Overcome and Run: Recent Episodes
Heather Bode: Obstacle Course Racer, Podcast Host and Blogger
Created for those who have never ran an obstacle course race (OCR) and want to, those who are weekend warriors who are looking to become elite obstacle course racers, and those elite racers who are want to keep up to date with the community. Whether you are into mud run’s, marathons, ultra-marathons or adventure racing we have something for you! We will be talking to professional racers, personal trainers, fitness coaches, nutritionists and race creators to bring you the best practices to get you ready for your next race.
This week, I spoke with Antonio Alletto, race director and founder of Grit OCR.
Antonio starts by telling me all about Grit OCR, from the format to the obstacles and everything in between. We talk about the two different race distances they offer, and how that poses a challenge as a race director.
I ask him about how he chooses which obstacles to include, which leads us to a discussion about what he loves about rucking and why it's an important part of his race. Antonio shares what factors go into making it different each year, and we have a discussion about obstacles.
He then tells me about the most difficult parts of putting on an OCR, and the most rewarding parts. We then talk about the new second location, and Antonio shares his goals for Grit OCR.
This week, I spoke with elite OCR athlete Ashley Heller!
We start with talking about her most recent Spartan race in Montana, and about how much we both love that course.
Ashley tells me about her recent injury, her recovery process and how she dealt with it. We talk about her return to racing, and she shares advice for athletes dealing with injuries.
We then talk about Elevate OCR and its mission, which leads us to talk about what we love about the sport of obstacle course racing. Lastly, Ashley shares with me her plans for 2021 and what races she has her eye on.
Matt B. Davis of Obstacle Racing Media joins me on the podcast for a special bonus episode this week!
We start with talking about endurance running and training, and then discuss OCR podcasting through 2020, and how the OCR competition has changed over the past year.
Matt then asks me some questions about myself and what I've been up to the past year, and we talk about his live coverage over at ORM.
We discuss the championships later in the year and speculate on attendance, and Matt tells me about his upcoming "last man standing" race in July.
Lastly, we share what we love about ultras, and I get real with where I've been over the last year and my return to OCR and podcasting.
Oh hey we're back! This week I spoke with elite OCR athlete Alex Walker who took third place at Hildervat this past weekend.
We start with talking about the race itself, and her likes and dislikes from the weekend, which leads us to a short discussion of men's weights versus women's weights.
Then we talk about her 2021 race season, and the state of OCR competition after the big 2020 break. Alex shares her goals and plans for 2021, which leads us to talk about her running preferences and the benefits of running trails over road running.
Lastly, we talk about her goals for her training, and the value of training itself.
To check out race coverage from Hildervat, check out The OCR Report and The OCR Report YouTube channel.
Hey everyone, I'm back! I spoke with elite OCR athlete Javier Escobar this week all about his 100-mile outing at World's Toughest Mudder last fall, his training, and how he stays motivated.
We begin by talking about his 2019 WTM experience, and how it felt to reach 100 miles. He tells me about his progression from 35 miles at his first WTM to 100 miles at his latest.
He talks about how his training program has improved his performance, and the specific training and movements he's been working on.
Javier and I discuss how he stays motivated during this time, he tells me his least favorite thing to do during training, and we chat about our rivalry during Toughest Mudder West last year.
He then tells me about his experience running the UltraVirus 12 Hour Race, and he may or may not have convinced me to run the next one.
Back with a brand new episode all about the Spartan World Championships in Tahoe!
I start with giving my own race recap about the 10k Trail race on Saturday, then share my experience racing in Age Group at the World Championships on Sunday.
Then I talk with Kris Brown, winner of Saturday's Ultra race and an experienced ultra runner who is also a member of Spartan's Trail Race team.
Lastly, I have a great long interview with Spartan Pro Ashley Heller, all about her top 10 placing at the World Championship, how she handled the elements, how she's been performing all year, and much more.
Spartan start line emcee, motivational speaker and coach Mr. J'ean joins me on the podcast to talk all about his experiences at the start line, motivation, and transparency.
We begin with Mr. J'ean telling me about his background, and then all about how he got involved with Spartan. We talk about burnout, and how he gets through sending off thousands of racers every race day.
He shares the challenges of his job as the start line emcee, and also tells me about his favorite part about it. He also tells me some stories of some of the most memorable experiences he's had and what they meant to him.
We end with Mr. J'ean telling me all about his podcast Transparency: What's your Story?, and we discuss the idea of transparency and transparent moment.
You can find his podcast here: https://thealivexperienceonline.com/podcast-2/
And his motivational CD here: https://thealivexperienceonline.com/product-category/music/
This week's episode is full of live interviews from the Spartan weekend in Monterey, California last weekend!
I spoke with:
-Timmie Brann
-Nick O'Sullivan
-Natalie Miano
-Ian Deyerle
-Veejay Jones
-Mark Batres
-Annie Dube
-Zhanique Lovett
This week's episode is all about hiking! At the beginning of this month, I hiked the Cactus to Clouds trail up to San Jacinto Peak, where I met three hikers in the midst of hiking the entire Pacific Crest Trail.
I start by sharing my experience with the grueling Cactus to Clouds hike, then dive into the interviews with Stripes, Mr. Snuggles and Dink (their PCT trail names).
I spoke with them all about what motivated them to start this long, arduous journey, and we talk a bit about Cactus to Clouds.
I ask them each what they're most looking forward to, how and what they decided to bring, and the logistics of their trip.
We talk about the terrain for a bit, then end with discussing their next big goals once they complete the PCT.
This week's episode is full of live interviews from the Spartan USNS Beast and Mountain Series Sprint in Big Bear, California! I spoke with athletes all about the crazy hills, the cold dunk wall on Sunday, and everything in between.
On Saturday at the Beast, I spoke with:
-Rea Kolbl
-Mark Batres
-Natalie Miano
-Ryan Kent
-Alyssa Hawley
-Mack Roesch
On Sunday at the Sprint, I spoke with:
-Matt B. Davis of Obstacle Racing Media
-Rea Kolbl
-Amanda Nadeau
-Veejay Jones
-Aaron Newell
-Nicole Mericle
Ultra marathon athlete and former World's Toughest Mudder champion Trevor Cichosz joins me this week to tell me all about his experience at Everest 135, an intense 135-mile ultra marathon where he took third place.
We begin with Trevor telling me all about how he heard of this race, all the race prep required and the training (and lack thereof) that led up to it.
He tells me about the race prep in the days leading up to the race, and walks me through his entire race experience, from the issues to the checkpoints, to the altitude and all that climbing. Trevor shares some wild stories, from hallucinating a village to holding onto donkeys so he wouldn't get kicked off the treacherous mountain trails.
We talk about how it compared to his race across Scotlandlast year, and Trevor talks about the lessons he learned and what he'll do to prepare next time.
We end by talking more about ultra marathons, what's next on his schedule, and his next crazy adventure.
Want more? Read about Trevor's experience in his own words, on his blog here: http://www.groundpounder.org/2019/05/13/everest-135/
Live from Snohomish, Washington, I grabbed a ton of interviews with some of the top athletes who ran the Seattle Spartan Championship Super. We spoke about the challenges of the course, the weather, the competition, and more!
I spoke with:
-Faye Morgan
-Aaron Newell
-Nicole Mericle
-Ryan Atkins
-Rea Kolbl
-Ryan Kent
-Veejay Jones
This week is full of live interviews and my own review from Tough Mudder's opening weekend in California! I was there Sunday to run the course, and I got interviews from some key members of the TM community, including:
-Tough Mudder CEO Kyle McLaughlin
-Two of the three founders of Assist 100 Mudders, Joey Ta and Ed Groleau
-Tough Mudder emcee and community favorite Sean Corvelle
Jack Bauer, the mind behind the massive Spartan ranking system, joins me on the podcast to talk all about the top women in the elite field.
We begin with talking about the "Fab 5" elite women and who it has consisted of, and how it might be changing. We have a long discussion full of stats about most all of the top women currently in the field, and where we think they'll end up by championship season. This leads me to ask for Jack's opinion on whether the wide variety of course types in the Spartan USNS will affect the top placing.
Jack then gives me plenty of head-to-head stats from the women's field, and I ask him if he thinks that some of the slower starts this year are due to the fact that the series started so early.
We get briefly sidetracked by some of the men's competition, and we then discuss the women that dominated the field years ago, and how they would stack up against the top women's field today. Jack goes one to tell me which women had the most podiums each year.
We then get into the topic of dark horses, and Jack gives me some names to look out for this year.
Lastly, we end with a discussion about the recently announced OCRWC ranking system, and how we both feel about it.
Elite OCR athlete and Spartan Pro Team member Veejay Jones joins me on the podcast to talk about his win at the Spartan U.S. National Series race, how he trains and what he focuses on in his training, and about the upcoming show he's on, Million Dollar Mile.
We start with Veejay telling me about his win in Alabama, and I ask him about his proficiency with obstacles. He then explains to me why the Spartan U.S. National Series isn't on his radar, and I ask him when he'll start to focus on winning Beasts. I also ask him whether or not he feels as though he's underestimated by the elite field.
Veejay also tells me about his training with Richard Diaz, and how that's affected his performance at races.
We then talk about the upcoming show Million Dollar Mile, and Veejay explains the premise of the show and the layout of the course. He tells me about what is like to work the other pros on the show, and I ask him how it compares to some of the other OCR-related shows we've seen.
Lastly, Veejay tells me about what he will be focusing on, and the his goal races for the year.
Kressa Peterson joined me for a bonus episode this week to talk all about her product Shower Toga, appearing on Shark Tank, and how the values of OCR got her to where she is today.
