December 2013
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writers OCRkids
Conner Eason Fallon Bonner
Allan Ajoy
Elite Racer South East Region
Nabilah Fountain
Whats inside this issue? OCRkids Conner Eason & Fallon Bonner. pg 1
“Athlete Spotlight” Allan Ajoy.....................................pg 5 “Fat loss vs. Weight loss” Nabilah Fountain.......................pg 13 Race Review -Electric Run Miami Matthew O’Leary.......................pg 15
NASM Certified Trainer Nutrition Coach
“Forging Unbreakable Athletes” Edgar Landa...............................pg 25
Matthew O’Leary
“Working out Mommy Style” Holly Berkey................................pg 30
Obstacle Runner MRF Mag Publisher
Edgar Landa
Team SISU Team SISI Advocate
Holly Berkey
OCR Athlete / Blogger www.muddymommy.com
Arnel Benawa
Blogger / Certified Trainer www.ocrtube.com
Roger Smith, PhD.
OCR Athlete / Prolific Author South East Region
Superhero Scramble North Florida Arnel Benawa................................pg 31 “Mud Run Fuel” Roger Smith, PhD.......................pg 39 Race Map Mud Run Fun.............................pg 43
Your kids look up to you as you did your parents. Why not get them involved in the one thing you have in common? The 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 fitness 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!
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’t
so he can
ke past wee is h t le b ram un, erhero Sc p MudRunF u S orite part t v a a f R C y O m t d s t it. y an n his fir d say abou ing mudd o t t t e d Connor ra g a ning. I ha h d n e u e r v h t lo t p a y e h ll k rea and a t this is w t of fun. I t back up lo o a g write, bu hen I got I d T t a . u h e b I s r s t u e u o b c im cle of t y hard g the obsta t ll a couple u e It was ver f o I b keep askin . a I e g . d s li in d s h n t e y ie h r r t f eve my g down e. I liked uld show im o t c I d was slidin n o son, 8 yrs s o a c l E e o r s o o h a n c s n it o - C ore to un I ran t that I w ir so much f h s T a nd l medal a o o c y ll a e r it again. o d n a c I when
was obstacle e it r o v a f My lly dirty. mud run. a t e s r r t fi o y g m as ut it mble. It w ostume, b a c r l c s ir g o r r e e h spid me per ed the su an aweso . I wore a s k t t li o e g y n I ll d . a n e ib r a b I y alls k ost lost m ver the w o lm t a I n e d ing. I thin w n n a n u , u o s r y s e a n r v e g wh . I lo nd ith mud a sometime w in d a e g r a e v it o o do It was c d I want t n a n u f s r, 8 yrs old wa e t I n n l! o a B d e n m . - Fallo rcise ever e x e t s e b s the
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My name is Allan Ajoy and I am originally from Guayaquil, Ecuador. I live in Miami. I am 37 years old and I am an Obstacle course runner, Crossfit fanatic and a Fashion Guru…(lmfao) Every time I run a 5k, an OCR, a half marathon, or participate in a crossfit event I am alive I feel that I am invincible and always try to give my all no matter what!! Why, why I do that? I come from a family of 3 brothers, I am the youngest and my brothers were soccer stars, well I wasn’t. In fact I was the weirdo, the one who never played sports and the expectations were so high from the coaches and friends that my whole life in high school was miserable. I was a very bright student but not into sports. Yes I was bullied for being different. But the only time that nobody couldn’t make fun of me is when I ran. Nobody could catch me and I was always in the top 3. Those moments I was happy. But it was only a few moments. My college experience was a little better and finally when I got my degree I decided to move to USA. I was tired being different it was time to go. Now I work in retail industry for the past 12 years and my life is like everyone elses. Going to the gym and running on the beach. Almost 10 years doing this and I was still missing something. Yes, I was accepted here for who I was….but I was not happy with myself, I was still being chased by the demons of my past. Three years ago a friend asked me if I have heard about Crossfit. I joined and it was love at first sight: the adrenaline, the people, the energy, competitive W.O.D.’s everyday, say what!!!?
