October 2013
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writers Whats inside this issue? Alec Blenis “Vegan Elite” Spartan Race Pro Team Alec Blenis............................... pg 1 Athlete “Te Ultra-Beast I Couldn’t Slay” David Moore ...........................pg 3 David Moore “Te Ultra-Beast I Slayed” OCR Athlete David Moore .........................pg 11 South East Region MudSlayer Review Whitney Lloyd Whitney Lloyd .......................pg 15 Certfed Fitness Instructor Mud, Guts and Glory MudSlayer Review Holly Berkey ...........................pg 17 OCRkids Holly Berkey Ally & Kalyn. .........................pg 23 Blogger / Writer / Athlete “Why HIT?” MuddyMommy.com Nabilah Fountain ......................pg 26 Nabilah Fountain “Vitamins and Muderals” Roger D. Smith, PhD. ................pg 29 NASM Certfed Trainer “Te Evolution of the Iron-Beast” Nutriton Coach Matthew “Iron Beast” Dolitsky. .....pg 33 Roger D. Smith, Race Map PhD. Mud Run Fun ........................pg 37 OCR Athlete Prolifc Author Team Spotlight - Crazy Mudder Muckers Kevin Jones Kevin Jones .............................pg 39 Crazy Mudder Muckers Athlete Spotlight Founder Sally Cheppell ........................pg 41 Karma Athletes Sally Chappell Danny Janes ...........................pg 44 OCR Athlete MRF Elite
https://www.facebook.com/alecblenis Nothing about being an athlete is easy. Whether Luckily, the notion of being a vegan athlete isn’t it’s early morning long runs, speed work for lunch, as crazy as it used to be, but I still get puzzled looks or Friday nights spent with a foam roller, keeping when I tell people about my diet. “Why” being the your body in top shape is a balancing act. OCR takes most common question, I still get responses like, it to the next level. Like nothing I’ve ever done in my “but where do you get your protein” and, “but what life, obstacle races absolutely tear your body apart - supplements do you take?” At times I am shocked that’s the point though; in this sport, race directors at people’s attitudes towards my lifestyle, but then seek to break you. With the added intensity that OCR brings to the table, any athlete hoping to be successful in the sport must focus as much \"My name is Alec Blenis, Im the (or more) on recovery as they do any other aspect youngest member of the Spartan of their training. And that doesn’t mean laying on Race Pro Team, and Im a vegan.\" the couch when you’re not working out! I’m a frm believer that proper recovery comes through quality nutrition. My name is Alec Blenis, I’m the youngest I remember that I was in their shoes just years ago. member of the Spartan Race Pro Team, and I’m a Afer reading about the successes of plant-based vegan. athletes like Brendan Brazier, Scott Jurek, and Rich Roll, I began phasing animal products out of my diet in 2009.
Why? Not surprisingly, the most nutrient dense foods result in optimum health and superior performance. When the body isn’t getting all the nutrients it needs, that is perceived as stress. Stress comes in many forms, and sometimes it’s good; but chronic stress is never good - it leads to weight gain, disease, and more. Incredibly, you can eat more food but literally starve your body of nutrition. Tis is why we live in a society plagued by preventable diseases like heart disease and obesity. When you break your body down during training, it needs nutrients to rebuild and recover. Eating a whole-food based diet provides the high quality nutrition you need to recover faster and train harder than your competition. For an athlete, this enhanced recovery means seconds, minutes, and hours (for ultra-runners like me) of your race time. But don’t you need supplements? Quite simply, no. By converting the nutritionally void foods in your diet like white four, sugar, and processed foods to whole plant-based foods, you’re vitamin and mineral intake will defnitely increase. I’m frequently asked about certain supplements in particular like omega-3’s. No, I don’t take fsh oil. I get omega-3 fatty acids from foods like chia, fax, sacha inchi, and leafy greens. But what about protein? Protein is in every whole food on the planet. Whether you are eating a “low protein” whole food like fruit, or a “high protein” whole food like black beans, you will get more than enough protein by eating a balanced vegan diet. I probably ate 100+ grams of protein today - no supplements, no soy, no animal products. If you don’t believe that you can build muscle on a plant based diet, check out the athletes I mentioned above. If guys like Brendan Brazier, Scott Jurek, and Rich Roll can’t convince you, then I’m not sure if I can either. But it’s worth a shot. Since adopting veganism back in 2009, I’ve had 50+ age group wins in road races, ultra marathons, obstacle races, triathlons, and other events. I’m currently the #6 male Spartan in the U.S. and only hope to improve! If you’re interested in trying out a plant-based diet, I recommend to frst focus on adding good foods to your diet, not taking anything away. As you add healthy foods in, the bad things will naturally fall away. 2 Brazier’s book, “Trive”, was what frst got me interested in plant-based eating. Check it out!
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(October 2, 2012 at 1:56 am) Well…I’ve been dreading/looking forward to writing this for about a week now. A part of me just wanted to rush through it to get over it but the fip side of me wanted to let it sink in, analyze it and then share. Tat half won. So many of you know that I recently went on a trip to Vermont to run in the Spartan Ultra Beast, the world’s frst ever marathon distance obstacle course race. While a marathon is 26.2 miles, in typical Spartan fashion, they went over the advertised distance and most people’s GPS’ clocked 28+. On top of the distance were the typical Spartan obstacles testing everything from agility (log balance, wall climbs, spear throw, etc.) to strength (atlas stone carry, sled pull, tractor pull, etc.) to those requiring both (rope and wall traverses, Tarzan swing, etc.). If all that wasn’t enough, the course itself was one big obstacle. At times it covered crazy ascents (one was rumored to be over 1100 feet in less than a mile according to some GPS’), to even crazier descents (across slippery, muddy rocks that basically forced you to go down butt frst for safety). Most of you reading this article know how I fnished…or more correctly, didn’t fnish…already but there’s always a story within a story. 4 Tis is that story.
