Obstacle Race Magazine Issue 11

YOUR GUIDE TO MAKING IT THROUGH THE WINTER RACING MONTHS ISSUE 11 OCT/NOV ‘15 £4.95

SUPPORTING YOU THROUGH ALL YOUR MUDDY ADVENTURES

NUTRITIONAL ADVICE

RACE REVIEWS

LETTERS

TRAINING

PROFILES

GEAR TESTING

GOALS MOTIVATION AND FOCUS WEEKLY RUNNING SCHEDULE BECOME A HEAD TORCH RACING PRO

A KITBRIX GEAR BAG

9 772053 949001

WIN

11>

MUDNIFICENT 7 2016 DATE RELEASE

NUCLEAR RACES AD

WWW.BACK2THETRENCHES.CO.UK

EXTREME OBSTACLE MUD RUN

Self-challenging fun obstacle mud run 5K to 18K London (J6 M25) set in 250 acres.

6k or 12k Carmarthen (A40) Set in 300 acres both private estates Newly designed course with much more to push you to your limits, Price includes Timing chip, Medal, Free parking, Free bag drop, Spectators free, plus loads of free hills and mud!

20 SEPTEMBER 5K - 10K NO MAN’S LAND - LONDON ***** GET A TEAM TOGETHER AND 18 OCTOBER 6K - 12K THE WESTERN FRONT - WALES SEE WHAT YOU CAN ALL ***** ACHIEVE IN 15 NOVEMBER 6K - 12K - 18K THE TRENCHES THE BIG PUSH - LONDON ***** BATTLE SEASON PASS ENTRY TO ALL 2016 RACES EMAIL INFO@BACK2THETRENCHES.CO.UK TEL 01737 822484 - (M)07957 229252

MANAGING DIRECTOR Kevin Newey kevin@obstacleracemagazine.com 07932 411592 EDITOR Carl Wibberley carl@obstacleracemagazine.com 01246 241780 ADVERTISING Tom De Planta tom@mud7.com 07747 692080 SUBSCRIPTIONS Caroline Newey caroline@obstacleracemagazine.com 07827 962542 DESIGNED BY RAWWW www.rawww.com 0845 371 0993 PUBLISHED BY Spuddy Media Ltd, 370 Wheelwright Lane, Ash Green Coventry, CV7 9HL PRINTED BY

Printed by Warners 01778 395111

CONTRIBUTORS

WELCOME The nights are drawing in a little earlier now and we’re losing training hours as quick as we can get out and take advantage of them. This means not only do we have to start adding layers whilst out early morning or late evening but it’s also time to start acclimatising to the cold water you’ll be facing come race day in winter. This issue is full to the brim with hints and tips to get you through the winter months.

We have a guide to help you become a pro when it comes to using a head torch for either training or racing, which should unlock a few more hours day and night to add to your training arsenal.

Also a piece on the huge problem a large percentage of racers seem to suffer from which is cramp. Since putting together the last cramp article I‘ve been experimenting with lots of different bits and pieces to ward it off. Well I’ve finally cracked it so find out the secret code to becoming rid of the one thing that can stop all racers in their tracks.

Don’t forget if you ever have requests for topics you’d like me and the team to cover in a future issue then please feel free to email me at carl@obstacleracemagazine. com anytime.

SEE YOU IN THE MUD

Carl

(Editor)

JOEL HICKS Always With A Smile RUPERT BONINGTON Recipes page (Mountain fuel) RUPERT BONINGTON Keeping the fun in fun running COACH MICHAEL Cold weather acclimatisation & Weekly running schedule (WILDFORESTGYM Training) COACH EMMA Bootcamp Revolution Training VINCE JAMES OCR ten commandments ACHILLEA KYRIAKOU Facing the crash (Know What Supp) THE WOLF RUN Winterproof your training FAY KELLY World war run CRAIG HERON Beard vs beards JAMES RUCKLEY Rough Runner SAM WINKWORTH The real reason you’re doing OCR STEVE WALL Be your best BEN COOMBER British Military Fitness

COVER COURTESY OF

Epic Action Imagery

ONLINE Website: obstacleracemagazine.com Youtube: youtube.com/obstacleracemagazine Facebook: obstacleracemagazine Twitter: @UKORM

Every effort is made to ensure that the advertising and editorial content in Obstacle Race Magazine is supplied from reliable and reputable sources and is contributed with integrity and accuracy.

However no warranties or claims can be made against Obstacle Race Magazine in respect of the contents OR the views of individuals who do not necessarily represent the views of the Magazine, Spuddy Media Ltd or the Publisher ISSN 2053-9495

CONTACT US BY LETTER AT

Obstacle Race Magazine, 370 Wheelwright Lane Ash Green, Coventry, CV7 9HL

TO SUBSCRIBE

www.obstacleracemagazine.com

MEN’S HEALTH SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST

THE RACE IS ON! ENTER TODAY AND YOU’LL ALSO GET… SPECIAL EDITION TECH T-SHIRT PROFESSIONAL ELECTRONIC TIMING FINISHERS MEDAL

THE WET ONE

GOODY BAG

NOTTINGHAM / 10 OCTOBER

RAT RACE RAG

10K DISTANCE 50+ OBSTACLES

ACCESS TO THE POST RACE BEER TENT

SUPER SURVIVAL HALF MARATHON DISTANCE 75+ OBSTACLES

SIGN UP NOW AT MHSURVIVAL.CO.UK

THE HILLY ONE

THE MUDDY ONE

EDINBURGH / 18 OCTOBER

MANCHESTER / 7 NOVEMBER

10K DISTANCE 50+ OBSTACLES

10K DISTANCE 50+ OBSTACLES

FACEBOOK.COM/MHSURVIVAL

@MH_SURVIVAL

SUPER SURVIVAL HALF MARATHON DISTANCE 75+ OBSTACLES

THE BIG ONE

LONDON / 21 NOVEMBER

10K DISTANCE 75+ OBSTACLES

THE DARK ONE 5K NIGHT RACE

CONTENTS KIT TESTING

PROFILES

FEATURES

Issue 11 Oct/Nov 2015 We have everything from personal profiles to kit testing to deliver your fix of OCR between races.

REGULARS

RACE REVIEWS

FEATURES 8 THE BUTT OF YOUR POWER

The exercises that will add extra torque to your engine.

10 NIGHT GAMES

10 dark, muddy miles? If you answered yes then Night Games is the OCR for you!

26 THE REAL REASON YOU’RE DOING OCR

Why are you taking part in this sport, this could reveal a few answers for you.

32 GIVING FAT A COLD SHOWER

The secret to melting away your unwanted fat could be just a cold shower away.

36 BE YOUR BEST

How to get the best out of you.

38 HYDRATION AND CRAMP SOLVED Don’t suffer from cramp anymore. This article will guide you through how to banish it forever.

40 URBAN ATTACK

The exciting new developments Urban Attack have coming up in their next race.

60 ROUGH DUGGER

A race that will let you run side by side with mans best friend.

76 UK CHAMPIONSHIP

Nuclear Races tell you all about what they have planned for the UK Championships this year.

100 KNOW WHAT SUPP

Don’t let yourself hit the brick wall, use this information to help you leap straight over it.

102 WILL THE MUD MONSTERS CLAIM YOU?

The Mud Monster crew tell you exactly why you should do their next event

108 WHY YOU SHOULD BE ADDING PILATES TO YOUR TRAINING Its always good to keep your training on its toes so why not add Pilates to your training to keep the body guessing. Bootcamp revolution share with you how.

6

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

62

WINTERPROOF YOUR TRAINING

The Wolf Run’s guide to how you can Winter proof your training.

KIT TESTING 34 TRAINING SHOES REVIEWED

Need help choosing your next training shoe, this is the guide for you.

46 KITBRIX

Find out all about this fantastic piece of kit and how you might be able to WIN yourself one.

80 VIRUS COMPRESSION

The new kids on the block providing compression that has racers raving about it.

88 FITNESS TREE

RACE REVIEWS 28 BEARD VS BEARDS

What happens when three mighty beards collide on a race course?

52 ROUGH RUNNER

A game show inspired race with more fun and games than you could ever wish for.

92 WORLD WAR RUN

A battle with mud and obstacles to earn your medal of honour

Your garden will never have been such a draw as it is with a Fitness Tree in it.

104 HEAD TORCH RUNNING

We shed a little light on what to look for in your next head torch and how to become a safe racer whilst using it.

WIN

18 COLD WATER TRAINING PLAN 46 KITBRIX 111 CAPTION COMPETITION

REGULARS 2 ALWAYS WITH A SMILE

Follow Joel and the teams amazing journeys to make the world smile

16 COLD WEATHER ACCLIMATISATION Coach Michael of Wildforestgym shares with you him knowledge on getting yourself ready for the Winter race season

24 HEALTH HACKS

The little pieces of kit and nutrition that can make a huge difference to your racing and training.

42 BRITISH MILITARY FITNESS

BMF and Ben Coomber tell you how to fuel your training sessions

48 MUDTREST PAGES

The pages of the magazine that let you share your muddy adventures.

56 TIME FLIES - BE THE NAVIGATOR Introducing the next episode of training articles, brought to us by Bootcamp Revolution Obstacle Course, Essex. PT Emz and PT Mitch, present articles designed for all abilities, busy lives, and all using equipment that won’t break the bank!

66 RECIPE PAGES 68 WEEKLY RUNNING SCHEDULE Coach Michael of WildForestGym shows you how to set up a running schedule that can work around your busy life style.

74 SMOOTHIE RECIPES 90 LETTER PAGE

Share with us your stories and adventures on the letters page

112 BOOTCAMP LISTING

Listing of some of the best places to train for your next race challenge

114 EVENT LISTINGS

All the events coming up over the next few months

56

TIME FLIES BE THE NAVIGATOR Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

7

FEATURE: THE BUTT OF YOUR POWERS

THE BUTT OF YOUR

POWERS One thing you’ll see on 99.9% of all really powerful athletes especially runners are big strong glutes. These are the source of a huge amount of their power and separate the average from the good. Powerful glutes will take masses of work away from your legs whilst racing and training. So here we have four major glute building exercises that will have you busting out your runs like you’ve had a leg transplant from Bolt himself.

KETTLEBELL SWINGS One of the most simple and effecting exercises you could hope to crack. Once mastered then using higher rep kettlebell swings will wake up the fast twitch fibers of the glutes and hamstrings and encourage a strong hip extension, while ramping up your cardio in the process.

HOW TO Start with your feet no wider than shoulder width apart. Toes pointing straight forward.

Remember to stay tight and pinch your shoulder blades back when lifting the kettle bell off the floor. Stand up while extending your hips forwards to start the kettle bell swinging outwards. As the kettle comes back towards you then let your hips and shoulders drop back so it goes in through your legs. Keep the momentum up by straightening your hips and thrusting forwards while pulling your shoulders back and up. Repeat.

8

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

FEATURE: THE BUTT OF YOUR POWERS

DEADLIFTS

WALKING LUNGE

Deadlifts are the staple in your program that will have the most functional application. The deadlift is simply a matter of bending over to pick something up, but it’s often neglected or done incorrectly.

This exercise often falls under the radar. The dynamic “step through” component of the walking lunge allows for a complete single leg hip extension in motion that other lifts don’t provide. When performing walking lunges, remember to avoid pausing between steps (don’t plant your foot down in the middle to meet the other foot between strides!) unless you have to catch your balance.

HOW TO Stand nice and straight with a tall spine.

Make sure your front foot is nice and flat on the floor with your back knee all the way down to the floor. Try not to put your

front knee to far over your foot. Then raise up using your front foot and pulling your back foot in line with it.

HIP THRUSTERS Hip thrusts are one of the most direct glute developing exercises you can do. One primary function of the glutes is to extend the hips. So this strips it right back to basics to build a good base to work up from.

HOW TO Bend over and make sure the bar is directly below your shoulder blades but it should also be nice and close to your shines. Get your back pulled in and nice and tight. No rounding of your back and keep your shoulders from shrugging towards the bar. If you start in this correct position you wont be using energy at the start trying to pull it into the correct groove for the movement. The bar should stay in a straight line from the bottom of the movement to top.

HOW TO Slow controlled movements feeling your glutes doing all the work. Make sure your back is flat at the top of the movement and not arched up. Squeeze your glutes nice and hard at the top and hold for 2 seconds.

You should take 3 seconds up, hold for 2 and then 3 seconds down. Master body weight before trying to add weight to this movement.

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

9

FEATURE: NIGHT GAMES

NIGHT GAMES Is your idea of a great night out running 10 dark muddy miles, battling ice, fire and paintball snipers all before celebrating at the finish line with hundreds of new best friends? If you answered yes then Night Games is the OCR for you!

10

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

FEATURE: NIGHT GAMES

Night Games is the world's first race series to be run exclusively at night; designed to test you to your mental and physical limits. Rest assured, this is no stroll in the moonlight.

The first race is set to take place in April 2016 over a 10-mile course boasting new and classic obstacles, all with the added twist of darkness.

Founder Rob Mason says, “The launch of Night Games offers something new to the OCR community and we’re excited to be part of such an active scene here in the UK. We designed Night Games to really challenge seasoned obstacles race runners and attract some new blood to the sport.”

With new obstacles for 2016 including a Double Ice Dip, Fire Jump and a one mile long paintball sniper section this race isn’t for the faint-hearted.

“We’re proud of the innovative obstacles we’ve created for Night Games; it’s something we always set out to do,” explains Rob. “Seasoned OCR runners will find some old favourites in the mix too but everything looks different in the dark with just a head-torch to guide you and that’s where the challenge really lies. We want people to find out what really goes bump in the night!”

That ‘bump’ may also be heard at the Event Village, where friends and family can support runners for free, with food and drink available to buy until the early hours. Runners and their families that don’t fancy a muddy drive home can also camp at the site from £15 per person.

“We really want to create an exciting, festival atmosphere at our races,” adds Rob. “What better way to celebrate completing the course than with a hero’s welcome and a drink? It will be a night out like no other!”

Rob is also looking for Night Games volunteers to man sections of the course and help in the Event Village. All volunteers will be given a free place in a future race, free camping, a food voucher for the Event Village and a drink from Rob at the end of their shift.

If you’re ready to turn out the lights and challenge the darkness you can register now at nightgamesraces.com for the early bird price £45 until 31 October.

You’ll also find latest news, training tips and other dirty secrets on Facebook by searching ‘Night Games Races’ and by following @NightGamesRaces on Twitter.

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

11

REGULARS: ALWAYS WITH A SMILE

ALWAYS WITH A SMILE

Written by JOEL HICKS founder of ALWAYS WITH A SMILE

FEATURING: World Egg Throwing Championships, Ram Run - Wild Lambs, Color Run Manchester, Wakeboarding, Go Karting, Fly Boarding, Nettle Warrior, Mud 7 There’s never a good time to be injured… but it does happen from time to time in our sport, and over the last couple of months I’ve been suffering with an ankle ligament injury.

I’d like to tell you that it was sustained during some heroic feat, where I was leaping from a mountain or climbing a monstrous high wall but, rather shamefully, it seemed to occur whilst enjoying a leisurely stroll in the summer sunshine!

But, with one leg or two, the show (and smiles) must go on… and there has been no let up in our adventures at ‘Always With A Smile’.

Now in its 10th year, the World Egg Throwing Championships has multiple egg-related world titles up for grabs, such as conventional egg throwing (toss and catch), static relay, egg target throwing, egg trebuchet and finally (and arguably most prestigiously) Russian egg roulette.

Having been recruited by the World Egg Throwing Federation's president Andy Dunlop around 7 years ago, I have been a permanent fixture as the target in the egg target throwing (or 'Accuracy') discipline of the World Championships ever since...

12

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

REGULARS: ALWAYS WITH A SMILE

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

13

REGULARS: ALWAYS WITH A SMILE

In this competition, 'tossers' (a generic term used for anyone who is throwing an egg) have 3 eggs with which they can score points by hurling them at the human target. A shot to the arms or legs secures 1 point, to the body secures 2 points, whilst a groin shot scores a maximum 3 points... and this year the accuracy championship was won with an 8 point total (very painful for me... but could have been worse).

This year I was also entered in the egg roulette competition (going out in the first round in dubious circumstances!) and the toss and catch championship. In this event I’m proud to say that I made it (with partner) up to the 50 metre mark, but at this point however, I misjudged a catch with the egg going straight through my hands and, like a heat seeking missile, was struck at full velocity in the groin.

As I rolled around on the floor in agony, I did wonder how much pain one man has to take in the name of making people smile!

With the swelling subsiding, AWAS was then involved in a double-event weekender with the

14

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

Ram Run and then the Color Run Manchester all taking place over two fun-filled days...

The Ram Run was held over both days, with 8 and 12km races taking place on the Saturday, and a grueling 24km race on the Sunday.

Building on the Spring event from earlier this year, ‘Smilers’ Liz Miles and Hatti-Alice Robinson both took to the 12km challenge on the Saturday before marshaling the following day.

Whilst I was unable to compete (due to my bad ankle), I nevertheless found myself running with the Wild Lambs (the term affectionately given to those youngsters taking part in the children’s race).

It was wonderful to see children as young as 5 take on the mini-course… each one of them with a beaming smile and a massive sense of fun, and with some of the children completing 4 laps, I only managed just one...

Although some claim to have spotted a man fitting my description battling with children in the water trench.

On the Sunday, the foundation was back in

action at the Color Run in Manchester, and it was another day when the foundation’s ethos really shone through, as the reception we received by everyone in Manchester was truly inspiring…

Following a short rest, I was off to Club Wake Park in Northampton to try my luck at wakeboarding. Wakeboarding involves riding a wakeboard over the surface of a body of water, be it a lake or in the sea, and combines the disciplines of waterskiing, surfing and snowboarding.. (not that I’ve much experience of any of those activities).

The start of my taster session was simply dedicated to trying to stand up, but it wasn’t long before I was skimming across the water, traversing left and right, and managing the odd 180 degree spot turn... much to my own surprise.

Without any let up in speed, I was then back on dry land for my next event - this time behind the wheel of a go kart at at the F1K indoor karting centre in Loughborough.

Given that my first ever car was a Mini

REGULARS: ALWAYS WITH A SMILE

Cooper, it was like taking a step back in time as I bounced and vibrated around every corner, my arms fighting the wheel. How on earth the likes of Lewis Hamilton do what they do I’ll never know, as after 30 minutes of racing I was totally exhausted.

From the screech and dirt of the karting track I was then making the trip to National Diving and Activity Centre in Chepstow to have another go at Fly Boarding - an extreme water sport that I had a crack at a few years ago when it first hit the UK. Flyboarding is totally unique. It allows the participant to fly over water, propelled into the air via a jet-ski at the end of a 10 metre hose, which filters through the boots of those mad enough to take part.

Control of the flyboard is done by way of slight movements in your feet and legs, and from my session a few years back I remembered just how hard it was to remain balanced with the slightest movement causing you to tumble back into the water.

This time however, I seemed to find my balance a lot easier, and by the end of my session I was performing dolphin-style dives in and out of the water, turns to the left and right, high dives, as well as surges out of the water and into the blue sky.

With my wetsuit still drying off, I was then back to Wolverhampton for Nettle Warrior, the summer version of Tough Guy... but, in all honestly, the weather was so bad that it was more akin to it’s harsher January cousin.

Dressed as a blue Avatar, I was joined by a group of ‘Smilers’ taking on the course as ‘Santa’s in training’... and we tackled the ‘safest most dangerous’ event in the world with huge smiles and plenty of laughter, finally crossing the finish line in just under 4 hours…

And then it was on to ORM’s first showpiece event, The Mudnificient 7!

I think anyone who attended this inaugural event will have to agree that it was a fantastic day in celebration of the OCR World, and it illustrated what this sport is all about…

friendship and camaraderie mixed with a massive dollop of muddy fun!

In tribute to ‘The 7’ I had made the decision to run the seven different zones in seven different costumes… whilst a team of ‘Smilers’ ran alongside me, most of whom were just in their pants! (Well done lads!). I began as an Aztec Warrior, before changing into Biggles (complete with cardboard plane). From there Peter Quinn from Guardians of the Galaxy took on the Tough Guy zone, a hairy gorilla bounded around the Bigfoot Challenge, a sheepskin wearing, horn-headed lunatic took to the Ram Run and the Grim Reaper himself (complete with scythe) haunted the Reaper Run. For the final zone, the Bear Grylls Survival Race, I choose to wear nothing more than a chef’s hat and apron with ‘Bare Grills’ printed on the front! It was a pity the fella himself wasn’t around to witness my pale behind… then again, I guess there are some sights that even Mr Grylls himself wouldn’t recover from.

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

15

REGULAR: COLD WEATHER ACCLIMATISATION

COLD WEATHER

ACCLIMATISATION Written by: Coach Michael of WildForestGym Photography by: Tough Guy

As we draw into the autumn months we need to start planning early for our winter racing. We ask Cold Water & Cold Weather Acclimatisation Training Expert Coach Michael of WildForestGym to help you to prepare for cold water and cold weather conditions in your winter OCR races.

I cannot believe that it’s August and here once again writing an article on cold water and cold weather acclimatisation training.

Early is the key word to preparation for your winter races. Although we have experienced milder winters for the last 2 years we must not forget that the winters can hit us hard. Back in 2012/2013 it was –8°.

The reason I remember it was because I was running Tough Guy on January 29 2013 it was -10° in the water and the ice was 2cm thick. So do not be deceived by the last 2 winters, plan and prepare for the worst, and you will be in a good standing for your winter OCR races.

Just note, we don’t need frosts for the water temperature to rapidly drop. Similarly when going in and out of the water the wind chill factor can really affect our comfort zone and can lead to cases of hypothermia. Similarly do not underestimate how the temperature of the lakes, ponds and rivers will slowly drop from early September.

Following is an overview on the WildForestGym Cold Water & Cold Weather Acclimatisation Training Plan. This plan over the last 2 years has been used by hundreds of OCR racers. It’s tried…it’s tested…and it works.

Most importantly it’s FREE to all ORM readers!