Running is my “passion” and combining Crossfit exercises I was in heaven but one day I saw a flyer on the board in my box. The “Tarzan’s cup”, that was my first OCR. I didn’t know anything about this kind of race. I was dreaming about it everyday, listening from my coach “oh yes those are like “Spartan” “Tough mudder” those are tough…..you have to train for it” (I had no idea of what he was talking about)…..but yes I did train for it. I changed my diet and my exercising routines. I was getting ready for my first race. OMG!!!!!!! The day came and I couldn’t believe it….hundreds of people dressed in costumes, screaming and getting ready for a run and mud!! I was like what the heck?? Can we do this? Can we jump in the water, do this slide, do this monkey bars??? I was in paradise!!!! I got second place that day!!! I couldn’t believe my inner kid was speechless…Finally I got to do something that made me happy 100%, that made me feel equal because there was no gender, religion or anything involved it was only mud, run and fun!! (yes MUDRUNFUN)!!!! I started checking in the internet for more races in Miami and I did it for around 6 months until I found “Savage Race” my first Central Florida race, 2 years ago. I went with my (original crazy Miami team) Geishelle, Ricky, Eddie and Mark. That race was fun and tough, yes the obstacles were tougher and the competition stronger!..but the people we met that day were the best!!!
We had the pleasure to meet Stephanie Magee
done. I was very nervous because it is the mother
Magnuson that day and she said to us…”OMG
of the races “Spartan Ultra Beast” and I felt I was
you guys are perfect for our little FB group called
not prepared but I did train for it and I needed to
“mudrunfun”” I was like, wait what? What is that?
conquer it!! I needed to get my confidence back and
A secret society that only talks about OCR and they even offer you codes for discounts, and you can ask for tips, and you can just be crazy meaning they are crazy people just like you!! She was like “yes, exactly!” I want in!!!! It took me minutes when I joined the MRF FB page to feel I was home I was finally somewhere I could be myself and actually feel normal next to a bunch of weirdos like James, Doug, Chris, Jason, Kelly, etc LOL
yes I did finish and only can say it is so far the best experience in my life! That day I finished I cried so much, Finally I let it go….I thought about myself being bullied when I was a kid and conquering this I was finally getting me some respect! My self respect! It was the best therapy I had! Enough of the sad days. NOW I am grown man that enjoys life 100% everywhere I go, I have family and the best part I can be me!!!!!!….we are family that have fun running, conquering obstacles, tears of joy when crossing the line!!!! That my friends you
The day I met Damion and Tracy was at FLRoc event. It was so amazing not even because they
cannot buy anywhere!!! I think my life was designed to be just like the
were awesome and so welcoming!!! I was already
way it was and with my example to bring some
representing them as MRF runner, I was so proud!!!!
inspirations to whoever wants to do something
Same day I got to meet Joselito and Troy and ran
different! HEY IT’S FUN!
together and we won!!! I said to myself I think can do this for a long
Elite or not Elite everyone that does something out of their comfort zone is a winner. Everyone who
time….almost 2 years non stop….Spartan,
trains hard, who take care of themselves is a winner.
Superhero scramble, Tough Mudder, Run for
Everyone who accepts people just the way they are is
your lives, Hog Wild, Squish Squash, Muddy
a winner.
Buddy, Down and Dirty, Armageddon Ambush, Highlander, The Challenge, etc all the Miami 5k’s you can have and all the half marathons you can count….I was running OCR every weekend….it was insane!!!!
for all those people who left us early in this life, I run for all those people who are battling cancer, I run for those people injured and probably could never run again…..for me it is not about being top 3
This year I stopped a little bit due to some healthy issues but I am back!!!!….I decided
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I don’t run for me anymore. I run and enjoy life
anymore…yes winning is amazing I cannot lie , but honestly I have been there and done that. Running
my comeback with probably one
with my friends Mike, Haidar, Deater is creating
of the toughest races I have
memories we can pass to our future generations and say yes that was us “the originals”, meeting new people every time that teaches you something that I value more than a trophy!
Friends from Karma, Team Eata, Crossfit 305, Legacy Fit, IRun you guys have make me better not a better runner a better person. The people I have met thru these groups, it has been such an amazing experience! so many stories to tell‌I admire each one of you!
MUDRUNFUN Family you guys rock!! I have no words to describe how grateful I am to be part and considered part of this family!! You guys rock!!!!!!! LET’S RUN!!!!!!!!!