Te Backstory about. Te most memorable part about the race though was around 8 miles in…with about a mile In order to fully grasp the heartache of not or so lef. I had been trail running and seemingly fnishing the Ultra Beast (if you didn’t know, I miles from the start line with no idea how much was pulled of the course for missing a specifc time/distance was lef until the fnish line. Around checkpoint by a certain amount of time afer going the 8 mile mark, I started to hear the roar of the 1 1/3 laps, or 18 miles, in right around 10 hours), spectator crowd by the fnish line. Without sounding you have to understand where I began my Spartan too sof or mushy, my eyes instantly teared up. journey. Last November, I was just cruising around Being a religious person, and someone who works the internet when I came across a Spartan Race ad. I in ministry, the moment I heard the crowd all I had always loved the movie “300,” as cliché as that is, could think about was Hebrews 12:1 which says, so when I saw the helmet design, the red and black colors…I kinda was already sold. I watched a promo video and instantly was hooked before I ever ran a race. I tried to convince some friends to run with me in Miami…to do it as a group thing…but the closer the race got the more people decided to back out, whether for physical reasons, monetary, etc. I started trying to get in “running” shape because although I had always been an athlete, I had never been a runner. I signed up for a Warrior Dash, just to get my feet wet before the Spartan, fnished 83rd out of 2700+ and thought I was prepared for my Spartan Race…it was more miles but how much worse could it be? I showed up in Miami, nervous as can be. I didn’t get very much sleep the night before (something I’ve noticed is a common occurrence the night before a race now, regardless of whether or not I’m thinking about the run). I ran the race…not the fastest as I was held up at a lot of obstacles waiting on people and fnished 419th out of 5 3043, respectable but not anything to write home
myself doing every chance I had. When I got home from Miami, I immediately started checking dates and locations on how to get my “Trifecta” medal… something I was determined to do before the end of the year. I found Georgia, a Sprint, and it was about four hours from a youth conference I would be at at the time of the race so I made arrangements to leave early, run the race, and drive back aferwards. I ran Georgia and loved it just as much as Florida. I again lost time at obstacles but fnished 108th of 3300+. I continued running afer Georgia in these events: • North Florida Warrior Dash: 21st of 4400+ • Mud Crusade: 5th of 2300+ • Girls on the Run 5K (yes it was for men too!): 4th of 170+ • Gator Gauntlet: 16th of 550 • Alpha Race: 4th of 90 • Ann Arbor Half Marathon: 209th of 1300+ • Michigan Warrior Dash: 80th of 9000+ • Hero Rush: 4th of 550+ • Dirty Foot: 28th of 300+ I say all that, not to brag, but to show that I had decent success running in my frst year. I “Therefore, since we are surrounded had been relatively content with most of my races, by such a huge crowd of witnesses and while I wanted to podium in a few, I did the to the life of faith, let us strip off best I could and fnished where I fnished. I knew I every weight that throws us down, wouldn’t “kill” the Ultra Beast…but I didn’t think it especially the sin that so easily trips would slay me either. us up. And let us run with endurance When I heard of the Ultra Beast, I instantly wanted the race God has set before us.“ to be one of the frst to attempt it. I sent in a few It was such an awesome moment in my life and applications, especially when my race not one I’ll soon forget. Tat’s when I knew that resumé was updated so they could running in these types of obstacles races, Spartan see that I was dedicated to obstacle 6 Races in particular, was something that I would fnd races. Leading up to the Ultra I
started to experience either some knee swelling, in never end. Even more burpees (notice a pattern?). More particular when I played in my basketball/football hills. More obstacles. We were just about to fnish our leagues here in Florida. I was nervous because I frst lap, as I was crawling under the barb wire, I heard a wasn’t able to do a lot of running/training leading girl start screaming. I looked over and her hair was caught up to Vermont but I was confdent I would fnish… in the barb wire. I didn’t that was my one and only goal…just fnish. see a green armband on Te trip there went great and I was able to her (meaning she wasn’t an spend some time with some awesome people Ultra Beast runner so she before the race (shoutout to Doug, Michael, was just a few feet from being Eddie, “Other” Eddie, Matt and Janice). I done for the day), so my spent the night before trying to ice down my frst instinct was just to leave knee and then the big day was fnally here. her. I instantly felt checked (convicted is more accurate), so Race Day I went back and helped for a few Tere’s a lot to cover but I’m going to minutes until she was untangled. skip a lot of details and be brief. I was really I fnished my frst lap, ran to the nervous on the walk over on the morning of dropbox with Michael, changed the race. However, before you know it we were shirts, threw down some energy jogging towards a freezing cold mud pit just a stuf and a few handfuls of trail hundred feet or so from the starting line. Te mix and headed out for lap two. day started to carry on with crazy unexpected Within just a few hundred hiking hills, typical Spartan obstacles and the feet we bumped into Matt B. constant mind game of body strategy (how Davis, who I had previously much to drink, when to eat, what to eat, how to known from his blog radio attack obstacles, etc.). It was clear from the start show about obstacle course we were in for a long day but I was still confdent racing, and we headed out. we (the group I was in with Doug, Eddie and We assumed we were the Michael), would fnish. Ten the problems started last Ultra Beast runners so to set in. Eddie cramping. Doug’s knee. it was nice to be in a group Tough obstacles. Burpees. More of more than two of us. Burpees. Freezing cold water. 7 Long Swims. Ridiculous As we started lap two we kinda recapped our day, talked climbs that I thought would about strategies, hopes, obstacles, joked, laughed…all
