Obstacle Race Magazine Issue 30

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RACE

ISSUE # 30

LE AND ADVENTURE RACERS

AC NO.1 MAGAZINE FOR OBST

FUEL YOUR

RACING

RUNNING

HABBITS

OF A BETTER RUNNER ADVENTURES

F RO M Y OUR

ZOMBIE

SALOMON TRAILFEST

Get changed. Stay warm.

2018 was huge. Bring on 2019! #dryrobeterritory

RACE

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EDITOR’S LETTER This issue is all about helping you to continue to build a solid foundation ready for what we hope is a busy but injury free season of racing.

To help your body deal with the demands of a busy race Schedule. You’ll need to ensure that your mind and body are both working in synergy. This will require you to not only build your strength and stamina, but also ensure you have the building blocks to repair your body between training and racing Sessions.

This requires you making sure your nutrition and recovery strategies are on point.

We hope this issue helps to put down a good foundation to help this along.

If you havent subscribed to one of our 2019 subscription packages yet, please do check out what we have on offer this year.

www.obstacleracemagazine.com

Ca r l

CARL WIBBERLEY EDITOR & CHIEF

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Contents FEATURE

8

RUNNING FROM YOUR ZOMBIE Fed up for being the zombie

ISSUE #30

12

of the pack ?

Shufflers beware, you may just gain a little speed.

12

SPARTAN EVENTS CALENDAR Looking to take part in your first Spartan, then this should be your first port of call.

18

AIN’T MILK BRILLIANT Is chocalate milk really that great for us?

20

A WEIGHTY ADDITION Should you be adding bodyweight training to your routine ?

30

32

32

FUEL YOUR BODY

A look at what Mud 7

IS CAFFEINE REALLY BAD FOR US

has to offer racers

One supplement that the

We share a few habits that

body correctly to keep your

in 2019.

media loves to demonised.

will help to make you a better

engine running smoothly.

But can it really be that bad

runner.

MUDNIFICENT 7

for us?

6

44

Obstacle Race Magazine

HABITS OF A BETTER RUNNER

Directions on how to fuel your

ADVENTURE

42

40

42

A little something to keep you entertained while training or communting.

Salomon help celebration all things

ADVENTURE PODCASTS

SALOMON RUNFEST trail running.

REGULARS

14

R AC E I N P I C T U R E S We recap Tough Guy the Original. A picture paints a thousand words.

26

ANKLES CONQUERING INSTABILITY Gemma shares the secret to making your ankles bullet proof and race ready.

34

14

RECIPES PAGE Turbo charge your menu with these mouth watering and tasty recipes.

36

54

56

A place to share your

A place for all your OCR

All your races listed for the

favourite

needs. From Kit shops to

coming months of OCR.

muddy race day pictures.

Training centres.

MUDTREST PAGE

OCR DIRECTORY

EVENTS DIARY

Obstacle Race Magazine

7

FEATURE

RUNNING FROM THE

ZOMBIE INSIDE YOU

There is an assumptio n that we w However, ere born to there’s a d run. istinct diffe running an rence betw d optimisin e e n just g your run running is ning. For m painful, tir any, esome, cha a zombie li llenging an ke shuffle. d resembles If you have faster and the desire easier, but to race m ost of all b this is the a e less ‘zom rticle for yo bie’ then u.

8 Obstacle Race Magazine

SELF-EVALUATION From day one of training you need someone with experience to look at how you run. You also need to look at what running means to you. So maybe this is a good moment for you to reflect on the following questions and self-evaluate your current running.

How comfortable does it feel?

How easy is it to run?

Do you feel aches and pains during /post running?

Is it enjoyable?

Could you run more efficiently?

Do you have good form?

Could you run faster?

Sometimes it is good to reflect on how you currently run as in most cases we just accept that it’s just the way it is. But it’s only at this point that you can be honest with yourself and look at ways to optimise your running by becoming more efficient, effective and faster whilst also still enjoying it. That may sound like a mouthful of ‘wishes’ but it is achievable.

START BY LOOKING AT POSTURE. How tall do you feel today?

Our first point of call is posture. For this we need to go back to basics and look at how you stand and your alignment when you run. Firstly stand as you would normally stand and determine how your body feels i.e. light/heavy, stretched/compacted. Does it feel like gravity is pushing your body weight down on your hips, legs and feet? Now go for a short run up and down the road outside your house. Similarly ask yourself the same questions.

Next, I would like you to stand with your feet under your hips and stand tall. I think like most other runners you have just pulled your shoulder up and back. Now you feel a bit taller. Well true enough you have. BUT, inadvertently as you have expanded your lower vertebrae you have compacted on the upper ones including your neck.

Instead, I would like you to imagine that there is a piece of cotton attached from the crown of your head to the ceiling/roof or if you are outdoors a cloud or the canopy of the trees.

Now pulling up on this string elongate your spine from the crown. Allow each of the vertebrae to drop down. A bit like the old doctors skeletons that you would lift up and each vertebrae would evenly drop down one below each other. The significant of this, is when you elongate your spine correctly your spinal cord can function more effectively, which brings with it good communication to every part of your body on a neurological, muscular and energetic level.

Obstacle Race Magazine 9

FEATURE

ANTIGRAVITY The other major benefit of the antigravity technique is to take the weight out of your hips, legs and feet. The best way to experience this is to run on the spot standing the way you have always and then run a short distance.

Stop, then elongate your spine. Now run on the spot and then run a short distance keeping your spine elongated.

Can you feel the difference? I can tell you that I have never come across a runner who hasn’t. In fact I can tell you categorically that if you only elongate the spine when you run, this alone is going to improve your running form, speed and comfort. So do you feel taller, I can tell you at 6 ft 2� I feel like 7 ft when I stand and run with an elongated spine. I want you to no longer feel like your whole bodyweight is weighing down on my hips, legs and feet. How does it feel to you? Try again, maybe a longer distance.

YOU CAN BREATHE The other benefit of elongating the spine is that it opens up your neck and throat area, so that you take in more air and more importantly oxygen into your lungs and around the body. This is significant to muscle fatigue and replenishing each active cell and muscle fibre in your body. As you begin to feel taller can you feel it opens up your chest without having to try hard to do so.

All you have to do is pull on that piece of string tied to the crown of your head and you feel tall, you can breathe better and ultimately you are bringing better communication throughout your nervous and cardiovascular systems, which is providing all the vital nutrients and oxygen to activated parts of your body.

10 Obstacle Race Magazine

FEATURE

NECK AND SHOULDER PAINS 9 out of 10 times most runners who experience pains and aches in their shoulders and neck whilst running is due to poor posture alignment and awareness. So the next time you are aware of the onset of such an ache or pain focus on elongating the spine and feel the difference. Just remember you don’t have to live with pain when you have the know-how to overcome it.

BALLS OF YOUR FEET Do you also notice that being tall tucks your butt in and causes you to slightly lean forward from your ankles (not hips). This ultimately brings you closer to the balls of your feet if you are a heal striker.

WARNING – Moving from heal striking to mid foot striking has to be done over a transition period in order to re-train the muscles and reduce the risk of injuries.