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Nabilah Fountain
http://liveintheskinny.wordpress.com When it comes to dropping those unwanted
circumference measurements. Weight isn’t the main
LBs, many people opt for the restriction on calories
focus and is only used to calculate body fat and track
method. You know…Calories in vs. calories out. And
for proper body compositional changes. With a fat
until recently, this has been what most nutritionists
loss approach, you will have longer lasting results and
and even medical doctors have recommended
an increased metabolism that will continue to burn
to their clients. The problem is this philosophy is
fat efficiently throughout the day. Now let’s go back
geared towards weight loss and really has no impact
to “why” calorie restricted diets are geared towards
on fat loss. Why? Before we go into the why let’s
weight loss and has no real impact on dropping
discuss the difference between the two. Weight loss
stubborn fat. When you restrict calories, you
encompasses pounds dropped during a dieting
dramatically influence hormones that synergistically
cycle. There is no real focus on body composition
work together to help balance and stabilize your
because the main concern is watching the scale
metabolism. Disrupting these hormones will
needle move to the left. With weight loss you are
result in increased hunger, decreased energy and
primarily losing muscle and water with a minimal
uncontrollable cravings. All of which are not
amount of fat being burned. When muscle is broken
conducive to fat loss. Eating for fat loss means eating
down due to lack of nutritional support and exercise,
fat loss foods. Foods rich in protein and fiber, not low
you are essentially breaking down your metabolic
calorie garbage. Keeping your insulin regulated is
machinery that burns fat and disrupting hormones
also important because when insulin is present in the
that aid in the fat burning process. This is why
body it acts as a fat lock hormone which means excess
calorie restricted diets result in, for
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calories will be stored as fat and will not be used
the most part, a huge regression
for energy. Finally combining a safe and effective
in progress. Fat loss, on the
workout with a well designed fat loss program will
other hand, focuses on body
not only have you burning fat like wild fire but keep
composition; body fat and
your metabolism stoked for years to come.
The Eletric Run - Miami Saturday, November 23rd 2013 Matthew OLeary The first time I went to The Electric Run was
centralizes drug use and usually violates noise
in Southern California. It was their first event.
ordinances. Now let me say right here that The
10,000 people as far as the eye could see, dressed
Electric Run is NOT this type of rave. I did not see
in blacklight responsive colors and armed to the
any drug use or anything like that. What I did see
teeth with glowsticks, necklaces, bracelets and even
was one KICK-ASS PARTY. And that is what sells
eyeglasses. Carmen Electra was on the mic, keeping
this event.
everyone waiting to run amped up, which was a good thing because I was in the middle of those 10k people waiting to run and it took hours before we got to the start line. Wave after wave was sent off. The energy was high. The anticipation was electric. Everyone could feel it. You couldn’t help but smile at strangers standing beside you. Tracy Trombley (MudRunFun) had also been to this race before in Georgia. So when I heard there would be one in Miami we really had no choice, we had to go again.. An hour and a half from Orlando to Palm Bay
Are you into psychedelic visuals? Do you like trance, dance and electronica? Then this is the race for you! 3.1 miles of dance music to keep you in a motivated, rhythmic run. Colors, visuals and lighting effects that will entrance. And where do you end up at the end? A stage with a DJ and one crazyass group of people. The Miami event had a more teen to early 20’s people than I see at mud runs and obstacle course runs. I saw some families and even some strollers. Unlike the SoCal event, I did not see many people running. In fact, so few people were that I jokingly
and then three hours south to Miami we arrived
called this one The Electric Walk. And that is my
shortly after the gates opened. With roughly 6,000
next reason this is a rave in disguise, this crowd was
runners this was no small event, although not as
not here to run. Well, at least most of them.
packed as the SoCal event. In my heyday (yes I said it) I may have spent a weekend or two at a rave. And I have to say, this race is a rave disguised as a 5k. Let me tell you why.
If the SoCal event was 5 stars I would give this 4. The next one is in Orlando Florida in February and I WILL be there. I hope you will to and make sure you register as team MudRunFun!
