When I signed up for the NJ Ultra Beast, I didn't have any idea what I was in for. I mean, you hear about the mileage and the number of obstacles, but you really won't get it until you try it. Also, I joined the best Facebook group on the planet and talked with everyone I could, but having attempted the race, none of that matters. With that said, I learned some valuable lessons that I feel I should share with you.

Face it; we all love gadgets. I love them more than most. I have been running a lot lately, training, competing, etc. While running with my phone is an option for training; running long distances with my phone isn't. Additionally, running through the muck and mud with a phone strapped to you is just asking for trouble. I set out on a path to find the OCRADDICT's dream companion, a GPS training watch that can handle all the things we throw at it... and more. That means it needs to be durable, waterproof, include GPS (duh), and provide the functionality to track and improve my training.

If you had been sitting by and waiting for the email to come, wait no longer. The fine folks at Spartan have finally released the Athlete guide for the 2016 New Jersey Beast and Ultra Beast. A good majority of the information is standard fare, but the interesting bits are as follows.

If any of you has embarked or are going to be taking part in any endurance event, you will have most likely found that there is usually a list published with some required equipment and gear. For many of us in OCR, these events can start early in the morning and catapult us into the evening hours. These types of events usually have a headlamp on the list of requirements and Black Diamond things they should be the ones to satisfy this need.

The vertical cargo net is similar to the A-Frame obstacle. The idea here is to challenge someone's fear of height by climbing to the top via a cargo net, then transitioning to the opposite side of the obstacle for a decent. The transition is the most challenging part of this obstacle.

Let's face it, we love showing the world what we have or have accomplished. For those of you that own a GoPro, this task has become much easier to accomplish than others fumbling about with their camera phones while trying to find the finish line, navigate an obstacle, or flying down a mountain with fiberglass strapped to your feet. While wearing a GoPro, or any action cam for that matter, is one thing; getting it to and from your venue is another. That is where travel bags and specially designed cases like AmazonBasics Carrying Case for GoPro come in.

Without spending a lot of time on personal details, I am about to endeavor on my first Ultra Beast in the great state of NJ. There is a large community of UB veterans, such as our very own War Paint Waldo, and a slew of competent folks in the dedicated …

There truly is nothing better than finishing a long race through the mud and muck.  Coming out at the other end, grabbing your medal and t-shirt then walking off into the sunset... that is unless you are gimping from blisters on your feet.  Many of us have been there, running through the pain, running with blisters because we spent more time researching which shirt to wear instead of what socks we should wear.  After all, your feet are hitting the ground through the entire run, not your chest.  The right pair of socks can make a difference.  We already know that we loved Mudgear's compression socks,  but Vitalsox thinks they can sway us with their entry, the VT1211 Patented Performance Graduated Compression OTC.

OCRAddict has teamed up with the folks over at Spartan to bring you a fantastic discount on any Spartan Race SGX Training Course or Spartan OS + SGX Online packages.

For many years now, the fine folks at Spartan and the big man himself, Joe De Sena, have been pushing athletes to be their limits.  Spartan Races have attracted some of the finest athletes around the world and has opened the door for many other race organizers to motivate and challenge people. …