PRACTICE…PRACTICE…PRACTICE Now it is time to practice this simple yet dynamic adjustment to your running. Just remember you will not be able to do it all the time, but the more you are aware of it in your normal day to day tasks such as sitting, standing and walking, then it is much easier to incorporate it into your training. Slowly it becomes more the norm for you. Don’t be too hard on yourself when you are out running. Start off with elongating the spine and every few minutes just re-enforce it. It may feel strange in the first instance, but it becomes less work as muscle memory starts to develop.

Obstacle Race Magazine 11

SPARTAN 2019 EVENTS CALENDAR Registrations are now open for the Spartan UK and Ireland race season with

£17,600 worth of

prize money up for grabs ........

Perfect for the adventurous type and those seeking a new challenge. Get your adrenaline pumping as you race through beautiful forests, across stunning landscapes and look to conquer obstacles such as their much loved Spear Throw, Inverted Wall, Atlas ball carries and Barbed Wire Crawl.

The first race weekend of the season kicks off with the South East race weekend on the outskirts of South East London at St Clere on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th May, before travelling across the Irish Sea to Punchestown Racecourse on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th May. Next up is the Aston Down Airfield in Gloucestershire, on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd June, and then Spartan returns to the home of Spartan Race UK in the Midlands on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th July.

Spartan will be then heading to the beautiful Scottish Highlands around Perth for a second year on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th September, concluding with the season finale, the Windsor Trifecta Weekend, on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th October - renowned for being the biggest and best race of the season.

Each of six race weekends have open heats to cater for racers of all fitness and abilities, Age Group and Elite heats for more competitive racers as well as Kids races for young adventure thrill seekers aged between 4-13 years old, designed to help inspire them to be more active and get outdoors.

You have four race options when taking on a Spartan, choose from: Sprint, Super, Beast and the Ultra - all of which vary in distance, obstacle count and difficulty.

This year there is a total prize pot of £17,600 up for grabs, which includes £3,000 for the overall male and female series winners and £600 for the winners of the individual series races so competition looks like it will be fiercer than ever.

ST CLERE : 4th-5th MAY

IRELAND : 25th-26th MAY

Let 2019 commence! Our 2019 Spartan Season kicks off here in the heart of the South East ! This is our third year returning to our St Clare venue to launch a new season, and every year it gets bigger and better. So get ready Spartans, St Clare and our 2019 Season is ready for you are you ready for us?!

Ireland is not only just our single overseas Spartan race, it is also hosted at the infamous Punchestown Racecourse! Located just outside of Dublin, in the beautiful Irish countryside with a grandstand where you can see the majority of the course in action - this is the perfect race location! We are very excited to return for the second year and cannot wait for the weekend to be bigger and better than last. Are you ready Spartans?! Because we are.

ASTON DOWN : 22nd-23rd JUNE

MARSTON LODGE : 13th-14th JULY

For the 4th year running Spartan returns to the infamous Aston Down and the notorious Death Valley! This race holds a special place in many Spartans hearts and we cannot wait to leave a lasting mark on all 2019 racers. It is our longest standing race location and we are already very excited for our 4th year. Are you ready for the heat Spartans? Because Aston Down and Death Valley will never disappoint.

It’s time to go home Spartans! An endurance weekend like no other awaits us at Marston Lodge, the home of Spartan Race UK & Ireland.

Prepare for rolling hills, amazing scenery and challenging woodland trail runs. We have conquered this landscape many times before and we are hungry to do the same this year. Are you ready? Spartan is coming home.

SCOTLAND : 14th-15th SEPT Known for its brutal testing terrain and and amazing landscapes. If its a real test you’re after then the Spartan Ultra beast will hit the spot.

26+ Miles over the worst terrain our build team can find for you. Are you brave enough to take it on ?

WINDSOR : 5th-6th OCT Windsor is renowned for being the biggest and best race of the entire Spartan Season! As it’s always been the location for our season finale, this is the most anticipated event of the year hosting more racers in one weekend than ever before.

Additionally, Windsor is our only Trifecta Weekend of our 2019 season! So if you want that Trifecta Weekend Medal, which we know you do, then this is your only shot. Expect big things from Windsor 2019, because we can promise you already it will not disappoint… we are very, very certain on that. Who watches an entire season unfold and then doesn’t see the season finale? Not you Spartan - see you there.

With events taking place throughout the whole of 2019 theres a time and a place for everyone to experience the thrill of a Spartan.

For a limited time is you use code ORM2019 at checkout you’ll receive 20% off any open heat entry.

SIGN UP AT: WWW.SPARTANRACE.UK

REGULARS

GUS Y TOINUPGICH TURE Tough Guy especially ‘the original’ that is the Winter Tough Guy is seen as one of the most brutal events on the worlds OCR calendar.

For 32 years Billy Wilson ‘AKA Mr Mouse’ has been devising new and unique ways to take competitors to the edge of suffering to ensure they feel the euphoria of completion.

Electric, ice, water, the cold of winter and biting winds all play a part in the test that is Tough Guy. Let us take you on a pictorial journey through the challenges that

A start line like no other. Perched at the top of a steep hill looking down a steep decline. Racers have to throw themselves down the hill before sprinting to the first corner. All while negotiating 1000 of other racers.

the farm has in store.

For the first few miles of the course you’ll be shoulder to shoulder with a thousand or so runner before the field starts to spread. The scale of the obstacles match the size of the mass wave. HUGE.

14 Obstacle Race Magazine

REGULARS

The techniques used to successfully negotiate the obstacles may be familiar, but the obstacles and their format visually aren’t.

The sight of a hay fire in the distance can be enough of a draw to make your aching cold body shuffle a little faster.

The Ghost Squad. Some say they appear out of nowhere exactly when you’re ready to give up and most in need. Shirtless racers who are immune to the cold . They may look fearsome but they are true angels of the course.

Electricity features in a few locations across the course. Freshly charged car batteries provide the sting in the cables tail. Its a real Marmite obstacle.

Obstacle Race Magazine 15

REGULARS

The underwater tunnels AKA lolly pop heads. Situated relatively close to the end of the run, racers are cold wet and mentally drained by this stage. The ice cream headache is the last feeling a weary body and mind wants to feel at that stage, especially multiple times.

The Vietcong tunnels were once a place where many racers were petrified to go. It was pitch black and full of obstacles and electric to negotiate. Hatches were added for natural light and the tunnels were made easier to navigate.

16 Obstacle Race Magazine

REGULARS

Possibly the hardest obstacle to safely negotiate. Hypothermia, for the majority many more hours will be spent shaking and recovering from the course than actually running it.

Hypothermia is seen by many as an occupational hazard when taking part in the original.

Once finished many of the participants have to be guided through simple tasks like getting changed. The hours of cold exposure makes normal cognitive function and ordinary tasks seem like climbing a mountain. It’s a dangerous time with competitors looking out for one another.

Traditionally Tough guy holds two main events throughout the year.

Nettle Warrior in Summer and Original in the Winter.

Winter is now capped at around 1500 runners, but the course has seen upwards of 5000 people in the past.