From the moderate experience I have in the rave scene I have to come to understand that local governments do not want raves in their neighborhoods, and for good reasons. It disrupts traffic, requires a police force for large crowds,
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Team Highlig h
t
http://www.sisuteam.com By Edgar Landa - The Early Days
people joined the fledgling Facebook page and
A few short years ago Team SISU co-founder
before long they had 30-40 people regularly joining
Daren De Heras signed himself up for the Spartan Death Race in Pittsfield, Vermont and began training for what is arguably one of the most physically and mentally challenging endurance races in the country. He ultimately DNF’d at his first Death Race but little did he know that the seed for what Team SISU would become had been planted. Shortly after that first experience in Vermont a few Southern California racers contacted Daren to pick his brain about the Death Race the following year. Being the gregarious person that he is, Daren invited them to train together in preparation for the 2012 race. Over the course of the year they ran together, carried heavy and awkward items up and down mountains, and tested their endurance by going on 12-18 hour overnight rucks in the mountain areas around Los Angeles. A few more
them on adventures with tires, sledge hammers, axes, bricks, logs and sandbags. Team SISU arrived at the Summer 2012 Death Race prepared and confident. AND supported… by a phenomenal crew of Team SISU members, who also made the trip to Vermont from Los Angeles and other parts of the country. It became evident that SISU had become more than just a name on a t-shirt. They were seeing the camaraderie and training pay off. They became aware that a team can accomplish so much more than an individual. They inspired each other to push beyond their limits. A number of Team SISU finished the 2012 Death Race, but more importantly for Team SISU, Daren De Heras talked…a lot…to lots of people. Gab is Daren’s gift. He talks, and yaks, and gabs. And he gets people excited. By the time they got home Team SISU had grown and many folks were asking
about getting a SISU Team going in their neck of the woods. And so, the seed that had been planted just a year earlier had grown into something Daren could now see had potential for even more growth. The Weeple-SISU Connection Around this same time Daren met Weeple Army founder Dave Huckle. For those that have been living under a rock for the past few years the Weeple Army has become a force to be reckoned with at obstacle course races and other race events across the country. The Weeple Army members show up en masse in their green and black Weeple Army race gear waving the Weeple flag. They come to run together and help each other out on the course. No Weeple is left behind. This ethic has attracted athletes of all levels and ages and encouraged them to get off the couch and challenge themselves with the support and encouragement of their fellow Weeples. The Weeple reach is both near and far. In 2012, the Weeple Army was crowned the Biggest Team winner by Spartan Race. The relationship between Team SISU and the Weeple Army is symbiotic with lots of crossover in membership. The two groups actively seek ways
brand is run by a core group led by Daren De Heras
to collaborate and the partnership has solidified
and Spartan racer/promoter/coach, Matt Trinca.
recently as Team SISU has officially become the “extreme training branch of the Weeple Army.�
One of the unique characteristics of Team SISU: not only is it a team that trains and races together, it
SISU Now As Team SISU has grown, so have its aspirations. What began as a rag tag group of a half dozen people has expanded to over 1,000 people spread across the country, over four SISU chapters: SISU West (the original), SISU East, SISU Midwest and SISU Texas. Each chapter is led by a SISU ambassador with the freedom to organize their own local events. The SISU
is also a group that creates and runs its own events. And they are becoming more popular, not just because they are designed for bad-asses, but also because they also make room for athletes of various levels to test their endurance and fortitude. Some events vary the weight requirement of objects to be carried, and others have different distances to cover, or time spans to survive. Regardless of the
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difficulty level, Team SISU events strive to support
great attitude is required. Be careful what you eat
and encourage all participants, even as they are put
beforehand, because you might be seeing it again on
through pain and suffering!
the way up, after a few rounds of this workout!
“We want to make our brand of extreme more
And, of course, there are the SISU capstone
accessible to the masses…in essence, bring everyone
events. These are the ones that Daren De Heras,
their own version of the Death Race,” says Daren De
Matt Trinca and the rest of the Team SISU
Heras. “That’s why we make all our workouts and
Leadership Council plan and prepare for months
events scalable.”
in advance. They pull the best aspects of the many
The inclusive nature of Team SISU have made them attractive to many people. Some fail, and some succeed. Some realize they actually have more fortitude than they gave themselves credit for. All walk away with a sense of accomplishment, knowing they tested their limits and survived.
races and events they have collectively done and include the Team SISU brand of gut testing and encouragement…even as participants are being pushed to their limits. The SISU F.O.R.G.E. – The inaugural event will be held on March 1, 2014 and will be a simultaneous team ruck in four different parts of the country.