We begin with Kressa introducing herself and telling me about when and how the idea for the Shower Toga was born. She then tells me about the process of getting on Shark Tank, and we compare it to an endurance OCR. That leads us to a discussion about the lessons and confidence OCR has given us, and how it affects every aspect of our lives.
Kressa tells me more about future plans for the Shower Toga, including working with disaster relief and finding ways to make it more biodegradable.
She then talks about what it was like being on the show and being her authentic self on the show, which leads us to another discussion about discovering who we are and the strength we have. We also talk about the teamwork and camaraderie of OCR, and how it instills empathy.
Lastly, we circle back to Shark Tank and talk more about the her investors.
You can order Shower Toga here: https://showertoga.com/
You can watch the Shark Tank episode here: https://abc.go.com/shows/shark-tank/episode-guide/season-10/14-episode-14
We've got more live interviews for you this week from the Spartan San Jose Sprint! I spoke with athletes all about the course, the competition, how it compares to previous years, and what's ahead for them.
I start by giving my own recap of the Sprint race, and then speak with:
-Kyle Elliot
-Josh Fry
-Seth Buchwalter
-Ian Deyerle
-Erin Wachter
-Emilee Smith
This week's episode is full of live interviews from the Spartan Sprint and Super weekend outside Las Vegas (technically in Arizona), and my own recap from the race.
I spoke with Veejay Jones all about his race, racing against Cody Moat and Hobie Call, and a little bit about the upcoming show Million Dollar Mile.
I also spoke with Hobie Call about his return to racing this year, and Cody Moat about racing neck-and-neck with Veejay, and I ask them both about their Sprint race and what races they'll be at this year.
I wasn't able to grab an interview with Cera Edgley at the venue, so I gave her a quick call on the road and Cera told me about her podium finish at the Sprint on Saturday, and more about the disqualification she and Timmie Brann received on Sunday.
Elite OCR athlete Ryan Kempson joins me this week to talk all about his win at the Spartan US National Series Super in Jacksonville last weekend, the series as a whole, the sport of OCR, and how he trains for such a long season.
We start with Ryan giving me his background and how he got into OCR. We then dive into Jacksonville and Ryan break down how his race went and the competition.
We discuss the new obstacles, and then dive into the topic of officiating at races, and how Ryan feels Spartan is doing in that respect. We talk about penalties, and the degree to which they should or perhaps shouldn't be penalized, especially when compared to other sports.
Ryan then tells me about how he trains for such a long OCR season without burning out, and we talk about the diversity of the courses in Spartan's US National Series and how it may affect the competition.
I ask Ryan about his race preferences, and he tells me more about other OCRs he has run and how they differ from Spartan.
We end with Ryan sharing his goals and the races he's focusing on this year, and how consistency is key in the sport of OCR.
This week's episode is full of live interviews from the Spartan Sprint/Super weekend in Arizona! I spoke with some of the elite athletes there all about the terrain, the cold, and the competition.
I spoke with:
-Emilee Smith
-Nick O'Sullivan
-Beni Gifford
-Amanda Nadeau
-Daniel Sorenson
-Heather Gollnick
-Timmie Brann
-Nikolaj Dam
-Leon Kofoed
Founder and Race Director for Grit OCR Antonio Alletto joined me on the podcast this week to tell me all about his race, how and why created it, and the challenges and success he encountered along the way.
We start by Antonio introducing himself and telling me about his background with OCR. We then dive into Grit as I ask him why he wanted to create an OCR, and he tells me how he started it.
Antonio walks me through the process of creating an OCR and creating the course, and tells me all about how he built all of his obstacles. He talks about the biggest challenges he faced in creating his own OCR, and we talk about last year's inaugural event and what he learned from it.
He explains the format of the race, and I ask him why he chose penalty loops over mandatory obstacle completion. He also explains how the competitive system works at his race.
We end by discussing expansion and different race formats, and Antonio tells me what kind of person Grit OCR is trying to reach.
The 2019 Spartan season kicked off in Chino, California last weekend and I spoke with some of the elite athletes who hit the podium all about the course, what they thought of the new obstacles, the competition, and the year ahead.
I spoke with:
-Kirk DeWindt
-Nicole Mericle
-Veejay Jones
-Nell Rojas
-Natalie Miano
-Nikolaj Dam
-Leon Kofoed
Live from Platinum OCR's first time trial of 2019, I spoke with some of the top athletes there all about the time trials, their training, and their plans for the upcoming season.
I spoke with Omar Padilla who placed first, Faye Morgan who placed first for women, Platinum OCR owner Nicole Kifer and second place female Evelyne Ruiz. We discuss the challenges they faced with the course and the obstacles, and how it relates to Spartan and other OCR races.
I also ask them about their training, their goals, and what their plans are for 2019.
A great short episode to send you into your weekend!
Spartan's VP of Product David Watson joins me on the podcast this week to discuss all the changes Spartan made to their championship qualification system, and their championship weekend, and why they decided to make them.
We start with some clarifying questions about the qualification system and the roll-down weeks that follow the last U.S. National Series race and the North American Championship in West Virginia.
Then we dive into the why: I ask David why Spartan decided to change the the qualification system to only 6 races in the season and if they took into account those racers that might find it especially difficult to qualify for the World Championships because of that. That leads us into an interesting discussion about raising the standards of championships and legitimizing the sport.
I ask David at what point Spartan will give more spots to international competitors, and we discuss the international competition.
We then talk all about the new format of the Spartan World Championship weekend, and I dive into all the questions I have about Sunday: why they cut the open wave, whether they think it's realistic racers will stick around to spectate on Sunday, and what the competition will look like.
After talking about the championships, I ask David about the new obstacles Spartan will be debuting this year which leads us into a discussion about obstacle standardization between the race formats, and further into distance standardization as well.
And lastly, I ask the question that's on everyone's mind: will the Spartan World Championships ever leave Tahoe?
This week, I invited Matt B. Davis of Obstacle Racing Media, Josh Chace of the New England Spahtens podcast, and Mike Stefano and Katelyn Ritter of the Obstacle Running Adventures podcast on the show for a round table discussion about a whole host of OCR topics.
We start by talking about Spartan's addition of age group podiums: what Spartan's goal was, whether or not they acheived it, and how they affected the competitive field. That leads us to discuss the addition of numerous race series within Spartan, and their championship series.
We move on to talk about Tough Mudder's Tougher series, and then we talk about the two-loop format Tough Mudder tried this year (and why it failed).
That leads us into a discussion about the breakneck speed with which companies are adding race formats and making changes. We talk about the Spartan trail race series, and speculate on whether or not it will be successful in 2019.
We also have a quick talk about the festival areas and where or not they're getting better, and why that's important.
Amidst unrelated banter, we then talk about OCR-related TV shows, and what they do or don't do for OCR. We then go off on another tangent about podcasts and which ones we listen to, complete with plenty more banter.
We end our discussion by stating our goals for next year, both with podcasting and racing.
This week elite OCR athlete and coach Mark Batres joins me to talk all about training in the off-season: the dos, the don'ts, and how to train to improve your performance for the next year.
We start with Mark telling me about his OCR season went, and then he tells me all about the recent Spartan combine held in Laughlin. I also ask him if he's planning on running one of the new Spartan Trail races, and we chat a bit about that.
Mark then tells me more about his coaching business, and how and why he got started.
We then talk about the off-season, and Mark explains why it's not good to take an excessive amount of time off. He tells me about building a base, and discusses the best ways to use the off-season to improve your OCR performance.
I ask him about plateaus in training, and Mark tells me how they happen, and the best advice for pushing past them. We then discuss finding a balance between overtraining and not training enough, and I ask him what some of the biggest mistakes are that people make in the off-season.
We end by talking a bit about the Spartan U.S. Championship series next year, and Mark's goals for 2019.
Elite ultra marathon runner and trail racer Devon Yanko joins me on the podcast this week to talk all about Western States, running ultra marathons, and why she loves (and excels at) those long distances.
We start with Devon telling me more about her background, and how she got into running and eventually towards ultras. She tells me about her first ultra, and how the community drew her in to the sport. She shares with me some of the lessons she learned, then talks about the first ultra she won.
I ask Devon why she prefers running long distances, which leads us to talk about how the ability to endure suffering is a key element to ultra running.
We talk about her lowest race moment (that happened to be captured on camera for the Billy Yang film Life In A Day), and how she got through it.
That leads us to talking all about The Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run, and her performance in 2016 where she placed third for women. She talks about what helped secure that podium spot, and goes in depth about various parts of the course.
She tells me about her injury after that race, and how she ran seven more races on a broken foot.
We then talk about her first OCR in Utah last summer and what she thought about it, and I ask Devon if she'll try any endurance OCR's coming up, and we talk about the possibility of her running World's Toughest Mudder next year.
Lastly, I ask Devon why she loves running, and we talk about all the great things about these sports.
This week, I brought Erin Rost on the show to talk all about her second place win for the women at World's Toughest Mudder last weekend, and all about that intense 24-hour event.
We start with Erin telling me about her background and how she got into OCR, and we talked about Toughest Mudder South (her first endurance OCR) and the lessons she learned in order to have a strong performance at WTM.
She tells me more about how she trained for WTM, and describes some of the long distance races she ran to prepare, including the North Face Endurance Challenge, her first 50-mile race.
Erin shares the worries she had going into World's, and she tells me all about her WTM experience, from the obstacles, to the routes she chose, to the lowest moment during her race (and she recites the epic poem that helped her through it).