More information

WORDS BY: CARL WIBBERLEY PHOTOGRAPHY BY: Tony Jarvis Photography

WWW.TOUGHGUY.CO.UK Obstacle Race Magazine 17

FEATURE

Ain’t Brilliant

18 Obstacle Race Magazine

FEATURE

Chocolate Milk – it’s hard to believe that those two simple words stand

alone in sports. Chocolate Milk. OK, so what do we know about chocolate milk? Why is Chocolate Milk relevant in sport? Is it a fad? Is it simply cool and tastes great so we like it? Or is there some real physiological value behind one of the greatest beverages known to mankind. Let’s take a closer look.

We know that in following a training plan, especially an intense one, we drive down our muscle glycogen stores. And we know that the capacity of stored glycogen is limited to about 2 hours’ worth of work. Therefore, if we don’t replace or fully recover our glycogen stores at an adequate rate, in theory, we will have a successive decline in storage and ultimately a failure in our ability to train or perform.

Well, back in the 80s research showed that ingestion of a high concentration of CHO(carbohydrate) accelerated the rate of return of glycogen stores if ingested during the first 2 hours following exercise. This acceleration was also seen during the subsequent 2 hours.

This was followed up in the early 90’s with research on a combination of CHO vs PRO(protein) vs a CHO-PRO mixture and the results indicated that the CHOPRO mixture produced even faster recovery of the glycogen stores. So over the next decade, high concentrations of CHO along with protein supplementation became commonplace in an effort to accelerate recovery. Ultimately the theory became that a combination of CHO and PRO typically at a ratio of 4:1 was the quickest and most efficient approach to recovery.

Fast forward to 2006 and researchers at Indiana University, while they were sitting around in a lab meeting discussing the role of various proteins and combinations to enhance recovery, one of the participants remarked that the chocolate milk they were drinking contained the same ratio of CHO:PRO as being recommended in the expensive supplemental recovery drinks. Therefore it should work, right? Well, they tested it and yes, simply using a commercially available CM(chocolate milk) drink worked in accelerating recovery. Since then CM has been studied extensively in various forms and for the most part with success.

Now in fairness to all of the research, there have been reports that indicate that CM is not any more effective than regular CHO ingestion. In actuality, the research is pretty split on whether or not PRO, in general, is truly beneficial.

And it should be noted that adding PRO to a CHO beverage will not improve performance. So please do not make the mistake of ingesting PRO during long training sessions. Its perceived benefits are in post-training or racing recovery.

So, is CM beneficial as a post training, racing or workout recovery drink?

There is plenty of research in support of CM along with some not so favourable.

However, with regard to recovery CM has not been shown to be detrimental.

Simply not any more advantageous. Therefore, we suggest you drink up this gorgeous taste sensation and do so as close to the completion of training or racing as you can, and always remember to eat healthy, well-balanced meals.

Obstacle Race Magazine 19

FEATURE

A WEIGHTY

ADDITION

20 Obstacle Race Magazine

FEATURE

Before the inception of weights, resistance machines and vibration plates, people who wanted to get big and strong had to train using only their bodyweight. Although it originated out of “necessity,” this training method continues to be used because of its efficiency.

From the Spartans to the Romans to the Armed Forces, bodyweight training has been a consistent component of the training methods used. Why? It’s cheap, convenient, will be relative to each individual and ‘always at hand’ as it were.

Bodyweight workouts can be effective for everyone, from new recruits to drill sergeants. But by the term ‘bodyweight’ don’t be confused into thinking that this will mean all those press-ups or squats will get you huge! The opposite is more likely to be the case.

If you do a quick search on any social media site or around the internet, you will find plenty of viral pictures and videos of people taking over bars and poles in playgrounds and parks all around the world. No doubt about it, bodyweight exercises can aid in getting you strong and ripped. That’s because these types of exercises force you to move your body around the limb, as opposed to limb around the body. This equates to a higher level of neuromuscular activation and greater metabolic demand than those where you are simply moving your limbs.

It’s one of the reasons why back squats are better than leg presses and chins and pull ups beat lateral pull downs every time. Likewise, doing a number of body weight exercises within regular training programmes could mean that you may never have to worry about doing any abdominal specific exercises again. No more crunches!

Be sure to always include a good amount of bodyweight isometric holds, single leg squat variations or ring work into your weekly training plan.

This will enable you to get strong *and* lean i.e. walk the walk when it comes to physical performance, rather than being ‘all show and no go’.

Love them or hate them, just don’t underestimate the power of the burpee, plank or the humble squat. There’s a reason that this style of exercise has been used for hundreds of years and continues to be within the arsenal of many a coach, personal trainer and probably millions of athletes alike. Bodyweight exercises – they’re portable, they’re free and most of all they’re effective.

Bodyweight training for OCR is a given, it can translate into so many areas that it should certainly be a consideration for inclusion into everyone’s training plan. You will definitely see a benefit from utilising these exercises, working your upper body strength, core and leg strength for explosive power is a must.

Slowly, over time, you should incorporate these into your regular training plan. Not having the upper body strength to either get yourself up and over walls or across monkey bars can be frustrating, especially if you like completing things and don’t like giving up.

FEATURE

Press ups, pull ups, chin ups or anything that you can work on that mimics that action, to increase your strength and ability, to ultimately get yourself moving over things mid race.

Similarly, building your leg strength through squats will increase your power to jump up and at walls, or to plough your way through knee deep mud or in and out of endless streams and of course, for increasing your leg strength to run harder and further.

Learn to love planking. Alright, that’s maybe a bit of an odd thing to say, but you really should. If you like the feeling of being strong and having a solid, powerful core, then planks are for you. Work your way up so that you can manage a 6 minute plank and you’ll feel indestructible. If your inner core is strong, you’ll be preventing many a potential injury too, before it even happens, so it’s a win - win all round.

Even burpees you should learn to mildly enjoy. If you whack out enough of those in succession you know about it and feeling like you’ve worked hard. With burpees you can always push it and feel an extra burn, whether it’s in your shoulders, legs or chest from the cardio element.

22 Obstacle Race Magazine

Speak to any professional and they will tell you, that the most effective of exercises for overall strength and flexibility are those that you can perform yourself, utilising your own bodyweight. It’s why the squat and burpee are loved by all! Yes, some people *love* them! Plus, it doesn’t matter what your weight is, it’s all relative isn’t it? You might only be 4 foot and a peanut and 48kg, but a good mix of pull ups, lunges, squats and burpees over time will have the same exertion on your body as someone doing the same who is nudging 6 foot 2 and over 120kg.

The beauty of any bodyweight exercise is that you can start simple and jazz them up in a flash. Planks can become one legged, or side planks with an arm raised or push up style, up and down. Squats can be lowered and held, then raised and back down again.

Perhaps to Moby’s ‘Flower’ or ‘Sally up, Sally down’!

(We’re sure readers will be all too familiar with by now if they take part in any group classes). Burpees can incorporate a push up, or push up clap, or jump squat, or even become a burpee / pull up hybrid.

Fabulous!

So guess what we’re saying is this. Don’t worry if you can’t afford to join a gym, don’t worry that too many bodyweight exercises might make you massive, don’t worry if you’re away and can’t get to a gym and don’t worry that the weather’s too shocking to get outside.

If you really want results then just get on with it -and use that body!

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REGULARS

ANKLE CONQUER INSTABILITY

26 Obstacle Race Magazine

REGULARS

INTRO When I speak to lots of runners there is often a common theme that appears. It’s all about their feet.