SISU Events SISU sponsors events year round but some of its more popular ones include: The SISU 24 – A 24 hour adventure race in the mountains and beaches of Malibu, California. Sand in your shoes and cold water are the least of your worries at this race! The Upstream Challenge – Who would be crazy enough to follow-up a 4-hour boot camp with a 25mile bike ride with 2,000-ft of elevation gain? And THEN have an obstacle course race? Team SISU, that’s who! The SISU Triathlon – This is a triathlon done SISU style! The Rose Bowl Aquatic Center, and the trails around the world famous Rose Bowl, provide the paths to pain and suffering. Buckets and sandbags are mandatory. Crying is optional. How to F*ck Up A 5-Miler – A 5-mile track run…with hundreds of burpees, squats, pushups, sit-ups and sledge hammer drills every ¼ mile. How many circuits can you complete in 3 hours? A
Each SISU Chapter will be organizing their own 13hour urban/rural adventure ruck in what organizers are calling the “Fraternal Overnight Ruck Grand Event” or “F.O.R.G.E.” for short. Despite the word “fraternal” in its title, this is an adventure for both men and women. Teamwork will be required. Team weights will be provided. And of course, the SISU brand of hurt will be dished out. And then there is the grand-daddy of all SISU events, celebrating its 3rd consecutive year in May 2014…The SISU IRON. The SISU Iron – The third annual Iron will be begin on May 2, 2014 and, depending on the level chosen by the athlete, will end on May 4. There are snakes, bears, steep hills, single track trails, creeks and waterfalls. This event is done in partnership with the City of Monrovia at Monrovia Canyon Park. This is definitely rugged, wilderness terrain. There are three levels to choose from: the 10-Hour Ralph Macchio Level, the 20-Hour Chuck Norris Level, and the 30-hour Bruce Lee Level. Regardless of the level chosen, the Team SISU organizers are
cooking up a tough event that will challenge, break, and lift all participants! Participants are given a mandatory gear list, but other details about the event are kept secret, so as not to ruin the surprise. The SISU Iron has athletes flying in from around the country and is aiming to become the premiere adventure race in the Los Angeles area. One Log At A Time As the popularity of Team SISU has grown, so has interest in its events. Daren certainly imagined a team SISU that was more than just a bunch of friends training together. What he did not anticipate was the immense interest in the Team SISU brand of pain and suffering equalized by support and encouragement from fellow members and racers. With the addition of Matt Trinca and its Leadership Council of dedicated volunteers, the team’s organizational structure and media presence has also grown. You can find Team SISU on Facebook and on its new website (www.sisuteam. com) where visitors can find information and register for events and load up on Team SISU gear. Additionally, Team SISU has partnered with Spartan Race and SoCal OCR Fit in Long Beach to sponsor local Spartan Race 300 WODs. Team SISU boasts several sponsored Elite Spartan Racers including Miguel Medina currently training in the cold and snowy mountains of Vermont. And in December, Team SISU members and Death Racers will attempt to raise money for a charity (and break the Spartan record set by Daren last year) by running 8-10 laps of the Malibu Spartan Sprint, each lap with a different weight or physical restriction.
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A lot is happening for Team SISU but Daren and Matt could not be more excited for the adventure that lays ahead‌one step, and one log at-a-time!
http://www.muddymommy.com Regular workouts are great, but sometimes the best (and most fun!) way to burn calories is with your kids! Recently my son Mason and I had a blast “working out” together by simply playing around the house! So here’s our little workout, courtesy Mommy and Mason: Run around the house for several minutes with child riding piggy back. This is especially fun if you have pets to chase you, as this results in hysterical
as well! Next up? Bathroom dance party!!!!!! Seriously. Mason and I like throwing on some fun party tunes and jamming along during bath time! It’s a lot of fun, give it a go. Time to wind down. Kidding! Watch an episode of Yo Gabba Gabba and dance along the whole time! Finally, it’s time to brush teeth, but afterwards be sure to fly your child like superman through the house and into bed. End the night by taking silly pictures, sharing lots
laughter from child. The pets also get a great
of giggles, read a great story, and finish with a hug
workout in as well.
and kiss goodnight.
Do the airplane! You know this one! Lay on the floor and lift child up in the air pretending they are an airplane. Alternate using arms and legs for lifting, and feel the burn! Okay, time to get serious. Teach child what pushups, crunches, wall-sits, and planks are! It’s super
Whew! Now that was a workout! Rehydrate with a glass of Chardonnay. Great job Momma (or Daddy… this one’s fun for all)! You just burned a few calories while also enjoying a fun night bonding with your kiddo!
cute to see them try, plus you get a nice workout in ~Holly
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Superhero Scramble - North Florida 2013 VIDEO and Athlete Interviews Posted by Arnel Banawa on November 18, 2013 Wow! I had the opportunity to experience the Superhero Scramble North Florida Event this past weekend, and I’m going to say it again, the Superhero Scramble is one of my TOP 3 when it comes to the most challenging, organized, highquality, and fun obstacle course races (OCR). I spoke with OCR Athletes Ken Corigliano (1st Place Overall) who is the Air Force Athlete of the Year, NCAA Top Div II Athlete of the Last 40
Troy King: The best part of SS (Superhero Scramble)
Years (40th Anniversary Tribute Team) 2013, and
for me, is the Scramble Gamble (Elite Wave with
Finished 45th in Triathlon at the World Military
Prize Money Eligibility). It always brings out the
Games 2012, Paola Reategui (1st Place Female), Troy
best competitors to measure myself against.
King (4th AG, 10th Overall), and 53 year old OCR Coach Steve Miller(2nd Place AG Open), about
Steve Miller: I really liked the obstacles they were all
what they thought about the event. Check out what
challenging but not impossible and they tested your
they had to say:
endurance.
