WATCH: A Victoria Fitness professional recently returned from Ontario after competing in the World Obstacle Course Racing Championships.
Competitive obstacle racing is still in its early stages, but Victoria is the home of one of our country’s best athletes in the sport.
Jenn Hanson has always been involved in sport and fitness.
“I was a competitive tennis player from a young age so I was playing at the provincial level in the under 12’s and then I played on a national level,” Hanson said.
“I went to the states on a scholarship so sports have always been very important for me.”
Through her business at Fit Happens — Hanson discovered obstacle course racing — and was immediately hooked on the unique sport.
“It was kind of when tough mudder was popular, so we trained our first team to go over to whistler and take part in the tough mudder, and we had a blast conditioning for it,” Hanson said.
“The event was a hoot, and from then it just kind of spiraled forth and then I think I kind of started pursuing what other events we could participate in that were obstacle course races as well.”
Hanson recently took a leap of faith and competed in the World Obstacle Course Racing Championships in the Blue Mountains in Ontario.
“I actually shared my thoughts with a client and friend of mine, Scott, and told him I wanted to do something crazy, I wanted to do something outrageous, and you’re going to think I’m nuts but i want to go to the world championships for obstacle racing,” Hanson said.
“He did think I was nuts, and then I said that’s part one, part two is I’d like you to come with me and qualify.”
“I was like oh my god, really? Do you wanna do that? And you know what, I’ve told people, if Jenn told me to jump off a bridge I would probably jump off a bridge,” Hanson’s friend Scott Elias said.
“She’s just one of those people that you just, whatever she says you do it.”
Hanson finished 12th in her age group, and looks forward to building off her performance for next year.
“I think any time you put yourself in a situation where you’re a little bit out of your league, it’s really inspiring, it’s motivating and it forces you to be a little bit bigger,” she said.
“It was a really unique experience and definitely made me want to do better.”
the sport of obstacle course racing is still growing and Hanson encourages anyone to give it a shot.
But also be prepared to be pushed to your limits.
“It caters to so many different populations, so I think anyone who has ever wanted to try participating in obstacle course racing, i would definitely say, go for it.”
Hanson added, “They’re a hoot, but be prepared.”
Kevin Charach