Wearing the right trainers is only going to get you so far. In most cases just having a good pair of trainers isn’t enough. They might look great, perform well on the surface you’re running on but they won’t stop you from rolling your ankle on an uneven surface or move correctly if you land on one leg coming over an obstacle and need to balance.

Adding in foot, ankle and lower leg training can help you to strengthen all these areas and minimise your risk of injury when you’re running.

Lots of runners when buying trainers are told they pronate this means their ankle and foot rolls inwards so the sole of the foot is flat on the floor, this can cause all sorts of problems including pain in the sole of the foot, knees, and hips when walking or running.

There is a lot of debate on whether orthotics (specially made insoles) should be worn, strengthening the ankle to raise the sole of the foot or to leave it alone. If you’re not experiencing any problems, leaving it alone can be the best option. (if it isn’t broke don’t fix it)

This is due to the complex nature and bone structure of the ankle and the amount of ligaments there are in the foot. Because ligaments have a limited blood supply this can prolong the process and lead in ankle instability. Have you noticed that if you sprain your ankle once you’re likely to do it again on the same leg? This is because the ligaments have become over stretched and don’t react a quickly to stimulus when needing to correct the angle the foot is in.

Strengthening exercises are great and can work brilliantly long term for both ankle instability and pronating feet, they can help realign the bones in the foot, help improve your posture and balance, however they can take a while to take effect. This is where orthotics can come in handy for that quick fix and help to alleviate any pain.

Once you start to notice a problem with your feet and ankles Exercises that are best for over pronating feet and to help or you have previously sprained or strained your ankle it can with ankle instability are ones that involve calf strengthening, balance work and ankle mobility. often take a long time to heal.

Obstacle Race Magazine 27

THE CIRCUIT CALF RAISES - WOBBLE BOARD Stand on a step with your toes and balls of your feet on the edge.

Using a step will increase the range of movement you have in your ankle, if you need to make it easier just stand on the floor. You can hold weights in your hands to help counterbalance if you need to.

Slowly raise up onto the balls of your feet and then lower down so your heels are lower than the step. This will create a stretching feeling in your calves. To progress the exercise you can stand on a wobble board and do the same exercise, will add more instability into the joint and make it harder.

SINGLE LEG PASS THE BALL Stand on one leg and get your balance, then slowly move a ball around the middle of your body. Adding in the rotation and multitasking will take a simple leg stand to a much harder level. To make it even harder you can try doing it with your eyes closed.

28 Obstacle Race Magazine

REGULARS

RESISTANCE BAND EVERSION & INVERSION Eversion - Tie the band around a stable object and your foot.

You will then move you foot out and up against the resistance band.

Inversion - Tie the band around a stable object and your foot.

You will then move your foot in and up against the resistance band.

SINGLE LEG SQUAT Balance on one leg. With your other leg forwards, slowly push your hips backwards and squat down. Remember to look forwards and squeeze your glutes as you do the exercise.

Only go down a small way to start with as you focus on making sure your knee and foot doesn’t collapse inwards and the arch of your foot disappear. To make it easier hold onto a chair or the wall to practice the movement and to progress the exercise lower yourself further to the ground, eventually you’ll get to a pistol squat position.

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY BY: GEMMA SPACKMAN Head coach at : FUNDAMENTAL SPORTS AND FITNESS Nottingham, NG2 7LE www.fundamentalsportsandfitness.co.uk Fb: @fundamentalsportsandfitness

Obstacle Race Magazine 29

MUDNIFICENT 7 OCR &

EXPO MUD 7 is the worlds most unique OCR and the first multi race organisation event.

Each year we invite along 7 race organisations who each put together a kilometre of the course - creating a unique 7+km course with 7 completely different zones and 7 sets of each organisations most fun and challenging obstacles in their line up.

Naturally every single one of these organisations want to bring along something that will be memorable and stand out, to ensure they make a lasting impression making you want to sign up for their full-scale event.

At Mudnificent 7 you’re guaranteed a unique experience full to bursting with obstacles and challenges you’ll love. But not only that we will be putting together a fitness based Expo, with this it gives you a day out you don’t want to miss.

Set over a beautifully unique location in the heart of England that helps do this unique race format justice. The Heart of England Conference Centre has every natural element you could wish for with mud, water and challenging terrain in abundance. We want to ensure that anyone coming from anywhere in the country could easily get to us so a central location was a no brainer. The Heart of England Conference Centre located in Warwickshire is a 160 acre site with tons of woodland and lashings of mud to set the race in. It’s situated in Meriden – the most central point in England and is extremely close to the M42, M5 and M6.

If this sounds like your cup of tea then keep an eye out on our social media channels by searching Mudnificent 7 for more news on the event. We’ll be revealing race organisations and other details in the coming months. The last two years of the event have seen us sell out so please don’t leave it too late to book.

Also if you fancy running for FREE get in touch with Kevin@obstacleracemagazine.com and help us to get to our £100,000 charity fundraising target.

• • • • • • • •

7 KILOMETRES 7 DIFFERENT RACE ZONES GREAT CHALLENGES FUN OBSTACLES MUD & WATER MEDAL & T-SHIRT SPORTS EXPO FOOD & DRINKS AVAILABLE

17th AUGUST 2019

WWW.MUD7.COM

IS CAFFEINE BAD FOR US..

There has been lots of debate over whether caffeine is bad for us, both in sporting and non sporting context. Here’s what we know.......

What is caffeine?

1,3,7-trimethylxanthine, also known as caffeine, is the world’s most-consumed natural pharmacologic agent. Caffeine is found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa beans, chocolate, and Kola nuts, and its use is incredibly widespread. Did you know that if you consume a large chocolate bar you could see as much as 50mg of caffeine? That is sometimes half a cup of coffee !

In the United States, roughly 9 out of every 10 men and women consume caffeine, averaging 238 mg every day. Upwards of 30% of Americans consume a whopping 600 mg of caffeine daily. About 71% of the caffeine we consume comes from coffee, while 16% comes from tea, and 12% from soft drinks and energy drinks. And we are not alone. Coffee is the mostcommonly consumed beverage in the world.

So, let’s acknowledge the obvious. First, just about everyone is consuming caffeine.

In fact, because of its ubiquitous availability, caffeine is no longer on the banned substance list of the International Olympic Committee. Second, people everywhere are using it because it does have pharmacologic properties. The fact is it functions as a mild stimulant. As such, it helps wake us up and keeps us going when we feel like throwing in the towel. No surprise, athletes are interested in those very same effects applied to their sport.

How exactly does caffeine work?

Caffeine has a wide range of actions in the human body. Essentially it functions as a stimulant by interfering with the binding of receptors in the body (adenosine to adenosine receptors).

Adenosine is a neuromodulator chemical in the brain, and it works opposite of caffeine in regulating nerve cell activity. It has a calming effect because it slows the activity of nerve cells, whereas caffeine speeds up the activity of cells.

Taking hold of the central nervous system, many of us will agree that caffeine intake decreases tiredness, increases alertness, improves mood, enhances concentration, and helps to speed reaction time when making choices.