16

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

WHY ACCLIMATISE

WIND CHILL

In theory anyone can dip their foot or body into cold water. However when it comes to obstacle racing you are either having to fully or partly submerge your body on numerous occasions. That alone is challenging. What is more of an issue is the time you spend out of the water, running in between each immersion. If your body isn’t acclimatised then you can go into shock, experience hypothermia or increase your risk of injury from being cold or fatigued.

Wind chill is one of the greatest factors when it comes to the risk of experiencing hypothermia. This is exasperated by 1. Being in and out of water 2. Neoprene has been considered the best option for winter racing.

However neoprene was not designed for use out of water. Therefore when you are out of the water the wind chill factor will cause the body to cool rapidly as it sucks the heat out of your body. Therefore the right kit including a windstopper top layer over your neoprene top is key to slowing down the body from cooling.

THE THERMOSTAT Your body has an internal thermostat.

Depending on the country you were brought up in will have an affect on your thermostat and your perception of heat and cold. Here in the UK we are notoriously bad at adjusting to temperatures and therefore our tolerance levels are lower. By undertaking acclimatisation training will train your body on a physiological level, mind and energetic level, so that you will be able to cope with cold water and cold weather exposure.

COLD WATER IMMERSION By working with a cold water training plan, it will take you through the transitioning stages of cold water immersions. This will have a profound physical and psychological affect on your body’s perception and internal thermostat of how you experience and perceive hot and cold environments. The key here is to transition and not to shock the body, otherwise the expected outcome will not be achieved.

REGULAR: COLD WEATHER ACCLIMATISATION

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

17

REGULAR: COLD WEATHER ACCLIMATISATION

THE RISKS Be assured there is nothing that will beat cold weather acclimatisation training under coached supervision. Please note cold-water acclimatisation training should not be looked at lightly and neither should it be attempted without coach supervision to reduce the risk and incident of accidents, illness, hypothermia or even death.

PREPARATION KIT is possibly more important than any other factor when it comes to potential risk of hypothermia. There are lots of products out there that will support your cold water and cold weather training. I am very much a tried and tested man and offer my experience of suitable kit for cold water & cold weather training and racing that has been used by my TEAM WildForestGym and me.

BASE TOP Tribord Neo sleeveless top from www. decathlon.co,uk £19.99.This has 0.5mm neoprene. This thickness of neoprene acts as a good insulator, but it is not too thick to run in. However you will need to allow time to get used to wearing a tight compressor top.

OUTER TOP It is important to wear a wind proof top over your base layer to shield you from the wind when you are out of the water, otherwise the cold weather will continue to draw the heat out of your body.

GLOVES The most important items when it comes to kit.

It is your outer extremities that will feel it first i.e. your fingers. We use the 2.5mm neoprene gloves, which have good sticky grips on the fingers. This thickness still gives you good dexterity with the fingers and hand.

BASE SHORTS Thermal compressor shorts are invaluable. They tend to keep the crown jewels as warm as is possible. They are also fast wicking.

RACE SHORTS Best option at the moment is MMA shorts.

Not that we are biased but the WildForestGym shorts are awesome and tried and tested in all weather conditions. £ 29.99. For details visit http://bit.ly/wfgocrkit SHOES Trail shoes with good tread. DO NOT get waterproof or water resistant shoes as they will hold the water. You want fast draining shoes so that you aren’t splogging around in your shoes

COLD WATER & COLD WEATHER TRAINING PLAN

and your feet getting colder. TEAM Wild Forest Gym mostly wear Inov-8 or Icebugs.

OPTIONAL KIT SWIM CAP Is an extra layer of protection when your head is immersed in cold water.

HAT A beanie hat that has thermal insulation/ fast wicking material. However, they are not suitable for water immersion.

ARM COMPRESSORS I use the 2XU arm compressors £35. Reason why I wear compressors is that depending on the temperature I can slide them up and down my arms. They are ultra durable and therefore they will protect your arms.

LEG COMPRESSORS 2XU are good compressors, fast wicking, keep you calves and shins warm and offer protection from scuffing your legs £30.

SOCKS My preference is not to wear socks as they just soak up the water. If you are not accustomed to not wearing socks then you slowly transition, so as to reduce sores and blisters.

WARNING

This training should only be undertaken under the supervision of a coach. Please tell other people at home what you are doing so they can be aware and help. Signs of your body going into shock is that you can’t get your words out, feeling of nausea/claustrophobia, purple and numb body parts. Always seek medical assistance if you do not make a full recovery within 10 minutes of showering. Always wear the recommended, or similar kit.

PLAN OUTLINE The following is an outline as to what your FREE Cold Water Training Plan includes. To register for your 4-week FREE WildForestGym Cold Water & Cold Weather Acclimatisation Training Plan visit HTTP://BIT.LY/WFGCWAT DURATION - 4 weeks COMMENCEMENT – Minimum of 4 weeks prior to winter race.

DIFFICULTY – Demanding & challenging DANGERS – High from accident or hypothermia or even death

1

CLOTHING Day to day clothing.

2

HEATING Adjusting your thermostats in your home and workplace.

3 4

GOING OUT Dress code.

COLD SHOWER TRAINING Time to reduce the temperatures.

5 6 7 8 9

CIRCULATION TECHNIQUES Bring back blood flow.

ACCLIMATISING TO YOUR KIT Luxury!

THERMOREGULATION The ins and out to reducing your risk of hypothermia.

WET N RUN – Exciting.

COLD WATER IMMERSIONS – Thrilling.

ORM want to make sure your are Race SAFE & Race READY so we have once again partnered up with Coach Michael of WildForestGym to give every reader a FREE 4-Week Cold Water Training Plan.

To register now visit

BIT.LY/WFGCWAT 18

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

REGULARS: MUDDY RACE

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR RUNNING Written by Shaun Dixon - UK Athletics Level 2 Endurance Coach and Elite Runner

FIND EVENTS CLAIM RESULTS GET MUDDY Take it Slow

reach a certain time target, or just aim to run round the local park without stopping.

Ensure you don’t do too much too soon. If your body isn’t used to running you’ll find quickly find yourself tired, injured, or ill. The majority of your runs should be run at a comfortable speed – moving at a pace where you are able to maintain conversation if running with a partner.

Take a walk break if you need to (I do at times).

Maintaining consistency is the key to improving performance

Establish A Routine

You should finish your runs feeling that you could have done a little bit more-giving yourself a target for next time! But make sure you don’t stop. A simple way is to set aside a few days a week that you always run.

Think About Your Diet.

Set Yourself A Target All runners struggle with motivation sometimes.

But it’s easier to deal with these lulls if you have set yourself some goals. The exact nature of the goal doesn’t matter- you could enter a race,

20

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

Exercise is an easy thing to drop when life gets busy so it’s important to clearly schedule running into your working week. Set an hour aside, arrange to meet a friend, or join a group.

A run won’t take long- and you’ll feel miles better for it.

Ensure you take on some good quality food (carbs and protein) within an hour or so of completing your workouts so your body can repair and replenish. Pre-run fuelling isn’t as important- you don’t need anything special for any runs under 90mins. In fact if you want to be better at burning fats you should perhaps try running before you’ve taken on any food.

On the issue of carbs you do not need to cram to ensure you have enough energy. Most

people eat more than enough carbs to get by already. You get carbs from lots of different foods like fruit and veg too.

Get Involved With Others The running community is incredibly welcoming. There are also loads of ways to get involved- join a Running Club, chat on some forums, share your experiences through social media. The extra motivation and inspiration you can gain from others is incredible.

Don’t Be Afraid Of Speed Including some faster paced running in your training diet is incredibly important and will give your running a real boost. Improved aerobic capacity, muscle recruitment and cardio-function should make running feel easier at all speeds!

REGULARS: MUDDY RACE

YOU CAN READ MORE OF CAT’S ARTICLES AT MUDDYRACE.CO.UK

JOIN TEAM MUDDY RACE • Buy your green t shirt, stand out from the crowd in photos and get your name on the back • Chat with 1,000 of us in our free Facebook group – search for Team Muddy Race to get tips and motivational selfies!

• Join over 10,000 members on our website to build your profile and see how many mud miles you’ve logged to date • Make new friends at events with likeminded mud enthusiasts.

#TEAMMUDDYRACE

ABOUT MUDDY RACE: • Supporting Obstacle Racing in the UK since 2011 • Find An Event - Over 250 events online with free discounts • Log your mud miles - Claim your results from previous Obstacle Races and

build your online profile. We've got over 200,000 results on our database!

• Join the community - #TeamMuddyRace • Train with us - join us around the UK at our training days

Find us at WWW.MUDDYRACE.CO.UK

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

21

FEATURE: THE TRUTH ABOUT CARBS

THE TRUTH ABOUT CARBS Writtenby : CARL WIBBERLEY

The topic of carbohydrates(carbs) has become divisive over the recent years, leaving runners confused as to how much to include in their diets, and from which sources. In the 90’s sports nutrition mainly focused on a high intake of carbs from pasta beforehand and a good handful of jelly babies during, to maximise performance.

While traditional NHS guidelines still advise eating lots of starchy carbs, in more recent years, popular diets such as Atkins and Zone have demonised carbs, particularly processed versions like bread, cereals, pasta and baked goods as the main cause of weight gain.

There has been a significant body of research into running on fat. Researchers concluded that whilst runners on a high fat diet, low carb diet improved fat metabolism pathways, no improvements in time trial or time to exhaustion tests were found.

Carbs are also vital for brain function, so runners trying to race primarily on fat or fasted, if you don’t eat enough carbs then your blood sugar drops steadily, making you slow down and lose the concentration and balance that’s vital for Obstacle racing.

Then along came Paleo with its love for meats and raw vegtables which cuts out processed carbs and anything else which a caveman wouldn’t have access to. Quite the opposite of that, the carb rich, meat and dairy-free Vegan diet is becoming increasingly popular with runners. This is thanks to stellar runners like Scott Jurek.

Even with some adaption to running on fat, during high intensity exercise(more than 70% max heart rate), carbs are still the preferred fuel source, with fat and protein metabolism both slow to deliver the energy at the required rate. So by not eating enough carbs you risk limiting your performance at speed. Fat also has 9kcals per gram, so you only need half the food for the same energy, increasing the risk of eating more than your daily calorie needs.

You’re at increased risk of catching a cold or flu if you restrict your carb intake. Lots of long endurance training can cause a stress response by the immune system, depressing it for 3-24 hours. A lot of runners often focus on protein for recovery, but you must also replace muscle glycogen with carbs, and eating carbs with protein speeds up the uptake of protein to the muscles. The recommended amounts are, 20-25g with 1.2g carbs per kilogram of bodyweight- 20g, 84g carbs for a 70kg runner. Research shows carbs are vital to a runners diet, for energy, brainpower, immune system and recovery. So the real question is which types of carbs are best for runners, and how much you should be wolfing down and when?

So where exactly does the science currently sit when it comes to carbs for runners?

First of all, our muscles need carbs in their simplest form, glucose, in order to run. Yes, we can metabolise both fat and protein for energy, but access to these as fuel is much slower than burning carbs directly. If we increase our exercise intensity, by picking up the pace or tackling a long steep climb, our demand for energy increases so we use more of these carbs. Our bodies store carbs in the form of glycogen, mainly in the muscle and liver. During exercise these stores get converted to glucose for muscles to use, most people only have enough for 90 minutes of exercise. So, to run longer, you need quick release (high GI ) Snacks. Or can you teach your body to run on fat…?

22

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

There are suggestions that eating more fat and no processed carbs leads to weight loss and improved regulation of blood glucose as the body relies on ketosis(protein breakdown)for energy. While this may benefit inactive people with poor blood sugar control, it is risky for runners with a high training volume as ketosis can lead to bone density loss(a worry for stress fractures) and can result in kidney stones.

This diet is also very high in saturated fats which increase cholesterol, and has reduced fruit intake which can limit vitamins-not ideal as antioxidants need increases with mileage.

The definitive answer is to keep energy levels up in the day with healthy slow release, low GI snacks. In longer races use 30-60g of high GI carb snacks per hour for quick energy and, for the real epic challenges you’ll need to add around 5g of protein to avoid lean muscle breakdown. Always try to aim for natural unprocessed carbs, with sugary snacks saved for all out races.

FEATURE: THE TRUTH ABOUT CARBS

REGULARS: HEALTH HACKS

HEAL H HACKS TDT SPRAYS

TDT PERFORMANCE SPRAY

TDT RECOVERY SPRAY

Recovery Spray was developed to increase the rate at which muscle tissue can recover from exercise or intensive training. Do you get sore muscles, aka DOMS, after exercise or training? Ever get the feeling that your muscles are not fully rested from training?

Lack muscular performance and energy the day after training? Need to train twice in the same day both to maximum effort? Then recovery spray could be perfect for you in supporting your training.

Aid the recovery process Tackle DOMS head on in a localised fashion Could aid sleep due to magnesiums relaxing effect on the body Contains essential nutrients for the ATP energy cycle Just like oral ZMA, but applied via the skin

RRP

RECOVERY £18

It’s time to get the most out of your training and push your body where it needs to go. It’s time to do away with traditional mass market ‘pre workout’ products and slow acting, often bad tasting coffee. With no sugars or sweeteners, preservatives, colours, flavourings and other agents potentially problematic to optimal human health, Performance Spray is the perfect choice for dedicated trainers looking to increase performance.

Absorbed within 5-15 minutes unlike oral drinks which can take up to 60 minutes to reach peak concentration in the blood Could increase strength, stamina and endurance capacity greater than oral caffeine Could increase fat utilisation during training Easy and convenient to use, just rub it on your hands No sugars, preservatives, or any unnatural ingredients

RRP

PERFORMANCE

£16

Get yours from

JORDANFITNESS.CO.UK 24

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

ALPHA BRAIN BUKO

Alpha BRAIN is the only earth-grown nutrient based supplement to show statistical significance on multiple areas of cognition in two human clinical trials. What makes it more unique was that the trials conducted by the Boston Center for Memory were successful on a healthy patient population, traditionally one of the most challenging groups to benefit, showing that Alpha BRAIN is truly the nootropic for the people.

As new research shows that coconut water may have benefits beyond just hydration, with results indicating it could have powerful anti-oxidant properties and potential cardiovascular benefits, a new brand of coconut water hopes to give athletes a further reason to swap their sports drinks for coconut water this summer…

‘Buko’ refers to young green coconuts in the Philippines, known for their naturally sweeter and fresher coconut water, and Buko believe, that by ensuring the coconuts they use are organic and avoiding all additives and preservatives, they have produced a delicious pure drink that will have even the most die-hard coconut water sceptics converted.

The success lies in the skillful combination of earth-grown ingredients and vitamin B6 that directly target vital areas of neurotransmission in a balanced, yet potent combination. Focused largely on increasing acetylcholine, Alpha BRAIN has multiple ingredients targeting many facets of overall brain health and performance.

Athletes praise Alpha BRAIN for the ability to heighten reaction time and quickly analyze complex patterns. Performers and speakers appreciate the ability to improve the availability of words, names, and ideas in verbal flow.

Students and executives comment on the increased focus, and non-stimulant based mental energy.

Get yours from:

ORGANICBUKO.COM

RRP: £15.92

(x8)

NUTRITION X Nutrition X are a leading brand in sports nutrition.

They have become the number one choice of sports nutrition for many elite athletes and professional sports teams. They are recognised for their work with these aforementioned experts, whose research and development has allowed them to remove the guess work and produce fully tested products that are scientifically proven to deliver exceptional results.

HYDRA 10 24.99

They have also recently announced the news that they have joined the Informed-Sport programme which provides assurance that Nutrition X products have been tested for substances on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list of banned substances and are safer for athletes to use. Nutrition X is one of only 5 brands in the world to have all products within their product range listed which is a fantastic testament to their quality assurance, and places them as a true authority on testing within the industry.

Get yours from:

NUTRITIONX.CO.UK XPLODE SHOTS £24.99 (X12)

ENERGEL+ £34.99 (x24) Get yours from:

ONNIT.COM RRP £25

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

25

FEATURE: THE REAL REASON YOU’RE DOING OCR

THE REAL REASON

YOU’RE DOING

OCR Written by: SAM “COMFORT BREAKER” WINKWORTH

'THE MORE COMFORT WE HAVE IN OUR LIVES, THE BIGGER THE URGE TO RECONNECT WITH MOTHER NATURE'

Obstacle racing is rapidly becoming the fastest growing sport, not just in the UK but all over the world, and with more and more events cropping up all over the place these days, its hard to accurately pin point the real reason why the surge of OCR has grown as much as it has I think most of us would agree that one of the main reasons for OCR's popularity is because most of us want to challenge ourselves, have some fun with our buddies & the mixture of running, crawling, carrying & climbing our way through beautiful countryside up & down the country has a huge appeal to it.

But... what’s the 'real' reason behind

26

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

the growing number of people wanting to challenge themselves more than ever before these days?

Why are more and more people choosing to get 'down and dirty' of a weekend?

Well, there is a school of thought that suggests it's because we want to conquer our fears and release that 'inner warrior' within us, to see what we're physically capable of achieving.

Others believe it's because there's something rather therapeutic about rolling around in mud, like a sense of detachment from the ties and constraints of modern day world, which is all true up to a point however I firmly

believe it to be something very different I believe the real desire to challenge ourselves goes way deeper than just fun, fitness & conquering our fears, and is more to do with a reflection on modern day society and our unhealthy obsession we have with comfort.

WE ARE ADDICTED TO IT. As a species, we have evolved into becoming addicted to comfort, divorced from nature. Our cosy environments have resulted in us losing our connection with nature &

FEATURE: THE REAL REASON YOU’RE DOING OCR

To find out when our next events and training days are then visit our website

THEDIRTYROTTENSCRAMBLE.CO.UK becoming soft, our ancient ancestors would be appalled if they could see what's become of us!

Everything’s too easy for us these days and the animal within us is bored.

We live in a comfy world where we can have anything we want, whenever we want.

And just like any other drug, we have become dependent of it.

Comfy food, Comfy gyms, Comfy houses, Comfy cars, Comfy laptops,

WE DON’T HAVE TO TRY ANYMORE. We have become imprisoned by our comfort and have lost sight of our basic instincts, which is to challenge ourselves, be brave, explore, take risks & be adventurous The more comfort we have in our lives, the bigger our urge is to reconnect with Mother Nature The scramble to reconnect with nature is bigger than it’s ever been at any point in our history and is why more and more people are

wanting to challenge themselves these days.

It’s EXACTLY why I created the Dirty Rotten Scramble. It’s to help people break free from their prison of comfort, to reconnect with the natural world & to awaken their animal within.

Yes the Dirty Rotten Scramble will be TOUGH, they’ll be some fun had, they’ll be hills, they’ll be mud, (they’ll be a few surprises along the way too!) and yes they’ll be some awesome never-seen-before obstacles, plus some old favourites too!

But our fundamental ethos here at ScrambleHQ is to offer you a helping hand in breaking you free from the world of comfort & to guide you towards reconnecting with your old natural self again.

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

27

RACE REVIEW: BEARD VS. BEARDS

BEARDVS BEARDS

28

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

RACE REVIEW: BEARD VS. BEARDS

CRAIG HERON + CHRIS JACOBS

Dirty Dozen Races.

Location: Barleylands Farm, Billericay, Essex.

Distance: Destroyer - 18k+, Dozen - 12k+, Dash - 6k+ Number of Obstacles: Destroyer - 27, Dozen - 20, Dash - 15. Total of 62 for all events Terrain: Hard ground, fields, streams / small rivers, all fairly flat Level of Mud: Light / Medium. Some obstacles were very muddy, but water obstacles sort that out.

Difficulty: Destroyer - 9 (Veteran racer), Dozen - 7 (Experienced racer), Dash - 5 (Entry level)

So we’ve all heard the rumours that modern men draw testosterone fuelled powers from their impressive beards. Well when it comes to OCR there’s only one person people immediately think of when you mention beards, and that’s The Beard himself Doug Spence the man behind Dirty Dozen Races. His courses have already gained a reputation for using the natural terrain to its fullest, always having a generous spread of cracking unique obstacles across them.

But what if there were two more beards just like Doug's on the faces of two racers taking on one of his courses, what would happen when these all collided? This set of circumstances just so happened to come together on the weekend of Dirty Dozen's Dirty Dash 6km+, Dirty Dozen 12k+ and Dirty destroyer 18k+. At which a flock of crazy racers set out to complete these all in one day to collect the much sought after medal of honour. Two of these racers being our pair of bearded warriors.

That’s enough setting the scene, here’s what the guys got up to.

As seasoned obstacle race runners, both myself and Chris were confident in our pledge to complete all three races in one day. We had both run multiple laps of other OCR's in the region of 30-40km in total, so the distance wouldn't be a problem... or so we thought.

I myself have been a DDR participant

since the first event back in 2013, and through personally knowing Doug, I knew he'd have something extra special up his sleeve - his events throughout 2014 were getting better and better, and this one would not disappoint.

We turned up an hour before our wave at 9.30am, and base camp was laid out extremely well - check in and bag drop was handled perfectly. Spirits were high and in no time at all we were off for our first lap - the Dirty Destroyer (18k). The sun came out and continued to beat down on us for the entire day - a whole new obstacle in itself.

The first few kilometers felt like an eternity.

The ground was very hard and lumpy so you had to watch your footing, which made relaxing into a stride pattern difficult. The first 4 obstacles were quite far apart, which was a real test for the non runners in the pack. These consisted of your standard barbed wire crawl, mud mountains and high walls to scramble up and over. We shot through these and hit our first water obstacle - sheep dip. Not too cold, but several dunks after a long run meant you had to time your breathing. We barely had our heads out of the other side when we were met by 2 more obstacles in a row - Fallout which was a daunting drop into deep water from a dark box-like construction, immediately followed by DDR's Tarzan Bars (monkey bars).

The wet made grip nearly impossible but

somehow we made it across in one piece others were not so lucky and you could see the quick succession of obstacles was taking it's toll.

After a short waterlogged jog, it was the first junction - this was where you split off depending on which event you were doing.

