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Obstacle Course Racing World Championships Involves Local Athletes

photo by Jill Bourgeois Nathan Bourgeois and teammates Sarah Barnes and Gabriel Gaetz came in 13th out of 139 teams in their division in a grouping including teams from 67 countries around the world at the OCS World Championships in Canada.

photo by Jill Bourgeois VUHS Junior Nathan Bourgeois takes on the obstacles at the World Championships with a great deal of power and precision.

photo by OCR Worlds Championships Already looking at next year, Nathan Bourgeois wants to celebrate his senior year of high school with a top level finish at the World Championships in 2018. His training will not stop!

Tuesday October 31, 2017

By Cookie Steponaitis

High School junior athlete Nathan Bourgeois is no stranger to athletic competitions. He regularly participates in the Spartan Challenge Races with his family and loves to push himself to new levels and limits. Recently Bourgeois found his calling and joined several other local athletes at the World Championships of Obstacle Course Racing (OCR). “I chose OCR because it is like nothing else and for me personally it makes me feel great to compete in something that is so different compared to regular sports. There are many challenges but it pushes you to all of your limits in all of your muscle groups through the entire course. Preparing is different for everybody, but it’s good to start with a habit of drinking lots of water and training consistently. At the World Championships you are up against the best in the world." Bourgeois and several other local athletes qualified and competed at the 2017 World Championships held October 13-15th at Blue Mountain in Ontario.
    While many may have visions of boot camp and military obstacle courses, the OCR is built upon events dating back thousands of years and adds another level of complexity. Founded in 2014, the OCR has become the largest premier private competition of obstacle course racing. Athletes from 65 countries are in attendance and the World Championships features amateur and professional levels and competition formats including 3 kilometer, 15 kilometer, team contests and 24 hour contest. The OCR offers prospective athletes a contest known simply as ‘The Gauntlet’ which is a four mile obstacle course with elements for beginner and elite and is built to test the strongest and most determined athletes.
    Competing against athletes from all over the world, Bourgeois set for himself some lofty goals. Handling all of the elite obstacles Bourgeois earned praise from several seasoned athletes. “I didn't do as well as I would have liked time wise,” shared Bourgeois. “My nerves got to me. I was as prepared as I could be by hiking a lot, going to Kim Rheaume's  Lovin Life OCR once a week and also to Jaime Matta at Fair Haven Fitness. I would push myself to my limits and train harder than I have ever before. I will be back at the World Championships next year and will be completely ready." Bourgeois and teammates Sarah Barnes and Gabriel Gaetz came in 13th out of 139 teams in their division in a grouping including teams from 67 countries around the world.
    Athletes interested in qualifying can check out the website at ocrworldchampionships.com/ or simply take the advice of Nathan Bourgeois. Start now and whatever your past best was, push beyond that. The greatest obstacles that remain are not those put in place by events like the OCR, but the mental and physical discipline to reach inside and find new levels of competitive spirit, physical capability and mental toughness. Next year the World Championships will feature several Vermont athletes and at the front of the charge will be Nathan Bourgeois.

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