In terms of a sporting context, for many athletes, a key benefit of caffeine is that it lowers the perception of the intensity or difficulty of the effort. Thus, athletes are able to exercise at a higher intensity for longer, without actually feeling like they’re working harder.

The bad press Just a few years ago, headlines read that a fit and healthy runner collapsed and died half a mile from the finish of the London Marathon after taking a ‘performance-enhancing stimulant’.

The runner was determined to beat her personal best in the race and decided to take a pre-workout product called Jack3D, a high caffeinated product. As she neared the finish of the race she unfortunately suffered a cardiac arrest and never regained consciousness.

The popular sports supplement, now banned, was used to help her once she hit the wall in order to break through it and maximize her performance.

Its main active ingredient was an amphetamine-like substance DMAA (Dimethylamylamine) which boosts energy and metabolism, but had been banned in the US and Canada after two soldiers died during strenuous training after taking it.

Recording a narrative verdict, coroner Dr. Philip Barlow said the combination of the DMAA with ‘extensive physical exertion caused cardiac failure which resulted in her death.’

Tolerance of caffeine Caffeine is one of those products where you can develop a real tolerance or have major diminished responses with repeated doses. If you regularly drink a few cups of strong coffee a day then the chances are the effects will start to lessen with time. One of the main issues with caffeine is that it is addictive. People have been known to suffer from withdrawal symptoms with noticeable ones such as headaches. A study conducted by Evans and Griffiths provided indirect evidence for tolerance development in caffeine. The study provided the clearest evidence to date of complete tolerance development to a central nervous system effect of caffeine in humans.

Should we worry about having too much?

Although moderate caffeine intake isn’t likely to cause harm, too much can lead to some unpleasant effects. Heavy daily caffeine use — more than 500 to 600 mg a day (around 5-6 cups) — may cause insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, tremors, and irritability.

Some positives of coffee: + Lowers risk of cancer - Coffee drinking has been associated with a lower risk of lung, prostate, breast, endometrial, pancreatic, stomach, and colon cancer. Like most studies, there are also some that have shown no benefit from coffee, which could be due to many reasons. But, it seems clear that coffee can be protective and does not increase cancer risk. + Lowers risk of heart disease - Coffee intake is highly protective for the cardiovascular system and has been repeatedly found to decrease risk of heart disease and death from a heart attack. In one 15-year study of 41,000 women, drinking up to 3 cups of coffee a day was linked to lower risk of heart failure. Similar results have been shown for men. + Improves vascular health - The caffeine in coffee has actually been shown to improve the health of the blood vessels because it increases nitric oxide production in the endothelium (the thin layer of cells that line the interior surface of blood vessels), which improves vascular muscle tone. Coffee also supports healthy arterial pressure, lowering blood pressure over the long-term. + Elevates fat burning - The fat loss effect of coffee drinking hasn’t been studied extensively, but one study showed drinking 500 ml of coffee daily for 4 weeks produced 2.5 kg weight loss in overweight subjects. Perhaps more effective, green coffee extract, which comes from the bean before roasting and can be added to any beverage, has been shown to produce significant fat loss.

So to end, as with everything, it’s all about moderation !

REGULARS

REFUEL RECIPES

Forget about food being the way to a man’s stomach, food is the sure-fire way to any person who trains hards stomach. Motivation can come in many forms and finishing a tough session knowing you can refuel without guilt is a perfect motivator.

FOR THE DRESSING: • 1 Tablespoon minced shallots • 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice • 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest • 2 teaspoons honey or agave nectar • 1/4 cup olive oil FOR THE SALAD: • 4 cups finely shredded kale • 4 cups finely shredded Brussels sprouts • 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

METHOD MAKE THE DRESSING: In a small bowl, whisk together the shallots, mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest and honey. Stream in the olive oil while whisking continuously until well combined. Season the dressing with salt and pepper to taste. (You can add more lemon juice or agave nectar to adjust the acidity or sweetness to your personal taste.)

ASSEMBLE THE SALAD: In a large bowl, toss together the shredded kale, shredded Brussels sprouts and toasted almonds.

Add as much dressing as desired, tossing to combine, then add the cheese and toss. Serve immediately.

PREP: 20 MINS YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

KALE & SPROUT SALAD

INGREDIENTS

325 Calories 12g Protein 18g Carbs 24g Fat

REGULARS

MEATBALLS WITH QUINOA

INGREDIENTS

310g Calories 25g Carbs 6g Fat 35g Protein

• 1/4 cup whole milk • 1/4 cup breadcrumbs • 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey • 1 large egg • 2 Tablespoons minced garlic • 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for • serving • 1 cup uncooked quinoa • 1 cup homemade or store-bought marinara sauce

METHOD Preheat the oven to 500°F. Generously grease a baking dish or nonstick mini muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, stir together the milk and breadcrumbs and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, breadcrumb mixture, egg, minced garlic, chopped parsley, grated Parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Use your hands to thoroughly combine the mixture and then shape it into balls using 2 to 3 tablespoons of meat per meatball.

Arrange the meatballs in a single layer in the prepared baking dish or nonstick mini muffin pan. Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes until they are cooked through.

While the meatballs bake, prepare the quinoa according to package directions.

When ready to serve, divide the quinoa among plates then place the meatballs on top. Spoon the marinara sauce over the meatballs and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.

Broccoli goes perfectly with this dish.

PREP: 10 MINS COOK: 15 MINS YIELD: SERVES 6

MUDtrest WALL EDITORS PICK OF THE PICS

36 Obstacle Race Magazine

REGULARS

Fancy getting featured on the MUDtrest WALL Simply send your picture to us at: carl@obstacleracemagazine.com Obstacle Race Magazine 37

ADVENTURE INSIDE

ADVEN

ADVENTURE INSIDE

NTURE

INSIDE

ADVENTURE INSIDE

OCR lOVERS

PODCASTS

A collection of podcasts to accompany you on your training sessions or commutes.

OCR DISRUPT PODCAST

If you like straight talking and love OCR then you’ll be in heaven with the OCR Disrupt Podcast. The hosts James and Nick are never afraid to shed light on the subjects maybe other forums avoid. They release one episode per month.

Their mission statement: “We hope to provide a refreshing OCR voice and provide Obstacle Course Racing athletes and enthusiasts an entertaining show all about the world’s most exciting sport... that err, isn’t actually officially a sport...yet! “ Expect moans, groans, whinging, whining, expletives, profanity and laughter as Nick and James attempt to tackle and debate the controversial issues that are affecting the Global OCR scene. It won’t always be pretty but, the aim of the podcast is to provoke a proactive response that they hope will ultimately improve the future of obstacle course racing for everyone as addicted to it as we are.

Search OCR Disrupt Podcast on facebook for links to dowload

40 Obstacle Race Magazine

ADVENTURE INSIDE

OCR AUDIO Featuring Luke De-Ben, Jack Carpenter and the latest edition to their host line up Natasha Mansell. In each episode they discuss their shared love for Spartan Race as well as lots of mixed OCR content and interest pieces.

Their love for competative OCR shines through and gives you a real insight into the competition side of races.

Search OCR Audio on Facebook for links to download

OBSTACLE RACING MEDIA PODCAST Hosted by Matt B. Davis of the USA based Obstacle Racing Media.