We talk about the dramatic finish to the women's race, and the moment she realized that she took second place, and Erin tells me how it felt to cross the finish line.
We also talk about her experiences with the Tough Mudder community on the course, and she shares her OCR plans and goals for next year.
For our second episode this week, I brought elite OCR athlete Mikhail Gerylo on to talk all about this year's OCR World Championships in the UK.
Mik starts by telling me all about the 15k race where he placed in the top 15, and talks about the 100 obstacles in detail. He shares what made the course so difficult, and why the overall completion rate for many elite athletes was so low.
He tells me more about the unique obstacles there, and shares his strategy for recovering after falling off an obstacle. Mik also compares this year's course to last year's, and the challenges with each.
We then talk about the team race, and he tells me his role on the Maple Syrup Mamas team alongside Ryan Atkins and Lindsay Webster. Mik gives more detail about the team race format, and tells me more about the stiff competition.
We then talk about the race distance that he prefers to train for, and Mik shares more about his background and coaching. He tells me his plans for the off-season, and his big OCR goals for 2019.
From March 28th to August 28th of this year, OCR competitor Ben Mitchell hiked the entire length of the Pacific Crest Trail, so I brought him on the show to talk all about his journey.
Ben starts by introducing himself and how he got into OCRs, then tells me when and why he decided to hike the entire PCT. We talk about how long it took him to prepare, what it involved, and what he carried on him every day (and the lessons he learned about what not to carry).
He tells me about his worst day he had out on the trail, and we talk about trail logistics. Ben also shares what food and nutrition he relied on throughout the months he was hiking, and tells me more about his itinerary and breaks, also known as "zero days".
Ben also shares his favorite parts of the trail, and walks me through the different states and sections of the trail and their defining characteristics.
Lastly, he tells me about how it felt to finish the trail, and talks about the lessons he learned and the biggest takeaways from the entire trip.
OCR athlete Deanna Brasz joins me on the podcast this week to talk all about Toughest Mudder, endurance racing and mental strength!
Deanna starts by sharing her background and how she got into OCR, and tells me why she primarily sticks to Tough Mudder.
We then talk about the recent Toughest Mudder West where she finished in fifth place for the women, and the unexpected challenges of that race. She also tells me how this Toughest Mudder compares to the many other that she has run before.
Deanna then tells me about why she tends to lean towards endurance races, and the mental attitude behind it. We go over details like her pit strategy and nutrition, and she shares what it's like dealing with exercise-induced asthma during these races.
We also discuss mental strength, and Deanna tells me about her World's Toughest Mudder experience last year. She shares what she's been focusing on with training, and what specific techniques she's been using to improve her upper body strength.
Live from the Tough Mudder weekend in Sonoma, this week's episode is full of interviews from athletes at the Tougher Mudder wave, the Toughest Mudder West race, and race director Eli Hutchison.
I spoke with Lauren Taksa and Nick O'Sullivan on Saturday all about their respective wins at the Tougher Mudder race, and they give us some insight into the course and the competition.
Then I spoke with Trevor Cichosz, Rea Kolbl, Allison Tai, and Kris Mendoza after the Toughest Mudder race (shortly after I had finished my own) all about the competition, how the daytime Toughest Mudder compared to the races at night, what they thought of the course, and more.
Lastly, I spoke with Eli Hutchison from TMHQ all about Toughest and about the many changes Tough Mudder is making to their 2019 season.
This week's episode is full of live interviews from the Spartan World Championships at Lake Tahoe last weekend! We talk all about the championship race, the team race, and what's ahead with championship season.
I spoke with:
-Ian Hosek
-Robert Killian, John Yatsko and Mark Batres
-Guest interview by Margaret Schlacter with Alyssa Hawley, Kristin Saad and Nicole Mericle
-Ashley Heller, Emilee Smith and Kaci Monroe
-Ryan Kent, Veejay Jones and Mike Ferguson
-Yancy Culp
-Alyssa Hawley
-Nicole Mericle
-Kristin Saad
This week, I brought on Dustin Dorough for a Q&A session all about Terrain Race, from their past and current issues to the changes we can look forward to for 2019.
Dustin starts by explaining how and why he got started with Terrain Race, and tells me more about the development team that he's a part of and how hands on that team is with the race. He also talks about the changes that the team is planning on implementing in 2019.
We discuss the issues with the photographers and photos from the races they've had, and we discuss issues with customer service and how they plan on improving it in the future.
I also ask about their recent promotion where they offered free registration, and Dustin explains the thought process behind it.
Lastly, I ask about whether they'll be putting more emphasis on the competitive race in the future, and whether they'll add more distance options beyond the 5K.
This week's episode is full of live interviews from the Spartan Beast in Seattle! I spoke with the athletes about everything from the course, to the competition, to their methods of conquering the course and the obstacles.
I spoke with:
-Michelle Ford
-Ashley Heller
-John Howell
-Josh Fry
-Heather Gollnick
I spoke with strength and conditioning coach Chad Budyk all about why strength training is just as important as running, why lifting heavy enough is important, and about matching the demands of race day in your training.
Chad starts by introducing himself and his background, and explains to me why he specializes in OCR training. We discuss how athletes tend to stick to certain distances and races, and speculate on the possibility of having different championship races for different race distances.
He then explains how and why athletes should be focusing on strength and conditioning just as much as running, and why you should never, ever burpee out on a strength obstacle. He also explains how strength training helps you manage your heart rate on race day.
That leads us into a discussion about matching or exceeding the demands of race day in your training: what it looks like, why it's important, and why you need to go hard on those days. Chad tells me about using consequences to replicate race day pressure, and why they're effective.
Lastly, Chad talks about training on the trails like you would train for a track, and how it's beneficial to your performance.
This week, I talked to elite OCR athlete and ultra runner Trevor Cichosz all about his recent win at Ultra Great Britain, a 214-mile race across Scotland.
Trevor tells me how he heard about the race and why he decided to run it, and what he was most worried about going into the race. He also talks about how he trained for the longest race he's ran yet.
He walks me through his race experience, from the start line nerves, to the darkest part of his race and how he pushed past it, to some of the most interesting parts of the course (including hallucinating from the lack of sleep).
Trevor talks about what kind of gear and nutrition he relied on, and about the gear mistakes he made. He also shares some interesting stories about his encounters with animals and slightly aggressive cows.
We end by talking about his World's Toughest Mudder experience last year where he took third place with 95 miles, and what he's looking forward to at that event this year.
This week, I brought trainer, nutritionist and elite athlete Josh Stryde back on the show to talk all about racing in Canada, race week prep, overtraining and the importance of recovery, and nutrition.
We start with Josh telling me all about the Spartan Rocky Mountain Trifecta weekend in Canada, which leads us to a discussion about what it takes to prepare for a triple-race weekend, from nutrition prep to recovery. Josh talks about cramping in races and the big factors that lead up to it, and how to best avoid it with proper nutrition pre- and post-race.
We then talk about the elite competition in Canada and Josh tells me more about the elite field up there. We then talk about what big trail races athletes are focusing on in Canada, and Josh tells me about some of the best places for trail running.
Josh also talks about recognizing the symptoms of overtraining and how to avoid it. That brings us to a discussion about recovery, why hiring a coach is beneficial, and the importance of mental recovery.
We end with Josh sharing some nutrition tips when it comes to training in the heat, and why and how you should carbo-load before race day.
This week's episode is full of live interviews from the Spartan Championship Series Super in Utah! I spoke with:
-Garfield Griffiths
-Devon Yanko
-Robert Killian
-Mike Ferguson
-Lindsay Webster
-Ryan Woods
-Leigh Anne Wasteney
They talk about everything from the race, to the strategies they used to tackle the course, to the championship series and how this race compares with past championship races, and more.
I got plenty of time for some longer interviews, so there's a lot of great information and tips in this live episode!
I spoke with elite OCR athlete Alexandra Walker this week all about her experience at TMX, Toughest South, and how she trains to keep up with the elite field.
Alex tells me how she got started in OCR, how and when she started training competitively, and what it's like to have Yancy Culp as her personal coach. That leads us into a short discussion about the importance of coaching when it comes to training.
She shares with me her experience at TMX in Sacramento and what it was like being in the "pain cave", and she talks about the transition between TMX and then Toughest just a few weeks later. I ask her to compare the competition between short races and endurance races, and to compare an ultra marathon to an endurance OCR.
Alex tells me about what distance she considers her speciality and why, and shares some tips about how to prepare for wet obstacles.
Lastly, she tells me what some of her favorite races are, and we naturally talk about the epic Battlefrog rigs.
This week, I spoke to Veejay Jones, Spartan's youngest pro-team member and a strong contender in their championship series.
We start with Veejay telling her all about the championship race in Chicago where Veejay placed second, conquering all the mud out there and beating out some top contenders. That leads us to discuss the different challenges of each of the races in Spartan's championship series, and Veejay tells me what he's expecting with Tahoe and how he plans to tackle it.
He also shares what has helped him climb the ranks over the past two years, and he talks about the importance of recovery and his methods for it.
I ask him about his plans for the next several years when it comes to OCR, and he tells me how he plans on maintaining his trajectory.
Veejay tells me about how he's got his eye set on the North American OCR Championship race, which leads us into a discussion about mandatory obstacle completion and penalty loops.
Lastly, he shares his goals for 2019, and talks about the lessons he's learned with nutrition and how he's changed it up to be better prepared for races.