Dash went left, whilst Dozen and Destroyer participants went right. A passer by was confused as his GPS watch was reading 7.5km at this point, despite the Dash only being 6km...

Following the Dozen and Destroyer path, we came up against what Doug loves best - a good stream. We were in and out several times, at various different levels from ankle to waist deep - no swimming here but the debris made things tough. After a brief jog and another barbed wire crawl, we were greeted with the first of 2 Destroyer junctions. Before the race, Doug had come up to me and asked if I knew what Logatron 3000 was. We were about to find out the hard way. It was a Log carry for 3km.

Yes. You read that right. Oh and did I mention there were 4 obstacles you had to carry the log over? These consisted of more mountains of mud, another barbed wire crawl, a wall climb and cargo nets. I was so attached to my log by the end of the 3km I'd named him 'Liam'. This truly made the Destroyer live up to it's name - it nearly broke a lot of people. We pushed on and saying goodbye to Liam the Log, we headed back to the path.

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

29

RACE REVIEW: BEARD VS. BEARDS

A few km on and we were at another junction - time was on our minds at this point as we had to get back for a prompt start of the Dozen so we could make the Dash before the cut off. We upped the pace, and just when we thought we were heading back into base camp, we were greeted by another junction and trekked out into the countryside again. After conquering 2 more obstacles in the shape of Hurtles 2.0 (lots of box jumps!) and Hangover Walls (inverted 8ft walls) we were again heading back to base camp after rejoining the Dozen route.

In front of us were 2 more obstacles before we would be on the home straight. 'Barely Contained' was a huge container similar to Doug's previous events, with a board or two removed - a true test of upper body strength that was a struggle after the 16km we'd already endured. This was followed by a personal favourite of mine - 'Screwball Scramble!' which was a very unsteady cargo net climb - tough regardless of your experience.

Once we managed to get through those, a brief jog and a little river run later and we were up and looking out over a lake, rejoining the track of the Dash. We could hear the announcers in the distance, and the cheers of people crossing the line. We were almost back.

In a matter of just over 1km, there were 7 remaining obstacles - 3 water obstacles which involved swimming (barrels to go under, platforms to climb across and even a floating wall (which was amazing!), 2 Irish tables (pure tests of upper body strength), a HUGE pyramid to climb over and the final test - the sizable and justly named BIG WALL. Our beards carried us over each admirably, and we were greeted by Doug on the finish line for an ever popular #DougHug. But our journey had just begun. We refuelled and were out again in a matter of minutes, the sun still beating down on us, for our next stint on the Dozen (12km).

The Dozen was much the same as the Destroyer, minus the Logathon 3000 carry (thank god!) and second extra loop. We were tired from the previous lap and were starting to hurt, but we pushed on through each set of obstacles again, albeit a little slower than before.

The supporters and volunteers were cheering us on, and even others we had seen

30

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

on the first lap were able to cheer us on due to how the course met and split off, which was very much appreciated and kept the fire in our hearts burning. It was now a race against the clock to get back in before the final cut off for starting the Dash at 3pm. We had been running since 9.30am and our legs were heavy, but we got round with about 15 minutes to spare.

There was nothing left in the tank, but we knew what we had to do. We weren't going to let Doug down. We had beards after all.

We departed for the final time on the Dash (6km). The next hour was tough. We were dehydrated, sapped of energy and our legs could barely bend. The first few obstacles were extremely tough - everything was an effort, but we got through each obstacle helping each other up and through and over. One by one the obstacles fell and we were getting ever closer to our medals.

We reached the junction for the last time, swung left and jumped straight into the lake the finish line was in sight. Dragging our legs forward, over the giant pyramid and over the irish tables there was one thing left in our way.

One BIG WALL. Autopilot kicked in and we flew up and over for the last time. Doug was there waiting for us for the 3rd time running, which was a really nice touch (he does this for all finishers!) and presented us with our well earned medals.

The final 6km Dash felt like 9km and there was a good reason for that - it was! If you signed up for DDR, you really got your money's worth - many people on the course had GPS trackers, and the Destroyer came out at 20km, the Dozen was 15km and the Dash was 9km, which explained why we were utterly broken.

All in all we had just run 44km which is over the distance of a marathon, not including the obstacles and swimming involved.

HEADS AND BEARDS HELD HIGH, WE DEPARTED VICTORIOUS.

RACE REVIEW: BEARD VS. BEARDS

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

31

FEATURE: GIVING FAT A COLD SHOWER

GIVING FAT

A COLD SHOWER Written by: Carl Wibberley

Everyone loves a nice hot shower after racing or training, but have you ever been stood there only to be blasted by what feels like sub zero devil water?

The entire world feels like it’s come to an immediate end, but next time this happens, don’t be so fast to scream blue murder, and instead embrace the cold, because this ice cold shower may be exactly what you need to melt away your unwanted fat and add a ton of other benefits to your life.Cold showers have been proven to have an amazing effect on your well being and health. Something as simple as rotating the temperature gauge can really have a massive effect on your bodies ability to melt away fat.

So in this article you’ll not only learn a few benefits of cold showers, you’ll actually learn how to grow the balls to take them!

The BENEFITS OF COLD SHOWERS BUILDS STRONG WILL POWER

Out of all the other articles out there, no one really lists this as a positive of cold showers, but I personally think it’s the most important. Cold showers build massive will power.

To a cold shower virgin, the amount of will

32

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

power it takes to take cold showers may seem like that of a Shaolin Monk, because for the common man it is a pretty big jump.

Doing something you are so resistant to, every single day, right when you wake up, takes a lot of mental strength. And over time, this mental strength and discipline will become an automated habit that echoes into every area of your life. And it’ll also get you ready for that cold water come race day.

IMPROVES EMOTIONAL RESILIENCE

Do you get flustered, anxious or pee’d off easily? Cold showers can help. Seriously, cold showers train your nervous system to be more resilient to stress.

As shown in this study, cold showers act as a small form of oxidative stress on your nervous system. And over time, the body adapts to this.

Essentially, you will be a calm, cool, badass.

The first time you step in that cold shower, you won’t be able to think straight, let alone breath. But after a month, you will be thinking about your day in a Zen like focus as the ice cold water has no effect on your manliness.

This will translate into everyday life as you brush off stressful rubbish that would typically ruin your mood.

INCREASED ALERTNESS

If you’re one of the brave souls that have taken a cold shower already, then you will know that at first it is hard to breath.

But don’t be scared. This extreme deep breathing, at 7AM every morning, is going to dramatically increase your oxygen intake & heart rate, resulting in a natural dose of energy throughout the day.

On top of the icy cold water, this deep breathing will leave you feeling alert, instead of a groggy zombie like your coworkers.

THEY’LL IMPROVE YOUR SKIN & HAIR

If you’re not motivated by feeling better, then be motivated by looking better. One of the best ways to improve your skin (and hair) is by taking cold showers. Plus it’s free!

According to certified Dermatologist Jessica Krant, ice cold water can help our skin by preventing it from losing too many natural oils.

And your hair gets the same benefit.

Along with that, one of the benefits of cold showers is how they will help your hair appear shiny, strong & healthy by keeping the follicles flat and increasing their grip to the scalp. This is great news for any of you guys who are scared of losing your hair!

FEATURE: GIVING FAT A COLD SHOWER

MELTS AWAY FAT

Another way cold showers will make you look better, is by promoting fat loss.

Most people don’t know this, but there are two types of fat in your body. Brown fat & white fat. White fat is bad. It’s the body fat that we all hate so much. Brown fat is good. It’s function is to generate heat and keep your body warm.

When you take a cold shower, brown fat is activated, resulting in a HUGE increase in energy and calories burned to keep your body warm. So much so that according to studies, cold temperatures can increase brown fat by fifteen times the normal amount, which can result in 10 kg of weight loss per year.

Tim Ferris also noted in his book, The Four Hour Body, that taking ice baths was an amazing way to promote weight loss. The next level for any cold shower veterans.

INCREASED TESTOSTERONE

One of the coolest benefits of cold showers, for men, is that they will cause a rise in testosterone levels.

How much is hard to say, but according to studies, heat (even in small amounts) has an effect on our DNA, RNA & protein synthesis in the male testes. All that, and the fact that

Russian weightlifters used to sit out in the cold before competitions, leads me to believe there is something to this cold shower and testosterone theory.

COLD SHOWERS IMPROVE IMMUNITY

One of the most important benefits of cold showers is the fact that they increase your immunity.

A study from England showed that taking regular cold showers increases the amount of disease fighting white blood cells, compared to that of those who take regular hot showers.

The hypothesis was that the body attempted to warm itself during the cold shower, resulting in an increase in the metabolic speed and activation of the immune system. This then leads to the release of more white blood cells.

SPEEDS UP MUSCLE RECOVERY

If you’re already taking an ice bath after intense training you’re already doing one of the best things you can do to recover faster. But you don’t need a high tech training facility with cold water submersibles to be able to achieve these benefits. Just take a cold shower.

Although it won’t be as effective as a fully submersed ice bath, it will improve circulation, and help remove some lactic acid. Try alternating between very hot and very cold to let the blood come and go to the surface. Your muscles will thank you.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO START OFF COLD

This is a relief for many. You can start your shower off hot, and enjoy it. But for the last 3 minutes it must be cold! As cold as it goes!

This is your mission.

GAINING THE COURAGE

Okay, so you know by now that cold showers are awesome. Great.

Now good luck waking up tomorrow morning and taking one (regardless of how amped up you are now). It’s hard to take the plunge but you won’t regret it.

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

33

KIT TESTING

TRAINING

SHOES

Written by: CARL WIBBERLEY Around 99% of the work you need to make race day an enjoyable one is done in training. You can put in hours, days or even months training for that one hour you have out on the course. So it’s only sensible that you put as much effort into choosing your training shoes as

you do when choosing your racing shoes.

Here I’ve brought together two examples of training shoes which will suit any training conditions you can throw at them, everything from rugged fell land and to groomed trails and pavement.

INOV-8

TERRACLAW 250

£120

INOV-8.COM

A huge percentage of the UKs OCR racers are wearing something from the INOV-8 range. So it makes sense that you choose the same brand to train in as your using to race in.

The inov-8 Terraclaw is part of inov-8s brand new range of shoes that’s now moving away from the minimalist stripped out feel. Offering a nice wide toe box and all the comfort and cushioning you need to look after your feet while you explore the trails.

34

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

A 8mm drop is a nice middle ground drop that will keep your legs happy. The sole is aggressive enough to cope with anything but while not being over the top. Weighing in at just 240 grams it’s not too heavy, while still feeling nice and solidly constructed. If you do “accidentally ” hit a few puddles while out then you’ll be happy to know they will shed the water in a flash. If you like mud, grit, gravel, grass, dirt, dust and more then you’ll love these!

Comfort: 9/10 Stability: 9/10 Grip: 9/10 Weight: 9/10 Appearance: 9/10

Overall: 95%

KIT TESTING

SAUCONY

NOMAD TR

£80

SAUCONY.COM

The Saucony Nomad TR is a trail shoe intended to “Run Anywhere” as its tag line suggests. It is a lightweight trail shoe that still delivers plenty of cushion as well as underfoot protection. It was designed for a “natural” feel, with plenty of room in the toebox for your toes to spread and the flexibility to allow your foot’s natural motion.

The sole unit was well cushioned and fairly flexible for a trail shoe, while proving sufficient

protection underfoot. I found the traction to be quite good, and had no problems on anything from sandy trails and tarmac. I will say that the hexagonal design of the outsole seems to do its job as intended, to give good traction without feeling like you’re wearing cleats. The upper of the Nomad TR uses Saucony’s Flexfilm technology, which provides an external frame for the upper, allowing the inside to have minimal seaming and a

Comfort: 9/10 Stability: 8/10 Grip: 6/10 Weight: 8/10 Appearance: 9/10

Overall: 90%

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

35

FEATURE: BE YOUR BEST

BE YOUR

BEST Written by: STEVE WALL

I’ve trained thousands of people over the years. My “Feel Good Factor Checklist” is what the majority of my students complete to get them to where they want to be. You can modify and change it to fit your lifestyle. All that I ask is that you please commit yourself to it - you’ll really benefit!

For you to feel & perform your best every day, every week, every year - make sure you remind yourself of what actually you are doing to enhance your life & feel GREAT! You are bound to slip here & there, BUT you have to keep trying because the moment you stop or give in is the point where you’ll fail.

36

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

FEATURE: BE YOUR BEST

FEEL GOOD FACTOR CHECKLIST

POSITIVE ACTIONS

NEGATIVE ACTIONS

Always have breakfast

Missing breakfast

Sleep 6-8 hours

Lack of sleep

Eat healthy every 2-3 hours

Not eating through day

Include quality protein/salad

Eating processed foods

Plan your workouts

Cancelling workouts

Consume 1-3 ltrs water/day

No water/ soft drinks

Fruit mid-morn/afternoon

No fruit snacks

Say ‘I CAN!’ PMA rocks!!

Say ‘I CAN’T’

Cut down on sugars

Overload on sugars

Plan your foods

Don’t plan your foods

Achieve Great Results

Even if you improve on one area you will create a positive reaction. The more you are able to complete, the better your results will be. Every positive actions creates a further positive reaction.

It feeds itself - this creates a spiral of success.

By being POSITIVE, you can ACHIEVE whatever you want. Be happy, stick to our plan, believe in yourself & keep believing every day.

Plan what you need to do and involve the great people around you - I guarantee you will be happy as the days go on.

My experiences with the principles and core values I studied and believe in have helped me to become Mr Wales Middleweight Bodybuilding Champion, complete Survival Of The Fittest, 20 Mile Full Mucker at Burghley house, Tough Mudder, Spartan race, run 22 miles & complete 100 press ups, do a Zombie Sprint, Go from being a non-swimmer to Tenby Iron Man in 8 months and complete Rock Solid Race. This is not just physically and mentally challenging – it proves the importance of a maintaining a feel good factor and positive mental attitude.

It’s the same important belief that helps me to be a great dad, husband, friend, Personal Trainer and Motivational Speaker.

Keeping together and being focussed on what really matters in life, not just the training, but involving the people you love, helping them cope with their challenges is as much an honour as is it a privilege - depression, low self-esteem, cancer, type2 diabetes, IBS, no energy-fatigue, arthritis, asthma, high & low blood pressure, glandular fever, break ups, sciatica, obesity-weight problems-anorexia, cramps, fatigue, balance cholesterol, bereavement, heart burn, SAD syndrome, age or any other degeneration of the

Achieve No Results

body are all things I’ve helped loved ones to face head on.

How do you know you’ll be ready for any obstacle? You need an action plan, follow the feel good factor checklist, it will help you believe in yourself and complete most things you’ve been putting off. Daily double check what have you completed with your list, if you go off track don’t stress, don’t start Monday start today, grab life with your improved energy – cause energy is everything!

Following a checklist will help you progress your training, help nurse old injuries, prevent future injuries plus help you repair after an event and prepare you for your next, preventing post event blues by increasing your motivation.

This is why I love obstacle events, it’s not a body building show eating turkey and broccoli for 4 months - so I don’t need to be 3% body fat shredded, it isn’t an iron man so I don’t have to be out of house hours on end – anyone can enter & get involved no matter what size & shape helping us manage our real hidden OBSTACLES In life!

You can achieve anything-don’t be afraid of the unknown, get the balance, get the correct ingredients, plan it, do it, achieve it, get involved!

Life is too short not too...

KEEP PUSHING ON. NO EXCUSES.

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

37

FEATURE: HYDRATION AND CRAMP SOLVED

HYDRATION AND CRAMP SOLVED Written by: CARL WIBBERLEY

Most people suffer from cramp at one time or another. But to some, the reason why they cramp remains a mystery, so they just resign themselves to the fact they will just have to suffer.

Well it doesn’t have to be that way. I was one of those people thinking cramp was just something I had to put up with until I started to research the subject.

I’ve literally tried everything from compression layers to the latest tablets on the market. But what I have found is getting your hydration well and truly nailed through the week is an absolute must. This means not just hammering it down two days before the race. It means starting now, yes right now!

Water is your body's principal chemical component and makes up about 60 percent of your body weight so it’s no wonder it can have such a dramatic effect on everything you do.

So first of all, you should be aiming for around 9 cups(2.2litres) of FLUID a day.

This will be hard at first as you’ll find yourself making a lot of trips to the loo but this will only last around a week.

That’s the fluids sorted so what’s next,

38

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

what else do you need to do to be able to complete this perfect cramp free equation.

The next part of the equation is repetitions. If it’s leg cramp you suffer from then you need to make sure you get the miles you need into your legs. Without these you’re setting yourself up for a fall.

One theory about cramp is that it’s the body’s way of protecting muscles from further damage by basically making them immobile, so to avoid this you will need to make sure your muscles are well prepared for what you’re about the put them through. If you’re doing a 5 mile race make sure you have at least that in you’re legs, if your going to be on the course for 4 hours then you also need to make sure this is something your legs are ready for.

The next part is also a very important piece to the equation. You’ll need to start supplementing your diet with something that contains sodium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and calcium like mountain fuel or High 5 tabs for example.

These need to be taken throughout the week which will ensure you top up your levels of these very important vitamins and minerals. You will get a lot from your normal diet but this will ensure you get all you need to combat cramp.

THE THINGS YOU NEED TO DO DRINK AROUND 9 CUPS OF FLUID A DAY + TOP UP YOUR SODIUM, MAGNESIUM, POTASSIUM, PHOSPHORUS & CALCIUM LEVELS + PUT THE MILES & TIME INTO YOUR MUSCLES TO READY THEM FOR RACE DAY =

CRAMP FREE RACING

FEATURE: HYDRATION AND CRAMP SOLVED

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

39

FEATURE: URBAN ATTACK

URBAN

ATTACK In 2015 a new concept in OCR burst onto the scene with Urban Attack - Knockout Sprint OCR, with their short course, an all out battle over 1000 meters on an indoor BMX course. The obstacles were designed to be completed quickly but while still posing a challenge to the racers. For example the monkey bars had about five lanes so the racers knew they had to go flat out and be one of the first five to hit those or they’d have no chance of a top 3 finish.

As with any first time races and especially with a totally new format there were a few teething problems but after pulling together a focus group of racers who had taken part in the first event, Rob and the team are now confident that they have not only ironed out all the issues that were evident but are taking it to another level.

To give you a better idea of what’s to come in the next instalment of the Urban Attack race series we asked Rob what the plans are for December 5th 2015.

40

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

FEATURE: URBAN ATTACK

Q. So Rob it looks like a lot of exciting ideas have been put in place since the last event.

I’m sure the readers are excited to read what you have in store for them. What’s the concept this time round for Urban Attack and what can they expect on the night?

A. Yes, lots have been going on behind the scenes, the big developments are: no fun run race at beginning sorry fun runners but we are concentrating on the hardcore knockout racing which is our main USP and what really sets us apart with our format. Instead there will be a practice hour to familiarise yourself with the course, warm up and then into Qualification Heats and the Finals. We are tightening the racing day up and also giving pre-set intervals so racers can better plan their hydration, rest and warmups between racing.

This year all the racing is Chip Timed with a live leader board available on the web and also in the building for all to see, this allows racers instant feedback on how well they and their teams are doing, telling them if they have qualified, beaten their mates etc.

Last year we realised the racing was all the entertainment we needed and the rest of the stuff we put on for the crowd was simply not necessary. Seeing the racers going so hard, battling against each other with the roaring crowd in the background was an amazing experience in itself, so this year the racing is the total focus for us. We will still have a live DJ to add to the atmosphere and get the racers and the crowd going but this runs alongside the racing and is not instead of it.

Another development is that we are doing medals and 3 types – Gold, Silver & Bronze, racers will get the type of medal which reflects how far they get in the competition.

We are also streaming the event live to the internet so anyone will be able to watch all the action as it happens from back home and watch replays of the key races for free.

Last but not least, we are putting on loads more obstacles, this will include a Ninja Wall and also a signature obstacle that will test people to their limits (to be revealed). The track is a major obstacle in itself but the feedback was racers wanted more, so we are giving it to them big time – they are going to be in for a real treat in December but do need to prepare for it, as it’s going to be tough.

Q. We heard a rumour about a nice prize pot for the winner, is is true and what do the racers have to do to earn this?

A. We have £1,600 in the prize pot so it will pay for a few drinks for some, Male & Females each get: 1st Place £500, 2nd Place £200, 3rd Place £100. We will be announcing some team and spot prizes too.

Q. This isn’t just for the elite solo runners is it, are we right in thinking you’re also going to be running a team relay event?

We are launching the World’s First OCR Relay Race, where teams of 4 compete against each other after the individual heats, this is exciting development and should be a nice end to the

day. They pass a special arm band to each other which holds a chip, so again their results will appear on the live leader board. We only have so many team spaces for this and it’s first come first served, so to get in on it you just need to have registered and be part of a team of 4 of more before all the spaces are all used up.

Q. Are there more events planned after this one, if so will they be the same format?

Yes, we are looking to increase to 2-3 events next year. The next one will be Urban Attack Sub Zero in the Summer of 2016 – our special format but this time taken into an indoor snow slope. This is going to be quite exclusive race due to restricted capacity. We are turning the snow-slope into a mountain scape with obstacles. The racers are going to be cutting between pine trees, up and down a snow slope with obstacles, all in minus 4 with our own Bavarian themed spectator zone. I’ve been testing it out and it’s hard without any obstacles, so it’s going to be insane with them.

Fantastic to chat Rob and we can’t wait for race day now. Where do people have to go if they want to get booked on to this exciting race?

The best place to go to get booked on or for more general information about the event is www.urbanattack.co.uk

Great stuff, see you in Manchester!

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

41

REGULARS: BRITISH ALWAYS MILITARY WITH A SMILE FITNESS

FUELLING

BOOTCAMP

PERFORMANCE Written by: BEN COOMBER

We all know the importance of training before a race, but eating the right food before and after both training and racing can have a profound impact on your ability to perform, and therefore on your overall results.