while maintaining the mindset that there’s no way we had a lot of successes too. Anyone who knows wouldn’t fnish. We bumped into some other fearless me knows that if I’m a part of a team that loses Ultra Beasters (James, Maureen, etc.) within a little while a game, you can bet I’ll be thinking about too. We kept saying that they were going to have to kick us it the rest of the night. Analyzing, second guessing, replaying…you name it. Tat’s just of the mountain before we the way I’m built. I’ll tackle any challenge put stopped…which is exactly before me...I always have...regardless of the what happened. 18 miles in. outcome. But throughout all the tough losses, Kicked. Of. Te mountain. the successes, the failures, nothing could Courtesy of Michael Morris. prepare me for the DNF at the Ultra Beast. We tried to bargain our way To be entirely honest, it’s a week later and I feel past…asking “what if” we like it happened yesterday still. I’ve had dreams kept running…let us try to get about it. I’ve talked with people about it. I’ve laid to Bear Mountain by 9…you in bed for hours thinking about it. You name name it. But every efort was it. It may as well have been my Super Bowl. To shut down. Within minutes…so be so close to a monumental life moment and was my body. So was Michael’s. lose it. What if I wouldn’t have taken a break Te ten hours of battling the here? What if I would’ve ran more here? What mountain, once we slowed down, if I would’ve done this obstacle this way or began to sink in. Even more that way? Te questions are typically ongoing. painful was the fact that we all had Te craziest part about the entire race a big fat “DNF”…did not fnish. though is how few people understand how Te only solace in the DNF I really feel about it. Most people give the was the fact that although “you tried hard,” “at least you didn’t quit,” we didn’t meet a deadline… “you should feel special knowing that only we didn’t quit. But that 384 people were selected,” and I know they all only satisfes for about two mean well…and that they truly do care…but all seconds. Te other thousands those words are relatively hollow at this point. of seconds of that day and Te irony is that the 100+ complete strangers following days it could not. that are in the Team Redemption Facebook group know more of how I feel on the inside Te Afermath than the closest people in my life. Truthfully, I’ve lost a ton of sports games, As much as I try to describe it, it including championship games over the years. I’ve just doesn’t adequately describe it. 8
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Checklist of struggles since the Ultra: • I really don’t like seeing neon green (the color of the Ultra). • I haven’t ran since (although I need to). • Having trouble not thinking about it. • Wishing it was next September already. • I despise seeing the “cakes, shadowboxes, medals” and everything else that I see posted in the Ultra Facebook group. • Haven’t posted any pictures of the event, nor was I excited about downloading them. • Had to force myself to watch the recap video. To be honest, I almost feel like I’ve lost a little bit of a competitive edge too since DNF’ing at the Ultra. I fnd myself battling more mentally at basketball league games…football league games…etc. It may be petty to some of you reading this…but it’s honest. Tere’s a part of me that was lef on the mountain in Killington. It’s like there’s a mythical dragon that took my sword afer a battle. Some would say, “it’s just a sword”…but it’s not. I know the heartache, disappointment and the likes will subside with time…that I’ll come back to Vermont stronger, wiser and more ready next time. But as “silly” as it may sound, I feel like I won’t be 100% until I conquer it. 354 days, 6 hours, 3 minutes and 30 seconds til the battle for redemption starts.
(September 26, 2013 at 12:57pm) Many of you read the post I shared last year entitled, “Te Ultra Beast I couldn’t slay.” A year later, I’m proud to write a diferent note...Te Ultra Beast I slayed. If you didn’t read last year’s, I’ll fll you in with the last paragraph from that note: “Tere’s a part of me that was lef on the mountain in Killington. It’s like there’s a mythical dragon that took my sword afer a battle. Some would say, “it’s just a sword”…but it’s not. I know the heartache, disappointment and the likes will subside with time…that I’ll come back to Vermont stronger, wiser and more ready next time. But as “silly” as it may sound, I feel like I won’t be 100% until I conquer it.” You know, looking back at last year, and I’ve shared this with a few other people, I actually ran a lot more. I did more races. I put more work in in-between them. If anything, I thought I would’ve DNF’ed this year as opposed to last year. Tis year I ran 5-10 less events before the Ultra Beast, did really no running between them and just a handful of times did I actually do anything to better 11 myself training wise. Stupid training plan to earn redemption right? Maybe.
Tis year I took a gamble. I fasted 10 days the lodges), the Ultra became...ultra real. A stack on water only about a month or so before the of logs at the bottom of a steep incline. Upon Ultra, both for spiritual and physical reasons. I closer inspection, barb wire adorned the hill 3/4 of lost about 12 pounds through it, on top of eating the way up. the most healthy I had my whole life, and really Ten came that same sinking feeling...what noticed a diference in some of the physical have I got myself into? Am I ready for this?! problems I had been having with digestion and Later in the festival area, I happened upon even some aches and pains in my knees and Matt B. Davis and Alec Blenis talking about the shoulders. While I knew I wasn’t as prepared Ultra Course. I watched as Alec told Matt to “be physically as I was last year, I knew I was much prepared to be on the mountain for 12+ hours.” healthier and more focused for what laid before Matt, in his good natured big brother type me at the Ultra. ribbing, rubbed in that he beat me up in the Flash forward to Saturday in Vermont at the Virginia Super Spartan by 30 minutes so how World Championship and I still felt somewhat long should I expect to be on it? Not going to lie, confdent. While I venture to say that few that stung...but it was the truth...only reinforcing feel confdent about the Ultra, I wasn’t overly the intimidation I was already feeling entering intimidated. Tat is...until I started to see the the race. Te questions started to pile up... times for the Beast runners come in. Tey were mostly an hour+ over the times last year. Tat’s What if you DNF two years in a row? when the sinking feeling started to set in...this is going to be waaaaay harder than last year. When Should I just call it quits? we got to registration to pick up our packets, What’s everyone going to think? only to be told on our handout to “fnd it on Is this all just a waste of time and money? your own” in regards to the bin drop, I knew we were in for a serious day as Ultra Beasters. Can I deal with another heartbreaking pull from It became very apparent that we had a small the course? “Death Race”-type feel already so who knew Do I have what it takes? what the course had for us. Upon arriving at bin drop (thanks to the help of a worker at one of