Today Jay talked to Mark Batres about his new endeavor into coaching. Mark shares some great information about:
- The goal for miles to run in a week
- Using a bike to replace running during an injury or to reduce strain on joints
- Training to both aerobic and anaerobic capacity
- How to run more effeciently
- Training to be in the right mental space for a race
You can find Mark on Facebook and Instagram to get more information about hiring him as your coach!
Continuing our coverage from last weekend's Spartan race in Seattle, we were there on Sunday for the Sprint and spoke with some of the top competitors (and the course manager!) from the race that day, including:
-Veejay Jones
-Ian Hosek
-Alyssa Hawley
-Steve Hammond
- Allison Tai
We spoke about the Championship race the day before, the competition and the conditions at the Sprint, and more!
Last weekend, we were in Washington State for the second Super race in Spartan's National Championship series. We tackled the extremely wet and muddy course, and then spoke with some of the top competitors from the race, including:
-Ryan Kent
-Rea Kolbl
-Faye Morgan
-Robert Killian
-Glenn Racz
-Rose Wetzel-Sinnett
We also grabbed interviews from the Sunday's Sprint, so stay tuned for that episode coming out later this week!
This week, I brought Yancy Culp back on the podcast to talk all about TMX, training topics, and the top OCR competitors in the 2018 season.
We start by talking about the Sacramento Tough Mudder X competition, and Yancy gives me a breakdown of the event from his perspective, from the athletes, to the layout of the course in comparison to last year's invitational event, to the competition. He talks about the importance of running with this course in particular, and he shares his thoughts on what impact TMX may have on the sport of OCR as a whole.
That extends to a conversation about the impact that OCR is having on fitness and gyms in general, and I ask Yancy to tell me which sport truly has the fittest athletes on earth: Crossfit or OCR.
We also talk about the top athletes in OCR, and whether it's genetics, training, or a combination of both that gets them to that level.
From there we dive into training topics, such as finding a balance between running and strength training, finding your speciality (whether it's short course, long course, or somehwere in between), overtraining and how to avoid it, and the importance of proper running mechanics.
We end with discussing why the competitive field in OCR has gotten much deeper, and Yancy gives me his thoughts on the top competition to watch this year.
Last Sunday, the Overcome and Run team was in Sacramento for Tough Mudder X, Tough Mudder's 1-mile competitive race complete with both obstacles and functional fitness stations. This was the first TMX event since last summer's invitational TMX event, and is one of three events that Tough Mudder is hosting this year.
We grabbed tons of live footage while we there (all available to watch on our Facebook page), and when we weren't filming live, we were grabbing interviews!
Heather spoke with:
-Mack Roesch
-Ryan Kent
-David Tyson "Superman" Perry
-Isaiah Vidal
-Hunter McIntyre
-David Magida
-Jen Munro
-Alexandra Walker
-Corinna Coffin
-Michelle Ford
We talk about the strategy between preliminary and final waves, short courses, the competition, how this year's course compares to last year, training for this type of race, and so much more!
This week, the Overcome and Run podcast hits its 100th episode! We wanted to do something special, so we reached out to you, the listeners, for any and all questions you have for us about OCR, training, or our own personal OCR experience and goals.
We start with a discussion about whether or not we see OCR in the Olympics, and what that might look like if that does happen. We then discuss nutrition, training, and Jay and I share our most memorable race experiences, and the lessons we learned from them.
We also went live on our Facebook page while we recorded this episode, and fielded some last minute questions and comments!
If you are looking to get a wetsuit for your next Toughest Mudder, or are just preparing early for Worlds Toughest Mudder, check out Xterra Wetsuits!
You can get your Overcome and Run race jersey made by MudGear in our Gear Shop.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
Brian Gowiski, the first place elite male from last weekend's Greek Peak Spartan Race, joins me on the podcast this week to talk all about that Winter Sprint, World's Toughest Mudder, and all sorts of OCR topics from training, to strategy, to his goals for this year.
Brian starts by telling me all about how he got into OCR and how he focused on Battlefrog races when he began, as their emphasis on grip strength played into his proficiency at upper body obstacles.
We then talk about Greek Peak, and Brian tells gives me a recap of the race, from the competition, to the conditions, to how the obstacles were affected by the snow. This leads us to a discussion about training in the elements, from cold and snowy to hot and humid, and Brian shares what he prefers.
We then talk about World's Toughest Mudder 2017, where Brian and his team placed first in the relay category. We discuss how his team formed, and what their strategy was for tackling the relay format. We reminisce about the obstacles on the course, and speculate about this year's WTM race in Atlanta, and whether he will be running solo or in a team.
Lastly, we talk about his goals for this year, and chat about Savage Race, OCRWC, and what the competition will be like.
In this episode I talk to Nicole Kifer and Kristofer Raycraft about Platinum Personal Training. Nicole started Platinum Personal Training to help athletes love training like she did and has turned it into a 7 acre ranch outside San Diego with 40+ obstacles where some of the most
elite athletes from Southern California come to train. Kris is the strength and conditioning coach for Platinum Personal Training and an avid OCR competitor himself. This is an outstanding episode if you are looking for an awesome outdoors place to train!
If you are looking to get a wetsuit for your next Toughest Mudder, or are just preparing early for Worlds Toughest Mudder, check out Xterra Wetsuits!
You can get your Overcome and Run race jersey made by MudGear in our Gear Shop.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
David Hellard, host of the Bad Boy Running Podcast, joins me this week to discuss the OCR scene in Europe, the importance of OCRs finding a balance between accessibility and challenge as they grow, his recent win at the Somaliland Marathon, and the marathon mentality.
David starts by sharing how he got started in OCR and the creation of the British Military Fitness team, which leads us into a discussion about the evolution of OCR and the OCR scene in Europe and the UK. We discuss the importance of race brands finding a balance between accessibility for the general public and challenge for the competitive athletes, and how that affects the success of a race.
We then talk about this year's OCR World Championships, and how it's new location in the UK will affect the competition.
David also talks about his recent win at the Somaliland Marathon, and the difference between race mentality in marathons versus OCR. He shares why he prefers to run marathons, and we talk about the importance of having fun and enjoying yourself at races.
Lastly, we discuss The Bad Boy Running Podcast, and all the colorful terms born from it.
This week, I tried my hand at my first in-studio interview with Chris Bednar, an elite OCR athlete who has been climbing the ranks in the west coast OCR scene.
Chris tells me about how he got into OCR and reaching his first podium at Warrior Dash last year. He talks about training with some of the top OCR athletes and how that affects his performance, what kinds of training methods he prefers, and what race distance he's focusing on.
We talk about the US OCR Championship race last September, and what it was like to race against some of the best in the sport for the first time.
We also discuss running elite versus age group, the pros and cons of each, and why he prefers to stay in the elite category.
Lastly, Chris tells me about last weekend's Spartan Super race in Arizona where he got his first Spartan podium, and we talk about race day mentality.
Last weekend we were in Chino for Spartan's opening Super/Sprint weekend, and on Saturday I grabbed interviews from the Elite podium winners of the Super race.
We talk about everything and anything from the course, to the obstacles, to the competition, to the comparison between this year and last year's January race. Veejay also tells me about his focus for this year, Heather and Rea lament with me about the foam grips on Twister, Ryan gives us a pro tip for the barbed wire crawl, Evelyne and I talk about SoCal Spartan venues, and Glenn tells me what the Spartan Open House is.
For this week's episode, I hosted my first round table discussion all about obstacle innovation, how OCR and various OCR brands have evolved over the year, and what 2018 might look like for the sport. I brought in OCR journalist Adam Kwitko and Matt B. Davis of Obstacle Racing Media to go over these topics based on their years of experience and coverage of the sport.
We talk a lot about Tough Mudder and it's decision to go down the compeititve road, and other changes they made in 2017. We also discuss other changes and new race formats in OCR, and Matt and Adam reminisce about the early years of obstacle course racing.
Another big topic of discussion is standardization: the pros, the cons, who likes it, and who doesn't, and what it means for the sport.
Adam also takes the opportunity to interview Matt and myself about being OCR podcasters, and the three of us discuss OCR and the media.
We're kicking off the new year by talking with Yancy Camp athlete and elite OCR competitor Morgan Mckay all about her win at the Spartan Ultra World Championships in Iceland.
Morgan tells Heather all about the inaugural Ultra Championship race, from the overall format, to the penalties, the gear, the competition, and what she found to be the most challenging part. She also discusses how this race compares to other endurance OCRs, and what set this particular event apart.
Morgan also talks about her medical DQ at World's Toughest Mudder, and coming back from that to win in Iceland. She and Heather discuss course safety as well, and how race companies handle it.
They then discuss goals for 2018, what races (and goals) Morgan is focusing on, and what it is about endurance races that appeals so much to her and why she chooses to specialize in longer distances.
This week's episode is live from the LA Spartan Sprint at Castaic Lake last Saturday! I spoke with Ryan Kent, Veejay Jones, James Nair, Timmie Brann, Lauren Taksa, and Natalie Miano all about the race, the competition, and what their goals are for the 2018 season.
Elite Podium:
1st: Timmie Brann & Veejay Jones
2nd: Natalie Miano & Ryan Kent
3rd: Lauren Taksa & James Nair
This week, Green Beret Challenge Pro Team member Deborah "Debo" Arrieta joins me on the podcast to talk all about the Green Beret Challenge and their upcoming championship race next summer, and what she's been doing to prepare for the Spartan Ultra World Championship in Iceland next weekend.
We start by talking all about the Green Beret Challenge, from their race formats to what sets them apart from other OCRs. We also talk about their recently announced championship race happening next July.
