Run in Mud ORT-10/29/16

Run 3 miles on hilly course

Sprint every other mailbox for two miles Run 3 miles easy 

Run in Mud ORT-10/28/16

Walk brisk 4 miles

Do the following 5 x

20 push ups

20 air squats

5 pull ups

Run in Mud ORT-10/31/16

Warm up:

Stretch and rotate

15 feet high knees

15 feet butt kickers

10 air squats

10 push ups

Main set:

Run easy 2 miles with 5 burpees every 1/4 mile Run 1/4 mile sprints and 1/4 mile jogs up and down hills over 3 miles

5 x 10 air squats

5 x 10 push ups

Run in Mud ORT-10/27/16

Jog 400m

Stretch and rotate muscles

10 Hanging knees to chest

10 Overhead presses

Do the following 5x (rest 2 minutes between each set):

6 overhead presses

2 rope climbs

Sled push or pull for 20 feet (as many times as possible) the intent is to simulate the Spartan sled pull. Push a weighted object or tie a rope to cinder blocks and pull. If no weights, bear crawl

Run in Mud ORT-10/26/16

Run 9 miles

Run In Mud ORT-10/25/16

Warm up:

Jog 400m

Stretch and rotate muscles and joints

5 toes to bar leg lifts

5 walking lunges each leg

10 medicine ball squats (weights of any type)

10 side lunges each leg

3 weighted squats (barbell, sand bag, etc) with three second hold at bottom x 5

Do the following 3x:

5 pullups, deadlifts, burpees, or other torso / core exercise

10 hanging leg lifts (toes to bar)

Sprint 200m

5 pullups, deadlifts, burpees, or other torso / core exercise

10 hanging leg lifts (toes to bar)

Sprint 200m

Rest 1 minute between iterations

Run 4 miles (total of 5 miles with the earlier sprints and jog (1600m)

Run In Mud ORT-10/24/16

Warm up:
Run 1 mile
25 feet high knees
25 feet butt kickers
25 feet bear crawl

Main set:
Do the following 3x:
20 leg lifts
5 hanging shoulder shrugs
20 leg lifts

Do the following 3x:
10 push ups
10 air squats

carry 45# 25 feet
5 burpees

Run 3 miles
During run do the following 2x:
3 minute sprint
2 minute jog
2 minute sprint
2 minute jog
1 minute sprint
1 minute jog

Run in Mud ORT-OCR World Championships Review

Coach Pain reminded us that we have a lot to contribute. We are older, but our lives are still significant. He then gave a warning to younger people to look not only upon their elders with respect, but understanding that we have a lot of experience to share. If younger generations show disrespect for our age, we should respond that we’ve been where they’ve been but they have not been where we are. Well, that’s what I took out of the legendary motivational speaker Coach Pain’s address to the 50+ world class OCR athletes.

I was finally ready to go. I, and several others in my heat who shared their stories with me, did not initially feel pumped up or motivated. We felt challenged by the course before us. What would all of these world class obstacles have in store? Having raced mostly in the south (Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee), this small town boy was now running in the big league and beginning to have doubts about accomplishing 48 obstacles over 15km of ski resort.

The Rig

I was grateful that our heat started at 145 pm. I threw me off at first because I am familiar with how to prepare my body to race at 7 or 8 am. I would wake up three hour early, pack on a big meal, and head off to the race and warm up. Now I would have to figure out two meals and a warm up.

For breakfast I ate oatmeal, eggs, coffee and drank lots of water. I also infused my water with chia seeds. Then I warmed up with a 1 mile slow jog and worked out with very light weights in the hotel gym. I then continued to review obstacle footage and go over notes I took from observing some of the obstacles the day prior. I also had time for a little bible study and prayerful reflection. For lunch I had a salad and protein; I felt as prepared as I was gonna be.

However, I still had doubts about completing the “rigs”. I have failed at more rigs than I had had completed and lost more wrist bands than I have brought home.

Stairway to heaven

Then,  were off. I felt motivated and pumped up. We jumped over hurdles while jockeying for position. I felt strong even as we challenged the first summit. I was able to climb over wall after wall, under barbed wire, and through pipes. Though happy about being strong thus far, I grew fearful of possible future failures.

