Margaret Schlachter

If you are stuck in a cubicle or trapped in an urban jungle, congested traffic and crowds are your daily obstacles. The beauty of obstacle course racing is that it gets you out of your everyday routine.

Margaret Schlachter, the creator of the Dirt In Your Skirt blog, is one the leading competitors in obstacle course racing today. She put together this simple guide to make your obstacle race experience everything it's supposed to be—a test of your true self.

She describes firsthand her obstacle course training methods, including:

• Learning to climb a rope
• Scaling a wall
• Flipping a tire
• Throwing a spear
• Carrying a sandbag

More importantly, she provides guidance on how to get yourself mentally and spiritually prepared for the big day—and how to dig deep within yourself during a race to find the last ounce of strength to carry you across that finish line.

Every weekend thousands of competitors run obstacle races all over the world, including famous challenges like the Spartan Race and Tough Mudder. Winning or losing is secondary; more important is the ability to meet the physical and mental challenges. Obstacle Race Training is an invaluable resource that enables every competitor to achieve their maximum level of success.