Te questions continued all throughout the past, time to focus on the present. night. I asked Doug Sahr that night in the hotel room, afer having run the Beast earlier that day, I started towards the back of the pack, thinking to be brutally honest with me. about what me and Michael Jacob had discussed... not getting caught up in the hype and rushing out Do you think I have a chance tomorrow? too fast. Te frst half mile or so was a light job with His response? some light obstacles until I came to my initial snag... It’s gonna be tough. He said that he didn’t wanna through the frst Over, Under, Trough walls...my doubt me, or be negative, he just didn’t know what timing chip wristband got clipped of going through my endurance level was at and that I’d have to the Trough Wall. It was pitch black and I frantically constantly stay on the move. searched along the wall for it saying, “I lost my At that point, my chances of fnishing felt like timing chip. I lost my timing chip.” For the next few they were slim to none. It was in that moment minutes, I danced around the wall, both trying to though that I remembered an inspirational video avoid runners coming through and simultaneously I had watched during the week leading up to the looking for the missing chip. Afer reaching in race...a video that said things like “if you think you my bag and using my headlamp, I fnally located are beaten, you are. If you think you dare not, you it on the FRONT side of the wall, stashed it in my don’t...if you think you’ll lose, you lost...it’s all in backpack and continued on. For the next mile or the state of mind...you’ve got to think high to rise... two, all I could think about was wether or not that life’s battle doesn’t always go to the stronger or faster fve minutes of searching would come back to haunt man, but sooner or later the man that wins, is the me. Tankfully it didn’t. man that thinks he can.” See video here: http:// I won’t go into too much of the rest of the course www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5o4KxEhVmE as far as obstacles, etc., or this post would take you Tat’s when I started telling myself... as long to read it as it did to run it. If you want you’ve got this. an awesome read about the terrain, obstacles, etc, check out this review by the New England Spahtens You may not be stronger, but you’re healthier. ( http://www.nespahtens.com/featured-review- You may not be faster, but you’re wiser. spartan-race-ultra-beast-2013/ ). You may not be more confdent, but you’re hungrier. I do want to highlight a few things though. Tis course BEAT ME UP! I came home with Tat battle lasted all night. a ton of war wounds from scratches, bruises, a swollen lef foot and right knee, two bruised toes...I Getting to the start line was did everything from slip, slide, trip and I even surreal. Where did all the time faceplanted by myself running up a path afer I 13 go? Where did the weekend tripped over a rock. Tis course was designed to test go? No time to think on the you in every way possible. I came home a mess.
at which point my eyes immediately welled up with Tere’s two things that I’ll remember the most tears and I had to fght back sobbing like a little from my 14 1/2 hours of the Ultra Beast, both girl. A year’s worth of feelings, emotions, doubts, somewhat related. struggles, etc. seemed to begin to wash away at this Any obstacle racer knows that help is just a point. I had made it. I had earned my Killington second away on the course if you need it. I was the redemption. benefciary of a lot on the course...from a guy giving Right afer the hug from Doug, all of a sudden I me Aleve afer my knee started swelling at mile was hugged by another guy. I didn’t realize who it 3 from spraining it to a few salt pills around mile was but just assumed it was an onlooker or another 10 that I was given to a boost over the 8 foot wall racer that wanted in on my emotional situation. at mile 20+ by a few Beasters and so much more In the midst of the hug however, I heard the guy from those on the course. With that being said, any say, “Tank you. Tank you! I wouldn’t have made chance I had to give back I took and made time for. it without you,” as he squeezed me even tighter. It One such situation presented itself a few miles wasn’t until he let go that I realized who it was...it afer the early bin drop. I elected to pass on the frst was the guy on the mountain I had given some of bin drop, a mistake in hindsight because I didn’t my food too! Talk about an awesome moment. One realize it was another six miles until I’d see it again, I won’t forget the rest of my life. Tat’s a Clif Bar all the while being without water. On one of the commercial waiting to happen, just saying. ascents back towards the bin, afer the Hobie Hop I fnished the next three miles, which, like so and Commando Monkey Bars, I stumbled upon a many others, felt like an eternity. I had to control guy sitting on the ascent about halfway up. He didn’t snifes and eyes full of tears as I continued to make look like he was taking a casual break but looked my way to the fnish. Afer passing the slanted wall, like he was struggling. I asked him if he was okay just the fre and the gladiators remained. It was or if he was injured and needed me to tell the next completely dark...cold...no one around the fnish volunteer I saw. He said he was fne and that he was line...it felt like such a ftting ending. I stood by the just out of it...he was out of food. I said, “that’s it? fre for 30-45 seconds, not for warmth, but to help Here take some of mine,” and handed him a clif bar gather myself emotionally before backing up a few or two. He immediately perked up, opened it up and steps, jumping over the fre and running through the started to eat away. We walked/ran over the next gladiators as they exclaimed, “we’ve got a runner!” little ways but at some point we lost track of each before jabbing me. other like so ofen happens at long races like this. Tey were right... Fast forward a few hours and I had just made it I am a runner. to the Tyrolean Traverse, a mere 30 minutes before the fnal cutof, and was greeted by Doug Sahr. He exclaimed, “You made it!” and gave me a huge hug 14
http://www.mudslayers.com/ Te MudSlayer run was an adrenaline pumping I was then stuck and had no idea how I was going challenge that I look forward to participating in to turn myself around and get to the bottom. A few again next year. As our heat crowded the start line, teammates that were running with me encouraged the atmosphere was exciting and nerve-wracking me to fip my legs over and start down the rope. considering no one knew what was ahead of us. Once I completed the obstacle, I high fved a Anxiously awaiting the frst obstacle, I paced myself teammate and continued the run. Te course was along the dirt track heading into the wooded, rocky laid out very well. Te ups and downs of hills made terrain. Afer climbing a few hills, the obstacles the obstacles challenging and fun. began… ropes, tires, mud, hurdles, barbed wire… I also found the muddy hills with an enormous What more could you ask for? mud puddle at the bottom to be rather thrilling. Every obstacle I came to I was put to the test, Sliding down into waist deep watery mud might not wondering if I would be able to complete it sound appealing to all, but it’s totally worth trying. successfully. In my opinion, one of the most difcult Trudging through the puddles with mud caked obstacles was the rope wall that was angled away onto my shoes, I pulled myself up and continued from me. As I climbed, with my back to the ground my trek. Obstacles with tires and a rope climb, over and my stomach facing the sky, I made it to the top. and under poles that barricaded a straight path