British Military Fitness (BMF), the UK’s undisputed leader in outdoor fitness, has recently broadened its offering by launching a brand new Nutrition Hub (www.britmilfit.com/ what-we-do/nutrition-hub/), alongside top Performance Nutritionist, Ben Coomber. As the first fitness provider to be offering their members nutritional advice alongside their fitness training, we’ve been privy to some top tips from BMF’s nutrition hub. Ben Coomber talks us through it…

Time and time again I get asked, “What should I be eating to fuel my body?” It’s a great question, but it’s really tricky to answer because everyone’s bodies are different and we all react a little differently to different foods. There is no such thing as “one diet fits all”.

Many people read hints and tips but don’t understand what the different food sources are doing to their body or if it’s even benefitting them. It’s time to go back to basics and really explain what your diet is doing to you. Once you know what to expect you’ll better understand how your body is reacting and know how to tailor your own diet accordingly, especially when you are in training.

42

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

PROTEIN By far the most important thing you need to take care of before a bootcamp session or race is protein intake (1).

Protein consumption before your workout tackles two different jobs which’ll work synergistically to improve performance and, later, recovery.

Firstly, protein is key to fully activating muscle protein synthesis (MPS) which is the process your body uses to repair and rebuild damaged muscle tissue. It’s the ‘anabolic’ process that will result in stronger muscles and it’s vital that we get it activated around a training session if we want to increase our strength and power.

The second thing protein does when consumed before training is to reduce the rate of muscle protein breakdown, the process where your body takes amino acids from your muscle mass in order to perform other tasks. During the course of a day, muscle protein synthesis (building muscle) and muscle protein breakdown (breaking down muscle) happen pretty much constantly and simultaneously.

This is called ‘muscle protein turnover’ (MPS) and the net balance over a prolonged period of time will dictate the amount of muscle mass you have. If you are in a positive net muscle protein balance you will build muscle, and if it’s negative you will lose it. Even those who don’t want to build a lot of muscle or ‘look big’ should be looking to get the highest positive muscle protein balance they can, which will lead to a toned and athletic physique.

REGULARS: BRITISH MILITARY FITNESS

HOW MUCH PROTEIN? Well, to activate MPS completely we need around 2-3 grams of one particular amino acid – leucine (2). You won’t often find leucine content on food labels, so this chart gives a few examples.

A quick search online will tell you the Leucine content of your favourite foods but a good rule of thumb is that it will be around 30-45 grams of protein to get within the 2-3 gram range of leucine.

WHEN SHOULD I EAT PROTEIN? It’s generally best to take protein on board two hours prior to a training session (1), but within those two hours the specific times vary per person. Some people prefer to stretch it to the two hour mark and train on a semi-empty stomach whilst others prefer to train shortly after a meal and feel ‘full’. Try different timings yourself see which one suits you better, then stick to that where possible to get the most out of your training.

Of course physical exercise essentially ‘shuts down’ the digestion process, so the closer to training you get, the easier the food needs to be on your stomach - liquids may even be the best option. You won’t benefit from food sat idly in your stomach whilst you run around, but you may get a stitch, feel sick, or even throw up!

PROTEIN SOURCE

% OF PROTEIN WHICH IS LEUCINE

AMOUNT OF PROTEIN REQUIRED

AMOUNT OF FOOD REQUIRED

Whey Isolate

12%

25g

27g

Milk Protein Isolate

9.8%

31g

34g

Casein Powder

9.3%

32g

Varies, around 36g

Whole Eggs

8.6%

35g

Around 5 eggs

Fish

8.1%

38g

160g

Beef

8%

38g

130g

Pork

8%

38g

135g

Chicken

7.5%

41g

135g

Wheat

6.8%

44g

15 Slices of bread

WATER

You must be adequately hydrated. Hydration is a lot more simple than some people seem to make it out to be - as long as you are not physically thirsty you shouldn’t have any issues with dehydration. Those who train in the morning should be sure to have at least a pint of water between waking up and hitting the field. You lose a lot of water during the night and the ‘thirst’ sensation may not kick in straight away.

FIBRE

Be sensible with your fibre intake. Fibre slows gastric emptying (how fast stuff leaves your

stomach) so going through a big pile of vegetables an hour before you train might result in some gastric upset.

If you’re eating shortly before training be sure that you’ve fully digested your meal lest you leave it behind between sprint rounds.

CARBOHYDRATE

Intense exercise is fuelled almost entirely by carbohydrate, meaning that you will suffer without them (3).

Having carbs before you train will give you a nice amount of blood sugar to work with, avoiding hypoglycaemia and will improve your endurance capacity towards the end of the session.

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

43

REGULARS: BRITISH ALWAYS MILITARY WITH A SMILE FITNESS

HOW MUCH CARBOHYDRATE?

The amount you have is dependent on your preference and your usual total daily intake, but as a guide, start with 30-50 grams and build from there. If you’re eating relatively close to your training session, a smoothie consisting of whey protein, milk and a banana will yield the right amount of leucine, around 45g carbs, and some liquid to boot.

Which carbohydrates?

The carbs you choose to go for can be a mixture of both ‘simple’ and ‘complex’ carbs.

The main reason to go for the latter is the fibre content, but you should be adding plenty to your diet in other ways.

The caveat to this, of course, carbs can

make some people sleepy as they release various ‘calming’ chemicals in your brain.

The last thing you need immediately before a training session is a veritable dietary sleeping pill, so these people should focus their pre workout meal around the final macronutrient – fat. Those eating a lower carb pre workout meal tend to be those who also do better eating a little further out from the session, so some smoked salmon with scrambled eggs and mushrooms would be a great way to get enough calories whilst keeping carbs low.

These people will typically find it best, also, to focus their carb intake around their evening meal as this will replenish their glycogen stores (the body’s stores of carbohydrates which get drained during activity) and the ‘sleepy chemicals’ will ensure them a great night’s

sleep – vital for recovery.

Try both approaches and see which fits your personal food preferences and energy levels best, and don’t be afraid to ‘re test’ again at a later date as things might change. Below I’ve provided a sample setup for two people, someone who prefers carbs before training and someone who doesn’t with options for eating shortly before and a few hours before.

Have a look and think about your own calorie needs and preferences.

Please know, though, that they are NOT suggested meal plans (meal plans are generally a bad idea, as I’ve touched on here the differences between individuals are colossal and it would be a mistake to just pick a generic plan from an article, they serve only to give examples).

EXAMPLE MEAL PLAN

(NB: NOT ‘SUGGESTED’ MEAL PLAN)

What we’re looking at here is how we can tweak our diet - both timings, quantity and nutrition source - in small ways to vary our outcome. One option begins the day with a high carb (therefore low fat) diet, so switches to low carb (high fat) in the evening. The other option does the reverse.

KEY POINTS

3 4

08:00 (Breakfast)

Free range eggs on wholemeal toast, grilled mushrooms, fried tomato, coffee

13:00 (Lunch)

Chicken breast with Moroccan couscous and a garden salad

16:00 (Snack)

Greek Yoghurt with fruit and nuts

18:00 (Exercise)

BMF session

20:00 (Dinner)

Sirloin steak, jacket potato, avocado salad

LOW CARB, HIGH FAT > HIGH CARB, LOW FAT

Energy levels vary drastically day-today and person-to-person based on a multitude of factors. Some are out of our control but it’s important to take care of what is within our control.

1 2

HIGH CARB, LOW FAT > LOW CARB, HIGH FAT

08:00 (Breakfast)

Eggs, bacon, good quality sausage, mushrooms and tomatoes, coffee

13:00 (Lunch)

Pork loin steaks, Greek salad

16:00 (Snack)

Chicken thigh, carrot sticks and hummus

Take care of protein intake

18:00 (Exercise)

BMF session

Find your optimal eating and training timing

20:00 (Dinner)

Sirloin steak, two jacket potatoes, broccoli

Make sure fibre intake isn’t excessive Work out whether you function most efficiently with or without a carb load before training

Other than that, simply stay consistent and always try to work harder. Your goal is in sight!

REFERENCES (1) Aragon and Schoenfeld (2013). ‘’Nutrient timing revisited: is there a post-exercise anabolic window’’. JISSN (2) Norton et al. ‘’ Optimal protein intake to maximize muscle protein synthesi’’. Sport Nutrition, University of Illinois.

(3) (5) Phinney et al. (1983) ‘’ The human metabolic response to chronic ketosis without caloric restriction: preservation of submaximal exercise capability with reduced carbohydrate oxidation.’’.

Metabolism, clinical and experimental.

(4) Bray GA et. al. Hormonal Responses to a FastFood Meal Compared with Nutritionally Comparable Meals of Different Composition. Ann Nutr Metab.

2007 May 29;51(2):163-171

mud monsters run Probably the muddiest obstacle race you will do in 2015!

#getdirty

Next race: 11 Oct 15 South of London 5km, 10km & 20km From just £38 Find us on:

www.mudmonstersrun.co.uk

Up to 110 obstacles

KIT TESTING

Launched into the Triathlon industry in July 2014 the KitBrix has steadily built up a loyal following of users within the industry. As with a large majority of Triathlon gear there’s a nice crossover into the obstacle course racing market.

Due to the demands of the obstacle racer requiring kit and clean clothes for after the race, the KitBrix is the perfect solution to this. The KitBrix strength comes from its material, craft in construction, stitching and attention to detail.

Tarpaulin is used as the core manufacturing component. Tarpaulin has multiple uses in industry and challenging environments due to its strength against the elements, i.e. wind, rain, or sunlight, and its texture, flexibility and valuable qualities for everyday use. They

wanted to bring the highest quality tarpaulin to the demanding training sessions and lifestyle that obstacle racers experienced.

THE LIST OF FEATURES THE KITBRIX HAS ARE HUGE: Heavy duty, double-lined, wipe clean tarpaulin Reflective stripes and ‘easy grab’ military style handle Room for a Dryrobe Outer gauze pockets for quick dry and easy access

ID pouches for recognition and bespoke team kit bags Joining high strength zips with intricate technical detail Easy pull zips for cold wet hands 2 Water resistant pouches for wet or valuable gear Double layered stitching for increased strength 39cm x 24cm x 24 cm 1.3kg Reinforced robust base protecting all base corners

Interlocking zips for added security Adjustable padded shoulder strap Bags easily and efficiently zipped together Large easy find pull zips for cold wet hands

Available from

KITBRIX.COM RRP: £40

COMPETITION

WOULD YOU LIKE TO WIN ONE OF THESE FANTASTIC KITBRIX THEN ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS ANSWER THIS QUICK QUESTION. WHAT EVENT WILL KITBRIX BE ATTENDING ON THE 3RD AND 4TH OF OCTOBER 2015?

Fing the answer on their website at KITBRIX.COM Send your answers into CARL@OBSTACLERACEMAGAZINE.COM Competition closes 1ST NOV 2015

46

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

A R E YO U RE A DY T O

CHALLENGE THE DARKNESS? www.nightgamesraces .com OCR 210x145_V2.indd 1

/nightgamesraces

@nightgamesraces 18/08/2015 09:18

REGULARS: MUDTREST

MUDTREST Want to get your picture on our Mudtrest wall? Email your photo, name and a short description to letters@obstacleracemagazine.com

48

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

REGULARS: MUDTREST

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

49

REGULARS: MUDTREST

50

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

REGULARS: MUDTREST

THE ORM KIT

SELFIE

HAVE YOU GOT AN AWESOME PICTURE YOU WANT TO SHARE? To get your picture on to our ORM kit selfie wall email us with your name and a description at the address below:

LETTERS@OBSTACLERACEMAGAZINE.COM

GET YOURS TODAY! Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

51

RACE REVIEW: ROUGH RUNNER

ROUGH RUNNER

Far from a normal weekend I headed out to Winchester to take part in a fun run. While fun for me the other 5 were all badly hungover, I wasn’t anticipating much running. This in mind I decided to take on the 10k on my own, targeting an hour so I could set off with the others exactly 60 min later, but that may have been a little ambitious.

52

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

RACE REVIEW: ROUGH RUNNER

JAMES RUCKLEY

Rough Runner

Location: Winchester Distance: 5k, 10k and 10m Number of Obstacles: 25+ Sort of Terrain: Hilly, Fields Level of Mud: 2/10 Difficulty: 8/10

“

AS CLOSE AS OUR SPORT GETS TO TOTAL WIPEOUT, NINJA WARRIOR AND TAKESHI’S CASTLE ROLLED INTO ONE!

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

”

53

RACE REVIEW: ROUGH RUNNER

“

IT WAS THIS DAY I GAINED RESPECT FOR GAME SHOW CONTESTANTS

Rough Runner is as close as our sport gets to Total Wipeout, Ninja Warrior and Takeshi’s Castle rolled into one! It was this day I gained respect for game show contestants, damn these things are hard.

Starting up a hill we took off at pace straight into some hurdles. The terrain throughout was farm tracks, fields and hard underground with hidden diverts, not something my fractured ankle was too happy with.

To start with the obstacles flew at us thick and fast. First crawling through tyres then running across them before combating something very few of us have seen before. A machine with 2 rotating arms at varying heights that you had to dodge while running across inflatable podiums. I managed to skip across with perfect timing and headed round to complete the quarter pipe. Only I didn’t. I’ve never failed at this obstacle before, but I struggled to even make it half way up! 3 attempts later I headed round it after being overtaken.

A quick change in terrain lead us into

54

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

”

trails and through a pond. I loved this section but quickly found myself tackling the rough and compacted field edges I dreaded. This section brought a long run before a climbing wall traverse came up. But this one was a little different, at 5 points on the wall there were boxing gloves that you could push back through the wall hitting others on the opposing side of the wall! Brilliant idea!

There were so many innovative obstacles it’s hard to cram them all in, the course was also littered with your standard obstacles with a twist. Walls were to be lifted and ducked under.

Slides had corners to tackle. Zip-lines them selves had obstacles (Water Butts) hanging from the lines. And oh ****, the hills! This event came a week after Dirty Dozen USK and smashed the welsh elevation recorded there!

For all the crazy, there was normality. Rings were a brilliant addition mid race between two of the more viscous descents and ascents. And really that’s where the normality stopped and the crazy really picked up!

From here we had finger boards suspending from chains to cross, a real challenge and forearm killer it was the first time I’ve tackled this obstacle and I loved it!

A short run through more fields and I hit the ball pit, a scaffold structure rammed with inflatable yoga balls that crush you as you crawl through. On through nelsons column I was attacked by viscous pigeons claiming one of their heads as my trophy!

Nearing the end we still had the 2 most difficult obstacles to complete. A cargo net crossing that took you from vertical to horizontal with you clinging onto the underneath, traversing scaffolding poles as you go. A brilliant obstacle I’d love to see more of this! The only way I was to complete this was using the lugs on my Irocks to grip into the net as I went along, those in road shoes really struggled.

The final, and most notorious obstacle is the travelator. A rolling road angled at 45 degrees you have to sprint up before climbing down and crossing the finish line.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY ISSUE #7 FEB/MAR ‘15 £4.95

WE’RE BACK, AND EVEN BIGGER FOR 2015 – 116 PAGES OF MUDDY INDULGENCE!

T R A I NI NG NU T R I T I O NA L A DV I CE GEA R T E STIN G PRO F ILES R ACE REV IEWS

NEW WAYS TO TRAIN OCR TRAINING FACILITIES LISTED

BECOME AN OCR TOURIST

BEGINNERS GUIDE TO FOAM ROLLING FREE

EVENTS PLANNER

REVIEWED

WOMEN OF OBSTACLE RACING

INOV-8 MUDCLAWS

THE COUNTRYSIDE CODE FOR OCR

08>

PACKAGES AVAILABLE FROM NUCLEAR RACES

£24.95 9

772053 949001

WORLD RECORD BREAKING NEWS

WORLD RECORD BREAKING NEWS

Obstacle-Race-magazine-2015-Issue7-V4-SPLIT.indd 1

Obstacle-Race-magazine-2015-Issue8-V4-Split.indd 1

08>

THE COUNTRYSIDE CODE FOR OCR

CALF COMPRESSION EXPLAINED

07>

WOMEN OF OBSTACLE RACING

NUCLEAR RACES

WINTER TOUGH GUY 2015

NEW LOOK ORM 2015

CALF COMPRESSION EXPLAINED

LE T T E R S A N D M U C H M O R E

772053 949001

BECOME AN OCR TOURIST

TRAINING PROFILES GEAR TESTING RACE REVIEWS NUTRITIONAL ADVICE

9

WINTER TOUGH GUY 2015

LE T T E R S A N D M U C H M O R E

ISSUE #8 APR/MAY ‘15 £4.95

WE’RE BACK, AND EVEN BIGGER FOR 2015 – 116 PAGES OF MUDDY INDULGENCE!

772053 949001

TRAINING PROFILES GEAR TESTING RACE REVIEWS NUTRITIONAL ADVICE

ISSUE #8 APR/MAY ‘15 £4.95

9

WE’RE BACK, AND EVEN BIGGER FOR 2015 – 116 PAGES OF MUDDY INDULGENCE!

LETTERS AND MUCH MORE

16/01/2015 16:45

11/03/2015 13:02

Obstacle-Race-magazine-2015-Issue8-V4-Split.indd 1

OBSTACLERACEMAGAZINE.COM

11/03/2015 13:02

REGULARS: TIME FLIES - BE THE NAVIGATOR

TIME FLIES

-BE THENAVIGATOR Written by PT EMZ (BOOTCAMP REVOLUTION ) Photography by: SCOTT LUXTON

Introducing the next episode of training articles, brought to you by the PTs of Bootcamp Revolution Obstacle Course, Essex PT Emz and PT Mitch of BC Revolution, present the next in their OR magazine training articles. Designed for all abilities, busy lives, better still it won't break the bank!

At some point during the last few million years, man stopped solely catering for his primal needs, and began also satisfying his desires, making mans existence a whole lot more complicated! Although the inner mechanics and exterior design of Man #1 aren't too dissimilar to Modern Man, the way they live couldn't be more different. The basic, uncomplicated existence of Man#1, in which his only real goal was to 'not die', has changed dramatically over the last couple of millennia.

His 'peaceful' existence of fight or flight

56

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

has suddenly become swamped with responsibility, family fun, work targets, mortgages, commitments, debts and stress, which has resulted in him living his life at breakneck speeds, simply to ensure he has completed as many of his daily tasks as humanly possible, in the unbelievably small time frame of just 24 hours!

What's half an hour between friends, it’s only 30 little minutes, and in the scheme of things, it wouldn't make a big difference to the planet if we had 24 & 1/2 hour days would it?!

But it would make such a massive difference to most of us......

Well, this issue, I'm going to give you a little gift, it's not quite an extra half an hour for your day, but I will show you how to cram a full body, intensive workout in to the small time frame of 30 minutes, no matter where you are!

Health notice: We recommend you seek the advice of your doctor before commencing any new fitness program. Please ensure you warm up sufficiently before undertaking any exercises.

WARM UP:

30 SECOND OF EACH

• Jog on spot • Boxing foot shuffle (alternate right foot forward to let foot forward with little jumps) • Heels to bum • High knee march or run

REGULARS: TIME FLIES - BE THE NAVIGATOR

WORKOUT ONE

WORKOUT TWO

THE EQUIPMENT: Pen and pad or smart phone to record your scores & Stop watch

THE EQUIPMENT: Stop watch

THE AIM : Beat your best reps THE PLAN: • Select the level of intensity for each exercise of the 5 exercises.

• Start your timer for 30 mins • Perform exercise 1 as many times as possible in 60 seconds, counting and noting your total • Rest for 10-30 seconds while recording your total reps • Perform the same process with all 5 exercises • Return to start and attempt to beat your first scores • If you fail to beat your previous score, stay on the exercise for two more attempts to beat your rep count, then move on

THE AIM: Get all the way down to zero and if you're really good, get all the way back up to 10

THE PLAN:

THE AIM: To get all the way round the loop

• Select the level of intensity for each exercise of the 4 exercises.

THE PLAN:

• Start your timer for 30 minutes > Perform 10 reps of every exercise with no break

• Perform 1 rep of exercise 1

• Once you have completed all four moves, rest for 10 seconds

• Perform 3 reps of exercise 3 etc.

• Perform 9 reps of every exercise with no break • Once you have completed all four moves, rest for 10 seconds • Repeat as above 8 reps, 7 reps, 6 reps etc. down to 1 • Extra challenge - can you make it back up to 10 win the 30 minute time frame

• Start your timer for 30 minutes • Perform 2 reps of exercise 2 • Up to 5 reps of exercise 5 • Rest for 10 seconds • Move the exercises up by 1. E.g.: exercise 5 becomes exercise 4, 4 becomes 3, 3 becomes 2 etc.

