Training

After putting it off for too long, you commit to “get fit”. You go to CrossFit, start training for to a Spartan Race, join a boot camp class, etc.—only to find yourself injured shortly down the road or even the minute you start working out.

I have no issue admitting that I wear tights, well not tights exactly, but... for training. If you have been reading my "'Till Killington" articles, you will note that I have been doing far more running than I detailed out in my OCRAddicts Workout Routine article. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to do as much running as I think I will need to have in the bag before Killington so I have been on the hunt for something that can take my running to the next level and allow the workouts that I do log to be more effective. Physiclo thinks they may have the answer.

Over the last few years, I have grown quite comfortable with the Spartan Race obstacles. I can tackle most of them without issue. There are the few like the rig, the spear throw, and the Z-wall that usually have me doing burpees. Sometimes it is because of environmental issues (mud), sometimes it is because of grip strength, and sometimes it is just because the Spartan gods have a great sense of humor. In an effort to stay fresh and learn something new, I wanted to see what the Spartan Obstacle Specialist course was all about, and if the money spent on it would be worth the time and the effort.

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.

Well, if you are reading this you are probably a few days or a few weeks from your first or next Ultra Beast. Most likely, you are past the “What the Hell did I sign up for?” phase and moved into the “How do I ensure my survival?” phase. This …

Over the last few months, I have had a number of people ask me about my workout routine. There isn't anything I do that is "new" or revolutionary, but what I do on a regular basis just works for me. With that in mind, I decided to share some of the things I do to keep myself in the best shape possible.

This training plan is the one I developed and used for the Killington Ultra Beast. I raced all year and really wanted to make my way up to Killington to tackle the founder's race with authority.

In light of the upcoming holiday (yes, Halloween is a holiday in my book), the folks at Spartan have put together a workout from hell. Get ready and get going...

There is nothing worse than powering your way through a course, getting to an obstacle, then dropping to the ground because your grip strength isn’t what it should be.  Let’s face it, many of us have been there, I have done more burpees than I can count due to grip failure. …

While many of the exercises I have focused on here are meant to increase the strength of an athlete, exercises designed around running are just as important. After all, OCR does have an R in it for Race. If you read the title and immediately thought of a foul odor, you aren't alone. The name is horrible... but the activity is intense.