We then talk about Spartan's new 24-hour championship race happening in Iceland next weekend. We talk about everything from the format to the rules, and Debo shares how she has been preparing for this race in particular, and what sort of cold weather gear she'll be bringing. We also discuss the age old debate of burpees versus mandatory completion, and the pros and cons of both.
Voting for Mud Run Guide's Best of OCR awards is now open, and Overcome and Run has been nominated for Best OCR podcast!! Voting ends on December 15th, so please be sure to head over there and vote!
This week, Yancy Camp athlete Beni Gifford joins me on the podcast to talk all about The Warrior Race in South Africa, Tough Mudder X, and why the mental game is so important to your race.
We start by talking all about the Warrior Race, from the format, to the obstacles, to why he considers it one of the most difficult races he's ever ran. He shares his experience and talks about his 5th place finish in the Black Ops race, what is what like to be the first international athlete to complete the course, and what the competition was like.
We also go into Tough Mudder X: Beni tells us about his experience at the debut event last July, and we discuss what the future of TMX will look like as it opens up to the general public in 2018.
Lastly, Beni talks about why he prefers short courses, which leads us into into a discussion about mental strategy and why it's so important to your race.
The book Beni referred to is The Science of Running.
After running World's Toughest Mudder myself, I was able to grab some live interviews at the Champions Brunch the Monday morning following the event.
I spoke with Wesley Kerr, Rea Kolbl, Deanna Blegg, Allison Tai, Ryan Atkins, Kris Mendoza and Austin Azar, and Will Dean himself. We talk about everything from the course, to the competition, to the highs and lows of the 24-hour race. I also kick off this episode by recapping a few of my own thoughts about my race.
Will Hicks gives a short recap of the WTM winners in his latest episode of the World's Toughest Podcast here.
Mud Run Guide has opened nominations for the Best of OCR Awards, and we would love it if you voted Overcome and Run for Best OCR podcast! You can submit your nominations here.
This week, I got the opportunity to head up to Thousand Oaks, California to check out DojoBoom, the new trampoline park that just opened last week and that's managed by Kevin Bull, a well-known competitor from American Ninja Warrior.
After a tour of the gym (and the chance to play around on the climbing wall and the Ninja rig), I sat down with Kevin to ask him about American Ninja Warrior and his run that launched him into national attention, his experience on two seasons of Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge, and all about DojoBoom.
I also documented my gym tour on Obstacle Racing Media's Instagram story, and I posted the whole video on our website!
With World's Toughest Mudder only nine days away, this week's episode(s) are dedicated to Tough Mudder's pinnacle 24-hour event. From discussing the top competition, to tips, to the mindset needed to complete the grueling 24 hours, I brought in five experienced World's Toughest Mudder competitors to share their thoughts about this event.
In Part two, I talk to Kris Mendoza, Will Hicks, and Amanda "Pinky" Neil.
Kris is an elite OCR athlete who placed 3rd at World's Toughest Mudder in 2016 with 100 miles. Kris and I discuss the upcoming WTM move, he talks about his switch from a two-person team to a relay team and we talk about the relay format overall. We also chat about the community on the course, variety in OCR, and Kris shares how WTM got him launched into OCR, his biggest challenge at WTM, and how it felt to hit 100 miles last year.
Will Hicks is a WTM veteran and expert, and the host of the World's Toughest Podcast. He's been following the Toughest competition closely leading up to World's Toughest Mudder, so we discuss the elite competition and his predictions for the top contenders. We also talk about the overall atmosphere of WTM, how to push past the dark moments out on the course, goals, and he shares some last-minute tips.
Amanda "Pinky" Neil is a 4-time WTM veteran and a well-known figure in the community (and the first one to provide us with her version of puzzle pieces this year). We talk about all sorts of tips, from shoes to wetsuits to pit stops, as well as talk about how she got started with WTM, and she reminisces on past years. We also talk about the contender category, how WTM has changed over the years, and teamwork on the course.
With World's Toughest Mudder only nine days away, this week's episode(s) are dedicated towards Tough Mudder's pinnacle 24-hour event. From discussing the top competition, to tips, to the mindset needed to complete the grueling 24 hours, I brought in five experienced World's Toughest Mudder competitors to share their thoughts about this event.
They had so much to share, I went and split the episode into two parts. Part one features two elite OCR athletes, Allison Tai and Evan Perperis.
Allison is an elite OCR athlete who is leading in Tough Mudder's competitive series, and was a runner-up at World's Toughest Mudder in 2014. I talk with Allison about her experience running the Tougher wave in Las Vegas last weekend (where she placed 4th), how Toughest has helped prepare for WTM, and how she trains and gets through this 24-hour event.
Evan is a frequent flier on our show: he is an experienced elite OCR athlete who created team Strength & Speed (they also have a podcast), is a part of the Conquer the Gauntlet Pro Team, and finished 8th last year at WTM with 90 miles. He also writes articles for Mud Run Guide, two of which we reference during his interview:
Five Ways Toughest Mudder Will Change World's Toughest Mudder
Inflated Expectations: What Toughest Mudders Need to Know About World's Toughest Mudder
Evan and I talk about what sets Toughest Mudder apart from other 8-hour races, we speculate on the future of WTM given the rise of other 24-hour events (and about other 24-hour events in general), and discuss knowing your limit.
It's a long one, but full of some great information!
Heather headed up to the Blue Mountains in Canada last weekend for the OCR World Championships, and got a ton of great content while she was there! This week's episode is a compilation of interviews from the weekend (in chronological order), including interviews with:
-Adrian Bijanada
-Vincent Larochelle
-Mark Batres
-Natalie Miano
-Lindsay Webster
-Josh Stryde
-Ryan Woods
-Hunter McIntyre
-Jonathan Albon
-the Mudstacle Machines
-Team Sweden
We also have photos from the 3k competition on our Facebook page, and we'll have a review out early next week!
This week, Spartan Pro athlete Rea Kolbl joins Heather on the podcast to talk all about Spartan, her training, and the United States Obstacle Course Racing Championships (USOCRC) that hosted their inaugural event in Texas last weekend.
Rea shares her experiences from being a Spartan Pro team member, talks about her training and how she maintains her elite level of competition (all while earning her PhD), and all about her experience at USOCRC: the obstacles, the terrain, the biggest challenges and the most fun parts of the course.
We also talk about looking ahead to the Spartan World Championship in Tahoe in a few weeks, and the other races on her bucket list. And lastly, Rea shares her biggest challenges currently in races, and what she's doing to overcome them.
Dan "Nitro" Clark joins us on the podcast this week to talk all about his race, Gladiator Rock'n Run, and his new book FCK DYING.*
Dan talks all about Gladiator Rock'n Run; its format, its history, and what sets his race apart from other OCRs. We then talk about his new book, FCK DYING*, and the lessons he learned from facing death and recovering after a heart attack. We talk about gratification versus gratitude, finding the wins, and what it takes to live a happier, more fulfilled life.
You can find more information on the Kickstarter campaign for FCK DYING* here.
Live from Huntington Beach, CA, Heather grabbed interviews from EPIC staff and elite athletes, and she gives her own thoughts on her first EPIC Series race. She interviewed Veronika Reinert, Bryan "TheGinger" Tremaine, Marc Montano, Robin Legat, and Hugo Frausto all about the unique race series that unites functional fitness with OCR.
We are partners with Icebug to get you a discount on your next pair! Use head over to Icebug.com and use code OVERCEOME12 to save 20%!
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
This week, Heather spoke with Sara Knight, an elite OCR athlete who placed second at last year's World's Toughest Mudder, 6th at the Spartan Race World Championships last year, and has run every Toughest Mudder race so far this year.
Sara talks all about Toughest Mudder: the differences between each one, what she liked and didn't like, and how she was able to stay healthy and at an elite level between each one.
Sara also talks about her experience with WTM, and her goals for this year. Together Heather and Sara discuss the other 24-hour races that are debuting, and Sara shares what motivates her to keep going in OCR and why she loves the sport.
We are partners with Icebug to get you a discount on your next pair! Use head over to Icebug.com and use code OVERCEOME12 to save 20%!
Evan Perperis sent us his book “Strength & Speed's Guide to Elite Obstacle Course Racing” to check out. We will read it and get back to you with some additional details. In the meantime, head on over to teamstrengthspeed.com and check out their new podcast or order the book.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In this episode I talk to running coach Dennis Welch. We talk about his background in running, how he got into OCR and how he got became a running coach. Dennis is the running coach behind the Endurance Project and helps OCR athletes achieve their running goals.
He talks about what realistic timeframes are for improvement and how or if you could expect to hit a podium. We go on to talk about what a running coach could do for you as an athlete and if 180 steps a minute while running is really as important as you might have heard.
We are partners with Icebug to get you a discount on your next pair! Use head over to Icebug.com and use code OVERCEOME12 to save 20%!
Evan Perperis sent us his book “Strength & Speed's Guide to Elite Obstacle Course Racing” to check out. We will read it and get back to you with some additional details. In the meantime, head on over to teamstrengthspeed.com and check out their new podcast or order the book.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
Wesley Kerr joins Jay on the podcast to talk all about Toughest LA and most recently, Canada's Toughest Mudder in Whistler. They discuss the upcoming Tough Mudder X competition as well, and Wesley talks about how he fuels during those races, and how he trains. Wesley also shares why he sticks primarily to Tough Mudder.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
This week we talk to Timmie Brann, owner and founder of RUT Camp and elite OCR athlete, with a number of Spartan podiums under her belt. She talks about how her career as a coach got her started with OCR, and how she adjusted her own training to hit the podium.