to the next destination only made the run more the race itself; it was organized and well thought out. exhilarating. One thing for next year, let’s make it longer and add Fatigued, yet anxious, the fnish line was in sight. a few more obstacles! I had to make it through fre and two more obstacles to get there, though- and one included hot electric wire. At this point there was no way to avoid being muddy. Sinking down into the mud, only my head above the surface, I crept to the other side avoiding being shocked by the wires over my head. At last, the fnish line, people cheered and pushed me to the end. I knew the race was successful, because anywhere I looked there was mud and dirt. I was completely covered, head to toes. Afer completing the MudSlayer and talking with fellow athletes who competed too, we agreed we look forward to it again next year. Te obstacles were attainable, yet challenging. I believe anyone who participated had a great time. Overall, it was a smooth day from registration and packet pick-up to
http://www.muddymommy.com I was recently ofered an opportunity to fy to new race frst hand, but I would be joining several Ohio and participate in the inaugural Mud, Guts, elite athletes who are very well known in the OCR & Glory race, which is a new permanent obstacle world. I was to be racing with the likes of Amelia course built at the King’s Domain Camp outside of Boone & Junyong Pak, two of the fastest & most Cincinnati, Ohio. talented runners currently in the OCR world. Brad Upon frst hearing about this new event, I had Kloha of Run To Remember, who has committed jumped at the chance to experience a race in a to running 100 races in 52 weeks to raise awareness location I’ve never had the opportunity to run for Alzheimer’s. Dan Krueger, of DanKreuger.net, at. Since I do tend to stay within Florida for the Heather Ganoe of Relentless Forward Commotion. majority of my races, I was excited to see what a Rob Butler, who owns the Shale Hill Adventure Midwest race would be like, and happily accepted Farm in Vermont. Jef Cain of On My Way To the ofer. Sparta. And of course, Mr. B Davis himself of Obstacle Racing Media. As details about the race were revealed, excitement grew. Te race looked like a great Sounds like a great crowd of people right? Well challenge. Photos of obstacles and steep hills teased wait, it gets better. us, and MGG social media began slowly revealing Not only would I be joining a superstar group of plans for an epic frst race. Not only was I being amazing runners, but the race was to be flmed for given an awesome opportunity to experience a Spike TV’s show Playbook 360, hosted by former
Bengals linebacker Dhani Jones. An already cool opportunity had just become insanely awesome. So on August 30th I eagerly arrived in Cincinnati, prepared for a once-in-lifetime racing experience. And I can honestly say now that not one thing about this weekend was less than amazing. Most of us arrived at King’s Domain mid- afernoon the day prior to the race, and were immediately impressed with the beauty of the sprawling 120-acres which boasts ample hills, streams, and forests. Te camp itself is located about an hour outside of Cincinnati, and is committed to helping provide at-risk kids with a retreat away from the inner-city. Tey provide lodging, food, activities, and mentoring for kids who rarely experience any stability or support in their daily lives. Upon arrival we checked in, were shown to our adorable on-site cottages that were provided us as lodging for the weekend, and immediately prepared to get out on the grounds and check out the course. It was great to be given the advantage of having a sneak peak of the course pre-race. We were able to check out obstacles, ask questions of the race directors, and get a true feel for what was in store for us the following morning. And as we progressed through our tour of the course, we quickly realized that this race would be no-easy task. Since this course was built to be a permanent fxture on the camp’s grounds, obstacles were extremely sturdy, and many were constructed from the natural resources of their property. Large logs and tree trunks created the perfect material for challenging obstacles, as vines, branches, and logs marked the 18 boundaries of the trails we were to run.
We made a point to stop and test out a few of able to successfully continue to grow, and in turn the more difcult obstacles during our preview. positively efect more kids each year. Te genuine Tere was Sternum Checker, which required a leap love for the camp, the kids, and the passion for of faith from one parallel log to another higher their mission was evident, and so inspiring. It truly log. Te Weaver, a series of beams that racers were made supporting this race an incredible honor and a expected to alternate going over then under each privilege. beam without touching the ground. And Monkey Te next morning we gathered for breakfast as Business, which has got to be the most insane a team, met Dhani, participated in a few pre-race monkey bar challenge I’ve seen at a race to date! It interviews, and prepared to run. was fun to give them a test, and to get an exclusive And fnally, at 8:30am, as we stood at the base of a peek at portions of the event prior to racing. steep incline that would lead us into the woods and Friday evening we sat down with the race well on our way through a myriad of challenges, the directors and owners of King’s Domain, and through enthusiastic announcer shouted, “Mud! Guts! Glory! our discussions were moved by the true passion that GO!!” And of we went. is the driving force behind this event. Tis race was Speaking of hills, they happened to be a constant not created for the sole purpose of fnancial gain, challenge throughout the 5.2 miles of the race. I prosperity, or fame. Te race was created as a way quickly realized that living in an area that provides to raise funds for the camp in hopes that they are no elevation change whatsoever resulted in a race 19
experience that I found myself quite unprepared Tis race was a great reminder to me about why for. Granted, I started out much too quickly, as I I love obstacle racing as much as I do. I consider excitedly tried to position myself near the front of myself to have reached a place where I am in good the pack in hopes of a competitive fnish. Te frst enough physical shape to approach each race well two miles went great, and I felt strong as I pushed prepared for most challenges that come my way. But ahead. But afer each climb up the steep, slick any good race also provides obstacles or terrain that embankments and tall hills, I slowly but surely ran forces its participants out of our comfort zone, and out of steam. Being used to fat, fast courses, the hills that pushes us to our own physical limits. We face showed me where my weakness is, and although I our fears, we overcome our weakness, we are strong completed obstacles with ease, each climb became when we feel like we can no longer continue, and we more and more labored as I progressed. Te fnal fnish proud, knowing that we have just won a battle hill, aptly named Te Pinnacle, almost did me in of mind over matter. If there was no challenge, then as I found myself on several occasions grasping the why do it? rope provided for dear life, and struggling to will my Tere were many points of this event where I felt muscles to push me ahead to the summit. weak. When each approaching hill created a brief My initial completion goal changed quite quickly, moment of dread, followed by a deep resolve that and I no longer had a desire to prove to everyone I must push ahead despite my brain screaming at that I could fnish in the top percentage, but simply me that another climb would do me to push through each remaining challenge, to in. And although this race ofers a complete it to the best of my ability, and to be proud spot to opt-out at each mile before of that fnish. continuing on to the next stage, 20
