provide encouragement and a laugh no madder how hard things got. In the end when I saw the fire jump I almost cried. I had just completed my first Spartan Super with the best bunch of people you could imagine.
The last testament to this group deals with my kids and in particular my 8 year old son. He has two developmental disabilities but nothing stops him. When joining this team I had a lot of hesitations about how they would react to him and his goal of running his first Spartan Kids Race. What I found was a group of people who wanted to do anything they could to help make that a possibility for not only him but others like him as well. In the end my son, along with my two daughters did their first Spartan Kids Race with a few other kids on the team and came out feeling like the could conquer anything in front of them!
To sum it up, this group is about two main things that make a huge difference. Courage and Camaraderie that is matched by nothing else!