• Continue rotating the numbers until you go full loop and get back to the initial start point

THE EXERCISES: THE EXERCISES:

• Squat • Press Up • Lunge • Ab Crunch • Back Kick

THE EQUIPMENT: Stop watch

of exercises before the 30 minutes are up

• Repeat sets for total 30 minutes

THE EXERCISES:

WORKOUT THREE

• Pendulum Step (Left & right swing, 1 rep) • Burpees • Press Ups • Hollow Role (Roll to left 360. Roll to right 360 = 1 rep) • Tuck Ins

• Front Kick (Left and Right Kick, 1 rep) • Pike Press ups • Wide Narrow Squat (1 wide squat, 1 narrow squat, 1 rep) • Rocker (Full extension from head to feet, 1 rep) • Mule Kicks

EXERCISES EXPLAINED HOLLOW ROLL • Lay flat on back, arms above head in a V, flat on floor, and legs separated and straight so body assumes an X shape • Raise arms and legs slightly off floor to engage core • Keeping arms and legs lifted off the ground, attempt to roll to right, all the way over on to front, maintaining arms and legs lifted position, pulling belly button in to spine • Continue rolling to right, returning back to start position • Repeat to left

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

57

REGULARS: TIME FLIES - THE THE NAVIGATOR

THE PRESS UPS • Assume Plank Position with arms fully extended, hands set just slightly wider than shoulder width • Slowly lower chest towards floor, taking elbows out wide, ensuring body remains inline • See pictures for advanced technique

LUNGE • Standing tall, shoulders back and down, feet at hip width apart, tail bone tucked under hands on hips • Step out right leg, keeping knee inline with hip • Place foot firmly on floor out in front at a comfortable distance, with toes pointing forward • Maintaining an upright position wit the torso, bend both knees to a 90* bend in each, lowering body, raising back heel off of floor > Return to upright lunge position • Step foot back to start position

THE SQUAT • Stand with feet wider than shoulder width apart, toes pointing to clock points 11 & 1 • Keeping knees over ankles and slowly lower yourself in to the deepest squat position you are able to achieve while still maintaining good form • Push tail bone out, with pelvis tucked under, maintaining an up right position with upper body & shoulder back and down • Driving heels in to ground, push upwards returning to start position, with legs extended but without locking knees

MULE KICKS • Assume a ‘Down dog’ position with legs straight and butt high, feet flat on floor, set at hip width apart and hands placed flat on floor so finger tips point straight ahead • Bend knees, lowering body downwards • Lift one leg skywards and in one movement, then lower back to floor, swapping to the other leg in either a stepping motion or hopping/ jumping motion depending on ability

58

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

REGULARS: TIME FLIES - THE THE NAVIGATOR

PENDULUM • Assume a ‘Down dog’ position with knees bent slightly in towards stomach and butt high. Feet flat on floor, set at hip width apart and hands flat on floor so fingers point straight ahead • Lift right leg directly out to side as high as comfortable ensuring foot inline with hip • Lower right leg, back in towards left leg, placing foot flat back on floor, swapping weight on to left leg • Repeat other side

BACK / FRONT KICKS • Assume start position: standing tall, shoulders back and down, feet at hip width apart, tail bone • Tuck under hands on hips • In a hopping motion, kick feet out in front, alternating from left to right, achieving a comfortable height with raised leg as if performing the Can Can • For back kicks, perform as above, but take feet out behind the body, leaning upper body forward slightly to maintain balance

TUCK INS • Starting in plank position with hands on floor,fingers pointing forwards (keeping your head, shoulders, hips, knees and feet in one straight line) • In one explosive move, jump both feet in towards the body, aiming the knees to the stomach • Jump feet back to start position (plank) • Keep core tight throughout exercise, pulling belly button in towards spine.

ROCKER • Lay flat on back, arms above head in a V, flat on floor, and legs separated and straight so body assumes an X shape • Raise arms and legs slightly off floor to engage core • Gentle lift upper body in a smooth movement, so legs return to floor and back comes always from ground • Smoothly lower upper body back to ground while simultaneously lifting legs to create a rocking motion

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

59

FEATURE: RUFF DUGGER

RUFF

Dugger 60

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

FEATURE: RUFF DUGGER

Two years ago, we discovered a fast growing sport in the UK, Canicross!

Whilst out for a walk with our border collie Bauer, who is a typical collie always wired to the moon and needs plenty of exercise. It was during one of our longer long walks, we stumbled upon a race on at one of Bauers favourite places, Mugdock Country Park. We promptly made enquires to the organisers about how to get involved in all the muddy fun and we were hooked from the get go.

I’ve always enjoyed running with Bauer, but preferred to do it on trails instead of roads. Not just because it’s safer for him, but I’ve never been much of a road runner. I find I get bored quite easily and much prefer getting covered in mud and lost in a forest somewhere.

One of my favourite events I’ve been doing for the last four years is Tough Mudder. 12 miles of muddy, hilly goodness and more than a few obstacles thrown in your way. It’s not a race, you don’t get a time, it’s a challenge, which emphasises more importance on helping everyone complete the course, rather than how fast you can cross a finish line. Why run on roads, when you can get covered in mud and have some fun along the way? I usually enter with a few friends as part of a team so we can

help each other round. It is always a great, fun day out.

But what if I could do both? What if I could combine two things I love to do, obstacle races and canicross? This is when we discovered Ruff Dugger, A 4 mile canicross race with a difference, it has obstacles. This was right up my street and we entered ourselves for the event held at the Auchinleck Estate, Ayrshire in March 2015. Started at around 10am, with gaps between each competitor, if you’ve even watched a canicross race, you will know that some dogs start off like a bullet out a gun with excitement. That would describe Bauer in a nutshell….

As we run full pelt down the start, it’s not long till we come to the first real mud obstacle….

It was at this relatively early point, when I was past my knees in shoe sucking mud, that I realised this was definitely going to be more about having fun (also, possibly finishing with both trainers still on) than it was about finishing as fast as I could. Even with Bauer giving me a small tow, I still had to grab the hand of a fellow runner to drag me out some of the deeper mud.

This pretty much set the scene for the rest of the course. Sinking into mud up to my knees and then getting to wash it off in river and streams along the way. The course twisted and turned its way through the forest, with some great up and downhill sections and plenty of fallen trees thrown in for good measure.

Essentially the race made the best use of the natural landscape it had access to brilliantly.

Well marked and marshalled, so no worries about getting lost, meaning one less thing to worry about.

The idea is much the same as Tough Mudder. There is less emphasis on how fast you can finish the course and more on helping others get through it along the way.

To quote the TM mantra of ‘Comradery over Course Time’.

It took over an hour to finish the course, but I haven’t had quite as much fun at any other canicross event as I did at this one. Bauer could have gone again by the end but I was felling “a little woof”. In fact, we have already signed up for the next one in August. Bauer? Well, what dog doesn’t love any opportunity to roll about in the mud with his human?

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

61

FEATURE: WINTERPROOF YOUR TRAINING

62

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

FEATURE: WINTERPROOF YOUR TRAINING

WINTERPROOF YOUR

TRAINING

Nights draw in, cosy chairs next to the fireplace feel inviting and comfort food becomes all the more tempting. Even for the most dedicated OCR runner the urge to batten down the hatches can be strong and before you know it, you’ve lost your training mojo and there’s an uphill struggle to ‘get back on it’, which is bigger than any muddy hillside.

Y

et it doesn’t have to be this way. With the 2016 OCR calendars getting filled up there has never been a better time to winterproof your training and continue with the healthy lifestyle you set yourself up with earlier in the year. Alternatively, winter is a great time to start training and prepare for a new you and new challenges in the New Year.

With the help and advice of the Wolf Run experts, you can make sure that the cold, short days don’t stop you in your tracks.

STAY MOTIVATED It’s so much easier to stay motivated and focused if you have an end goal to aim for. The Spring Wolf kicks off our 2016 calendar on the 9th and 10th of April - it’s the perfect goal for the New Year, so there’s no excuse not to keep

going through the winter months.

Yet medium term goals are also vital to help you maintain enthusiasm “If you can find a workout wingman who won’t let you down and you can motivate each other then all the better”, says Wolf Run Health and fitness expert, Mark Hoban. “Even the most dedicated athletes need a push so become each others coaches and use a heart rate monitor, GPS, or running app to track your progress and set your targets.”

or roads then head torches are the best way to keep an eye on the ground underfoot twisted or broken ankles are not the aim of the game! If you do head out to train on your own then make sure someone knows your planned route and expected time home.

STAY SAFE

Just because it’s cold outside, it doesn’t mean you won’t sweat and lose fluids as you train.

Make sure that you take on adequate fluids throughout the day and also before and after your workout. “Dehydration affects muscle function and the body’s ability to regulate its temperature effectively”, says Charlie Ward, from Wolf Run’s massage team; Core Health and Wellbeing. “So it’s vital that we keep drinking plenty of fluids.”

Having a training buddy will not only help motivation, but will also ensure you are both kept safe whilst out and about. It’s best to avoid noise-isolating earphones so you are aware of what is going on around you - especially in the dark mornings and early evenings. If you are running in dark parks

STAY HYDRATED

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

63

FEATURE: WINTERPROOF YOUR TRAINING

“What’s more, many of us are also guilty of mistaking thirst for hunger and, in the winter months more than ever, we tend to eat rather than drink. Couple this with low serotonin levels brought on with the reduced sunlight our brains make us crave sweet carbs (which in turn raise serotonin levels) Winter can see us piling on the pounds. However, if you keep your water intake up high and focus on eating low-fat, healthy carbs, such as sweet potatoes, oatmeal with a sprinkle of brown sugar, and cinnamon toast you should be able to keep cravings at bay and your body and brain working the way it should.”

WWW.THEWOLFRUN.COM

STAY MOBILISED Warming up and warming down are vitally important at anytime of year, but in the winter, it’s essential. A dynamic warm up to increase blood circulation, generate warmth and kick start your cardiovascular system is important to prevent injury. Charlie says, “Starting your session cold will shock the muscles, ligaments and tendons and almost certainly result in injury.”

Once you have completed your session don’t spend too long outside. You should always stretch and it is always better to stretch your muscles in the warm than cold.

DRESS FOR THE WEATHER You need to ensure you are kept warm, dry and protected from the elements whilst out and about as well as being seen. Wear bright colours and add a high viz runner bib to your kit. It’s also worth investing in a good pair of trail trainers to give you additional grip under foot (and what better way than to keep motivated with new kit!)

HOW TO SPOT THE SIGN OF HYPERTHERMIA The Wolf Run’s Medical Director, Dr Tim Pearkes says, “When training with a friend you should both be aware of the signs of mild, moderate and severe hypothermia and know what to do immediately to prevent worsening of the situation. Hypothermia can go from mild to severe within a short amount of time if the "wrong" conditions are present.”

WEATHER

WHAT TO WEAR

Cold

Wrap up warmer use long sleeves and leggings and layer up.

Cover your head (with a hat that covers your ears) and hands (with some lightweight to mid-weight gloves) as these are areas that loose a greater amount of heat quickly

Cold and windy

Wrap up warmer as above and put on that windproof shell you might find you overheat slightly if so take off one of the under layers, but keep the shell in place.

Cold and wet

Watch for ice on the ground as a slip hazard, and put on a lightweight waterproof shell, with a hood, to keep the worst of the weather away from your skin. Again make sure you layer up and consider looping your run back so you can drop a middle layer off once you’ve warmed up.

Cold, wet and windy

This is the lethal mix, the cold water against your skin conducts heat away much quicker and the wind leads still more rapidly to a severe drop in temperature - avoid these conditions if possible, but if you are going out, go out with a friend and with a waterproof on and adequate insulation underneath – merino wool base layers help keep you warm whilst wicking away the sweat and a lightweight fleece will also aid warmth.

Mild, wet and windy

This can be just as lethal as the cold, wet and windy mix and can lead to hypothermia in circumstances you would not expect. Beware being caught out. You may not need as many layers as when it’s cold, but do make sure you layer as above and discard the irrelevant mid layers as you go.

"MILD" HYPOTHERMIA (32-35 DEG C): Symptoms: Shivering, fast breathing, pale skin, needing to urinate and confusion Action: Don't stop exercising, change your route to the quickest home or somewhere you can rewarm properly and call a friend for a lift home in a vehicle. Early treatment will prevent worsening. When you get home you must get dry if you are wet, drink a hot drink or three (with plenty of sugar) and wrap up. A 5 minute warm shower is the wrong thing to do as it

64

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

Be sure, if you have removed clothing during the run put it back on at the end of the run to get you warm as you stretch.

FEATURE: WINTERPROOF YOUR TRAINING

causes a diversion of blood to the skin cooling it in your cold tissues and drops your temperature further so don't be tempted until you are warm.

"MODERATE" HYPOTHERMIA (28-32 DEG C):

Action: Your friend is in severe danger, a 999 call is essential, whilst waiting for the ambulance try and keep them moving if possible. If this is not possible then wrap them up as best you can, protect them from both wind and wet and share body heat by getting close together and off the ground if possible.

DO:

Symptoms: Violent shivering, slow movements, lack of co-ordination, pale or blue

• Call 999 if you are concerned that they have gone past being "just cold"

Action: Your friend is in danger - you need to wrap them up, keep them moving and get a pick up quick in a friends car or stop at the next house. It will take time to warm them but if they are still coherent then persevere in a warm environment with warm drinks and wrapping. If you can't get home or they are not manageable then call 999 call as this is an emergency.

• Give them sugar if they are confused and cold, this may help with the confusion as hypothermia can drop your blood sugar levels

"SEVERE" HYPOTHERMIA (20-28 DEG C): Symptoms: Difficulty speaking, slow thinking, amnesia, inability to use hands, stumbling when trying to walk, incoherent and irrational behaviour, undressing

• Keep them moving, this will generate heat and may slow the progression, don't just stop

DON’T: • Give them alcohol - this will likely cause their temperature to fall further • Rub them or give them a hot water bottle -this will cause their blood vessels in the surface of their skin to dilate and will again drop their temperature • Warm someone too quickly such as putting them into a hot bath, this can induce abnormal heart rhythms.

• Wear foil blankets like a cape - this is ineffective, cover the head, torso and upper limbs with the blanket and use it as a wind break. Tuck it in and wrap the person fully in it.

• Give them caffeine in their hot drink - this will likely drop their temperature further - hot chocolate is a good option as it has the sugar required also.

INDOOR OPTIONS If the weather or your mindset really can’t face outdoor training, then why not head indoors and push yourself in a different way.

Mark advises mixing up your fitness regime to avoid complacency, boredom and to shock the body into working to it’s best capacity. “Body weight circuits consisting of pull ups, push ups, jump squats, burpees, sit ups, star jumps and step ups are great for conditioning the entire body. Our Wolf Run training plans will help guide you through different combinations and you could use the treadmill, stepper or cross trainer for fartlek interval training or mix them all for an intensive cardio circuit of 30-40 mins.”

The main aim is that, when the snow and ice thaw at winter’s end, you’ll be looking and feeling great, and eady to tackle new and exciting OCR challenges! We’ll see you at a 2016 Wolf Run!

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

65

RECIPES

LET’S GET COOKING POWERED BY MOUNTAIN FUEL Balanced Nutrition for all your activities www.mountainfuel.co.uk These are delicious recipes in their own right and perfect fuels to take to your events. The first in our series of recipes are Morning Fuel Power Pancakes and Chicken Broth with a Thai variation.

We love these recipes as they are so versatile and each represent well balanced nutrition to help power your activities.

MORNING FUEL

POWER

PANCAKES

SERVES 2 INGREDIENTS 1 sachet of Morning Fuel 1 banana 2 eggs Cinnamon to taste - approx. 1 tsp Ground ginger to taste - approx. 1 tsp Coconut oil (for cooking)

TOPPINGS We love Greek yoghurt, Blueberries and Strawberries.

METHOD Blend the banana, eggs, sachet of Morning Fuel, cinnamon and the ground ginger until smooth.

Heat coconut oil gently on a very low heat.

Add the mixture to the pan (a generous tablespoon makes a good size pancake) turn the pancakes after a minute or so and cook until golden brown.

Garnish with your favourite topping and enjoy!

For an on the go bite sized snack “Power Pancakes” are perfect for during activities. Simply add 1 soft fig and a tablespoon of chopped dates to the pancake mix and whizz up in a blender.

Gently fry a heaped teaspoonful of mixture in the coconut oil to make this delicious bite sized pancake. Remove from heat and leave to cool and then bag up six at a time in sealable bags.

66

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

RECIPES

CHICKEN

BROTH

SERVES 2 INGREDIENTS 1.5 litres of chicken stock 1kg Chicken legs (approximately 4 legs) 3 large carrots 1/2 celery heart (including leaves) 2 large onions 125g Rice Noodles Small tin of sweetcorn

METHOD Roughly chop the carrots, celery and onions and add to a large stockpot along with the chicken legs.

Add your boiling stock until all ingredients are covered and leave to simmer for 1 1/2-2hours.

Once cooked remove chicken legs, shred and keep to one side.

Blend the remaining soup until smooth, add the shredded chicken, noodles and sweetcorn if desired.

Cook for a further 15 minutes until the noodles are soft.

Season to taste and serve with a sprinkling of fresh coriander.

We have found this broth to be the perfect addition to our feed station fuel during endurance events and for convenience break the noodles up into small pieces for drinking from a mug.

VARIATION

CHICKEN THAI SOUP

INGREDIENTS Splash of olive oil 4 garlic cloves 1 large onion Thai Curry paste (typically a couple of tbsp depending on taste) 1 tbsp of Fish Sauce 1 tsp sugar 400g tin of coconut milk

METHOD Heat olive oil and gently fry the onions and garlic.

Add the Thai paste, fish sauce and sugar, fry off for a minute or so, before adding the coconut milk.

Gently simmer until it thickens.

Once the Chicken broth has been prepared you can spoon in the Thai mix, stir and simmer for 5 minutes.

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

67

REGULARS: WEEKLY RUNNING SCHEDULE

Y L K G E N I E E W UNN DUL R HE C S Y N B E T IT R W

68

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

YM TG S E OR F LD WI F O EL A CH MI H AC CO

REGULARS: WEEKLY RUNNING SCHEDULE

Coach Michael founder of the 1st UK OCR elite racing team, TEAM WildForestGym, gives us his expert advice on running training sessions that you can incorporate into your weekly training session.

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

69

REGULARS: WEEKLY RUNNING SCHEDULE

One of my new elite athletes at TEAM WildForestGym approached me as he was unsure about what type of workouts he should be fitting into his training plan, so this gave me inspiration to share with you in this article some of my workouts that I use for the team.

for the reasons stated. Typically during a recovery week you will reduce your duration and intensity down to 75%.

Assuming that you are a regular runner or seasoned OCR racer I would recommend that you plan 3 runs into a normal training week. Outside of a normal training week i.e. a recovery or race weeks then you will need to adjust your training plan accordingly.

Scheduling your runs during a ‘race week’ gets a little bit more complex. Simply put depending on the type of race will determine whether you undertake a normal training week plan or race week plan. What I mean is that your race calendar should incorporate ‘A’ Races, ‘B’ Races & ‘C’ Races.

The days you run need to be slotted in around your other training sessions or visa versa. In this example plan we will include running training on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

However, you need to work the plan that works for you.

‘A’ RACES

RECOVERY WEEKS

Recovery weeks are very important. Most runners should have a recovery week every 3 or 4 weeks. Recovery weeks are designed so as to reduce the risk of overtraining and fatigue.

This will in turn reduce the likelihood of injury and illness.

Reading the above statement is the easy bit.

For a seasoned runner to implement it is the biggest challenge, as most just want to run run run. With a bit of educating and good coach advice runners begin to appreciate recovery weeks are just as important as training weeks

ENDURANCE WORKOUT THE DESTROYER

DISTANCE - Equal to race distance This is a fartlek endurance workout to test cardio combined with strength and adaptability. The distance is equal to race distance. Find a forest trail ideally with logs littered around the place. You will run at 8090% of race speed i.e Zone 5a. Periodically do an exercise for 30/45 seconds (burpees are 30 in quantity) or a time trial. Ideally it best to have another competent runner who only does the running and randomly they call out instructions for what you need to. Periodically drop in an exercise, time trial.

70

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

RACE WEEKS

These are 2 to 3 of your most important races of the year. All of your training will be planned around them. This means that the week of a ‘A’ Race you would be using a ‘race week plan’ that included tapering.

‘B’ RACES

These are your 7-8 races that are still important but you may not be peaking in performance and neither are they your top priority. Similarly you would be using a ‘race week plan’ that included tapering.

‘C’ RACES

These races are done for experience and may replace training sessions. During these weeks you should stick to your ‘normal weekly training plan’.

NORMAL WEEKLY TRAINING PLANS

In this article we will consider a ‘normal weekly training plan.

EXERCISES

1. Log lift, carry or drag or throw.

2. hand n foot crawl or inverted crawl 3. crocodile stalk i.e. pressup with arm in different position on each press up.

4. step ups or step downs 5. side on leg jumps over log 6. hanging leg raise 7. pull ups 8. burpees x 30 quantity.

9. touch 30 separate trees 10. plus any others you want to drop in.

11. Time Trials - Instead of an exercise do 20-30s all out sprint. This can include: 1.

Randomly you have to catch up with the other runner within a certain time. 2. You have to reach a certain point within time.

NOTE - Failure is 30 burpees.

RUN 1

Day – Tuesday Type - ‘Force Workout’ Duration – Medium Intensity – High Workout - Hills

RUN 2

Day – Thursday Type - ‘Speed Skill Workout’ Duration - Medium Intensity - Low Workout - Strides or Pickups.

RUN 3

Day – Saturday Type – ‘Endurance Workout’ Duration – High Intensity – Medium Workout - Extensive Endurance or Intensive Endurance run

EXAMPLES OF WORKOUTS

NOTE- Always do a warm up run with

dynamic stretches and strides before your main workout. Similarly a warm down run and stretches afterwards.

Following is an example of a Speed, Force and Endurance Workout. To receive additional workouts visit http://bit.ly/wfgrunningreg

REGULARS: WEEKLY RUNNING SCHEDULE

FORCE WORKOUT

climb. First 60s in Z5 band the final 30s in Z5C. 3mins recovery included jog back to start.

Maintain consistent pace through set.

Each ascent should be within 0-5 seconds of each other

HILL REPS/INTERVALS You will need a metronome for this workout on a stopwatch or download an app onto your phone http://bit.ly/1jGbBu8 or 180 PBM music http://bit.ly/1jGdqHF. For all the reps I want you to focus on being tall and using the metronome at 180 BPM to stride against.

Objective to reduce length of stride, increase stride frequency, reduce impact on quads.

HILL INTERVALS - 5 x (4mins/3mins)

(Z5a/Z1) Find a 6-8% grade hill, which will take your 3.5-4 mins to climb. Put full effort Zone 5a in the ascent and recovery jog on the descent.

Maintain consistent pace through set. Each ascent should be within 0-5 seconds of each other

HILL REPS - 6x90s(60s -30s/3mins)(Z5b/ Z5c/Z1) Find a 6-8% grade hill that takes 90s to

ZONES Zones are your running speeed RPE

Is rate of perceived exertion. Scale 6-20. 6 Represents no exertion at all. 20 is maximum, all out effort with absolutely nothing held in reserve. 6=heart rate 60 beats per minute(bpm). 20=200bpm

SPEED SKILLS 800/400 LOOP

4 or 5 x (800m/400m)(Z5a/Z2) Find a flattish trail route that incorporates a 800m and a 400m circuit. Make sure that you pace yourself so that all 800m intervals are at the same pace.