We talk about endurance races, interval training, and she shares advice for those looking to up their OCR game. Timmie also tells us all about RUT Camp: how it started, who it's for, and what it's all about.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
Heather brings Conquer the Gauntlet Pro Team member Ashley Samples back on the show to talk all about her return to OCR and the podium after her time away while she was pregnant with her son. Ashley shares what it was like to be on the sidelines during that time, and the unique experience that it was. She talks about the challenges of returning to OCR after pregnancy, and the lessons she learned in that return.
They also talk about long courses versus short courses, and debate mandatory obstacle completion versus burpees. They discuss Conquer the Gauntlet, Ashley shares her upcoming race schedule, and we briefly touch on Dustin Radney's excellent photoshop skills.
We just partnered with Icebug to get you a discount on your next pair! Use head over to Icebug.com and use code OVERCEOME12 to save 20%!
Evan Perperis sent us his book “Strength & Speed's Guide to Elite Obstacle Course Racing” to check out. We will read it and get back to you with some additional details. In the meantime, head on over to teamstrengthspeed.com and check out their new podcast or order the book.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
Last weekend Heather drove up to Monterey to cover the Golden State Classic, the second race in Spartan's U.S. Championship series. She interviewed winners Hobie Call, Nicole Mericle, as well as Hunter McIntyre, Amelia Boone, and many others. The athletes share their experience with the race, their thoughts on the competition, and what they're looking forward to in their next race.
We just partnered with Icebug to get you a discount on your next pair! Use head over to Icebug.com and use code OVERCEOME12 to save 20%!
Evan Perperis sent us his book “Strength & Speed's Guide to Elite Obstacle Course Racing” to check out. We will read it and get back to you with some additional details. In the meantime, head on over to teamstrengthspeed.com and check out their new podcast or order the book.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
This week we brought Jacob Bosecker of BROCR to talk all about what's new with BROCR, and their upcoming plans for the year. Jacob talks about his past experience as a sprinter, and what it's like for a sprinter to train for and run an Ultra Beast. Jay and Jacob also talk all about what's new in OCR, and the benefits of short courses versus long courses.
In this episode of The Coach Pain Experience, Coach Pain and Jay discuss discipline: what it means in your life, how to be disciplined and the benefits it’ll have in your life.
Enjoy this weekly Wednesday motivation, and get out there and be disciplined.
We just partnered with Icebug to get you a discount on your next pair! Use head over to Icebug.com and use code OVERCEOME20 to save 20%!
Evan Perperis sent us his book “Strength & Speed's Guide to Elite Obstacle Course Racing” to check out. We will read it and get back to you with some additional details. In the meantime, head on over to teamstrengthspeed.com and check out their new podcast or order the book.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In this episode, we talk to Tim Sinnett, the man behind Race Sherpa and Race Sherpa Rises. You may have also seen him around the races helping Rose Wetzel and the other top elites. Tim is a wealth of knowledge about OCR and we were excited to dig into the sport with him.
We start by talking about USAOCR and some facts and myths about the race. We dig deep into the importance of short courses in OCR, and how the sport is simultaneously going in 2 directions at the same time. Tim breaks down for us the top competition this year and who to look for throughout the year.
We just partnered with Icebug to get you a discount on your next pair! Use head over to Icebug.com and use code OVERCEOME12 to save 20%!
Evan Perperis sent us his book “Strength & Speed's Guide to Elite Obstacle Course Racing” to check out. We will read it and get back to you with some additional details. In the meantime, head on over to teamstrengthspeed.com and check out their new podcast or order the book.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
This week we're talking to BONEFROG founder and CEO Brian Carney! We talk about the new BONEFROG Endurance challenge and the thoughts behind its creation and design, and the plans for its debut in New England this weekend. We also talk more about BONEFROG’s obstacles, course design and the addition of Norm Koch, and Brian shares his favorite BONEFROG courses. We also talk about future plans for BONEFROG, and Heather asks if we’ll see it out on the west coast any time soon.
Procrastination is the assassination of your motivation.
In this episode of The Coach Pain Experience, Coach Pain and Heather discuss procrastination: where it comes from, what it looks like, and how heavily it can impact you. Coach talks about finding your motivation and using it to push you to the level you want to be at, and then even further.
Be sure to follow along every Wednesday for the newest episodes of this series - they're short, to the point, and excellent for some midweek motivation!
Heather shares her thoughts on the Spartan Beast in Montana, and grabbed some live interviews while she was there. She spoke with Faye Stenning, Alyssa Hawley, Rea Kolbl, Austin Azar and Cole Schwartz about how their races went, and their thoughts on the course and the competition.
We spoke with elite OCR competitor and author of the book Nutrition for the OCR Athlete: Laying out the details and strategies to help remove the guess work from your diet.
He tells us about some must have supplements, and things we should be taking pre and post workout or race. He talks about ways to sort through the junk online and find out what is really good for you regarding supplements.
Josh also shares with us the reason behind why pro athletes can get away with eating more junk food than the rest of us, but still be competitive. He also talks about some best practices of how to maintain good pre-race nutrition while traveling.
What makes you so special?
In the latest episode of the Coach Pain Experience, Coach Pain and Heather discuss what that question really means, what indeed makes you special, and taking your unique qualities to impact the lives of others.
Be sure to follow along every Wednesday for the newest episodes of this series - they're short, to the point, and excellent for some midweek motivation!
In this episode we talk to Alyssa Hawley who recently won the first Spartan Championship Series event in Seattle.
Alyssa tells us about how she got into OCR in 2015, and was quickly on the podium. In her short OCR career, she has been made a Spartan Pro Team member, and won a Championship Series event. The also tells us about her full-time job, and how she manages to maintain the training of a pro athlete with a full-time job. Lastly, Alyssa gets Heather even more scared of bears.
We just partnered with Icebug to get you a discount on your next pair! Use head over to Icebug.com and use code OVERCEOME10 to save 10%!
If you are looking to get a wetsuit for your next Toughest Mudder, or are just preparing early for Worlds Toughest Mudder, check out Xterra Wetsuits!
Evan Perperis sent us his book “Strength & Speed's Guide to Elite Obstacle Course Racing” to check out. We will read it and get back to you with some additional details. In the meantime, head on over to teamstrengthspeed.com and check out their new podcast or order the book.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In this episode, we are live at the Spartan Race Championship Series in Seattle. We talk with Faye Stenning, Mark Batres, Robert Killian, Nicole Mericle, Ryan Atkins and Lindsay Webster about their race and what they thought of the course and competition. Additionally, Heather and I talk about our experience during the race, what we thought of the course, and the comparison between the Championship Series races and your average weekend Spartan.
We just partnered with Icebug to get you a discount on your next pair! Use head over to Icebug.com and use code OVERCEOME10 to save 10%!
If you are looking to get a wetsuit for your next Toughest Mudder, or are just preparing early for Worlds Toughest Mudder, check out Xterra Wetsuits!
Evan Perperis sent us his book “Strength & Speed's Guide to Elite Obstacle Course Racing” to check out. We will read it and get back to you with some additional details. In the meantime, head on over to teamstrengthspeed.com and check out their new podcast or order the book.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In this episode we talk to Lindsay Webster about Toughest Mudder, her training, and her goals for this season.
Lindsay shares with us her experience at the Toughest Mudder West. We talk about how she was able to do so well, and the course not being anything like she imagined. She talks about how she really likes the Toughest Mudder platform and that she plans on running as many Toughest events as she can this year.
She talks with us about balancing her training for endurance events, but maintaining speed for events like Spartan Race, as she plans on running as many of the Spartan Championship Series races as she can as well.
Lastly, she talks a bit about her burpee showdown with Faye Stenning from Spartan World Championship last year.
We just partnered with Icebug to get you a discount on your next pair! Use head over to Icebug.com and use code OVERCEOME10 to save 10%!
Evan Perperis sent us his book “Strength & Speed's Guide to Elite Obstacle Course Racing” to check out. We will read it and get back to you with some additional details. In the meantime, head on over to teamstrengthspeed.com and check out their new podcast or order the book.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In this episode of The Coach Pain Experience, Coach talks about learning to love yourself. He shares with us his experience with someone who was clearly lacking love for themselves and how Coach helped him find it again. He reminds us that if you don't have love for yourself, when you are done with the race, and everyone goes home, you still have to face yourself in the mirror.
Enjoy this weekly dose of motivation and let Coach show you how to love yourself again.
Connect with coach on Facebook, or on his website coachpain.net
We just partnered with Icebug to get you a discount on your next pair! Use head over to Icebug.com and use code OVERCEOME10 to save 10%!
Evan Perperis sent us his book “Strength & Speed's Guide to Elite Obstacle Course Racing” to check out. We will read it and get back to you with some additional details. In the meantime, head on over to teamstrengthspeed.com and check out their new podcast or order the book.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In our second episode of the Coach Pain Experience, Coach Pain and Heather discuss the topic of failure: what it means, how it affects us, and why it's important.
It's a topic that we not only encounter in the OCR world, but also in our everyday life, and it's a topic that Coach Pain is very passionate about. He goes into detail about why failing is learning, and why we should never settle even when we conquer failure.
If you're needing an extra dose of motivation, this is the episode!
Heather talks with Cindy Lynch, experienced marathon/ultra marathon runner, elite OCR competitor, and owner of the running apparel company Runningskirts. Cindy shares with us how she got started with OCR and what makes them different from the marathons and ultras she has faced before. She talks about the challenges she faced with OCR, and how she manages to maintain an elite performance while running her company and making time for her family. Lastly we talk about her company Runningskirts: how it was born, what it provides, and the new brand Runderlust.