I sprinted the first downhill slope all the way to the rig. I was so pumped up I just jumped on it and did my business. I was through before I realized it. I think that’s the key; don’t think about it, just do it. Get information about the obstacle, rehearse possible scenarios and attack with all you got. Just don’t think too much into it. This was a major breakthrough for me as I had spent 45 minutes on my last Savage Rig in September.

The first major heart breaking event was the wreck bag carry. It killed me. I think it was ½ mile up and ½ mile back down. I slowed down a lot as I weigh just a little over 50 pounds. I had to walk, rest, walk and rest keeping my head down; I did not want to look up that mountain.  Once complete, I was out of juice; kaput.

I wasn’t quitting.  Though tired and walking a bit, I was not finished. I still had breath in my lungs and fire in my belly, and a body that cooperated; so it was still a go. I ran with others in the same shape; cramping, but with tough minds and determination to finish any way they could. We motivated each other as we made our way running our own race.

I also ran with some familiar faces. Champions from southern race venues ran by me as they had in the past and always with two miles left. I always wonder how they manage to remain strong and pour it on during the last few miles.

I ended up enjoying the race and my trepidation of the obstacles continued to melt. I was happy to finish with a time of 2:37 and 10^th in the world in the 50+age category.

Finish Line, yay.

My desire is to train and eat better. I want to improve my standings and continue to meet challenging new obstacles as they appear throughout the year. additionally, my 14 year old son who watched and waited as a spectator wants to join. We’ll both be at the Spartan Sprint, Atlanta in December.  What an honor to train him to be our future on obstacle course racing.

I want to thank all the volunteers, paid professionals, fellow racers and Blue Mountain and the surrounding communities for making this such a great event. 

What I wore:

Run in Mud ORT-10/21/16

I brought my 14 year old son with me to the OCR World Championships. It was a great experience as spectators were able to actually visit most of the obstacles and that really motivated my son. Since then, he has been waking up at 4:45 am and exercising before school. I have my own workouts, but this morning I decided to work out with him and give him some beginner workouts. Feel free to increase per your level.

Run .5 miles

10 push ups

Run .5 miles

10 push ups

Repeat 3 x:

1 person Carry 2 water jugs 50 feet

1 person conducts air squats until other person returns with jugs then switch

Repeat 3 x:

Hang from any hand hold surface for 5 seconds

10 butt kickers

Repeat 3 x:

5 knees to chest or

5 toes to bar or

10 laying leg raises

20 sit ups

10 burpees

Run .5 miles

Monkey bars x 2

Run .5 miles

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-10/20/16

Warm up:

Run 1/4 mile

10 Wall Ball push ups

10 wall ball squats

Plank for 30 seconds

Stretch and Rotate muscles and joints

L hangs for 10 seconds x 3

Traverse bars or rings for 30 seconds

Do the following as many times as possible in 6 minutes:

6 Squats with dumbbells

6 squats with dumbbells

15 box jumps

Do the following 3x:

3 Split squats (Lunges each leg) with dumbbells

3 standing presses with weights

Do the following 3x:

1 minute plank

15 Russian kettlebell swings

Run In Mud Obstacle Race Training-10/11/16

I am continuing to read and study up on obstacles that will be featured at the OCR World Championships. Many, such as the platinum rig and tip of the spear are pretty daunting. They are technical in nature. The water can, wreck bags, and others I can power through and figure out a way to finish, even if I'm crawling. The rigs and monkey bars offer no alternatives.

To prepare mentally, I'm reviewing videos on you-tube and social media sites.

Physical preparation involves eating and drinking for energy and endurance, and scaling down my workouts. I'm just trying to stay loose and maintain.

Run a slow 5k

4 sets of 5 hanging leg lifts using climbing, nun chuck, and bar types of hand hold surfaces.

Rope climb

Balance beam

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-10/14/16

Big race tomorrow at OCR World Championships. Today's goal is to keep the muscles warm and moving without experiencing fatigue or injury.

Run 2 miles at an easy pace

Warm up muscles with light weight dumbbell curls, presses, and some push ups.

Next, I'm off to watch the short race and recon the obstacles.

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-10/18/16

Still not able to commit to a full workout, but I will plan that for tomorrow. I'm still trying to stay loose and warm.

