More than Mud: David Fatula

More than Mud is an article and interview series dedicated to documenting the incredible characters and stories that we come across in the world of OCR and outdoor adventure and endurance racing events. They range from everyday heroes to extreme athletes but all have unique and engaging stories to tell.

How Did You Get Into OCR Racing?

I started with my first Fenway Park (Boston) Spartan Sprint four years ago and have been hooked ever since. I just completed my first Spartan TriFecta in 2016, finishing with the Killington, VT beast, and this year I'm getting my 2x TriFecta, have all the races scheduled and booked the Spartan season pass so I can do more if I choose

What Are Some Challenges OCR Has Helped You Overcome?

12 years ago I had a near-fatal snowboard accident, I broke all my ribs on the right side of my body, punctured my lung, broke my clavicle and scapula and got a type-3 concussion and couldn't feel the back of my head for months. While that was a long, long time ago, I never felt like I got my stamina, strength, endurance and cardiovascular performance back until I started training for OCRs. I had run some road half marathons, but they were boring, and didn't fulfill any of my real fitness goals to be both strong and fast. I can now muscle through almost every obstacle I come across, and the ones that still challenge me I train for all the time, so I can beat them at my next race. I love that I feel strong running, I love that my shoulders and back are in shape to cross rigs, climb ropes, swim, climb ladders, a-frames, etc. It took a long time to get that strength and mobility back, and OCRs are the primary reason I'm back to where I am today.

What Does The OCR Community Mean To You?

The OCR community is amazing! The sense of family, the racers helping each other through every obstacle, the motivation and the stories and party after each race keep me psyched for every race I participate in. OCR racers are such a resilient group, any time you feel like you want to slow down or give up, someone is there to push you, which is a huge factor in my training and motivation to stay fit.

What’s Your Most Memorable Moment In OCR?

Finishing the Killington Beast this year was incredible. The sense of accomplishment crossing that finish line was one I will never forget. I'm 39 years old and feel like I'm in the best shape of my life, and crossing that finish line after 16 miles and 11,000 feet of elevation gain told me that I can tackle any race, and I look forward to doing it even faster next year!

Any Goals Or Race Stats To Share?

This year I'll do a Spartan 2x Tri-fecta, a Tough Mudder, an o2x summit race, the Ragnar trail relay, and several other smaller, less publicized local races. My goal is to be faster  this year at all my races, and finish in the top 20% of all males, and the top 10% in my age group. This year I tended to be in the top 33% of all males, and top 20% in my age group.

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