Effort is hard Zone 5a but consistency is what we are looking for i.e. each 800m should be within 0-5 seconds of each other. The 400m is a recovery jog Where possible if you can train with another person. Then the other person sets off each 800m 10-20s ahead of you then you chase them down. Simply they are your pacer. But they also get a session as well.

Zone

RPE

Description

0

Full recovery

0

Stationary

1

Recovery

6, 7, 8

Very, very light

2

Extensive endurance

9, 10, 11

Very Light Fairly Light

3

Intensive endurance

12, 13, 14

Somewhat hard

4

Threshold

15

Hard

5a

Threshold

16

5b

Anaerobic endurance

17, 18

Very Hard

5c

Power

19, 20

Very, very hard

GET YOUR RUNNING TRAINNG WORKOUTS

Coach Michael of WildForestGym in partnership with Obstacle Race Magazine has offered to give every ORM reader an extensive list of workouts to include in your training plan.

To register for your free copy visit http://bit.ly/wfgrunningreg

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

71

We’re coming back on Saturday 13th August 2016 to bring you the best muddy event of the summer.

The Mudnificent 7 is the UK’s Obstacle Course Racing summer festival. Not only will you get to experience an obstacle course designed by 7 different race organisations, but you’ll also get to visit the UK’s biggest OCR expo at the same time. Check out the latest footwear, training techniques, nutrition info, plus much more.

Our 2015 event went down a storm and 2016 is expected to sell out - so don’t leave it until the last minute to enter.

WWW.MUD7.COM

13TH AUGUST 2016

MUDNIFICENT 7 HEART PARK WARWICKSHIRE

REGULARS: SMOOTHIES

Yummy

SMOOTHIE RECIPES A delicious variety of cold, quick smoothies. One of our favourite ways to start the day – here are four of our favourite combos that will see you through the morning.

74

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

REGULARS: SMOOTHIES

THE

THE

GREEN

ORANGE

INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS

1 banana

2 cm piece of ginger

SMOOTHIE

SMOOTHIE

200 g baby spinach

1 carrot

250 ml fresh apple juice

200g frozen mango

1 lime

200 ml fresh orange juice 1 lime

Peel the banana and cut into nice big slices on a chopping board – ideally you want to use frozen bananas, so try and remember to do this the day before.

Add the banana and spinach to a liquidiser.

Pour in the apple juice.

Cut the lime in half.

Squeeze all the lime juice into the liquidiser.

Secure the lid and blitz until smooth, then serve.

THE

PURPLE

Use a teaspoon to scrape all the skin off the ginger.

Finely grate the ginger onto a board using a microplane.

Use a Y-shaped peeler to peel the carrot, then trim and roughly chop it.

Add the ginger, carrot and frozen mango to a liquidiser.

Pour in the orange juice.

Cut the lime in half.

Squeeze all the lime juice into the liquidiser.

Secure the lid and blitz until smooth, then serve.

THE

WHITE

SMOOTHIE

SMOOTHIE

INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS

2 pears

1 banana

150 g frozen blueberries

3 tablespoons ground almonds

100 ml fresh apple juice

250 ml milk 1 tablespoon runny honey

Remove the stalks from the pears.

Use a knife to cut into quarters, removing and discarding the cores.

Add the pears and the blueberries to the liquidiser.

Pour in the apple juice.

Secure the lid and blitz until smooth, then serve.

Peel the banana and cut into nice big slices on a chopping board - ideally you want to use frozen bananas, so try and remember to do this the day before.

Add the banana and ground almonds to a liquidiser.

Pour in the milk and a drizzle of honey.

Secure the lid and blitz until smooth, then serve.

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

75

FEATURE: UK CHAMPIONSHIP

THE ACTIVE UK OCR CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS

ARE ABOUT TO GO

NUCLEAR

With the inaugural ACTIVE UK OCR Championship Finals around the corner. Obstacle Race Magazine caught up with Nuclear RD, James Parrish, to get the low-down on the throw-down.

There’s been a lot of buzz about the UK Champs, with races up and down the country participating in this inaugural event series.

What can the finalists expect on November 14th?

Well, we’re extremely excited about this, the whole Nuclear team have been buzzing, so as I’m sure you can imagine we’ve been brainstorming about how to make this event truly epic.

In true Nuclear style, we’re adopting the old adage ‘Go big, or go home’, so we’re taking a few pointers from the US World Champs and building some monster obstacles. For the first time in the UK we’ll be welcoming: • The Sternum Checker – this obstacle requires balance, agility and upper bodystrength. Imagine a short series of logs (2-3) slowly progressing in height, your job will be to navigate the varying heights which will ultimate need you to jump and pull yourself over the final log. Not an easy task in any case, but with added pressure of race conditions speed will be a determining factor.

• The Weaver – this is a beauty. It seems simple on the surface, but zaps you on completion. You’ll be forced to climb over and under a series of metal pipes, and as the

76

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

pipes get higher - so will your heart rate.

• The Platinum rig – We’re building a rig to truly beast you. This is going to be a medley of obstacles, purely designed to test your upper body strength, mental agility and stamina. In any normal event this would be a challenge, but under race conditions it’ll be a bitch.

• And a whole lot more – we’ve got loads in store for the finalists. I don’t want to give too much away at this point, but I strongly recommend you like us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up-to-date with our progress. I assure that these builds are the first for the UK so connect with us so you know what’s in store for you, and plan your training accordingly.

These obstacles are part of the military standard beasts that currently occupy most US OCR events, but they’ve yet to be experienced on British soil. So for all those qualified for the UK Champs Final we’re building these gut-busting challenges, just for you. If that wasn’t enough, we’re planning something truly unique. The course itself will literally go off, we’re throwing in some jaw-dropping special effects, but that’s all I’ll say for now.

We’ve also got some pretty cool trophies lined up, so come-what-may just get to the finishing line to earn these bad boys.

FEATURE: UK CHAMPIONSHIP

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

77

FEATURE: UK CHAMPIONSHIP

When it comes to the competitive side of OCR, managing competitors and keeping placements fair has been somewhat contentious. How are you going to manage this side of the race?

That’s a great question, and one that’s been at the forefront of my mind since agreeing to host this. To make sure we get this right we’ve forged a great relationship with the organisers of the OCR World Championships, and taken their lead on this.

We will expect every finalist to complete all obstacles for their time to be validated, and to manage this we will have 2 different types of marshals per obstacle; 1 marshal will be there to evaluate health and safety, the other to monitor obstacle completion. In the spirit of credibility all marshals determining obstacle completion will be provided by OCRA so will be completely independent of Nuclear Races.

Do you have any major concerns, or worries, about hosting this event?

To be honest, my main worry is around balance. As RD we have to make sure our events (in general) are challenging and fun.

As this is the inaugural UK Champs Final I’m worried it’ll be too difficult, as I’m very aware of how demanding this course will be.

Any advice for finalists?

I’d just like to reiterate that we’ve been in constant communication with our friends in the US to help us execute a great event. As I mentioned earlier we are building obstacles that haven’t yet been experienced on UK soil, so don’t be over-confident come race day.

We will be posting out videos and tips on how to complete them, so use that as a basis to plan your training. We want everyone to do their best, and get the best result possible.

We’re very excited about the course, and humbled to welcome the UK’s best onto Nuclear soil, but whether you’re finalist, or not, we salute you just for making it to the start line.

Nuclear Fallout is an event open to everyone, with the finals dedicated to the first few waves, but what’s in store for non-finalists?

Once we get into build mode, we can’t stop ourselves lol. So, if you’re taking part in Nuclear Fallout there will be some awesome new obstacles for you to climb over, wade through and traverse.

Although we’ve been putting a lot of thought on the finals, I assure we are still going to give our Nukkers an event to remember. If you’ve not signed up, then just do it, you don’t want to miss this!

Any final words?

That’s all I can share for now because just like Wyclef ‘I’ll be gone t’il November’ lol.

That’s hilarious…

78

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

FEATURE: BEAR GRYLLS

MUDDY KIT AD

KIT TESTING

There’s a new kid on the block. And they mean business!

You may have noticed recently an explosion amongst racers, a new form of compression that is taking the OCR scene by storm and one that’s here to stay. Virus Action Sport Performance has already taken the American and Australian markets by storm and is now set do do the same in the UK. Products built on sound principles of quality and science make for a sound purchase, but what are they like in every day life, training & racing? Virus sent over some Energy Series V2 Compression Tech Pants and a Short Sleeve X Form Compression Top for me to test and review for the September / October edition of Obstacle Race Magazine but first, “what is the Energy Series?”

Virus do three Series, two being temperature controlled (Stay Warm & Stay Cool) and the other being the Energy Series.

The Energy Series has been designed to be neutral, i.e. you can race in it in any weather or temperature and it has been engineered to combat fatigue and aid recovery. Virus compression has all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a top compression line, with quick drying technology, a very handy UV shield and woven compounds to deter microbe growth.

They should stay fresh through long training runs and not retain the smell of rancid mud. Within its construction you’ll find ‘Bioceremic’ chemicals designed to help the athlete through many channels.

Bioceramics are chemicals that are inert to the body but help in the regeneration of musculoskeletal structures. Growing in popularity in sports medicine they have long been used in surgery with everything from joint replacements to the coating of surgical screws (Thamaraiselvi and Rajeswari 2004). When woven into a garment and exposed to body heat they emit Far Infrared radiation, a form of light energy that has a number of benefits including reduced symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage and delaying the onset of fatigue induced by muscle contractions (Hausswirth et al 2011, Leung et al 2011).

Words by James Ruckley

//S T A Y c o o l //StayCool has been developed with patent pending Cool Jade fabric, reducing skin surface temperatures by up to 10F°. Combined with moisture wicking fabric that regulates and reduces core temperatures, it can be worn in hot, arid and humid conditions. The fabric is made with recycled jade shavings, of which, this natural substance has been used in jewellery for centuries with no adverse affect on skin.

//S T A Y c o o l R a n g e

80

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

//S T A Y W A R M //StayWarm has been developed with patent pending Coffee Charcoal fabric that increases skin surface temperatures by up to 10F° and provides warmth, comfort and durability for the action sport athelete while performing in cool, cold and wet weather conditions. The new technology fabric has been enhanced with Coffee Charcoal elements, which provide natural heating elements for the body. The fabric has also been designed to wick away unwanted moisture and sweat and provide a safe and confortable workout for the athelete.Stay Warm can be worn alone or as a layer to outerwear. º

//S T A Y W A R M R a n g e

//Energy //Energy has been developed with bioceramic technology which was engineered for endurance, recovery and to counteract fatigue when applied to the skin. Bioceramic is an organic compound that not only adds to the recovery of the muscles and nerves, but also serves as an antioxidant, fights arthritis, adds muscle regeneration and helps remove toxins in the human body.

//e n e r g y R a n g e

KIT TESTING

VIRUS ENERGY PERFORMANCE SERIES REVIEW

by Team Muddy Kit’s James Ruckley Energy Series V2 Compression Tech Pants Among some of the comfiest I’ve worn, the leggings were an instant hit. I own other leggings but I’ve been dying for a pair that truly provide compression and support like these do. Following their delivery it was 5 days before I had the time and energy to actually get out and run, and I wore these every day, through every shift and night out. When I finally got the chance to run they were a faultless product, covering areas shorts and sleeves wouldn’t. My knee issues didn’t flare up and the compression around my calf was more than enough so that I didn’t need calf sleeves. I was able to return to my true forefoot running in minimal shoes like I did months ago without any flare ups of a gluteal injury and that’s where my biggest praise lies. The level of compression around the gluteal is exceptional, without being uncomfortable, something I haven’t found before.

TEXT

Overall 9/10 for me, a great product I’d recommend to everyone.

Energy Series Short Sleeve X Form Compression Top The X Form Compression Top is something not many have seen before, but will be a game changer for those with musculoskeletal problems of the upper back. The compression top has a large X stitched across the back for posture support. It pulls rounded shoulders back, takes tension off the back and spinal muscles, opening up the ribs and provides a better neural environment for stimuli’s to reach muscles. All of this aids both respiratory and muscular function while the compression in the top provides the same benefits you’d expect. For me these benefits couldn’t be more necessary. I suffer badly with upper crossed syndrome and nerve impingements because of this, leading to muscular weakness and numbness. The shirt immediately pulled my shoulders back, alleviated pressure of my spine and opened up my ribs. Running tall again everything felt right and effortless. Again a brilliant product I recommend to anyone with or without any issues.

A solid 9/10 for me.

With a rating of 9/10 for both products they go straight on my must have kit list. The Energy Series is great for all round training and recovery and can be used in all conditions. It will be perfect for the cooler Autumn mornings. The Stay Warm & Stay Cool Series are there for when it is very warm or cold too.

Head over to www.virusperformance.co.uk to see the full range. Muddy Kit will soon be stocking Virus so keep your eye on their website!

Look out for my review on the Stay Warm Series in the next mag!

James Ruckley #MKRUCKLEY

LE IT TAC ING S M B O O RC HE OVE RT E N I T A RY GRE GLO E E H R T MO THE

5 or 10k OBstacle run

21ST NOVEMBER 2015 come and Be a hero and raise money for

children in need BLACKGREAVES FARM, SUTTON COLDFIELD, B76 0DA

WWW.HERORUN.CO.UK

FEATURE: THE 10 ORC COMANDMENTS

THE 10 OCR COMANDMENTS Written by: VINCE JAMES PHOTOGRAPHY: TOUGH GUY

Good evening fellow ORM readers. If like me you’ve diligently followed some of the fantastic articles in past issues of ORM, you’re probably quite a well-rounded racer by now. You’ve got the right gear, you’re now training regularly and making every effort to fuel yourself properly. So

84

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

why do we do all this? For general fitness, for state of mind, for a bit of fun, let’s face it there are numerous reasons and every single one is just as valid as the next. One common goal for a lot of us is simply to do our best, or at least okay or worst case scenario not come close to

death mid OCR. When it comes to the big day itself there are some very simple rules to follow, which if you have in the back of your mind will make for a far more pleasurable experience. So here goes!

FEATURE: THE 10 ORC COMANDMENTS

1

Thou shalt wear the right clothing.

Combat trousers, definitely not shell suits (yes shell suits are still around in 2015!), marl grey jogging bottoms, anything cotton and road shoes will do nothing but hinder you. Oh and remember to tie your shoe laces good and proper before you set off on your adventure.

2

Thou shalt not drink muddy water or eat black mud, believe me I learnt this the hard way, however the brown mud is generally good to go. True, this cannot always be helped, but according to some if this does happen, apparently a can of Coca Cola after a race can do wonders for the old digestive system. I found this out the hard way after nearing what it felt like close to death for 48 hours. It was not a good part of my life, but live and learn and all that.

3

Thou shalt not pass someone that needs a hand on a tricky obstacle and definitely don’t leave anyone behind. If someone helps you over a wall don’t forget to see if they need a hand too and remember to say thank you. And lastly, never be too proud to accept help, you’re only human after all, well apart from Jon Albon that is!

4

Thou shalt run behind someone with a nice arse. No further explanation needed.

5

Thou shalt not skip any obstacles.

Even if you think you can’t do it, you never know it may just well be your lucky day. Personally, I think this every time I approach the Dirty Dozen’s notorious monkey bars, only to stack it rather quickly.

I WILL defeat them next time. If you can’t do an obstacle, what’s the worst that can happen? Actually burpees are the worst thing that can happen! See it’s definitely worth giving it a go.

6

Thou shalt not avoid the mud, embrace it if anything! And don’t get too concerned about those OCR kisses, if anything show them off as your badge of honour. Pain comes and goes, memories last a lifetime!

7

Thou shalt hug, high five and thank marshals. Without them, we simply would not have the amazing OCR scene that we have in the UK. Many of them will be at the venue long before the OCR has started and will be there long after you’re home.

8

Thou shalt not litter. Take your rubbish home people, especially those rascally SIS gel packs that are thrown carelessly around on our beautiful UK countryside. Let’s keep it beautiful people.

9

Thou shalt remember to suck your belly in, particularly if you’ve over indulged on KFC or Krispy Kreme’s, you just sometimes never know where those cameras are lurking. If however you do get caught off guard and resemble something similar to a sewer rat, you could always post this to the very funny OCR Wrongens Facebook group, you may even win a prize!

(Sorry everyone, it goes against everything I believe in if I didn’t plug the group haha. Oh OCR Wrongens are also on Instagram, Twitter and Youtube too.)

10

Thou shalt smile, have fun and enjoy yourself. You’ve done training, you’ve handed over your hard earned money, all that’s left to do is embrace the day and take in everything that it throws at you.

Like any list this is not exhaustive and by all means please add to this list using one of the many Facebook groups that are out there, which funnily enough is where the body of this article has come from, one of my posts on such a page.

So in no particular I’d like to thank the following people for their contribution. Sara Hircock, Joe Towey, Paul Robson, Manners Tryingtokeepup, Martin Gibson, Andy Saunders, Daniel Pascoe, Adam Thomson, Carl Roper, Louise Merritt, Neil Robinson, Mark Handford, Sarah OCR Noble, Dan Gill, Paul Lofthouse, Michaela Hill, Amelia Crowley, Sarah Archer, Mark Noble, Lauren Whiting, Jade Hickey, Jayne Raby and last but by no means least Nigel Chaney PT. Hope to see some of you out there beasting an OCR very soon.

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

85

REGULARS: BOOK REVIEW

BOOK REVIEW Here we’ve gathered together two of our favorite books that you can escape to. If you’re looking for some night time reading that will help you to escape a few stresses and strains these are the perfect picks for you.

BORN TO RUN Author: CHRISTOPHER McDOUGALL “We run when we're scared, we run when we're ecstatic, we run away from our problems and run around for a good time” McDougall visits the Tarahumara - a canyon-living tribe of Mexican Indians acknowledged by many to be the best-distance runners in the world.

Alongside a group of top ultra-runners, McDougall talks us through his time training with the tribe as well as his visits to the labs at Nike and Harvard in his attempt to unearth what makes an incredible runner.

Available from: Amazon RRP: £7.00

WHAT I TALK ABOUT WHEN I TALK ABOUT RUNNING Author: HARUKI MURAKAMI “When I'm running I don't have to talk to anybody and don't have to listen to anybody. This is a part of my day I can't do without” Murakami's ode to running expertly weaves travelogue with training memoir and general musings on life. Murakami has run for his entire writing life and uses his masterful ability with words to describe the joy and delight that can be found in the act of running.

Available from: Amazon RRP: £8.00

86

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

KIT TESTING

FITNESS TREE

FOR OCR

TRAINING Written by: KEVIN NEWEY

A lot of us go through fitness cycles, and what we do one year doesn’t necessarily carry over to the following 12 months. For me, 2014 was my year of CrossFit. I really enjoyed it as it was like nothing I’d ever done before, but due to lack of spare time in the last few months of the year, I just couldn’t find the time to go and make the most of my membership.

This also coincided with me getting a place in the 2015 London Marathon, so my training regime for the early part of the year was based around getting my running distance up. April came and went, and I was happy with my sub 5 hour marathon time – fingers crossed for the October ballot!

SO WHAT NEXT?

What’s different in the market that could help with OCR training – FITNESS TREE! I’d met the Fitness Tree team last year at an Iron Run OCR event, and then again at Reaper Run and it was great to see someone come up with some new innovation, and then follow it through to turning it into an actual business opportunity.

The Fitness Tree is a piece of equipment designed to help with bodyweight exercises, so ideal for all of those upper body obstacles that we attempt to conquer so often. I arranged to have one fitted into my back garden, and it wasn’t long before the team

FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO:

came around and installed it in no time at all. One of the great things about the Fitness Tree is that it takes up minimal space, and wouldn’t look out of place in any size garden.

If you have a very small outside space, then this is the ideal piece of apparatus.

I have to admit that I really have to motivate myself to go outside and workout on it, but when I do, I really do feel like I’m reaping the benefits. Another great thing is that they don’t just fit it and then leave you to work out how to get the most out of it, they regularly update their YouTube channel with handy tips and workouts for all fitness levels.

I’m currently trying to improve my grip strength with some hang tough exercises and knee raises for my stomach. It’s going to take some more time to really see the benefits, but I can definitely feel an improvement. I still consider myself as a Fitness Tree newbie and novice, but I’m going to stick with it and update you with my results.

Here are my 5 top reasons to choose a Fitness Tree for your home: • Takes up minimal space • Easy to install • Over 100 different exercise options • Ideal for TRX exercises • Cost effective

WWW.FITNESSTREE.CO.UK

88

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

MOUNTAIN BEAR AD

YOUR LETTERS

Letters

PAGE Good afternoon ORM I would love to get on the wall and after doing Mud7, my 24th OCR of the year I have attached my best picture along with what all my ocr friends say I actually look like.

Mud7 was brilliant! So good in fact we did it twice on the Saturday and then again on Sunday morning with Tony from Bigfoot Next step is my OCR leg tattoo where I have asked all the providers who wants to appear on my leg!!

Anyway, if you do by chance want a story of marathon runner to ocr nut just give me a shout.

By the way the other picture is me and epic Dave from the ad doing an epic strut off in central London.

And finally, I’m doing Spartan sprint, Nuclear Blast and then Blackout in the one day, and finally 2 laps of the Spartan Beast to try get my double trifecta.

I’m not the fastest but I just won’t stop Cheers Gav Levitt

Send us your letters!

Thanks for your letters and photos, we always look forward to hearing what you OCR fans are up to. We’re just sorry there isn’t room to include them all, but here’s a selection of our favourites.

If you would like to get a letter on to this page then please send 100 words and a picture of you in action to

letters@obstacleracemagazine.com

YOUR LETTERS

Hi ORM , This picture is of my wife (Sophie Dowber) and myself at Mud7, it means a lot as it was my wife’s first OCR and it was fantastic to share how blooming fantastic OCR is with her. We were part of the amazing Shaun Gash’s No Fear on Wheels team.

Cheers, Keith Dowber

Hi ORM Morning guys.

Thanks for such an amazing day at Mudnificent 7.