that was not an option for me as I knew that no give up, I have run a race worthy of feeling I’ve matter how difcult the hills were, and no matter accomplished something great. how long it took me, I would fnish. Mud, Guts, & Glory is a quality event coordinated To be honest, there is a small part of me that by a wonderful group of passionate and genuine wishes I could report my moments of strength individuals. It supports a great cause, provides a and accomplishment during this race, but at the challenge ft for both the elite and everyday athlete, same time I think it is so important for those and is a course I would be honored to run again. I reading to know that experiencing those moments highly recommend that anyone interested should of weakness are okay as well. I truly believe it’s visit King’s Domain to run this course (there’s a those moments of weakness that teach us so much great family course for parents and kids to run as about our own personal strength and tenacity, and well!). looking back I would not change a thing about my Te next MGG event is November 2nd! If you own performance at this event. I climbed those are able to make the trip, or live nearby, I highly crazy hills, I completed each obstacle to the best recommend that you don’t miss out! of my ability, I sweated, I struggled, and I fnished ~Holly so incredibly proud of myself. As long as I never 21
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are doing it competition or for fun you are always gonna have the time of your life!!!! You meet new people, get to challenge yourself with the obstacles, and the best part of all is you have fun!!!!!!! And afer the race you are super proud of your new accomplishment!!!! Sometimes people do so much obstacle races you can’t even count!! It is also really cool just watching the adults do there race!!!! In January i am doing Super Hero Scramble it is my frst time I can’ t wait!!!!! I have heard that that one is super fun!!! I love their motto: “It’s not just a race it’s an adventure” I love the meaning of it. It means you’re not just running you having an adventure!!!!! I hope you loved reading this!!!! Bye!!!!! hi!!!! My name is ally!!! I love doing the mud races!!!! Tey are super fun!!!!! It is really fun to make new friends at the races!!! And do the obstacles with them. One of the main things about the mud races is the mud!!!! Tey have the best mud there!!! It feels slimy and cool. If you do a lot of the mud races you can get a lot of metals the metals are like memories of how much fun you had at the race. It reminds you of all the new friends you made. And no matter what you will never forget about the big accomplish you made that day!!! I also love doing the races because it is not a normal race is it an obstacle race and that’s the best part 23 about it!!! You get to climb and everything!!! I like doing the mud races for fun some people do them for competition though. It doesn’t matter if you
Hi, my name is Kalyn Brackemyer and I’m almost 9 years old. I just ran my second race of the summer, and the race wasn’t that long. But I still ran hard. My dad has been a lot of help. He’s helped me a whole lot. My brothers also ran the race with me, and we all looked forward to it. I fnished in 4th place, and it was very hard to run fast the whole way. I wish it {the race} would have been longer, and harder, and not such a long wait till the race started. {She had to wait till I fnished my race to run}. I’m waiting for my dad to make a medal holder cause I’m going to run a lot of races. My friends are helping me train at school by making me run really hard 3 times around the play ground and my dad added a climbing rope to our play ground at home! When I get older I want to run track, and run races with my dad. Te End 24 As told by Kalyn
Your kids look up to you as you did your parents. Why not get them involved in the one thing you have in common? Te love for crawling, jumping, sliding and all things muddy! Join MudRunFun’s campaign to promote mud running and fun running to kids everywhere. With all these opportunities to promote health and ftness while having fun, you cannot lose. Look up events in your area. Email your local race directors and request that they set up a kid’s race. Let’s keep our kids on the right track. Let your kid become an OCRkid today!
By Nabilah Fountain HIT, or High Intensity Training, has been around for many years but has just taken over the ftness industry like wildfre. With new sports, like obstacle course racing (OCR), on the rise, HIT has become the go to workout for many ftness enthusiasts. To understand the benefts of HIT, let me give you a brief overview of what HIT really is and how it can truly impact your performance substantially. HIT is a form of strength training that utilizes the entire body at a higher intensity level to momentary muscle failure. Once muscle failure is reached, a period of rest is followed before performing the next set of exercises. Essentially you are putting yourself into EPOC, excess post-exercise oxygen consumption; otherwise known as “oxygen debt”. By doing this, you are pushing your threshold in many ways forcing your body to recover at a higher rate in order replace the depleted oxygen. Te result? You tend to burn more calories during the workout and up to 400 calories post work out for up to 36 hours. Other benefts include increased cardio capacity, strength endurance, increased power and strength and a leaner fgure suitable for many of the endurance races such as OCR. Many endurance athletes have jumped on the HIT train, noticing a valuable diference in their increased performance. In the past HIT was known as the “sprinter’s” workout because of the short burst of anaerobic exertion usually to failure with long periods of rest which created stallions in the sprinting community. With new research circulating stating that HIT training can also increase performance in endurance athletes, long distance runners have now taking to HIT all of which have seen drastic increases in their stamina, strength and cardio endurance, and recovery. So why HIT? Especially in the OCR community, you not only need to rely on endurance but strength, as well. With over 20 strength baring obstacles in each race, you not only need to have incredible endurance to run the 4 plus miles in each race, but you need substantial strength to perform each obstacle with perfection. By incorporating HIT into your weekly routine, you will be adding value to your training which can result in podium time at your next race! For more information on HIT or other related topics, visit our Facebook page at 26 www.facebook.com/revolveftcamp and follow our blog at www.liveintheskinny.wordpress.com.
