Back in 2018, CBD was still relatively unknown among athletes in general, and especially in the elite world of obstacle course racing (OCR). There were a lot of misconceptions from people who thought it was like cannabis and might make them fail a drug test. (Hint: It’s not and it won’t —CBD is legal and non-psychotropic!) But thanks to the leadership of a handful of athletes, who took a leap of faith by incorporating CBD into their routines and experienced incredible results, it is now widely used and accepted among top OCR athletes. But how did we get to where we are now?
Promoting natural energy, performance, and recovery has always been at the heart of what we do here at PurePower. After all, the company was founded by two cousins who are athletes themselves. It seemed a no-brainer, then, to start sharing all that we’d learned about the performance benefits of CBD and hemp with pro athletes.
As a result, PurePower was one of the first CBD companies to support athletes in the OCR space. OCR pro-athletes Rose Wetzel and Robert Killian committed to being on the leading wave of incorporating PurePower CBD into their training and racing regimes. Robert even went on to score his second Spartan World Champion title in 2019 while taking PurePower products.
What is Obstacle Course Racing (OCR)?
As with many high-intensity sports, OCR inspires incredible levels of dedication among its practitioners. It’s not uncommon for pro-OCR athletes to build their own rigs in their backyards to train for upcoming events. These races range from anywhere between 50 meters and 100 miles, though most track races are between 5 and 10 kilometers, plus obstacles. But what sort of obstacles are we talking here?
Well, it depends on the race, but typical obstacles see athletes jumping over pits, pools, or even fire. They might climb walls, ropes, and steep, slippery slopes. Maybe they’ll have to crawl under barbed wire, through mud, and submerge themselves in icy water. They could flip huge tires, carry logs, and pull tractors. They might traverse climbing walls, monkey bars, and suspended hoops. And they do all this in driving rain, heavy snow, or intense heat. In short, obstacle course racing is not for the faint-hearted.
CBD for OCR Athletes
Here at PurePower we’re incredibly proud of our connection with OCR athletes like Rose Wetzel and Robert Killian. But how can OCR athletes actually benefit from taking CBD during training and racing?
Energy
If you’re an athlete, the more energy you have the better —that’s obvious, right? Well, it’s actually a little more complicated than that. Some supplements promise to boost your energy, but often in ways that are not sustainable long-term. Think of it like drinking a double espresso —you might get a real buzz of energy, but a crash is sure to follow. Plus, in the long-run, you’re going to need more and more coffee just to keep functioning normally. CBD, on the other hand, helps to promote stamina and endurance thanks to the way it supports the body’s natural ability to generate renewable, sustainable energy.
Recovery
Scheduling time for recovery is just as important for athletes as scheduling regular workouts —otherwise, they’re sure to face pain, stiffness, and even injury. But what if there was a way to support and even speed up recovery while promoting mobility and flexibility and minimizing discomfort? Well, a number of studies, plus growing anecdotal evidence, suggest that CBD could help, especially when taken in combination with other botanicals.
Sleep
Getting consistent, high-quality sleep is important for everyone, but especially for pro athletes. Deep, restful sleep is vital for promoting recovery after races or demanding training sessions, not to mention boosting the body’s immunity. However, stress, busy travel schedules, workout routines, and more can all make it harder to fall asleep and wake up feeling rested. CBD and other botanicals can help to promote deeper sleep by working with the body’s natural rhythms to combat stress and restore balance.
Stress
Stress is an unavoidable part of every athlete’s life, especially those who take part in races and events. However, the same reaction that can push us to train harder and go further can also be detrimental to our sleep, physical health, mindset, and ultimately performance. CBD can help to naturally regulate the body’s stress responses and restore balance, making it easier for athletes to keep their heads in the game.
Maintaining a Winning Mindset
Speaking of keeping your head in the game, both Rose and Robert credit their considerable successes on and off the racetrack to their ability to focus and keep a winning mindset. “You can’t win if your mindset isn’t right,” Robert says. “There has to be not just a physical push but also a mental push when you’re training and when you’re racing.”
For Rose, who has a young daughter and suffered from post-natal depression, it was her mindset that helped her get back into racing after giving birth. “It was tough —I had to find lots of reasons to stay motivated. But I embraced a sense of gratitude for what I could do as opposed to what I couldn’t do. I just told myself ‘If I keep showing up and I keep training, the results will come.’”
And those results did come —Rose placed on the podium for a Spartan National Series just two years after giving birth, and she remains one of the top female OCR athletes today.
Both Rose and Robert credit being able to sleep better, recover quicker, and tap into deeper reserves of energy thanks to the PurePower System as having made all the difference as athletes and as parents.
As the 2021 obstacle course racing season kicks off, we’re excited to see which pro athletes will beat their personal bests and experience incredible results with PurePower, just like Rose and Robert have.