I just wanted to send you this pic taken of me taking a major tumble on one of Bear Grylls obstacles. Landed on my wrist and neck and hurt like hell.

The main thing I wanted to do was to say thanks to the guys that helped me back to my feet and checked I was OK. This is why I love our sport so much.

Mark Storey

Robin White here, aka Batman Great shot taken at Mudnificent 7 as you can see im loving it.

Well done guys it was awesome, same again next year please.

Regards Robin

RACE REVIEW: WORLD WAR RUN

WORLD

WAR RUN

Pukka Races arrived onto the OCR scene with a bang last year. Now, with a growing reputation for great value races and quality bling, I was back again to take on World War Run. Their intention to build on that success was made clear when they announced the event was to be held at the home of the famous Nuts Challenge course in Dorking, Surrey.

92

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

RACE REVIEW: WORLD WAR RUN

FAY KELLY

World War Run

Location: Dorking Surrey Distance: 5 Miles No. of Obstacles: Lots Terrain: Off road Level of mud: 8/10 Difficulty: 7/10

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

93

RACE REVIEW: WORLD WAR RUN

On arrival it was easy to park and Pukka provided everyone with a nice warm up walk to the event village through an unsuspecting caravan park. After completing an easy and well organised registration we moved into the event village where there were a good mix of stalls along with a DJ to help create a relaxed friendly atmosphere. Muddy Kit were on hand with a large offering of products and they seemed to be mobbed all day. Before the race we kept ourselves busy chatting - it’s been a while since I’ve been able to catch up with so many of the regular OCR crowd at one race but today everybody seemed to be there. Surely this could only serve as a further compliment to Pukka Races!

Today would be a little bit special as our little group had grown quite a lot and we had several people joining us for their first OCR. One of these newbies was Arron Murrell from Epic Action Imagery. He’s responsible for so many of the muddy shots plastered all over our social networking profiles, but today, he would be on the other side of the camera. Not to say their enthusiasm was rubbing off on us, we seemed that little bit more excited to be jumping into muddy puddles, and anyone that knows me, knows this is my most favourite thing!

So we watched the elites head off across the field and lined up for our turn. After a short warm up, we were off. Heading around the field we made our way over a ditch and onto the Nuts course. Soon we were in and out of ditches using nets to haul yourself out.

Even early on, there were people everywhere attempting to rescues shoes and various parts of their anatomy from the famous Nuts Challenge course mud. It’s fair to say this was a brutal welcome to OCR for the newbies and the screams of laughter were already flowing as we headed through a tunnel and over a set of loose tyres.

We soon came to the main Nuts obstacle section where we found several obstacles including walls, monkey bars, hang tough rings and the Nut Cracker (a huge pile of Tyres that you haul yourself up in a vertical climb, coming back down a cargo net the other side). It was here the race was let down a little as the queues built up. We waited for what felt like forever to slowly plod through this section. As the cold

94

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

set in, the race organisers tried to move things along by offering the option of going around if you wanted, but in all honesty that’s not what people signed up for so the queues remained.

Whilst the marshals were in general great all around the course, it was here we met both the best and the worst. One marshal insisted on rushing runners through the section whilst describing the injuries he had witnessed, which was unnecessary. On the flip side the marshal’s actions at the top of the Nut Cracker in rescuing a distressed lady stuck in the tyres should be recognised, as should David Beatty for stopping his run to help. True OCR spirit in action!

Once we finally escaped this section we made our way through the endless run of dykes and mud pits, down Fireman’s poles, over rope swings and walls of tyres until we made it to World War Runs USP, ‘The Paintball Run’. Picking up our face masks, we headed into the area where for fun, yes FUN, we would be shot at!

Using my speed and fellow runners as human shields, I emerged unscathed. My team mates not so much - oh well!

They then made excellent use of sand bags and hills, much to our dismay. And after an enjoyable running section through the woods, we returned to the ditches which involved some serious muddy puddle jumping and a quick pause for some childish mudslinging.

As you came back to the event village and the end of the 5 mile lap you had the final obstacle. A tall hang over wall which we all struggled over. You then either headed off for your second lap, if you were doing the 10 mile race, or like us headed through the slalom run zig-zagging up and down the field to the finish line, and to get our hands on the very cool medal and T-shirt.

In summary this was a great race. The combination of mud and obstacles made it great fun, along with the atmosphere in the event village. Any issues with queuing were soon forgotten. The highlight had to be seeing how much fun the guys doing their first race had in the mud and the joy on their faces as they crossed the finish line. Pukka Races know how to provide great entertainment during their races for a great price and I would always recommend their events to anyone who has yet to try one for themselves.

FEATURE: WARM UP TIPS

WARM UP

TIPS Written by: PT EMZ (BOOTCAMP REVOLUTION )

Warm ups are often overlooked by many, but this pre workout has a multitude of benefits, including mentally and physically preparing the body for the task it is about to undertake.

BENEFITS INCLUDE: • • • • • • • •

Joint mobility Gradual increase of heart rate Mental preparation aka mindset Release of adrenalin Increase oxygen supply to muscles Activate central nervous system Prevents injury Increase synovial fluids to joints to reduce friction • Raises temperature of muscles allowing fibres to have greater elasticity • Aids removal of lactic acid • Increases muscle metabolism A good warm up should take between 5-10 minutes and a good indication that you've performed sufficient preparation activities include:

> Increase heart rate to approx. 10bpm above standard heart bpm

> Light sweat > Increased respiratory output (not breathlessness) There are serval types of warm ups, the main ones are: Passive: External increase in body temperature such as sauna or steam room but has very few other benefits required by the body to prepare for exercise General: basic aerobic activities such as jogging or jumping jacks that have a generic warm up effect but doesn't provide sports specific or mental preparation.

Specific: a warm up which is designed on a lower level variety of activities about to be

96

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

FEATURE: WARM UP TIPS

undertaken, preparing the mind and body by targeting the exact muscle groups and range of movements involved in the main exercise program E.g.: running warm up generally includes jogging on the spot, high knee runs, foot shuffles, heel kicks etc. plus specific stretching

STRETCHING Stretching cold muscles is the most likely way to injure yourself before you've even started your workout, so always perform a heat increasing activity prior to stretching.

There are several types of stretching formats including: Ballistic: a 'bouncing' or 'jerking' movement which stretches muscles to full extension and then shortens and extends repeatedly. This form of stretching is not often recommended as it can cause injury or muscle fibre tears Static: extending muscle to a comfortable level of extension and holding it for a period of time (generally 10-30 seconds) Dynamic: stretching muscle to full extension, then increasing range achieved with each stretch

WARM UP TIPS > perform sports specific warm ups for best results, starting with heart rate increasing movements and specific mobilisation and stretches for the muscles to be used in main workout

> Always perform spinal mobilisation movements including: neck, shoulder, spinal flexion and rotation, pelvis and hips

> don't over exert yourself during your warm up.

> Only stretch until you feel 'controlled discomfort' you should not feel pain

WARM UP The BC Rev all-rounder warm up Here's our fundamental warm up, most suited for OCR racers.

WARM UP 1 minute > Gentle jog 30 seconds of the following > Heels to bum > High knee run > Foot shuffles > Jumping jacks > Tap feet wide/ tap feet narrow > Quick sprint offs, jog backwards to start point > Burpees

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

97

FEATURE: WARM UP TIPS

MOBILISATION > Neck roll > Shoulder roll > Spinal side flexion (reach arm overhead and > > > > > >

lean to side) Spinal / upper body rotation (twist upper body round to side, allow hips to flow and move) Shoulder round off (reach hands forward fully extending arms, drop head down so shoulder blades separate) Hip Opener (lift leg with bent knee, circling outwards to rotate hip) Pelvic roll (hands on hip and circle hips and pelvis round in repeat in both directions) Leg swing (hands on hips, swing one leg forward then backwards) Ankle flexion & rotation (circle foot, then flex up and down)

STRETCHES Hold each stretch for approx. 10- 20 seconds

> Neck stretch (tip head sideways, aiming ear towards shoulder) Felt in side of neck between ear and shoulder

> Chest Stretch (reach hands behind body, grasping hands behind back with straight arms, raise chin upwards, opening chest) Felt across chest and front of shoulders

98

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

> Spinal flexion (slide left hand down left leg, reach right arm over head: repeat both sides) Felt in sides of body/ribs/ obliques

> Spinal roll down (slowly lower chin to chest and progressively bend forward slowly, one vertebrae at a time working down full length of spine until, tipped over forward, allowing weight of head and arms to pull spine long, gently roll back up)

> Hamstring (place one foot in front, place weight on back foot, bend knee of back leg.

And straighten front leg, lifting foot to sky.

Lean forwards. Keep chest lifted and place hands on hips) Felt in back of thigh from buttock to knee

> Quad Stretch (stand on one leg, lift heel of other leg towards buttocks and hold foot, pulling it gently towards buttock. Push hips forward to further extend stretch)

Felt along length of spine

Felt in front of thigh

> Spinal Rotation (twist upper body round to

> Calf Stretch (place one to back foot back

side, keeping hips facing forwards) Felt through back and sides of body

keeping heel on floor, bend front leg, opening out lower back leg) Felt in back of lower leg

> Upper back stretch (reach hands forward,

> Adductor Stretch (lunge sideways keeping

linking hands together with arms fully extended, drop chin to chest and Esperanto shoulder blades)

> Hip Flexor stretch (Lunge one foot forward, keeping body up right, and pelvis tucked under, back knee can be rested on floor, opening out front of hip) Felt in front of hip between upper hip and upper thigh)

hips facing forward, bending one leg and keeping the other straight. Keep toes pointing forwards) Felt through inner, upper thigh

> ITB Stretch (place one leg behind and to the side of other leg - as if performing a curtesy) Felt through outer side of upper thigh between hip and outer knee

W o od s , Ob s ta c l e s , L a k e s & F i e l d s . . . W i l d R u n n i n g

W i n t e r W o l f 7 t h & 8 t h N o v 2 0 15 S ta n f or d H a l l , L eic e s t ersh i r e

Ta k e on t h e c h a l l en g e

thewolfrun.com

FEATURE: KNOW WHAT SUPP

KNOW WHAT SUPP

FACING THE CRASH Written by ACHILLEA KYRIAKOU of KNOWWHATSUPP.COM

100

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

FEATURE: KNOW WHAT SUPP

A common problem I have encountered for a while in the work place is ‘crashing’ mid afternoon. It is sometimes unpredictable and brutal and it takes no prisoners! Being sat at a desk all day, I especially notice this after lunch when the formidable ‘wall of doom’ faces you. The shear inevitable looming for most of us has just become a part of our lives and many people just accept it. It may not happen for all of us and if it doesn’t then consider yourself lucky. However for those that face this demon, I have taken a quick look at how we can tame the beast.

Looking at research it can be put forward that the primary cause of the mid-afternoon crash is diet-related. Another major factor can be due to having only carbohydrates for breakfast and no protein. How does this affect us?

After a long nights sleep our bodies have gone without nutrients and are practically in starvation mode. That’s why it’s called “breakfast” get it? The first meal of the day is the most important and many people skip it and then complain they are hungry mid morning!

Its important to look at what your plan is for the day and then eat accordingly. Now for the boring part.

THE GLYCEMIC INDEX Carbohydrates come in two forms. Simple, that hit the blood fast and provide a quick energy source and and complex, that release energy over time by entering the system slower.

The Glycemic Index has been monumental in calculating the rates at which certain carbohydrates are released into the blood stream. The Glycemic index is a measure of how quickly a particular carbohydrate is formed into glucose and enters the body.

Below is a list of some foods that are “Low Glycemic”, and are recommended for sustained energy levels: • Nuts • Pasta • Dairy ( Skim milk, whole milk, yogurt) • Fruits (ONLY-plums, peaches, apples, oranges, pears, grapes, grapefruit) (containing fructose) • Rice (brown • Sweet potato • Oats • All-bran • Most Vegetables ( exceptions- carrots, corn, root vegetables) Below is a list of some of the foods that are “High Glycemic”(quickly absorbed, high insulin response): • Sugars (from high to low: Maltose, Glucose, Sucrose) • Honey • Puffed cereals (white rice, wheat, corn, rice cakes) • Potatoes

• Breads (especially white bread) • Carrots, corn, peas • Flaked cereals (corn flakes, etc.)

THE GOLDEN CHILD PROTEIN When Protein is added to a meal it lowers the GI because it has to be liquefied in the stomach before it is released into the intestines for absorption.

Taking into account both low and high GI foods we can mix them both together to come up with an ideal breakfast to get us through the morning right up to lunch. An ideal combination for breakfast would be Oats and Milk for our low GI foods, Eggs for our protein source and Fruit for our high GI foods. Now that may sound like a terrible combination but I can assure you its one of the best tasting breakfasts around!

Its no secret that people want something quick and convenient in the morning and this recipe should take a total of 5 minutes to prepare and consume!

• Take half a cup of oats, and put them into a blender • Take a handfull of berries and a banana with two cups of milk and pour into the blender • Pour 4 egg whites (pasteurised in a carton – available from most supermarkets) into the blender and our mix is ready • Blend the mixture for 30 seconds and you have a great tasting and nutritionally sound quick and easy breakfast. A great start to the day.

LESS AND MORE OFTEN Using the same theory, our lunch can follow suit. We need to make sure we are not consuming too many high GI carbs. So those of you who think you are being healthy by eating a jacket potato for lunch are then crashing mid afternoon and are wondering why. Eating smaller meals more regularly can help keep our energy levels from spiking too high or too low.

Think about swapping those potatoes or white bread sandwiches for sweet potato and brown bread. Low GI foods will help sustain your

energy levels and when mixed with protein again lowers the GI further.

Keeping our blood sugar levels stable is key to maintaining a consistent energy level throughout the day. So if we eat smaller portions more frequently we are helping our body manage a sustained release of blood sugars meaning our energy levels remain consistent. There are also other key benefits to eating more regularly. Our metabolism is kept fired up and therefore helps it to do its job sustaining our weight. Think about a fire being constantly stoked and supplied with wood/coal, its going to burn bright and its the same with our metabolism.

GRABBING THE BULL BY THE HORNS I am sometimes a major culprit of using the mid afternoon crash as a reason and excuse not to train or exercise in the evenings. This is bad news as it stops us from reaching our goals and can become a vicious cycle. What can we do to prevent this from happening?

Firstly getting breakfast nailed is our first step.

Using a similar recipe as per above can be a start. We should then think about a snack before lunch depending on what time you have your lunch. As I have a late lunch so I like to snack in between with a handful of nuts and some dried fruit. Lunch should remain a modest portion depending again on your plan of action for the day and or evening. As I tend to hit the gym after work I like to make sure I eat enough low GI carbs. One example includes a portion of brown rice with a large helping of green vegetables and some chicken. Again after lunch and in between dinner I reach for a small snack.

I usually either grab a protein shake or bar making sure they contain low sugar and quality ingredients! Another key in all of this is to make sure you are drinking plenty of water. Keeping hydrated should help concentration levels and don’t be afraid you may need to pop to the toilet more often. Regular walks from your desk can get the blood flowing again.

If you want to defeat this tyrant and smash the wall down then looking at diet is essential.

I’d be interested to hear back from you if you experience this.

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

101

FEATURE: WILL THE MUD MONSTER CLAIM YOU

WILL THE MUD

MONSTER CLAIM YOU

Mud has become an integral part of many OCRs. There is something strangely rewarding about finishing a race covered head to toe in mud, something those who don’t take part could never understand. One run you can be sure will fulfil this strange fascination we have with the brown stuff is Mud Monsters Run in Sussex.

This site is literally the home to 50 shades of mud! There is squelchy mud, claggy mud, the kind that tries to suck you shoe away, energy sapping mud, black mud, brown mud...you name it, it’s here!

The mud on site seems to do something very extraordinary to even the most experienced of runners, it seems to wipe out energy levels and becomes an ‘obstacle’ in it’s own right!

Mud Monsters started about 10 years ago as an off road 4x4 driving club, the site provided the ideal environment for drivers to test their cars to the limit, even custom built competition spec trucks have struggled to take on the legendary mud on site. Mud Monsters was a hobby business born, initially, just to

102

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

give friends a place to come and drive their cars which has now evolved into one of the biggest off road clubs in the UK. One of the main focuses for Mud Monsters has always been to raise money for local charities that it is passionate about. Over the past 10 years over £50,000 has been raised by the club and its members for these local charities which is an awesome achievement!

Being mud fiends and having this amazing site, there were many discussions had between (now Race Directors) Mark McMillen and Rebecca Large as to what else they could use this site for. Mark admitted that for years he had wanted to host a mud run on the site... fast forward 9 months and Mud Monsters Run put on it’s first super muddy OCR. A small

but successful run, which got great reviews but as with all first runs there was room for improvement. Twelve months on and Mud Monsters Run has grown beyond both Mark and Rebecca’s expectations. There are more (bigger and better) obstacles than ever before with 60 on the 10km course which means a whopping 120 if you take on the 20km challenge! All along though they have been strict in sticking to the foundations of what they wanted Mud Monsters Run to be about in the first place, utilising the brilliant natural terrain on site (woodland, rivers, fields, hills, mud pits) and of course making sure that it remains one of the muddiest runs out there.

Like many an OCR fanatic they have now began to live, breathe and dream OCR. They

FEATURE: WILL THE MUD MONSTER CLAIM YOU

said good bye to that strange phenomenon, a free weekend, many months ago and can now be found normally knee deep in mud somewhere or cheering fellow racers on at other events most weekends.

The run welcomes all levels of OCR competitor and really does have something for everyone, the 5km is a tough but achievable route, the 10km includes all the obstacles and the toughest terrain not to mentioned the deepest energy sapping mud pits and the 20km is a double lap of the 10km, don’t be fooled it’s a tough distance to do here and

even experienced OCR runners struggled to complete it in June...

Over the past couple of months obstacles have been popping up all over the site, there is a new obstacle village with monkey bars, Irish table, tyre wall, inverted walls and more still to come, which are all just the new additions to what was already there! Around the rest of the site you will find ladder climbs, vertical walls, mud crawls, A-Frames, a water slide, cargo nets, tyre tunnels, hay bales, rope pulls and so much more. Add to the fact that there is free parking, free bag/key drop, free chip timing, free

spectators, free medals, free technical t-shirt, free goody bag all from just £38 for the next event on 11 October and it’s a great value for money run. Plus the first 2016 run has been launched on 29 May with brilliant early bird prices from just £31 which will also include free photos for the first time!

Based just 20 minutes from Gatwick airport in the beautiful Sussex countryside it’s a great location just on the outskirts of East Grinstead town. The next run takes place on 11 October 2015. See our website for more details

WWW.MUDMONSTERSRUN.CO.UK Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

103

KIT TESTING

HEAD TORCH

RUNNING Whether you’re planning on training into the darker hours of the winter months or racing through the night, investing in a head torch is a bright idea. Here we’ve put together a few tips to help you choose your perfect head torch and also the best tips to make you a more confident head torch runner.

TIPS ON HOW TO BE A CONFIDENT HEADTORCH RUNNER COME RACE DAY

104

1

Always test your head torch out before race day.

2

The band may irritate your skin so maybe think about using a buff or hat to protect yourself.

3

Don’t get caught out and end up adjusting your head torch on the start line. You will just end up with a headache from poor fit, or worst of all end up with it over your eyes mid race.

4

Make sure it’s fully charged or has fresh batteries ready for the start line. Don’t make assumptions as it will ruin your race if they die.

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

5

When training at night in your torch always let someone know where you’ll be going or carry a phone in case of emergency.

6

Your brain will get a real workout trying to take in all it can while you run in the dark. Be prepared to be mentally fried at the finish line.

7

If its your first night time OCR try and stick close to the person in front as you’ll get lots of hints on what’s coming up by their reactions(yelps).

8

Depending on your running speed keep your gaze about four feet ahead of you.

This will give you time to react to anything coming up. Also don’t run with your head too low or the tree branch monsters might strike out.

9

Have a test run out on trails you know before heading off exploring to far. This will cut down on the surprise tree roots jumping out at you.

10

Nothing will ever make up for spending quality time out on the trails with your head torch, so make sure you get a few runs in with it before race day.

KIT TESTING

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

105

KIT TESTING

SO, WHICH IS THE BEST HEAD TORCH? Armed with the above information and your racing or training needs, you should be in a better position to choose a head torch that will work for your specific needs. Do you need a very bright fixed beam head torch for running, so the shorter burn time is not an issue? Or would a single LED version, with an adjustable beam suit you best for your nighttime adventures?

THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A HEAD TORCH

PREMIUM CHOICE HEAD TORCH HOPE R1

RUN TIME – High powered LEDs and Hybrid units run at full power and can drain batteries very quickly, whereas single low powered LEDs will happily run for weeks at a time. You’ll need to pick one that will see you through your chosen event.

This has to be easily one of the most powerful head torches I’ve ever tested, even with only one LED. After taking it out of the box and sorting through all the extra bike accessories you get with this cracking versatile set, two minutes later and it was all connected up and like any excited reviewer the first thing I did was to shine it in my own eyes and blind myself for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes had gone by the first thing you notice is how solid and well engineered the unit is.

It’s worth noting also that Hope distinguish between ‘measured’ and ‘generated’ lumens, and that the 500-lumen headline output is the former; the latter is 620 lumens. Kudos to Hope for playing with such a straight bat.

Set to its maximum, the R1 was the equal of more ‘powerful’ lights I’ve tested, despite its single LED set-up. The battery charges from a three-pin wall socket charger, equipped with a row of lights that glowed to indicate a flat/ partially charged battery, or one ready for use.

Hope claim a three-hour charge time for its 2600mAh battery, which was pretty much spot on. Hope’s two-hour burn time claim for the maximum output proved largely accurate pretty much to the minute, not that you’d need to use it that often as the medium setting is more than enough.

Hope have divided the R1’s outputs into two groups of three, and accessing the Race and Trail sequences was simple enough: a quick press for the former, and a press and hold for the latter. The Race sequence was the one we used most, offering three solid outputs, culminating in the maximum 500-lumen beam, more of which below. The Trail sequence, with its ‘Low’ (60 lumens) and ‘Ultra Low’ (25 lumens) outputs.