ARNEL BANAWA: What did you like best about
ARNEL BANAWA: Which obstacle was the most
Superhero Scramble North Florida 2013?
challenging?
Ken Corigliano: Had two fast guys, one was an Olympian other finished 34th overall at the Boston
Ken Corigliano: Probably Mounds of Doom, it
Marathon Two really tall obstacles
had five or six deeply dug holes with huge piles of dirt in-between, we all were gassed after those for a
Paola Reategui: My favorite part about Superhero
few seconds.
Scramble came down to two things: 1) it was more of a runners race for the first 2 miles giving me an
Paola Reategui: The most challenging obstacle had
advantage to open up the lead on other competitors
to be the rings and the last rope climb up the wall.
and 2) i loved their new obstacle where we had to
Troy King: The rings challenged me the most. I love
climb the ladder and hop down the haystacks. It was
them, don’t get me wrong, but they gave me hell this
a bit scary, at times I felt I was going to topple over
time. I lost my rhythm and ended up “two handing”
with one of them.
each ring. I finally completed them after losing two
(Paola Reategui)
spots.
ADVERTISEMENT:Â Use P90X2 Training for
Paola Reategui: No, unfortunately I was not able to
Obstacle Course Racing - Click Here!
complete all of the obstacles. I had to complete two penalties. The first one was the plank walk (balance
Steve Miller: The rings. My hands were wet and it
beam). It was very upsetting because that was the
made it slippery.
first time I failed at that obstacle. I lost focus once the planks starting wobbling, lost balance, and fell
ARNEL BANAWA:Â Did you complete every
over. The second obstacle I was not able to complete
obstacle, if not which one(s) did you not complete,
were the rings. That part was most frustrating to
and what do you feel went wrong?
me because I know I can do them, however, my hands were wet and when i tried to swing my hands
Ken Corigliano: Of course.
automatically slipped off the rings.
Troy King: I did complete all obstacles - so no burpees or spins =). Steve Miller: I fell of the balance beam. I need to work more on stabilizer muscles and focus better. My balance is shaky! (Coach Steve Miller) ARNEL BANAWA: How do you train for Obstacle Course Racing? Ken Corigliano: I do a lot of brain training to increase my proprioperception and ability to quicky (and unconsciously) place my feet, hands and adjust my center of gravity. I think anyone can get fast, pretty easily, but not many people can do physical exertion and deeply think at the same time. Especially with this new generation that has a large percentage of them that can benefit from learning to focus on one thing for long periods. Paola Reategui: I have not been training for Obstacle Course Races. I have currently been training for track & field. However, I feel that very similar training applies for cross country runners and OCR runners. The best way to go about training for an OCR’s is to build a good base first. There are no needs for excessive amounts of speed workouts. Nice long easy runs are the best way to go and after a few months of building a good base, then incorporate tempo and light interval workouts. Then of course, definitely include the gym about 3 times a week which I have to say this has been my greatest weakness as I have not lifted a weight in months. Troy King: I train for OCR with intense upper body circuits in the gym. I always superset push and pull.
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And the key is a lot of running. You have to be fast
Ken Corigliano: Overall I give the SS North Florida
to stay at the front - period. Strength only gets one
a 6.5 out of 10. First let’s go through the dirty stuff:
so far.
• Price was too high • Waves/Heats went off at random and
Steve Miller: Training is fun for me. I combine
unannounced time
home workout programs Insanity, Asylum, P90X,
• More energy in the announcer and music before,
and Body Beast along with some gym workouts and
during and after the event
Spartan WOD’s. I also use my environment and run
• Have food for finishers
sand trails along with nature trails locally. So anyway on to the good stuff: ARNEL BANAWA: Please give me your overview
After the initial awkwardness of start times changing
from the event (organization, obstacles, competition,
a few times, and the first mile or so being 180
food, etc.
degree turns, I was pleasantly surprised to see some killer wooded sections of the race. I LOVE running through areas with no trails, be it jungles, woods, swamps or rainforests. There I dropped about eight
guys and closed in on first and second place. They
I chose to conserve energy up until this section
ran off course so I caledl out to first place to let him
at which I went all out and put some measurable
know. Nonetheless I felt confident in my ability to
distance between him and I. At the Arach-Net-
catch them.
