Run For Your Lives! Obstacle Race Review

October 25, 2012 By 9 Comments

Here’s the scoop on Run for Your Lives: Race waves run every 30 minutes with about 500 runners per wave. Runners wear a flag football belt and 3 flags. Throughout the course you must avoid zombies who are after your life (flags). The goal is to make it to the end of the course with at least one flag to be considered a ‘survivor’. If you lose all your flags, you cross the finish line ‘dead’.

 

Run For Your Lives Southern California 10/20/12

Early Saturday morning, before the sun rose, we packed the car and began our trek to Vail Lake for the Run For Your Lives obstacle race. During the two hour drive we worked on our strategy to outrun zombies and devised a plan to get some great photos and video of the race. [Read more…]

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Running Ain’t The Half of It

October 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

So when you think of obstacle racing usually the first thing that comes to mind is running through mud.  Yes you will be running.  And yes, there is usually mud.  But there are lots more to these events than just running.  I think people new to these events (if they are going to train) focus a lot on the running and nothing else.  But this is just a small piece of the pie.

Strength training is the other part of the equation that will help ensure a successful race.  All of the obstacles that you will encounter may use muscles you never knew you had.  So because of that it’s a great idea to include core and strength training into your training routine.

I’m not talking about bulking up body builder style.  But by using your own body weight alone can help you attain lean muscle mass that will get you over the highest walls or army crawl through mud with the best of them. [Read more…]

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Training in Unlikely Places

October 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

When I’m not running trails or crawling through mud, you can usually find me in a theme park.  Yes, Daniel and I are admitted theme park addicts.  We are the proud owners of more than one season pass to Southern California’s best attractions.  We are proudly turning our three young ones into adrenaline junkies one day at a time just like their parents. :)

Two of our kids enjoying Space Mountain at Disneyland.

Without even thinking about it we can log six miles on the pedometer in one day at a park.  This is a great way to keep the training going even in the most unusual places. [Read more…]

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Training Tips For Beginners – Tip #2

October 5, 2012 By Leave a Comment

So you are probably thinking, “Okay, I know how to run now.  How do I take it to the next level?”

Once you feel comfortable in your running shoes and you feel confident in your running skills, it’s time to bump it to the next level.  Whether you’ve been a stroller strider, treadmill champ or sidewalk soldier, take to the dirt!

Your journey begins just off the paved road.

If you are training for a obstacle race or mud run, guess what?  Your event will be in the dirt!  I’m sorry if I scared you.  It’s not so bad.  I think you will actually enjoy it once you get out there and get a little dirty. [Read more…]

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Excuse Me, I Burpee’d

October 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

30 burpees for every obstacle I can’t finish?  Yikes!  I get winded after about 10!  I suppose I better bump up my training and add in some burpees!  The Spartan Sprint is just two months away, and they require you to do 30 burpees as a penalty for every obstacle you cannot complete.

Most people would probably ask, “What the heck is a burpee”?  If you are asking that question, you probably last thought about them in middle school gym class just before blocking them out of your memory until now.

This is how Wikipedia defines a burpee:

  1. Begin in a standing position.
  2. Drop into a squat position with your hands on the ground.
  3. Extend your feet back in one quick motion to assume the front plank position.
  4. Return to the squat position in one quick motion.
  5. Jump straight into the air as high as possible.

 

4 Steps to a successful burpee

I really like the idea of gradually building my burpee endurance, so I’ve decided to create my own burpee challenge. Each day I hope to add at least one additional burpee.  I will check in to keep me accountable.  I definitely don’t want to not be able to get my 30 burpees in if I can’t stick that spear at the Spartan Sprint! [Read more…]

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