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Tis magazine wouldn’t be what it is without the support of our partners. Please support them when choosing your next race. Do you have an event you would like to partner with MudRunFun Magazine? Contact [email protected]
Te Mud Run Blueprint for Fitness by Roger Smith, PhD http://www.newbluefit.com Mud runners experience more cuts, scrapes, muscle cramps and pulls than your average ftness enthusiast. In the gym, the sharp edges have been polished of. But when the great outdoors, wooden walls, and metal monkey bars are your gym, you will quickly get a few scuf marks on your frame. A good daily vitamin is essential to insure that your body is prepared to fght any infections that could come from these minor injuries, as well as providing the nutrients that will help you heal and rebuild from an injury. You will walk of of the obstacle course with a scrape from a tree, a cut from a wooden wall, a poke from a metal brace, or a splinter from a fberglass boat hull. Tese are not something to be afraid of. Te human body is made to recover and heal itself naturally. Your daily vitamins and minerals will insure that you heal more completely and faster than you would otherwise. Supplements will also sharpen your mental focus when training and competing. On a mud run course you always need to be looking beyond the immediate obstacle to the landing spot on the other side, insuring that you are ready to dismount gracefully without injury. A good vitamin mix in your brain will help you maintain this focus longer and avoid mistakes that lead to injuries.
For the good of your long-term participation the average body will breakdown and die around and enjoyment in this sport you need to keep the age 40. It will sufer from every disease that modern vitamins and mineral levels up and fowing through medicine has spent centuries curing and that your body. modern nutrition has been designed to overcome. Why can’t I just eat good foods? Just as modern medicine can eliminate disease and help you live longer, modern nutrition and exercise You need the essential nutrients to make can improve your ftness and health beyond their everything in your body function smoothly for natural state. 100 years. If you do not do this, you will wear out around age 50. Most of these nutrients are found in Scientifc ftness, nutrition, and health will allow the foods you buy at the grocery store. It is generally you to live twice as long as “natural man” and do so true that a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, with much less sufering. dairy, and lean meats will deliver all of the nutrients Your frst step in the Mud Run Blueprint for that you need to run your engine for 100 years. Fitness™ is to take a multivitamin and mineral tablet But, be honest, do you really want to eat spinach every day. and kale for lunch every day to insure that you get But which vitamin product should you use? enough vitamin K? Do you want to eat seven carrots Tere are literally hundreds of vitamin every day to get the vitamin A and carotene in supplements to choose from. Tey all seem to be them? 99% of the population is just not interested in unique and diferent. But they are not. Most of the living in a dietary straight jacket like that. diferences are just in the packaging and marketing. Tat is where a multi-vitamin and mineral Vitamins are made in a small number of supplement come in. pharmacology factories around the world. Te Tese little pills insure that you get most of your brands that you see on the store shelf design their essential vitamins and minerals every single day, not own unique combinations of ingredients and just on the days that you are able to make a special then send those to a commercial pharmacy to be salad, consume a half dozen pieces of fruit, and manufactured. Te brand itself is just a unique drink several glasses of milk. Tey help you enjoy mixture of the same ingredients packaged into a the foods you eat, not become a slave to them. bottle designed to make the product stand out. Tey are all nearly equal in “quality”, a marketing term Tere is a large and vocal group of health that is meant to diferentiate the expensive products enthusiasts who believe that an all natural diet will from the inexpensive ones. create the highest levels of good health and ftness. Teir reasoning is that the human body has evolved If you already have a bottle of vitamins over millions of years to function in harmony that is not expired, then that is the with nature. Tis is a very seductive and idyllic right one to start taking today. philosophy. But it is wrong. Lef to its natural state, If you do not have a bottle, 30
then you need to fnd something that fts your tastes. would need to keep a journal of your habits before Look for the following: taking the vitamins and again for a couple of months Size. Te pill should be a size that you are afer taking them. Te changes are subtle, but they comfortable swallowing or chewing every day. Te are there. It is easy to take these for granted because best vitamin is the one that you will actually take, they are not the same rush that you get from cafeine not the one with the best ingredients that stays in or sugar. the bottle for years. What are all of those other supplements for? Smell. Some vitamins have an odd smell. If that turns your stomach, then choose a diferent one. If you talk to health nuts, athletes, and back-to- Taste. Many people think a vitamin should taste nature enthusiasts about their vitamin supplements, like candy. If that is you, then get a gummy or you will fnd that all of them take more than just a chewable vitamin that tastes great, or a small tablet single multivitamin. Tey all swear by a diferent that you can’t taste at all. combination of supplements that enhance their One Daily. Some vitamins are designed to specifc activities. In most cases, these devotees have be taken two, three, or six per day. Tat is too built up their stock by reading books and articles complicated. Choose a vitamin that has everything or talking to other healthy people that they respect. you need in one single pill. Tey have arrived at a mixture that works well for Cost. We all have fnancial limits. Choose a them both physically and psychologically. vitamin that you can aford to purchase regularly for If you stick with the Mud Run Blueprint for the rest of your life. Fitness™ program, you will fnd yourself on that Tat is simple. Choose what works best for you. same journey in a few months or years. But, right But do not choose to skip it. now you are just getting started and there is no reason to make this more complicated than it needs Why don’t I feel a rush? to be. Today you need one simple habit that you can continue for the rest of your life. Taking a vitamin and mineral tablet is not like downing an energy drink. You will not feel an Take one small, simple, afordable vitamin pill immediate rush of energy. Rather, over time, you every morning. should notice subtle, but solid, improvements in your health. When your body has these nutrients it Dr. Roger Smith is a researcher at Florida can perform its daily activities better. Tis includes Hospital, prolifc author, and avid mud runner. a sound sleep, regular and reliable digestion, He competes with the old guys in every mud run preventing and repairing injuries to the joints, stable around Central Florida. Tis column was drawn blood chemistry, and improved oxygen absorption from his book Te New Blueprint for Fitness: Mud during exercise. To really notice each of these you Run Edition, which is available at Amazon.com.