Phobia, we separated for the final time and then decided that I open up all the speed I could
The first tough obstacles came up were Mounds of
muster without blowing up. I dove straight into the
Doom which were very tough. Initially I try run
swim section and breathed only a few times across
only as fast as I can with just breathing through my
the ~80m swim section. It all paid off.
nose so it keeps my heartrate from skyrocketing or
At the finish I was 1:05 ahead of second place from
going lactic. But on these things, wow I was gassed,
at one point being nearly 20 seconds behind.
especially because I was only a few feet from first
(Ken Corigliano)
and second. So I was more focused than usual. I was breathing heavily but was hoping they similiarly
Paola Reagetui: Overall, I feel that the races are well
experienced this.
put together. Throughout this 2013 year, SHS has definitely improved with starting races on time.
We emerged from the woods to the spectator area
The competition has gone down a little bit but I
where we then ascended the Leap of Faith obstacle
believe that is due to their location. I don’t think
and several bystanders shouted to me that the front
they choose prime locations whereas choosing
guys looked tired. When I got up on the LoF I
a bigger city will definitely draw in masses and
looked down to see the other two swimming with
therefore increase competition. My team went out
their heads were fully up and mouth open breathing.
there to face good competition and win money
My heartrate was low enough to continue easy
but we were the only team to sign up. This was a
breathing. Then I knew soon it was going to shape
disappointment because they offered no money
up in my favor.
since there were no competitors which of course is understandable but again, it’s due to their locations.
As we pushed through the spectator area and
Overall, the environment at the race is always fun.
approached the lake, I jumped in and assumed first
They play great music and always have a great live
place with quickly pulling the cable while my head
performance at the events.
was down and buried in the water. First place was breathing heavily and may not have been able to put
Troy King: I always enjoy Superhero
his head under, assuring far slower progress across
Scramble. Sean does a great job of creating a great
the water.
atmosphere and a challenging course. I want to see him succeed, because it is always a blast
After the water section, first place faded back to third me and another guy went back and forth first and second until this super long mud section.
to run the gamble.
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Steve Miller: I thought the event was well organized, They could improve on course marking and the course marshalls were not the greatest.The competition was outstanding I met some of the elites and ran the competitive wave with them. Improvements on locations such as showers would be great. I inquired at 3 locations and nobody could tell me where they were. ARNEL BANAWA: When is your next race? Ken Corigliano: Bad Ass Dash, Punta Gorda, FL Paola Reagetui: My next race will be the Superhero Scramble Worlds in Miami, January 11, 2013. Troy King: My next major race will be the jax bank marathon dec 29 for a Boston qualifying time of sub 3:05. Ss Miami is my next OCR in jan 2014. Steve Miller: My next race is the Spartan Military Sprint in Tampa Feb. 15th and I am looking forward to my first Spartan Trifecta! CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO SUPERHERO SCRAMBLE NORTH FL 2013 (This OCR video is not playable on mobile devices due to music copyright laws, please view on your PC/ MAC) ~ Arnel Banawa is a P90X Coach, Internet Entrepreneur, OCR Athlete and Blogger.Connect with him on facebook! For more OCR Reviews, please check out my friends at MudRunFun.com
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The Mud Run Blueprint for Fitness by Roger Smith, PhD Run 3 miles, 4 miles, 5miles, 8 miles, or 12 miles. Climb walls, ropes, and trees. Crawl through foul black mud, creeks, and shock wires. That can burn a lot of fuel. How do you pre-fuel before an event? How do you re-fuel during and after an event? The traditional methods are (1) spaghetti dinner the night before, and (2) sports drink during. But these are like your dad’s old tennis shoes. They don’t really work that well, but they were all he had 20+ years ago. Athletes and scientists have learned a lot since then, one key thing being that spaghetti and salty punch are not very good performance fuels. Eating spaghetti the night before a race gives you some available energy from the carbs. But it mostly gives you a stomach full of pasta that you have to carry with you through the race. And anything that is still in the stomach and digestive track has not transferred its energy (calories) into your muscles and blood stream yet. The energy stored in your body primarily came from foods and water that you consumed over the previous several days. Sports drinks provide sugar, sodium, and potassium – all good things. But simple sugars burn too fast in your system and drop you off a cliff after a couple of hours. These drinks are also easy to “over drink”, putting too much salt into your system, which will suck water out of your muscles into your stomach. Then the digestive process will reverse that effect by pushing the salt into your tissue where it will hold extra water and create water-swollen hands and feet. So pasta and salty punch are not necessarily bad, they are just easy to do wrong. So how can you prefuel and re-fuel better than your dad did?