Regarded as the longest running, most consistent, podcast in OCR. Obstacle Racing Media Podcast brings weekly episodes with athletes, race directors, industry insiders, and surprise guests.

Matt’s interviews, insight, and humor are regular part of many racers week.

Search Obstacle Racing Media on Facebook for links

OBSTACLE DOMINATOR A podcast with an all-star presenter line up, Ben Greenfield, Hunter McIntyre, Rose Wetzel and Beni Gifford. All absolute legends in their own right.

But that’s not all they also line up interviews with a wide range of incredible personalities.

If you like OCR and also dabble in Crossfit too, then Obstacle Dominator is your perfect commute partner.

Search for Obstacle Dominator on Facebook for links

Obstacle Race Magazine 41

RUNFEST As trail running continues to grow in popularity, Salomon are thrilled to announce the return of their Trail Running Festivals to be held at three stunning locations across the UK; Edale in Peak District, Pentlands in Edinburgh and Box Hill near London.

Designed with every runner in mind; from beginner to ultra or road runner to trail running wannabe, you can choose from a plethora of opportunities and activities that’ll help you make the most of the trails both mentally and physically.

Depending on your preferred location, you can enjoy leisurely guided runs with a Salomon athlete, or an ultra run for the more experienced trail runner. Each event will hold insightful trail workshops throughout the day offering coaching, tips and advice on fitness and technique as well as the opportunity to demo the latest kit innovations from Salomon and Suunto.

Families can enjoy a kid’s mini trail run and relaxing yoga sessions will also be available along with refreshments and evening entertainment.

Salomon Trail Running Festivals provide the perfect opportunity to join the friendly trail running community as it grows, and enjoy the freedom and visual feast nature has to offer along its beautiful trails.

MAY

JUNE

JUNE

18

1

8

Edinburgh

42 Obstacle Race Magazine

Peak District Box Hill, Surrey

#salomontrailfest #timetoplay

For location details as well as specific event and ticket information, hot foot it to:

SALOMONRUNFEST.COM

HABITS TO

BECOMING A

BETTER RUNNER

1. TAKE YOUR RECOVERY SERIOUSLY Why? Because recovery is when improvements happen. Yes, you need long runs, challenging workouts and steady weekly mileage to break out of your comfort zone and propel you to better race performances, but if you can’t recover from those hard efforts, they aren’t doing you much good. Without rest, not only are you denying your body time to adapt to the stress it’s under and to enable the gains you have made to take hold, but also you are sure to start your next workout under-fuelled, exhausted, or possibly fighting off illness or injury.

2. SET VARIOUS TYPES OF GOALS Goals vary and will likely change as you improve and gain more running experience.

Newer runners may want simply to complete the distance for the first time, while more experienced runners may be focused on running a personal best or hitting a desired time. Regardless of your intentions, there are two types of goals: outcome goals and process goals. Highly effective runners recognize the importance of both.

3. ENJOY THE PROCESS Many runners make the mistake of only setting outcome goals, and their idea of success or enjoyment hinges upon hitting a desired time in workouts or races or securing a particular placing on race day. This can induce unnecessary pressure and lead to frustration and feelings of failure if these goals aren’t achieved, thus killing the fun factor of one of our favourite activities.

Highly effective runners enjoy the ongoing process of training and competing.

Even though races tend to be the culmination of weeks or months of training, the reality is the process never really ends. Learn to appreciate the enjoyment of an easy run as much as the feeling of pushing beyond your limits in a workout or race.

4. CONSISTENCY Consistency is never an easy thing to achieve. You need to work at it every day.

Consistency doesn’t just mean running on a regular basis (although there’s a lot of value in that) but it’s more about developing good habits that become part of your running lifestyle. Whether you’re super fit or completely out of shape, consistency will go a long way in helping you to eliminate excuses on your way to improving your fitness, enhancing enjoyment and becoming a more effective runner.

Find a training program that works for you and stick with it instead of chasing the latest hot trend. Establish a weekly routine that works for your schedule and don’t waver from it.

5. RUNNING AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS Don’t be a one-speed wonder: even if racing isn’t your thing, or you don’t consider yourself to be super fast OCR athlete, get out of your comfort zone a couple times a week and do a variety of workouts at different speeds and intensity levels.

While regular bouts of slow to steady running will help you maintain your general fitness and build up your basic endurance, the lack of variety in your weekly routine will eventually lead to a physical and mental plateau. Introducing new stimuli such as interval workouts or hill sessions will present a new challenge, add a fun element into the mix and accelerate fitness gains. Are you doing most of your runs on flat surfaces? Hit the hills every once in a while and develop lower-leg strength while simultaneously working on improving your running form. And don’t forget to make the time to get off road and onto the muddy trails.

Obstacle Race Magazine 45

FUEL YOUR RACING You are what you eat, as Gillian McKeith would say! And she is 100% right. Every item of food that you eat has a nutritional and fuel value depending on how it is grown/produced, what it is treated with; how it is processed and ultimately how your body digests it.

So let’s get down to the nitty gritty of how much nutritional value you get from your food, and whether it is giving you the best quality fuel for your OCR racing.

46 Obstacle Race Magazine

FEATURE Does your tomato look like a tomato?

This brings us to the first subject of processed food. Depending on how processed a food type is, will determine: 1. It’s nutritional value. 2. How easily your body can break it down. 3. How it can distribute the essential nutrients. 4. The quality of fuel it provides you.

If you take the example of a tomato and compare a raw one in comparison to the tomato in a curry sauce, you will immediately notice that in the latter case the tomato is less distinguishable to the way it was raw, due to the way it was processed. Therefore a higher percentage of the nutritional value has been cooked out. Whereas, a lightly steamed courgette that is al dente will have proportionally more nutrients as the cooking time & heat is less.

However, if eaten raw, the tomato will require chewing, this process is known as mastication.

Mastication is a very important aspect to food digestion. So going back to the curry sauce, it is likely that it can be virtually swallowed rather than requiring much chewing, whereas the raw tomato will need to be chewed until it is broken down and ready to be swallowed. Mastication releases the natural enzymes inside of the tomato, which set off the 1st stage of digestion, rather than waiting for it to commence in the stomach. In the case of the swallowed curry sauce it is more reliant on the enzymes in your stomach to digest it. This ultimately requires more work and more of your body’s energy to digest it.

To summarize, the least processed and the more chewing you need to do, the more nutritional value it has, and the least work your digest system has to do to break it down. So what we are talking about is fuel economy and nutritional gains.

Orange water Have you considered how orange the water in your saucepan is when you boil carrots? Simply explained boiling food, is boiling nutrients and enzymes out of them, which is why the water changes colour. The optimum way to eat a carrot is in this order: 1. Raw 2.

Steamed – Lightly cooked al dente.

3.

Stir fried – Lightly cooked al dente.

4.

Roasted – Lightly cooked al dente.

5.

Boiled – Last resort cooking.

Not only will you gain nutritional value from the raw to minimal cooking processes, but also the food will taste better in regard to the texture and flavour.

Canned V’s Fresh V’s Pre-packs V’ Processed The moment you cut into an item of food it starts a process of oxidation. Oxidation reactions happen when chemicals in the food are exposed to oxygen in the air. From hereon it starts to loose nutritional value. So a salad or vegetable cut at the table or just before cooking/serving is the optimum time to reduce the oxidisation process. The best example is when you cut an apple, it literally changes colour in front of your eyes.

