Most of you reading this know I’ve been dreaming of an individual world title since winning my first European Short Course title in 2018. That same year, I finished 7th at Worlds, in 2019 I placed 5th, and in 2023 I finally made it to the podium with a 3rd place finish in the Standard Course. While my dream has always been more about personal growth – becoming the best version of Leon – securing that world title would cement my career, both for myself and those around me. So, read on to find out how I prepared to crush it at the 10th OCR World Championships!

To prepare for the race, I did 10 days of altitude acclimation in Colorado, followed by another 2 weeks in Mammoth Lakes. I stayed with Signy Karoline from Norway in The Crib, an athlete house run by Visit Mammoth, which has hosted professional endurance athletes and Olympians in the past.

The prep was much harder than I expected. Both Colorado and especially Mammoth Lakes were rough for any intensity training, whether it was pure running or obstacle work. Acclimating was a challenge, but I stuck to my plan and tapering strategy to be ready for race day. I also benefited from living close to the race site, so I could familiarize myself with the mountain, the hills, and the terrain. One of the key workouts I did involved multiple runs up the initial hill for both the short and standard courses. This gave me a very clear idea of what happens when you push too hard early in the race.

With many different championship races this year, the question remained: who would show up in Mammoth Lakes? To my excitement (and a little bit of fear), it was a stacked field. Manuel Dufaux (US Spartan Series Champ ’23), Eugenio Romero (Mexican OCR superstar and former track athlete), Thomas Van Tonder (former OCRWC 3k podium finisher), Sam Osborne, Daniel Titcomb (fastest British OCR athlete), Ethan Brown (US Spartan Series Champ ’24), and more. Now let’s get into RACING!

    I had an idea these guys would go hard from the start, and I knew that not many of them would be as acclimated as I was, so, in true Jakob Ingebrigtsen style, I went out at the back of the pack.

    For the first 6 minutes, I stayed there. We climbed the first hill, tackled some basic obstacles, and raced downhill to Triumph (formerly Dragon’s Back), where I noticed Thomas and Manuel had been sent back to re-do the obstacle. I flowed through it and moved from 8th to 5th place. And then the climb of destiny began – a long, steep, and slippery ascent that had everyone walking. Fortunately, I’d been training specifically for this. I found my rhythm, and hearing the others struggle gave me confidence. At the top, I moved into 3rd place as we hit Snake Pit, a hanging ropes traverse obstacle. I executed smoothly and closed the gap to Eugenio (1st) and Noah (2nd).

    We hit a technical trail into the Trapeze obstacle, which was essentially monkey bars. I passed Noah here, knowing he was struggling more than I was. I surged ahead slightly, hoping to break his spirit, though I could still hear footsteps close behind. Turned out it was Ja Shua Reid, filming for The OCR Report—Noah had started to lose ground.

    At this point, I could see Eugenio up ahead, but I knew catching him on the running sections was unlikely. Then, as we approached Drop Zone, I saw him walking into the obstacle. That lit a fire in me. If he was slowing down for obstacles, this was my moment. I made some fast moves on the Drop Zone, cutting the 20-second gap between us down to 10. Gibbons came next—an obstacle I’m extremely confident on—and I passed Eugenio, taking the lead as we approached Skull Valley. My body was feeling the burn, but mentally, I was on fire.

    From here, it was a race against time and fatigue. I knew the chasing pack wasn’t far behind, but my focus was forward. The Force5 rig was easy, but the Wreckage Carry was not. I ran what I could and power-hiked the rest, gauging my lead as I went. It was strong, but not unassailable. Drop the bag, keep pushing. I hit Ricochet with intention, and after the A-frame, I took one last glance back. I had it.

    The realization hit me: World Champion?! My legs were burning, my heart was racing, but I knew it was happening. I stayed focused, cleared the Savage Rig (a lache), and tackled the final Spartan Slip Wall. And that was it. I did it. I crossed the finish line as a World Champion.

    It was something I didn’t know was possible a few years ago, but on this day, I made it possible. Changing the narrative from impossible to possible is never easy, but once we break through those limitations, we can achieve amazing things.

    Five days before the race, I wrote down everything I needed to do to win, including becoming the OCR World Champion by 25 minutes into the race (inspired by Ida Mathilde). It took me a little longer than that, but the goal was achieved, and I still can’t quite fathom how amazing it is.

    Special Thanks

    A huge thank you to everyone who’s followed my journey and supported me along the way. Whether it was a high-five, a photo, a coffee, or a simple “You’ve got this!” – it all contributed to this moment. Your belief in me helped me believe in myself, and for that, I’m eternally grateful.

    Also, a big shoutout to my sponsors; Bodylab, Garmin, FixYou Sports Clinic, and Shaping New Tomorrow. We did this as a team!

    Men’s Podium:

    1. Leon Kofoed
    2. Sam Osborne
    3. Thomas Van Tonder

    Women’s Podium:

    1. Nicole Mericle
    2. Rose Wetzel
    3. Lizaveta Savinova
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