When you think of obstacle course racing, you think of grit, determination, and heart. And Sara Bäckström embodies all three. An OCR Swedish Champion and the recent winner of the Spartan Race Mallorca Sprint, Sara is more than just a top-level athlete—she’s a passionate competitor who lives and breathes the OCR lifestyle alongside her husband.

In this interview with VKS Sport, Sara opens up about how she got started in OCR, what drives her, and how it feels to conquer not just courses—but herself. From muddy beginnings to championship dreams, this is the story of a woman who turned obstacles into a way of life.

Talking with Sara Bäckström winner of the Spartan Race Mallorca

VKS Sport: Hi Sara! I want to start with your relationship with OCR. How did you start in this sport, and how did your love for it come about?

Sara Bäckström: Yes. So I did my first, OCR race. It was ten years ago, and it was my husband that, introduced me to OCR because he’d done one the year before. And and, yeah, the first time, it was so much mad, and it was, like, really tough. But it was it was something about OCR that was, like, what else? I mean, it’s it’s you have to do you have to you can be a a child again and do, and have, like, running and doing lot of fun stuff during the run.

So it’s just not just running. So and and then we yeah. We were we were both in following in love with OCR. So for us, it’s more like a lifestyle because we we do this together, and he also came at the Spartan race. So for us, it’s like it’s a lifestyle. You know? We train, we eat, we sleep, we train.

VKS Sport: You were the OCR Sprint Champion of Sweden. Tell me about this experience. How did you feel about it? I suppose it was special for you.

Sara Bäckström: I am very proud because the 400m sprint is quite challenging. I didn’t train so much beforehand, actually. I see myself more as a long-distance runner. But I knew the course and really liked the obstacles, so I decided to go for it. I did very well—I won by about eleven or twelve seconds, so I was quite fast. It was a cool feeling to cross the finish line, knowing I had done a good race and felt strong. Being the Swedish champion meant a lot to me.

VKS Sport: This weekend, you came first in the Spartan of Mallorca, in the sprint. How do you see that victory? Did you expect it? Tell me about the race.

Sara: Yeah. So it was my third time the sprint here. And so I I kind of knew what was coming, but still, you have to do the work. And I knew I knew that it was gonna be, like, a tough terrain because that’s I’m not so used to this terrain in Sweden. It’s like it’s not so much in stones and and the uphills and downhills. So I know it’s gonna be, like, yeah, a tough race. So I think I was prepared for that, but but, actually, I think I was quite relaxed, and I I knew that I like Spartan races.

It’s just do do just push yourself and you you can just run and and you know it’s gonna be tough, but that’s also fun. And I knew that I I like the venue and the obstacles. So I actually was quite relaxed, and then I felt quite good during the race. My body felt strong. So and and I focused, you know, on doing just my race and just let the body just they it it know what it it’s going to do. So I let my body decide. That’s good.

VKS Sport: Did you prepare specifically for this race, or did you just show up and do your thing?

Sara: A little bit. The two weeks before, I focused a bit more on uphill running and did some OCR sessions. But this is something we normally do in our everyday life. I did focus a bit more on Spartan-specific training in advance, but not too much.

VKS Sport: Is Spartan Race your favorite race, or do you prefer another? And if it is Spartan, which Spartan race is your favorite?

Sara: I think I like the supers and this one. I haven’t done too many Spartan races. I did one in Croatia last year, which was amazing. I’d like to do more Spartan races. So far, I’ve only done Mallorca and Croatia, so I need to experience more.

VKS Sport: After Spartan Mallorca, what’s next? What’s coming up for you?

Sara: In a couple of weeks, we have the Tough Viking in Gothenburg, where the FISA World Championship will be held in September. This race will be at the same venue. Then there’s the Swedish Championship in May and the European Championship in Portugal. Those are the big goals—championships.

VKS Sport: That was going to be my next question. What are your goals this season?

Sara Bäckström: The championships—Portugal, the Swedish ones, and the world championship in Gothenburg. But I also want to maintain a high level throughout the season, not just for specific races. Performing well consistently is important to me.

VKS Sport: In the OCR world, what is your dream?

Sara: My dream is to win a medal at the world championship. That would be amazing.

VKS Sport: Where is your favorite place in the world to train?

Sara: My favorite place is home. We have an obstacle course not far from where we live, and I love training there with my husband. It might be a boring answer, but it’s where my heart is.

VKS Sport: What has OCR given you?

Sara: It’s giving me so much experience about other people, but mostly myself. I learned a lot. And for me, it’s like you can use obstacle course racing as a metaphor because that’s in life, you have to learn to handle obstacles, and also to do things that’s is scary. And when you do that and you realize that I am able to do it, you grow as a person. So and I think that’s that’s also one part of the the whole OCR thing is that you learn so much, and you dare to do things that maybe you didn’t think you will do.

VKS Sport:  Would you recommend OCR to someone going through a tough time?

Sara Bäckström: Yes, I would. I mean, we’re all on different levels. I might be in the lead, but I honestly think it’s even cooler to see someone who’s maybe struggling just to run—and then they do it. Or when someone is really afraid of going into the water, and still, they manage to do it. That’s so cool.

It’s actually much more impressive than me doing something that’s not a big challenge for me. Watching people overcome their fears is amazing. And I think it’s very similar to life outside of OCR. Here, you really feel it—you face the fear, the struggle—and when you overcome it, you grow. You carry that growth with you, and you start believing: I can do this. That experience really stays with you.

It gives people something powerful. When you do something you didn’t think you could and succeed, it’s such a great feeling. I’d love for more people to experience that—because you can do more than you think. Most of the time, it’s just your brain saying no, or your body reacting with fear. But it’s just a feeling—and you can overcome it.

VKS Sport: What is your favorite obstacle, and which one do you fear the most?

Sara: I like hanging obstacles that have a good flow. The hardest one for me is the rampage—a quarter pipe you have to run up. It requires explosiveness, and if it’s placed at the end of a race, it’s extra challenging.

VKS Sport:  At the end of a Spartan Race, you jump over fire. How does that feel?

Sara:  It’s a great feeling—a mix of happiness and relief. Knowing you finished, and if you won, it’s even better!

VKS Sport:  How do you deal with disappointing race results?

Sara Bäckström: Yeah, that’s the hard part. Disappointment—that’s the feeling I’m most afraid of, because it’s really tough. But I allow myself to feel it. I mean, I smile a lot, but I also cry when I’m sad or when I’m angry. Usually, I share those feelings with my husband—we talk about it. I let myself go through the emotions. And then I try to think about the race, to find the parts where I did well. Maybe I was good at something, maybe I handled a certain obstacle really well. I go through the race in my mind and try to focus on the positives.

Of course, it’s hard. I want to perform well, and I want to feel good about myself—that’s what makes me happy. But, like you said, that’s not always the case in every race. So you have to learn to deal with the other emotions too.

VKS Sport: If you could only do one OCR race for the rest of your life, which one would it be?

Sara: Yes… Oh, that’s a really hard question! I don’t think I can give a clear answer because I’m not very good at choosing—I like the buffet style where I can have a bit of everything. I mean, I enjoy both short and long distances, as you’ve probably noticed. So no, I can’t really pick just one. But if I had to say one, maybe it would be the Tors Trophy in Torshälla—that’s a really good race. Torshälla is a city in Sweden, and I would definitely recommend it.

VKS Sport: Is there a race you haven’t done yet but would love to?

Sara:  Several Spartan races worldwide. I’d love to travel and experience different courses.

VKS Sport:  What inspires you?

Sara: My husband. Doing this together, experiencing new things—it’s the best.