Stretch and rotate

Walk 1/2 mile

Do the following 4 times over the next few hours:

20 push ups

10 air squats

10 pull ups

Carry 2 x 5 gallon water jugs (45# each arm)

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training 10/17/16

Today's workout is a recover workout and works great for the first few days after you give it all you've got in a race. Just to keep the muscles moving and warm with a little focus on the core.

Stretch and rotate joints and muscles

Do the following 4 times over the next few hours

10 push ups

10 air squats

20 leg lifts

Walk

Get a deep tissue or sports massage.

If possible, make massages part of your workout. My massage therapist applied gentle Swedish massage pressure. I thought she was digging in with some deep pressure. However she assured me that due to the tension and pain that she was treading lightly.

Some pointers:

Ice regularly even if you don't have pain Massage front of legs with light pressure. There is fascia there that you can damage if not careful.

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-10/10/16

Run 1/2 mile up hill with 25 pounds then 1/2 mile back down.

Run .1 miles with 2 x 5 gallon water cans.

Run 2 miles at a moderate pace.

20 incline sit ups

Plank 1 minute

Side plank 20 seconds each side.

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-Weekend 10/8/16

5 sets of 5 hanging leg lifts using various surfaces and hand holds

2 x rope climb

2 sets of monkey bars

Walk .1 miles with 2 x 45# water jugs.

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-10/7/16

Warm up:
Stretch and Rotate joints and muscles
Duck walk with feet flat
10 air squats
10 wall ball shots
10 medicine ball push ups
jog forward 20 feet, then backward 20 feet

5 sets of 3 push press
5 sets of 4 dumbbell lunges

200m run
500m row or 300m run
25 thrusters or standing presses
200m run

do the following 4x
12 dumbbell walking lunges (1 dumbbell)
12 kettlebell swings

Run 3 miles

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-10/6/16

Run 9 miles
Walk .1 miles with two 5 gallon water cans (45 pounds each hand)
6 sets of 5 handing leg lifts (toes to bars) on various hand hold surfaces.

Run In Mud Obstacle Race Training-10/5/16

Run 3.1 miles incorporating strong hills. The steeper and longer the better. This is the last day of my mountain training and then heading back home. I ran up and down a .5 mile side of a mountain with a very steep grade. Good training for the OCR World Championships.

Run In Mud Obstacle Race Training-10/4/Goodbuddy

Run 5.2 miles over hilly terrain.
20 leg lifts, flutter kicks, or leg spreaders per mile.

22 push ups

Practice broad jumps

Run in Mud Obstacle Race Training-10/3/16

View from the top of the mountain. It was worth the run.

I'm still preparing for the OCR World Championships 2016. As always, I train to win, but never quite get there. So, I continue to run my own race, which usually gets me on the podium for my age group.

Lately I've been challenged by technically difficult obstacles and hills which will certainly face us at the venue. For one, the OCR World Championships take place at a ski resort. Two, they are showing some nasty obstacles on their website, ugh.

I'm incorporating lots of core training and hill runs this week before I begin tapering my run. Currently you can find me in the blue ridge mountains, getting my hill run on.

Here in blue ridge, these hills are tall and steep. In fact this workout took over an hour in the mountains where it usually only takes me about 40 mins at home.

Run 5.1 miles; 20 burpees each mile.

Run In Mud Obstacle Race Training-10/1/16

Chick fil A sponsored a 10k on Oct. 1, 2016. Actually, they do a lot of these races. Their Connect Race Series sponsors races and takes care of all the logistics from timing to refreshment to awards and prizes.  It was a great race for a great cause. This particular race benefits Team Hope Ministries, an organization I serve with. Team Hope helps with the needs of the homeless, needy community members, and hungry children. Our motto is "Sharing the Hope of Jesus with the Hurt, Lost, Lonely, and Forgotten".

The 10k began at 8am with the 5k following at 8:10 and the 1 mile fun run shortly after. The course was well set up with cones marking the entire distance, lots of helpful volunteers, and loads of cows. 

I had a great time and ran my own race. This was my first timed 10k since the 80's and I'm happy to say I had a great time with it. 

I took the first place in the master's division. I received a medal, tons of free Chick fil A meals, and some bragging rights. Thanks Chick fil A, that was cool.

Winning the Master's Division with the time of 44:20