To keep up with what we're doing, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and join our mailing list for updates!
In our first full episode of the Coach Pain Experience, Coach and I talk with OCR athlete Justin Hammond about keeping your eyes forward and not worrying about what’s behind you.
Justin trains under Coach Pain, and is consistently on the heels of the top competitors. One issue he has been facing is being too concerned about the racers behind him, which has led to some less than desirable finishes at recent races. Coach talks about how to keep your eye on the goal in front of you, not only in your race, but in life as well. He talks about training to achieve your goals and takes a second to talk to Justin’s wife about her contribution to his success.
We just partnered with Icebug to get you a discount on your next pair! Use head over to Icebug.com and use code OVERCEOME10 to save 10%!
Evan Perperis sent us his book “Strength & Speed's Guide to Elite Obstacle Course Racing” to check out. We will read it and get back to you with some additional details. In the meantime, head on over to teamstrengthspeed.com and check out their new podcast or order the book.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
Today Heather and I talk about our experience at the first ever Toughest Mudder in Los Angeles. We take you through the rules you’d need to know for running a Toughest Mudder, the new obstacles, and the course itself.
We also cover the gear we used, specifically our wet suites provided by Xterra Wetsuits as well as what we saw others doing on the course. Lastly we take you through the elite race, and some lessons learned for us and for Tough Mudder from this event.
We just partnered with Icebug to get you a discount on your next pair! Use head over to Icebug.com and use code OVERCEOME10 to save 10%!
Evan Perperis sent us his book “Strength & Speed's Guide to Elite Obstacle Course Racing” to check out. We will read it and get back to you with some additional details. In the meantime, head on over to teamstrengthspeed.com and check out their new podcast or order the book.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
Coach Pain and I debut our new weekly segment “The Coach Pain Experience” where we take your questions about training, motivation and anything else that will help you live a healthier life.
We talk about why we started this new segment, why it’s important to us and what the format will be. This will be an interactive show, so we want your tweets, Facebook messages and emails! You can find Overcome and Run on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You can find Coach Pain on Facebook, coachpain.net or email him at CoachPain.Life@Gmail.com.
We just partnered with Icebug to get you a discount on your next pair! Use head over to Icebug.com and use code OVERCEOME10 to save 10%!
Evan Perperis sent us his book “Strength & Speed's Guide to Elite Obstacle Course Racing” to check out. We will read it and get back to you with some additional details. In the meantime, head on over to teamstrengthspeed.com and check out their new podcast or order the book.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In this episode, I talk to Josh Stryde, elite OCR competitor and author of the book Nutrition for the OCR Athlete: Laying out the details and strategies to help remove the guess work from your diet.
We start out talking about the paleo diet and being a fat adapted endurance athlete. We move on to talking about eating the appropriate foods to build glycogen for longer races and what’s best to eat for races like World’s Toughest Mudder. We also cover goal setting and how to plan your meals to meet your goals, how you should ease into a new meal plan or diet, how to break through a plateau and research-based nutrition vs. current fads.
Josh goes on to talk about how sleep plays into your weight loss and training. and a good rule of thumb for the amount of water you should be consuming on an average day.
Evan Perperis sent us his book “Strength & Speed's Guide to Elite Obstacle Course Racing” to check out. We will read it and get back to you with some additional details. In the meantime, head on over to teamstrengthspeed.com and check out their new podcast or order the book.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In this episode Heather talks to Joe DeSena, owner of Spartan Race. Joe shares some news with us that hasn’t been put out officially from Spartan Race yet.
Joe explains how and why they were selected to host the U.S. National OCR Championships in Florida. He shares additional details about what Spartan Race brings to the table for the race and what their plan is for the race. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t tell us who the Race Director or Course Designer will be, that information is being held Top Secret till the race in April.
We talk about his goal of getting OCR into the Olympics. I accidentally gave Joe the idea for scales for the bucket brigade, good luck everyone who will now have to be sure that they full their buckets past the holes.
Lastly, I ask Joe about Shirtgate and he had a pretty great answer. I didn’t expect the answer or the reveal that he had on the show. You will have to listen to the end to hear this one!
Evan Perperis sent us his book “Strength & Speed's Guide to Elite Obstacle Course Racing” to check out. We will read it and get back to you with some additional details. In the meantime, head on over to teamstrengthspeed.com and check out their new podcast or order the book.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In this episode Heather talks to Adrian Bijanada, the guy behind OCRWC, USOCRC and OCR United.
She starts out finding out the idea that started OCRWC and how it has grown. Adrian shares that he doesn’t want OCRWC to grow so large it loses its core values though. He also talks about what to expect in 2017. He couldn’t share any details, but he said there will be obstacles that have never been seen before.
He talks about what led to USOCRC, and how he found out about the course from Mark Ballas owner of Green Beret Challenge, and hints towards what to look forward to this year.
Lastly, he shared the concept of OCR United and how its bringing races together in a way that benefits racers. We all found out that the first two races on board were Conquer the Gauntlet and Bonefrog Challenge, but he tells us that there are more coming soon.
Evan Perperis sent us his book “Strength & Speed's Guide to Elite Obstacle Course Racing” to check out. We will read it and get back to you with some additional details. In the meantime, head on over to teamstrengthspeed.com and check out their new podcast or order the book.
This episode is sponsored by Lucky 13 Coaching with Nickademus Hollon.
You can get your Overcome and Run race jersey made by MudGear in our Gear Shop.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In this episode we talk to Spartan’s youngest pro-team member Veejay Jones. Veejay slow rolled his way into OCR and has quickly rose to the top of the sport. This was a great episode where I get to dive into the behind the scenes of a racer I see out at the races every weekend.
Evan Perperis sent us his book “Strength & Speed's Guide to Elite Obstacle Course Racing” to check out. We will read it and get back to you with some additional details. In the meantime, head on over to teamstrengthspeed.com and check out their new podcast or order the book.
This episode is sponsored by Lucky 13 Coaching with Nickademus Hollon.
You can get your Overcome and Run race jersey made by MudGear in our Gear Shop.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In this episode we talk to Brenna Calvert. Brenna is a Conquer the Gauntlet Pro-Team athlete, and has moved into the business side of OCR as a full time build team member for Conquer the Gauntlet. We also talk about how she works with other races like Terrain Race so she can help spread the word for the lesser known races.
In addition to competing and building, she finds time to host the Strength & Speed Podcast with Evan Perperis where they talk in depth about training for Obstacle Course Racing.
We wrap the podcast up by talking about how amazing the OCR community, and more specifically the community of us media hosts are in this community. In true OCR spirit we are all friends instead of enemies in business.
Evan Perperis sent us his book “Strength & Speed's Guide to Elite Obstacle Course Racing” to check out. We will read it and get back to you with some additional details. In the meantime, head on over to teamstrengthspeed.com and check out their new podcast or order the book.
This episode is sponsored by Lucky 13 Coaching with Nickademus Hollon.
You can get your Overcome and Run race jersey made by MudGear in our Gear Shop.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In the episode we talk to husband and wife team Mark Batres and Natalie Miano about how they manage their family of 4, work and personal life while consistently standing atop the podium. We had a great time talking to them about how they’re able to manage family time, work, personal life and training.
In addition to family talk, they share their story of how they got into OCR, and why the sport is so important to them. These two are up and comers in our sport, and I expect to see great things from them in the coming seasons. This was a super fun episode for Heather and I to be on as we can relate to so many of the things they shared about being a married OCR team, and Heather and Natalie definitely share the same lack of love for walls.
Evan Perperis sent us his book “Strength & Speed's Guide to Elite Obstacle Course Racing” to check out. We will read it and get back to you with some additional details. In the meantime, head on over to teamstrengthspeed.com and check out their new podcast or order the book.
This episode is sponsored by Lucky 13 Coaching with Nickademus Hollon.
You can get your Overcome and Run race jersey made by MudGear in our Gear Shop.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In this episode I talk to Ian Dory and Noah Kauffman who you may know from the Wolfpack Ninjas. Ian and Noah tell us about their Wolfpack Ninja Tour, as well as their Wolfpack Ninja Podcast.
The Wolfpack Ninja Tour will be coming at you on April 29th and 30th in Denver Colorado. The guys talk about why they started the tour, and how the event benefits Colorado Children’s Hospital. We also talked about how having a tour like this will promote fitness and a healthy lifestyle for kids.
Noah and Ian share with us some behind the scenes details from American Ninja Warrior that you wouldn’t have known without having competed on the show. Without giving away the juicy details I will just tease it and say one story they shared with us is that you run the course regardless of conditions. If it’s wet and you slip, there are no retry’s.
Evan Perperis sent us his book “Strength & Speed's Guide to Elite Obstacle Course Racing” to check out. We will read it and get back to you with some additional details. In the meantime, head on over to teamstrengthspeed.com and check out their new podcast or order the book.
This episode is sponsored by Lucky 13 Coaching with Nickademus Hollon.
You can get your Overcome and Run race jersey made by MudGear in our Gear Shop.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
We have a very special anniversary episode for you today with Chad Trammell and Matt B. Davis.
We start the episode with Chad Trammell who you may remember from episode 1 (if you have been listening that long) where we talked about his World’s Toughest Mudder win in 2015. In this episode we talk about his 2016 performance where he teamed up with Robert Killian to take a shot at Tough Mudder’s $100,000 bonus for winning AND reaching 100 miles. Chad shares with us the difference in running alone as well as with a team, and talks about his impressive 100-mile finish. Unfortunately, one team beat them out with 105 miles, so they didn’t get the $100,000 but Chad said it wasn’t about the money to begin with. It looks like Chad is looking to go back to WTM 2017 and will be joining Heather and I at L.A.’s Toughest Mudder in March.