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https://www.facebook.com/adventuresoftheultrabeast “Okay! Tonight is gonna be the test. I’m gonna I decided that I was going to sign up for Savage run 8 miles. If successful, I’m pretty damn certain I Race next. I got there early for the “Competitive” can add 4 more miles with 6 weeks of training to do wave and it was then that I met this crazy kid the 12 mile TOUGH MUDDER on Dec. 4th!!” that was standing there barefoot, planning to race Tat was a quote from me that I posted on with no shoes on! As I stood there talking to him, Facebook on October 21st, 2011 (approx. 18 I could tell he was friendly but he was defnitely months ago). At that time, I only had a 3 mile nuts! He had a tattoo across his stomach that said, Highlander mud race under my belt. A belt that “Deater”. Wouldn’t you know it though; he’s now currently wrapped around my 226 pound frame! a good friend and is known as, “Deater the Panda Highlander ofered a 6-mile race but at the time Guy”. “Deater” was the one who introduced me to I wasn’t quite sure I was ready for it so instead I MudRunFun and never again was I alone at a mud opted for the 3-mile race. While I had always been race! athletic, I had not always been in top shape. I also I got invited into the MudRunFun Facebook had a competitive spirit and drive to challenge group and “Friended” all thirty odd members. It myself, however, through life stresses that spirit seems crazy now, considering it’s probably over and drive was forced to lie dormant within me. 1000 members strong today! I would always post Te Highlander race evoked an instant adrenaline- my workouts in the page and thereby earned induced spirit and drive to achieve more and test my the nickname “BeastMode”. I became Matthew limits. Tat 8-mile test run on October 21st proved “BeastMode” Dolitsky on Facebook. I started to me that I could push myself and accomplish incorporating mountain biking and running with more. My sights were set on Tough Mudder! a sandbag, then running carrying a tire into my I started running several times a week with workouts. I even started running multiple laps at weekly test runs slowly increasing my miles and local mud races. incorporating calisthenics during my runs like I saw During this time, Spartan Race announced the in the Tough Mudder YouTube videos. Te week frst ever marathon distance obstacle race, the Ultra before Tough Mudder, I accomplished my frst ever Beast. I had never done a Spartan Race before, but I 1/2 marathon training run. I knew I was ready, applied, reapplied, harassed them on Facebook, had nervous, but ready. Well, truth be told, scared really! members of MudRunFun harass them on Facebook, On December 4th, 2011, when I FINISHED emailed them with detailed training records and my frst Tough Mudder, I felt like I was on top of fnally I was accepted. 2 weeks before the world! Te weird thing was, I drove to Tough the Ultra Beast, I ran 9 laps at Mudder alone, I ran alone, and then I drove home American Mud Race for over 34 alone. All of my training had also been done alone. 26 miles. Te Ultra Beast came
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and I was one of approximately 156 FINISHERS. had my sights set on IRONMAN Louisville. On However, it did not come easy! I was part of the August 25th I FINISHED IRONMAN Louisville in group of racers that got of course and were dubbed 13:36:08. Tat’s 140.6 miles of swimming, biking, “Te Lost Tribe”. My fnish was even sweeter and running. My biggest accomplishment to date though afer it came at 31 miles. I then earned and once again I changed my middle name on the nickname “UltraBeast” and again changed my Facebook, to the “IronBeast”. As of this going to middle name on Facebook. print, I should be a second time FINISHER of the Since then, I continuously set my sights to Spartan Ultra Beast. I’m then looking forward tougher and more extreme races. My training also to IRONMAN Miami 70.3 then a second run at became tougher and more extreme, consisting of World’s Toughest Mudder and in early 2014, the open water swims, dragging and running with Fuego y Agua 70k Survival Run in Nicaragua. tires, miles of tire fips, and 100+ mile bike rides. I With all that being said, I’m just a 43-year-old FINISHED 26 hours and 5 laps of World’s Toughest guy that took up a hobby of obstacle racing and Mudder (2012), Spartan Beast in Texas (both days), have now become a Sponsored Athlete for VPX SoCal Super Spartan (both days), Super Spartan Team Xtreme OCR, Team Mud and Adventure and Miami (laps for a marathon), Spartan Sprint Georgia I represent Team MudRunFun wherever I go! Oh, (laps for a marathon), Florida IRONMAN 70.3, that belt I mentioned at the beginning, it lost about and the Spartan Death Race (Bib Finisher). In 6 inches and only has to wrap a frame that now case you missed that; I actually completed all of weighs about 40 pounds less! My life has become the Spartan Races in reverse order (Ultra Beast, an adventure one race at a time! I am truly happy Beast, Super, then Sprint). I also ran the Gasparilla and am proud to have so many supportive friends in Half Marathon and the Masters of all Terrain Half MudRunFun! MUD people ARE the best people! Marathon (M.O.A.T.) carrying a tire. All along, I 36
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Team Highlight https://www.facebook.com/groups/crazymuddermuckers Te Crazy Mudder Muckers are here to support, the race wherever I ended up. I found a quiet little inform and bring together everyone interested in campground and sure enough, there were several participating in the ever-growing and popular sport other campers there, from all over the state that had of mud/obstacle course running and racing. We just completed the Saturday race. We sat around use the group to bring family and friends together the campfre that night and I said “we need a way by joining the rest of the team in getting muddy that we can coordinate with each other and go to and getting healthy all at the same time. We hope more events like this, like a Facebook group”. What everyone in the group can be part of an extended should we call it? Out of the dark from around the family and look forward to meeting at these amazing fre, someone said “Crazy Mudder Muckers”, and so events. We are all here to have fun, get healthy and it was born. enjoy the outdoors all at the same time. Afer running on Sunday, needless to say, I had I ran my frst OCR on June 4, 2012. When I drank the Kool-Aid and was hooked. I was already registered for the Warrior Dash, I asked everyone begging for more mud. When I got home on the I knew if they wanted to go do it with me. Te night of June 4, 2012, I sat down and created a response was not only a resounding “NO” but Facebook group called Crazy Mudder Muckers and more like “HELL NO!!”. Tey all thought I was added about 10 people to the group including the crazy. But I was determined to do this, with or friends I had just made at the Warrior Dash. We’ve without someone next to me. So, on June 3rd, just passed our 1 year anniversary we have over 430 2012 I ventured to Logan, Ohio by members and continue to grow. myself with my car packed for What I have learned and continue to experience camping the night before the at all of these events is a common, ‘un-written’ 39 race. I knew I would meet theme about humanity. To bring out the best in people that were going to
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