The thumb-sized, top-mounted switch that controlled output was tactile and simple to use, even in gloves, and gave off its own un miss

WEIGHT & SIZE- this can vary immensely, some ultra-compact head torches with CR2032 batteries will weigh a matter of grams. Hybrid head torches will have battery packs that are situated to the rear of the head in a separate compartment, with cables attaching to the front unit – all adding additional weight and bulk.

FIT & COMFORT – where the batteries sit can play a big part on the comfort of your head torch. Always try the unit on, preferably with batteries in situ so you know how it will feel when in use. Bigger head torches will have a strap over the top of your head to stop them sliding down whilst in use, lighter units only need a strap around your head.

BEAM FOCUSING & ANGLE ADJUSTMENT – Generally the smaller units have less features available when it comes to adjustment, work out your needs before purchasing.

WATERPROOFNESS – most head torches are showerproof, with small seals around the light unit and battery compartment. You’ll need a fully waterproof head torch come race day, so choose one which has an IP (ingress protection) of 9 (on a scale of 0-9) as this will be waterproof to 1 metre for at least 30 minutes.

EASE OF USE – is the head torch going to be fiddly to operate in the cold and wet? Can you operate it with gloves? Is the unit sturdy enough to stand up to the rigors of race situations?

BUDGET CHOICE HEAD TORCH ALPKIT GAMMA If mega brightness isn’t the be all and end all for you and an affordable head torch is what you really need the Alpkit Gamma could be exactly what you’re looking for?

The last two years I’ve spent lots of time getting to know the Alpkit Gamma. It’s a simple but very effective head torch. Lightweight even with the three batteries in the back. As well as the main Cree light it has single white, red (rear) and green LEDs to choose from, making it perfect for commuting to and from work in Winter. The Gamma is well balanced due to the batteries being at the rear rather than in the head unit making it less likely to bounce

106

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

able glow in the darkest conditions, which made it easy to locate. The machined, T6 aluminium housing is a thing of rugged beauty and fabricated with all of Hope’s trademark craftsmanship. It came under the odd attack from tree branches but was easily tough enough to shrug off the occasional assault from these.

The torch felt well balanced on my head with the battery pack located around the back. The strap has plenty of adjustable parts for it to be made to be a perfect comfortable fit. Metal battery housing keeps your power source safe from knocks and scrapes.

Overall it’s an awesome bit of kit that will be well worth the investment for any racer or adventure loving night owl. It can easily withstand the rough and tumble we’ll put it though during our night races.

Pack includes: • Charger • Headstrap • Helmet Mount • Handlebar Mount • Adaptor Piece for mounting on helmet/ headstrap • 1 m Extension Lead - to allow you to put the battery case in a bumbag or rucsac rather then on your head • Battery life 2.5 hours on max / 50 hours on low • Lumens 620 on max power

RRP £150 Weight, 250grams

WWW.HOPETECH.COM

around. Giving off a cooler, blueish light compared with the bright white light of the Hope. If you’re going to be using the torch for fast, technical night running or racing then you might want to spend a little more on something with more lumens, but if your more of a fast plodder then its perfectly adequate for trails Pack includes : • Strap • Battery life 4 hours • Lumens 88

RRP £15 Weight, 118grams

WWW.ALPKIT.COM

OCR CROSSWORD

ACROSS 2. Terminator 2 (9,3) 3. Clarence Ursa gets confused at these events (7,5) 8. Vincent Sneed Mufi is out of order (11,5) 11. Add soldier? (5,7) 13. Skinny face to rent at the Olympics (8,5) 18. Darwin’s race? (8,2,3,7) 19. Erratoc raver went mad at this race (5,3,4) 23. A giant race (4,2,3,5) 25. Sheep in a hurry (3,3)

26. 1967 film starring Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson (3,5,5) 27. In charge of the toilets? (3,9)

DOWN 4. Stun-falling backwards (4) 5. Ordeal for a yeti? (7,9) 6. Seasons don’t fear this race (6) 7. Race in the park for this howler (4,3) 9. Supplement ‘vitamin a cube ooze’ is messed up - don’t take it at this event (6,10)

10. This clue should be 300 down (7) 12. Sounds like we are barbequing naked (4,6) 14. Del Boy says this race is good (5) 15. Return to 1914? (4,2,3,8) 16. This bean needs sanding (5,6) 17. Mayhem at Pearl Harbour? (8,7) 20. What you get when your washing machine breaks down on a Friday (5,7) 21. Important. Season on TV? (5,6) 22. P.O.W plan? (5,6) 24. King Arthur’s knights did this one (5,5)

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

107

RACE REVIEW: WHY YOU SHOULD ADD PILATES TO YOUR TRAINING

WHY YOU SHOULD

ADD PILATES TO YOUR TRAINING

Written by PT EMZ (BOOTCAMP REVOLUTION)

108

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

RACE REVIEW: WHY YOU SHOULD ADD PILATES TO YOUR TRAINING

Many underestimate the power of this style of training, as it is considered the staple workout for new mums and the elderly, but this massively untapped form of exercise could be the one thing that takes your training to a whole new level.

SO HERE ARE BC REVOLUTION’S WHYS, WHERES AND WHAT FORS OF PILATES

WHAT

ANTI- AGING BENEFITS

A basic range of simple exercises, created in the early 1900's by Joseph Pilates. As a child, Pilates suffered with a range of illnesses from sever asthma to rickets along with a variety of other postural and respiratory ailments.

With Pilates for life you will realign and correct the spinal imbalances by strengthening the core muscles that support the spine. In turn you will stand taller, look trimmer, and be happy! This all relates to a young person.

His father; a doctor and his mother; a ballerina, gave him the basis upon which he designed this amazing exercise format.

DECREASED BACK AND JOINT ACHES

Primarily, a core strengthening exercise regime, that incorporates specialist breathing techniques, but also offers an all over body conditioning training using body resistance, stretching and transitional movements.

As a low impact from of exercise, Pilates also offers participants many other benefits including improved postural alignment, strengthened core, improved respiratory system, increased flexibility and agility.Better sleep through breathing techniques and relaxation. Heightened PMA due to the focused mind set it encourages... and much more!

WHO The Pilates system comprises of just a handful of movements, all of which are broken down in to a multitude of levels, Suitable for all, with base level exercises ideal for those with no fitness or flexibility, up to the advanced versions, which will challenge the most elite level athlete.

Unlike many other forms of exercise, Pilates can be practised during all trimesters of pregnancy, can be used by those with disabilities and extreme back problems, and can be used by all ages due to it's low impact and gentle range of movements.

WHERE There are so many modern day variations of the Pilates format but to gain the best results, find a fully qualified, advanced level instructor that offers a course of classes based on the original Joseph Pilates format.

Pilates trains the body so that all of the core muscles work together to support and stabilize the back. Part of developing effective core strength is to train the body to know when to release, as well as activate,

FUN! Pilates for life is playful and fun. The equipment reminds people of playground equipment as a child. Pilates teaches us all over again how to pull, stretch, roll, push, climb, and breathe like we did as a child.

BALANCE By improving your posture you will, in turn regain better balance. Balance comes from the core or centre of our body and we strengthen this area we can begin to bring ourselves back into a more balanced, upright, stance.

SHARPENS THE MIND The mind over body focus in Pilates helps to sharpen our minds by being always conscious of how we are moving.

Concentration in Pilates is key in mobilizing yourself to perform the movements with ease and grace. Without a conscious mind effort the body will reap no rewards.

SLEEP BETTER Exercise helps to release some of this hormone, which if done early in the day helps us to concentrate better at work and then later we are tired and ready for bed at night. Pilates is great to do every day because it does not weigh down your muscles and cause you

soreness later. It stretches and strengthens them helping you sleep better at night.

ENERGIZING! Pilates is one of few conditioning exercise sequences that have been found to be energizing no matter what your age or condition of health. Well, the best explanation is the stretching and articulating movements of the spine help to move the cerebral spinal fluid up and down the spine increasing the blood flow to the brain while stretching the body at the same time. The flowing sequence of movements controlled by your breathing is another way to increase energy by getting rid of bad air and taking in more oxygen.

IMPROVES MUSCLE TONE Pilate’s exercises help to strengthen and tone muscle and bone by using your own body weight. Anytime you add muscle to your body you stimulate your metabolism, which, in turn helps to decrease your body fat by burning calories and fat.

IMPROVES FLEXIBILITY Pilates for life uses stretching flowing movements to help keep your muscles supple and flexible. A flexible muscle is a healthy muscle making it better able to handle stressors that cause injury. With increases in your flexibility you can do some of your favourite activities like strength training, golfing, playing tennis, bowling, or playing with your kids without the risk of hurting yourself.

OVERVIEW PT Emz cannot rate Pilates highly enough and has practised it for over 10 years, claiming it to be the one exercise regime that has helped her rapidly bounce back to full fitness after 4 pregnancies.

In our view, this gem of an exercise format, should be included by anyone and everyone, no matter what their fitness goal.

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

109

REGULARS: CAPTION COMP

Caption

COMPETITION PHOTO BY: Epic Action Imagery

WIN

ALPKIT GAMMA HEADTORCH

SEND YOUR CAPTION FOR THIS PICTURE TO COMPS@OBSTACLERACEMAGAZINE.COM LAST ISSUES WINNER:

Winner of the Base layers was Natalie Hinks with “All this just for that fresh bidet sensation”

TERMS & CONDITIONS Closing date for entries is the November 1st 2015. Entries will also be taken on the Obstacle Race Magazine Facebook and

Twitter pages also when this picture is posted.

BOOTCAMP

LISTING

Find your perfect OCR place to train situated near you with our handy listing.

North UK OUTDOOR FITNESS “BOOTCAMPS AND OBSTACLE TRAINING” Leeds, Bradford, York, Sheffield, Castleford, Huddersfield 0796 478 7981

ukoutdoorfitness.com Facebook: UK outdoor Fitness / UK Indoor Fitness

North West PRIME HEALTH & FITNESS Ellesmereport CH65 1AE 07885764077

info@primehealthandfitness.co.uk Facebook: Prime Health and Fitness

Midlands THE OBSTACLE GYM Lutterworth 0726912988 info@reaperevents.co.uk

Facebook: The Obstacle GYM

West Midlands O.P.T OUTDOOR PHYSICAL TRAINING Redditch, Bromsgrove, Rubery, Alcester RFC, Droitwich RFC

112

JUNGLE FIT Stratford Upon Avon 07772630668

junglefit.co.uk Facebook: Stewart.junglefit

East of England FORTITUDE FITNESS CENTRE Highfields Farm, Caldecote, Cambridge, CB23 7NX 07876635234

fortitudefitnesscentre.co.uk Facebook: Fortitude-Fitness-Centre

Wales STEVE WALL PERSONAL TRAINING & MOTIVATION Rhondda, Merthyr Mawr Dunes, Caerphilly

WILD FOREST GYM OBSTACLE TRAINING CENTRE Nuclear Races, Brentwood, Essex 08454561336

wildforestgym.com Facebook: Wildforestgym WELLFIT OUTDOOR FITNESS Turnbridge Wells, Kent 07886 035773

wellfitoutdoorfitness.com Facebook: Wellfit outdoor fitness SAM WINKWORTH ACADEMY “BOOTCAMP EXTREME” The Vine Cricket Ground, Kent 07817403398

samwinkworth.com

07940 343387

IMMORTAL FITNESS

Facebook: Steve Wall

MARLOW/HAMBLEDEN/HENLEY 07792 881255

South BOOTCAMP REVOLUTION OBSTACLE COURSE Rayne, Essex 07963202339

bootcamprevolution.co.uk Facebook: TheBootcampRevolution

07885 416446

ENERGISE MUD RUNNERS LTD

outdoorpt@hotmail.co.uk

Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire

outdoorpt.co.uk Facebook: O.P.T Outdoorphysicaltraining

07592750709

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

South East

mud-runners.co.uk Facebook: EnergiseMudRunners

immortalfitness.co.uk Facebook: Immortalfit GUARDIAN FITNESS OCR TRAINING SE London 07584 414206

guardianfitness.co.uk SPARTAN GROUP X ORPINGTON ORFC Leesons Way, Orpington, Kent, BR5 2QB 02037315351

toughlove.mobi/sgx Facebook: sgxorpington

BOOTCAMP

VISITS

Over the coming issue we’ll be visiting the bootcamps in the listing to checkout exactly what they have to offer you.

5 STAR BOOTCAMPS 07525 843326

fivestarbootcamps.co.uk Facebook: 5STAR BOOTCAMPS

South West HODGE HEALTH & FITNESS BRISTOL 07855 465 872

hodgehealthandfitness.co.uk Facebook: hodgehealthandfitness

Nationwide FIT CAMPUK Ltd Redditch, Wythall / BIrmingham, Edgbaston & Solihull, Sutton Coldfield, Tamworth, Lichfield , Barton / Burton Upon Trent 07966 638 009

fitcampuk.co.uk Facebook: Fitcampuk BRITISH MILITARY FITNESS Outdoor sessions in 140 Parks Nationwide 020 8996 2220

britishmilitaryfitness.com Facebook: britishmilitaryfitness

Would you like to be included in this listing? For more information on how you can do this contact carl@obstacleracemagazine.com

BRITISH MILITARY FITNESS TELL US WHAT YOU THOUGHT: At first I was a little worried as this was going to be my first ever group training session.

I’m usually a lone Wolf when it comes to preparing myself for my next race. I was so chuffed when Carl asked me to go along to a session at BMF. It was just the kick up the backside I needed.

I arrived at the meeting point for the session and was please to see there was plenty more women there in the group with me.

The session itself was much more intense than anything id ever do alone, but in a

good way. Everything was scaled to meet peoples fitness levels. I left the session feeling like a million dollars. The Trainer was amazing and wasn’t afraid to get down and join in.

QUALITY OF COACHING

18/20

VALUE FOR MONEY

17/20

ACCESSIBILITY OF LOCATION

18/20

AVAILABILITY OF EQUIPMENT

17/20

SCALING TO MEET ABILITY LEVELS

20/20

Total : 90/100

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

113

REGULARS: EVENTS LISTING

Events page

Oct-Nov ‘15 For a more comprehensive list of upcoming events go to

WWW.OBSTACLERACEMAGAZINE.CO.UK/EVENTS

The Autumn Ram Run 8-24km

Mens Health, Survival of The Fittest 10/20km

No Ego Mud Challenge Penrith Beast 10km

Mens Health Survival of The Fittest 10km

3rd & 4th October 2015

10th October 2015

17th October 2015

18th October 2015

Stoneleigh Park, Coventry

Nottingham

Cumbria

Edinburgh

ramrun.co.uk

mhsurvival.co.uk

noegochallenge.co.uk

mhsurvival.co.uk

From £25

From £55

From £49.75

From £55

Zombie Survival

Rise Of The Ronin 5/10 mile & 6 Hour Enduro

Invncbl 10km

Enter the Dragon 12.5km

17th October 2015

18th October 2015

10th & 11th October 2015

Caerphilly

Wales

Isle Of Wight

invncbl.co.uk

enterthedragonchallenge.com

riseoftheronin.co.uk

From £31.50

From £50 The Swanbourne Endeavour 5/10km

10th October 2015

Mucky Races The Gauntlet Revisited 5/10km

Newcastle Racecourse

17th October 2015

Buckinghamshire

newcastlestampede.com

Essex

theswanbourneendeavour.co.uk

See Website

muckyraces.co.uk

From £40

3rd October 2015 Ripley, Yorkshire zombiesurvivalexperience.co.uk See Website 4x4 Nuts 5km 3rd & 4th October 2015 Surrey 4x4nuts.com From £200 for a team of 4

From £49 Newcastle Stampede 10km

From £31.50 The Major Series South

Commando Challenge 4km 10th October 2015

Rough & Tumble 10km

Back 2 The Trenches, Western Front 6/12km

Devon

17th October 2015

18th October 2015

commandochallenge.co.uk

New Forest District of Hampshire

Wales back2thetrenches.co.uk

From £35

£29 pp - Minimum Sponsorship £60pp

roughneckevents.com 45

From £38

Adrenaline Rush 5/10km & Half Marathon

Commando Challenge - Marine Challenge 10km

Reaper Events 10km

Rough Runner 5/10km & 10 miles

3rd October 2015

17th October 2015

10th October 2015

Coventry

24th & 25th October 2015

Windsor

Devon

Cheshire

theadrenalinerush.com

reaperevents.co.uk

commandochallenge.co.uk

roughrunner.com

From £40

£35

From £35

Iron Run 6/12km 3rd October 2015

Commando Challenge Endurance 17km

Northamptonshire

5/10km 3rd October 2015 Kent majorseries.com

From £49 The Whole Hog 7 miles

Lake Fear - Exhile 5/10km

18th October 2015

24th October 2015

11th October 2015

Suffolk

Hampshire

ironrun.co.uk

Devon

wholehograces.co.uk

lakefear.co.uk

From £33

commandochallenge.co.uk

From £40

From £39

£44 Winter Monster Race

114

18th October 2015

Warrior Run 7/14/21km

The Major Series North 5/10km

Overload Run 10km

5/10km 10th October 2015

11th October 2015

18th October 2015

Derbyshire

Wiltshire

Brighton

Leeds

overloadrun.co.uk

monsterrace.co.uk

warrior-run.co.uk

majorseries.com

£50

From £35

From £35

From £32.50

Obstacle Race | Issue 11

24th October 2015

REGULARS: EVENTS LISTING

Chepstow Stampede 5/10km

Kernow Killer 9-12 miles & Destroyer 3-6miles

Ultimate Forest Warrior

Urban Attack

24th October 2015

10/20km

5th December 2015

Chepstow, Monmouthshire

31st October 2015

14th November 2015

chepstowstampede.com

Nr Truro, Cornwall

The National Cycling Centre, Manchester

From £26.50

kernowkiller.co.uk

Forest of Dean forestwarrior.co.uk

www.urbanattack.co.uk

From £32

£60pp or £40 for team of 6

From £45

24th October 2015

Grim Blackout 7 miles

Muscle Acre - Mud Slog 10km

Mud Strong Team - 10km

Hampshire

31st October 2015

15th November 2015

6th December 2015

judgement-day.co.uk

Surrey

Surrey

From £60

grimchallenge.co.uk

Guildford muscleacre.com

naturalfitnesscompany.co.uk

From £25

£36.50

£45

24th October 2015

KING of The Hill 8km 1st November 2015

Back 2 The Trenches, The Big Push 6/12/18km

KickAss Endurance - 10km

Somerset rocketrace.co.uk

Northants

15th November 2015

Staffordshire

£40

event.bookitbee.com/2754/kingof-the-hill

Surrey

kickassendurance.co.uk

back2thetrenches.co.uk

£45

From £20

From £43

Haggis Dash 5/10km

The Winter Beast 5/10 miles

12th December 2015

1st November 2015

15th November 2015

Dunfermline

Surrey

Leicester

judgement-day.co.uk

thebeastrun.co.uk

6 places for £270

Judgement Day 12km

Rocket Race 5/10/15km

Tough Sh!t 10km 24th October 2015 Surrey toughsht.co.uk From £55 Mucky Races Steeplechase 5/10km 25th October 2015 Norfolk muckyraces.co.uk From £35

brassmonkeyevents.co.uk

Judgement Day Goes Nuts - 6km+

£20

£30

KickAss Endurance 10km

Mucky Races - Guts n Glory 5/10km

Rudolphs Dash - 2km & Rudolphs Rampage - 7km

1st November 2015

21st November 2015

20th December 2015

Staffordshire

Leicestershire

Gloucestershire

muckyraces.co.uk

iamoutdoors.uk/cotswoldallrunners/cotswold-allrunnersevents/rudolphs-rampage

kickassendurance.co.uk From £39

From £34

Essex

Mens Health Survival of The Fittest 10km

Hero Run 5/10km

xtremerunning.co.uk

7th November 2015

Xtreme Endurance 7km+ 25th October 2015

£55

Etihad Stadium, Manchester mhsurvival.co.uk

The Nightmare Steeplechase 10km

6th December 2015

From £55

£7 & £14 21st November 2015

Seven Sins Run - 7 Miles

Sutton Coldfield

27th & 28th December 2015

herorun.co.uk

Forest Of Dean

From £29.99

trimaxevents.com/#!seven-sinsrun/c1hpu

25th October 2015 Gloucestershire

Winter Wolf Run 10km

£15

trimaxevents.com

Mens Health Survival of The Fittest 10km

7th & 8th November 2015

£25

21st November 2015

Leicestershire

The Immortal Sinner - 14 miles

London

28th December 2015

mhsurvival.co.uk

From £49

Forest Of Dean

From £60

Allianz Park

trimaxevents.com/#!seven-sinsrun/c1hpu

The MACC Challenge 4 miles

zombieevacuation.com

Run Forest Run 10km

£20

7th November 2015

From £29

22nd November 2015

Scotland

Surrey

The Christmas Cracker - 5km

run-forest-run.co.uk

28th December 2015

£20

£20

Northants

Mud Fit - 2km

Grim Challenge Original 8 miles

event.bookitbee.com/3376/thechristmas-cracker-ocr

8th November 2015

5th december 2015

Surrey

Aldershot

thewolfrun.com Zombie Evacuation 5km 31st October 2015

entrycentral.com/maccchallenge Battle Of Lansdown - Halloween Special, & The Light of Day 10km 31st October 2015 Bath extremeeventsuk.com From £40

naturalfitnesscompany.co.uk

grimchallenge.co.uk

£20

From £27

10km

Nuclear Fallout 6/12km

Tough Runner 10km

31st October 2015

14th November 2015

5th December 2015

Bath

Essex nuclear-races.co.uk

Cornwall

extremeeventsuk.com From £50

From £59

Battle Of Lansdown Halloween Special, In The Dead Of Night

£35

www.ultimateactionevents.com £29

Issue 11 | Obstacle Race

115

RYAN BENNETT // OCR

COMPRESSION PERFORMANCE