Every mud run attracts hundreds of people who are all at a very different place in their fitness and competition journey. There are the top competitors who train daily and may be winning marathons in their off days. Then the dedicated mud run athletes do this every Saturday and are above average in fitness. And finally, the newcomers who have seen the videos, been pumped up by a friend, and have no training at all in preparation. The fuel plan here will support most people, but it won’t turn a newcomer into a superhero in the week before a race. Pre-Fuel The food you consume during the three days before your race will be the fuel in your system that determines how well you can perform. During those days you should eat the way you know you should be eating all of the time – fruits, vegetables, grains, lean meats, eggs, and nuts. Avoid fried foods, big doses of sugar, and strong alcohols. Be conscious of your water consumption. The best method is to carry a water bottle with you throughout the day and consciously consume 64 ounces each day. You should have six small meals each day with a focus on protein, complex carbohydrates, and fibers. Most American diets come preloaded with enough fat, sugar, and salt that there is no reason to plan to put more of them in your pre-race meals. As the race clicks closer you can switch out a protein serving for a complex carbohydrate serving so you are eating more carbs each day as the race approaches. Every fitness book and magazine provides some form of diet plan. These are full of great meal ideas and most of them are similar for the days leading up to a triathlon, marathon, long obstacle course, or other multi-hour competition.
They all look something like this.
The day of the run, have a protein drink for
Your body-machine converts very roughly
breakfast, made with some juice, almond milk,
packaged energy into a form that can be stored so
protein powder (preferably whey isolate), cinnamon,
that it is available for quick use and long-term use.
and nut butter. Follow that with a half cup of oatmeal
The chemistry that is necessary to accomplish this is
if you have more than an hour until the race starts.
complex and governed by the laws of physics. Every
On the drive to the race drink water for hydration. But stop drinking about an hour before the race; you are less likely to be looking for a comfort stop in the middle of the race that way. If the time since breakfast is over 2 hours, then eat another piece of fruit or a fruit sauce packet. Do not consume complex foods like protein bars
food takes a certain amount of time to breakdown and to then transfer that energy into the muscles, bloodstream, and fatty tissue. This process cannot be speeded up just because you ran for your life for ten minutes (from a tiger) or for an hour (in a mud run). The process happens continuously and steadily throughout the day and night with some small
immediately before a run.
variations.
Re-Fuel
In general your body can refuel itself with fluids,
Your body is constantly burning fuel and
electrolytes, and calories at the following rates:
refueling itself from internal stores in your stomach,
• Fluids 16-28 oz/hr
muscles, and fatty tissue. Most people are surprised
• Electrolytes 100-400 mg/hr
to learn that these two processes do not happen at
• Calories 150-280 cal/hr
the same rate. Your body has the ability to ramp up
This does not speed up just because you are
performance and fuel burning by as much as a factor of 10X. But, it does not have the ability to change the rate at which is absorbs new fuel. If you think about how the body is constructed and what it needs to perform for survival, this makes complete sense.
burning fuel faster than this. So you cannot improve your performance by pouring more fuel into your stomach faster. That bulk material will just become extra weight for you to carry and it will unbalance
your body causing cramping, nausea, and possible vomiting to get rid of the material that cannot be used. You should refuel your body at the rate at which it can absorb the fuel, not at the rate you are burning fuel. The two are seldom balanced during your day, including when you are on a mud run. Assuming that you have pre-fueled your body and your run is less than an hour, you can get through it with the water stations along the way. Those 4-6 oz. cups are usually available every mile, giving you 1624 ounces in a four mile race. The electrolytes and calories can be replenished at the finish line with a couple of pieces of fruit and a small bag of peanuts. But if this is a longer 6, 8, or 12 mile run like the Savage®, Spartan®, or Tough Mudder®, then you might find the need to carry a little fuel with you on the race – but just a little. It should require only two gel packs or fruit sauces and an electrolyte tablet for each hour you will be on the course. These will give you the amount of fuel you can actually absorb and
Dr. Roger Smith is a researcher at Florida
put to use, without dumping bulk into your stomach
Hospital, author, and avid mud runner. He competes
that is going to create a negative effect.
with the old guys in every mud run around Central
For a long race I like to use a PowerBar® “Performance Energy Blends”, which is just fruit sauce, and a Hammer Nutrition Endurolyte™ tablet. A couple of these in a pocket are more than enough
Florida. This column was drawn from his book The New Blueprint for Fitness: Mud Run Edition, which is available at Amazon.com. http://www.NewBlueFit.com/
for a 12 mile race. Then after the finish line have an apple, banana, and peanuts to top you up and prevent a post-race crash. This is usually followed by regular eating and drinking like it was any other weekend. For best results, train more, worry less, and come to the race planning to have a good time.
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