Obstacle Race Magazine 47

FEATURE Likewise if you buy pre-packs of cut vegetables such as carrots from the supermarket they look shrivelled and paler in colour, which are signs of dehydration and oxidation. Similarly tinned vegetables and fruits tend to be soft and have little form. The same thing applies to buying a processed meal such as lasagne or shepherds pie. More importantly most of these products require preservatives, colours and flavourings to give a more artificial vibrant colour, taste and a longer shelf life.

Do you need to become a chef?

No you don’t, and neither do you need to be a nutritionist. But you do need to educate yourself about food and begin or develop your cooking as well as knowledge about ingredients, nutrients and how to put a balanced meal together.

You may be saying, “Well these will all take time and effort”, and you would be right. But the bigger picture is your nutrition is just as important as your physical training. Without this basic understanding you will not have the fuel to optimise your training, racing and recovery.

How are things looking for you so far? As I hope you are already appreciating you do not need to be an expert, but a researcher, an experimenter and an explorer, and the rest is simple logic and common sense. Ready to move on?

Organic & Wild V’s Non-Organic There is nothing better than going into a village shop in Spain, Greece or France and seeing a crate of tomatoes. Every one is a different colour, shape, texture and flavour. A very different experience compared to shopping in your local Sainsbury or Tesco supermarket here in the UK, where every tomato is the same colour, shape, weight and flavour. So much so that they can be symmetrically displayed on the shelf. And why?

They say it is because of you, the customer, for wanting this precision food engineering to create the perfect vegetable. Well I don’t remember being asked, were you?

48 Obstacle Race Magazine

Precision engineered food that is non-organic can include a myriad of synthetic substances such as: antibiotics; growth stimulants; synthetic additives, sweeteners, preservatives, pcps, insecticides and of course can be modified or genetically modified.

To discuss each of these in full details requires an article in its own right.

But briefly I will state that for you to have that perfect tomato with its textbook colour, size, flavour and shape, then it would be needed to be farmed/grown using synthetic insecticides and growth stimulants. Likewise to make sure each chicken fits onto the conveyor belt, with its precision instruments, each bird needs to be farmed to be a precise colour, size and flavour.

Similarly non-organic chickens are routinely given antibiotics as a preventative against infections and virus outbreaks, as well as growth stimulants, GM animal feed that has been sprayed with insecticides. Farmed fish are farmed close to the shoreline, so they tends to be contaminated with ground surface run offs, sewage drains and PCP’s.

Likewise they are often fed with food, which may have insecticides, growth stimulants and GM ingredients.

Supplementing In short we should avoid supplementing with vitamins and supplements where not necessary.

So rather than building your body with protein powders and drinks, instead do some research and experimentation on how you can possibly get many of your nutrients naturally from your foods where possible.

However, if a doctor or nutritionist has prescribed medication / supplementation, always speak to them before reducing or stopping.

FEATURE Have you got a sweet tooth?

“I only eat good sugars such as fruits”, does this sound like you ?

Fruit is good, organic fruit is even better, but it has to be in moderation, especially with dried fruit that appear small in comparison to before being dehydrated. Just to give you an idea one Braeburn apple contains approx 15.5g of sugars broken down to 8791mg Fructose, 3085mg Sucrose and 3621 mg Glucose *. 1 date contains 16g of sugars broken down to 7669mg Fructose, 127mg Sucrose and 8084 mg Glucose. When weighed and measured one apple/date is the equivalent of just under 4 teaspoons of sugar.

So where do you go from here?

Let’s look at food logically. You are best to eat organic certified produce, wild or natural foods where possible. Best starting place is your local butcher, fishmonger and farmers market, as they are more likely to know the origin of their food. It doesn’t mean you can’t go out to your local restaurant and have a nonorganic steak. However, try and make sure that the rest of your meals that day are organic and/or wild where possible.

Once you get your shopping home try to eat it while it is as fresh as possible, and when it comes to cooking it, make sure you try and include as much raw, steamed and least processed cooking where possible. Don’t forget healthy foods such as fruits and nutritional bars may have good ingredients, but it doesn’t mean that are not high in sugars.

Before you over challenge yourself, don’t expect change overnight. It takes a bit of time to do the researching, to get your co-habitors/family on board. Similarly don’t try and do it 100%. Otherwise it will take over your life. Been there done it! Not going back there again. Instead, why not give yourself a target to move up in stages from 30% to gradually reach 80% organic, wild and least processed food as possible. Then there is always room for exceptions and treats!

Obstacle Race Magazine 49

Portraits with an Epic difference Show the world your epic side with a rainmaker portrait session from the team at Epic Action Imagery. Sessions are available for individuals as well as teams and or groups.

Individual sessions are available at £150 Two person sessions are available at £220 Team rate (up to 5 people) at £360 All prices are inclusive of 5-10 high resolution digital downloads per person and VAT For more information or to make a reservation for your portrait session, contact the team at

Info@epicactionimagery.com

All sessions take place at Epic HQ in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire.

If you wish to enquire about a location shoot, please contact the team for a quotation.

MUDNIFICENT 7 AUGUST 17th 2019

A UNIQUE MULTI-BRANDED OBSTACLE COURSE RACE SEVEN ZONES OF PURE FUN

COVENTRY, MIDLANDS ENTER AT: WWW.MUD7.COM

D R I B Y L R A E rm catches the wo

Here are just a few of the mental & physical benefits of morning training & how they can help you this spring.

So as its almost time to say goodbye to another U.K. winter, the mornings & evenings will start to get a little lighter now, which makes getting up & going out training slightly more appealing.

Before I go on, let me just clarify by saying that when it comes to training, ANY time of the day is a good time to train, it’s better than sitting on your backside doing nothing, right? But training first thing does seem to yield certain health advantages that you could benefit from, so I’ve highlighted a few for you.

FEATURE

1) Confusion Tactics. Mental Benefit.

Exercising first thing before your brain wakes up & figures out what you’re doing is a great habit to get into.

This confusion tactic will stop your brain trying to convince you that you ‘need coffee to function’ or that you ‘need to wake up first’ before you do anything.

Leave your training gear out the night before, practice waking up an extra half hour earlier, smash out a 10-15-minute workout, & then get on with your life.

2) Better Air! Physical Benefit.

The air is less polluted in the early morning especially around large cities, it climbs gradually throughout the day when more cars hit the road.

Your cardiovascular system is less efficient amid pollution which means your running will suffer as a result so get out there and benefit when the air is at its freshest.

3) The Power Hour. Mental Benefit.

The power hour is a great time to get some training in before your busy day begins, & to have some time for clear thinking with no interruptions from anyone or anything.

Creating ‘you time’ for yourself (away from kids and partners) is another really important habit to get into for your happiness, and looking after your own happiness isn’t selfish by the way.

4) Metabolism Boost. Physical Benefit.

If you give your metabolism a boost in the morning then the benefits will carry on throughout the day. You’ll continue to burn calories long after the session finishes, especially high intensity sessions.

Use this calorie burning benefit during the day when you’re eating instead of when you’re sleeping.

