Health & Nutrition

With this year's race season getting into swing, there are a lot of things we are doing to prepare ourselves for our individual events. We are training on the regular, making sure our gear is up to par, but are you getting yourself truly prepared for your next race? We've aimed to make that much easier with a new release of our OCR Preparedness spreadsheet.

Maybe it has happened to you; maybe it hasn't. It definitely has happened to me on more than one occasion. You know what I am talking about, don't you? Having a callus ripped off your hand on an obstacle. The first time it happened to me was at the Spartan Race Palmerton Super. I came up to the Twister, hopped on it, and halfway through I felt a chunk of my hand missing. It happened again this past weekend to me at the OCR World Championships, this time happening on Skull Valley during the 3K race. It really makes for a miserable time, and it put a huge damper on my 15K race... I couldn't grab anything.

Many of us have been there; we are training hard, running hard, then we start to feel some discomfort on the outside of our thigh down to the knee. Some of us ignore it until it is too late, some of us start taking the time to understand what is going on and correct it or treat it. Usually, in a runner, this is the start of ITBS (Iliotibial Band Syndrome). If you let it linger too long, you can put yourself out of commission quickly. The best thing to do is start treating it before it even happens.

As time has progressed and we’ve gotten to know some of our fellow OCRAddicts, we have begun to receive lots of questions about what we use to be ready for and be successful on race day. From our gear, our shoes, race day nutrition, and lately with our partnership with Tiger Fitness we are getting asked about supplementation. After some deliberation and pondering, I decided I’ll dive into a multi-part series of the surprisingly personal category that is supplementation as well as going through my primary stack, 'supplemental' supplements, and some items that will find their way with me on race day. Please note I am not, nor do I pretend to be a medical doctor in any capacity. So please consult a medical professional before starting any physical and/or supplement regime.

This is a deeply personal piece for everyone, but we have been getting a lot of requests for this as we approach our next Ultra Beast in the great Garden State (NJ). In this, I will cover my race day usages and recommendations as a baseline. It is up to you on how you would like to tinker with the specifics, or what you use.

If you got Savage, or took part in a southern Spartan this fall, you probably strolled by a large white RV in the festival area. That RV belongs to IV Hydro Pros, it is a division of Mobile Healthcare Solutions LLC that primarily focuses on the emerging market of IV hydration therapy, primarily serving the state of Texas out of the DFW Metroplex. What makes them unique is that they are mobile and can be booked for events, as well as provide concierge services; bringing hospital treatments to the general public. “Our IV stations have a spa-like atmosphere and are relaxing spaces for all IV'ers to enjoy. Receive your treatment today in a comfortable, sterile, and upscale environment.”

Listen, we all do crazy things leading up to a big race or event. The truth is, many of us decide to cut things out of our normal routines the week of, or the week before. However, changing things up can do more harm than good if you haven't taken the time to think it out properly. Personally, I know there isn't going to be a Dunkin' Donuts at the top of Killington, but that doesn't mean I am going to cut the coffee the week of the race.

If you are a fan of the products from Clif Bar, you may need to check your inventory. Many an OCRAddict have become fond of Clif Bar over the years, as they were offered as a finisher's snack at popular organizer events like the famed Spartan Race. Unfortunately, there has been a voluntary recall of three different flavors of Clif products due to a potential Listeria moncytogenes contamination. Here are the details of the recall.

We all know that there are a ton of people that travel for OCR, myself being one of them. The issue I typically have when traveling for a race is race day nutrition. Many of the early heats runs have me starting early in the morning and hungry. There aren't a lot of reliable options for food on the morning of race day if you are traveling, unless you pack your own. The last thing you want to have is stomach issues in the starting coral. CLIF thinks they have a solution for the weekend warrior that will get you battle ready and ensure that your morning will be a predictable one.

Many runners have learned the benefits of carbing up the week of a big race. What many of us haven't figured out is the right balance of carbs and quantity to keep our bodies and energy levels in good form.