5) Sense Of Satisfaction. Mental Benefit.

Training first thing in the morning can also yield a huge sense of satisfaction knowing that you’ve done your workout and mentally you can relax and get on with the rest of your day.

It can also stop that feeling of ‘dread’ throughout the day knowing that you still have to do your workout after a hard day’s work & the last thing you want to do is train.

6) Increased Mileage. Physical Benefit.

If you’re at the stage with your running where you want to increase you weekly mileage on top of your main sessions then training first thing before your day starts is a great time to do this.

You could probably fit in an extra 10-15 easy miles a week, just from setting your alarm an hour earlier!

So there you have it, the key to morning exercise is to gradually make it a habit, practice it first for a few weeks, see how it feels getting up & exercising slightly earlier, then once you’ve done that, commit to making it a habit for a full month so that it becomes second nature to you.

WRITTEN BY SAM WINKWORTH Obstacle Race Magazine 53

REGULARS

OCR DIRECTORY OUTDOOR TRAINING CENTRES CLIFF LAKES OCR

Tamworth, Midlands, B78 2DL 07725 544667 www.clifflakes.org Facebook: @ClifflakesOCR

THE OBSTACLE GYM Lutterworth, Midlands 07426912988 www.reaperevents.co.uk Facebook: @theobstaclegym

FORTITUDE FITNESS CENTRE Cambridge, CB23 7NX 07876635134 www.fortitudefitnesscentre.co.uk Facebook: @fortitude-fitness-centre

FIT 4 OCR OCR Hertfordshire 07720882611 www.fit4ocr.com Facebook: @fit4ocr

OCR Play Park

Redhill, Surrey, RH15QL 07802 754624 www.obstacleplaypark.com Facebook: @ocrplaypark

54 Obstacle Race Magazine

BOOTCAMP STYLE TRAINING BRITISH MILITARY FITNESS Outdoor Sessions In 140 Parks nationwide www.britmilfit.com Facebook: @britishmilitaryfitness

MK FITNESS

Larbert, falkirk 07783157685 www.mkfitness.org.uk Facebook: @M.K.FITNESS

IMMORTAL FITNESS

Marlow / Hambleded / Henley 07792881255 www.immortalfitness.co.uk Facebook: @immortalfit

REGULARS INDOOR TRAINING CENTRES

OCR KIT RETAILERS

SDR FITNESS CENTRE

MY SPORTS AND MORE

Stockport, SK3 0SB 07914052345 www.sdrcheshire.co.uk Facebook: @sdrfitnesscentre

www.mysportsandmore.com 07805387782 mysportsandmore@gmail.com Facebook: @Mysportsandmore

RUMBLE FITNESS OBSTACLE TRAINING CENTRE

FENLAND RUNNER

FUNDAMENTAL SPORTS AND FITNESS

TOTAL SPORTS AND SUPPLEMENTS

Milton Keynes, MK19 07769351968 www.rumblefitness.co.uk Facebook: @RumbleFitnessandSportsTherapyCentre

Nottingham, NG2 7LE 07756637129 www.fundamentalsportsandfitness.co.uk Facebook: @fundamentalsportsandfitness

www.fenlandrunner.com 01733 601683 john@competitive-edge-global.com Facebook: @FenlandRunnerUK

www.totalsportsandsupplements.co.uk

07769311502

Info@totalsportsandsupplements.co.uk Facebook: @Totalsports&supplements

REGULARS

Events Diary MARCH......

For a more comprehensive events listing go to: www.obstacleracemagazine.com/events

2nd March Nuts Challenge

7th April

11th May

The General OCR 2019

Dirty Weekend

From £47

From £31

From £99-£150

Surrey

Winchester

Burghley House

www.thenutschallenge.co.uk

www.toughenoughraces.co.uk

www.ratracedirtyweekend2019.co.uk

3rd March

13-14th April

Nuts Challenge

Rough Runner

From £47

From £50

Surrey

Sussex

www.thenutschallenge.co.uk

www.roughrunner.com

15th March

13th April

Bermuda Triple Challenge

Ultra Tour of Arran

From $80

From £199-£269

Bermuda

Isle of Arran, Scotland

www.bdtriplechallenge.com

www.ratrace.com/uta/

16th March Mighty Deerstalker From £55-£75 Peeblesshire, Scotland www.ratrace.com/mightydeerstalker

6th April

27th April Rocket Race Apollo From £40 Somerset www.rocketrace.co.uk

4th May

Uventure

Spartan - Scotland

From £49

From £50+

Kettering, Midlands

St Clere

www.uventurerun.co.uk

www.spartanrace.uk

6th April

5th May

The General Trail Run

Spartan - Scotland

From £17

From £50+

Winchester

St Clere

www.toughenoughraces.co.uk

www.spartanrace.uk

56 Obstacle Race Magazine

11th May The Little Welly From £Free-£25 Kent www.thelittlewelly.co.uk

18-19th May Rough Runner From £50 Oxfordshire www.roughrunner.com

25th May Spartan - Ireland From £50+ Punchbowl www.spartanrace.uk

26th May Spartan - Ireland From £50+ Punchbowl www.spartanrace.uk

1st June The Elements OCR From £40 Kent www.theelementsocr.co.uk

REGULARS

14th July

8th June

23rd June

Runstock 5km+

Go Insane 5-10km

Spartan

From £30-£85

From £40

From £50+

Kettering

March, Cambridge

Marston Lodge

www.ratracerunstock.co.uk/

www.insaneterrainrunning.com

www.spartanrace.uk

9th June

22nd June

20-21st July

Mud Monsters Run

Gladiator - Beach Event

Rough Runner

From £39.60

From £ 40

From £50

West Sussex

Worthing Beach

Newcastle

www.mudmonstersrun.co.uk/sign-up

15-16th June Rough Runner From £50 Manchester www.roughrunner.com

15th June Splat Quack Go From £25-£50 Suffolk www.splatquack.com/

21nd June Total Warrior Night - Leeds From £54.95 Leeds www.totalwarrior.co.uk

22nd June Total Warrior - Leeds

www.gladiatorraces.com

22th June

20th July

Spartan

Man Vs Lakes

From £50+

From £109-£165

Aston Down

Morecambe Bay

www.spartanrace.uk

www.ratracemanvslakes.co.uk/

23rd June

17th Aug

Spartan

Mudnificent 7

From £50+

From £37.50

Aston Down

Coventry, Midlands

www.spartanrace.uk

www.MUD7.com

29th June Uventure From £49 Kettering, Midlands www.uventurerun.co.uk

6th July

28th Sept Uventure From £49 Kettering, Midlands www.uventurerun.co.uk

Man Vs Coast

From £54.95

From £109-£165

Leeds

Cornwall

www.totalwarrior.co.uk

www.ratracemanvscoast.co.uk/

22nd June

13th July

Go Insane 3km Fun Run

www.roughrunner.com

Spartan

From £12.50

From £50+

March, Cambridge

Marston Lodge

To add your event contact

www.insaneterrainrunning.com

www.spartanrace.uk

Carl@obstacleracemagazine.com

For more information

“Looking ahead and prepared for the coming season...” ~ Conor Hancock, top 10 OCR World Championships

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