For the second part we have Matt B. Davis who was on the show before in episode 22. Having Matt on was especially important to us because he has been a major contributor to the success of this show. He also talks to us about his upcoming Tough Guy race. If you have seen Rise of the Sufferfests: A Documentary you will know exactly why Matt is a bit intimidated by this race even though he has been racing for years. You can hear and read more from Matt over at Obstacle Racing Media.
This episode is sponsored by Lucky 13 Coaching with Nickademus Hollon.
You can get your Overcome and Run race jersey made by MudGear in our Gear Shop.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In this episode I talk to Laura Messner, elite racer and member of the ComebackKids, winners of Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge. She shares with us what she and the ComebackKids did to get accepted for the show and took me through some of the experiences in filming. She talks about what shes done since winning and her hopes to come back for season 2.
Laura also shares with us some real motivation! She tells us about the vlog shes working on that will undoubtedly spread the same motivation she shared on the show.
If you want to hear more from the ComebackKids you can check out Beni Gifford in Episode 43, and Matt Campione in Episode 20.
This episode is sponsored by Lucky 13 Coaching with Nickademus Hollon.
You can get your Overcome and Run race jersey made by MudGear in our Gear Shop.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In this episode I talk to Brian Lohr the owner of All Day Ruckoff and Charity Challanges. When Brian was looking to do his first ruck event he wasn't able to find out what the event consisted of, how to prepare or even know if he was ready to do it. So he createdAll Day Ruckoff that helps you prepare to do a ruck event. He shares with us what a ruck event is, how you know if you are ready for one, and why should take the plunge into rucking.
After some time with All Day Ruckoff he set out with his buddy to start Charity Challanges. It started from a pull-up challenge and grew to a business that's donated almost $50,000 to Team RWB and The Green Beret Foundation.
This episode is sponsored by Lucky 13 Coaching with Nickademus Hollon.
You can get your Overcome and Run race jersey made by MudGear in our Gear Shop.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In this episode I talk to author/ host of Dirt in Your Skirt, and Editor-in-Chief of Mud Run Guide, Margaret Schlatcher.
Margaret started out her OCR journey or odyssey as she calls it as working at a boarding school and running early Spartan Races. She was called stupid for leaving her full time job and pursuing OCR full time. Several years later, look at what she has done in OCR.
She recently started a podcast called Dirt in Your Skirt where she interviews women (Many in OCR) who are doing awesome things. You can catch Dirt in Your Skirt on iTunes, Stitcher, I Heart Radio and any other podcast app.
This episode is sponsored by MudGear
You can get your Overcome and Run race jersey made by MudGear in our Gear Shop.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In this episode I talk to Spartan Pro Team member Glenn Racz. Glenn is an extremely busy guy who is a husband, father, engineer, and Yancy Camp athlete. He has to manage his work/life balance to be successful.
Additionally, make sure to check out the Spartan Race World Championships on NBC on Christmas Day.
This episode is sponsored by MudGear
You can get your Overcome and Run race jersey made by MudGear in our Gear Shop.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
For more about Spartan World Championships 2016 check out Episode 38 With Faye Stenning and more about Yancy Camp Check out Episodes 44 with Yancy and Miguel, 42 with Beni Gifford and 37 with Yancy Culp.
In todays episode we have Nickademus Hollan. Nick is known for crushing ultra marathons and is always someone to look out for at Worlds Toughest Mudder. We start the episode talking about a race that I am super interested in, which is the Barkley Marathons. You may have seen the documentary on Netflix, if you did Nick was the guy with the long hair who didn't win that year. He did go on to win the following year however. Nick is also a multi time Worlds Toughest Mudder competitor. We talk about how he went out too hard and ended up dropping out after 65 miles this year, though he was a favorite to win.
Look for a future episode with Nick where we take your running related questions and answer them on the show. The details aren't final yet, but I am excited about this one!
This episode is sponsored by MudGear
You can get your Overcome and Run race jersey made by MudGear in our Gear Shop.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
For more about Worlds Toughest Mudder check out Episodes 43 with Kris Mendoza and 42 Live from WTM.
In todays episode we are brining you the motivation with Coach Pain. Most of you likely know coach pain from Spartan Race, BattleFrog (RIP), OCRWC or Civilian Military Combine. We talk briefly about his start line work, but really dive into his training. We talk a lot about his motivation in training, and training his clients. We also talk about how unique his workouts are and why he decides to build his workouts the way he does.
This episode is sponsored by MudGear
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
.
In this episode I talk to Miguel Medina and Yancy Culp about what sort of training you should be doing during the off season.
As you may already know, Yancy Culp is the coach behind Yancy Camp, and Miguel Medina is one of his elite athlete coaches. As a member of team Medina on Yancy Camp I knew they both would have amazing ideas. You will hear from both about how the off season is a good time to build that aerobic base, and slow down a bit on the High Intensity Interval Training that we are all used to doing in OCR. Also, Miguel shares with us that you should be spending some time getting yourself into other sports/ fitness hobbies that will help keep you from getting burned out of running and OCR, but will also keep you active and improving your overall fitness.
We also talk a bit about Worlds Toughest Mudder and how amazing of an event it was. The three of us got to spend some time together at the event, so it was a good time to catch up and share some of our experiences.
This episode is sponsored by MudGear
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In this episode I talk to Kris Mendoza about his 100 mile performance at Worlds Toughest Mudder. Kris was the 3rd place finisher at Worlds Toughest Mudder 2016 completing 100 miles. He set a goal of 90 miles and shares with us how he was able to go beyond his goal and break that 100 mile barrier. He shares with us his nutrition, gear and training.
This episode is sponsored by
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In this episode I am live from Worlds Toughest Mudder with Neil "Crazy" Craver (Who you may know from American Ninja Warrior), Junyong Pak, and Austin Azar.
I talk with Crazy Craver about going from the shortest possible course, to the longest course in OCR. It was excellent to see him out there, and of course it was easy to identify him with the gold shorts over his wet suit.
I talk with Junyong Pak about going from the overall leader, to dropping out of the race in the middle of the night. Pak is known for being an extremely accomplished and experienced endurance racer, so this was a surprise to see him drop so fast.
Last, and certainly not least I talk to Austin about what it felt like to run 100 miles. 7 people completed 100 miles this year, but he was the 4th to make it happen in this event. He took 2nd in the individual male category.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
ereo Master.
In this episode I talk to Beni Gifford. We cover a ton of things from winning the Spartan:Ultimate Team Challenge, to being a Yancy Camp Athlete.
Beni shares with us how he got into elite obstacle course racing. He clears up the misconception that BattleFrog is coming back with a TV show, and we discuss what really led that business to fail.
We talk in great detail about Spartan:Ultimate Team Challenge, and some of the behind the scenes details that you may not have thought about when watching the show. He also put out publicly for the first time that he will be on this upcoming season of Broken Skull, and is applying to be on American Ninja Warrior.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In this episode I talk to Sean Corvelle. We talk about some new obstacles, and obstacles no longer at Tough Mudder, such as the new Arctic Enema 3.0 and why it scared me so bad as well as Electro Shock Therapy and some experiences there. Sean talks about fear and how it applies in Tough Mudder and why it really is a good thing.
I finish up by asking Sean about his start line speech at all Tough Mudder events, and what he does different at Worlds Toughest Mudder. Lastly, Sean shares some last minute motivation for you Worlds Toughest Mudders out there.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In this episode I talk to Brian Jordan, all around MC for Toughest OCR in Europe. We talk about the various obstacles that Toughest offers from physically exhausting obstacles, to easy and fun obstacles and how Toughest has something for everyone. We also talk about how Toughest is different from races in the U.S. and whats to come for Toughest.
Brian also recently attended OCRWC and had some cool insight on Dragons Back which is a Toughest original obstacle. We had a long conversation with Faye in episode 38 about Dragons Back in OCRWC. Brian shares with us that though its a mentally terrifying obstacle, in all reality it is an extremely easy obstacle once you take the first leap.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list
Audition Template: 1 Mono Host track (with Speech Volume Leveler), 1 Mono Interview track (with Speech Volume Leveler), 1 Stereo Sound FX with effects, 1 Stereo Music Bed track. 44.1k, 16 bit, Stereo Master.
In this episode I talk to Faye Stenning. Faye took 3rd at Spartan Race World Championships in a talked about burpee race at the end with Lindsay Webster. Following her outstanding podium at Spartan Race World Championships, she had a to make a tough decision to walk away from the race at Obstacle Course Racing World Championships (OCRWC).
We talk in detail about how she took a leave of absence from work to dedicate a full 4 months to training which ultimately allowed her to make it to the podium at SRWC. She breaks down the race for us, sharing a breakdown of some of the obstacles, how she felt during the race and how she was able to make it through some of the "dark places" that she was in when she felt like she couldn't finish in the top group.
We also talk about what happened at OCRWC that led to her walking off the course. She tells us about what obstacles she likes, and what obstacles she didn't like. Faye talks a lot about obstacles that don't test you physically, but ultimate are more dangerous then they are worth and what its like when you come to an obstacle like that.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In this episode I talk to Yancy Culp about how to come back from a break in your workout routine. I am sure you all have had the struggle like I recently had, be it an injury, or work and life just getting in the way of your training and you needed help getting back to where you were. I know I was struggling, so I reached out to Yancy to help us all find that way back tot he workout grind so we can be ready to crush our next OCR.
We also talk a bit about Spartan Race World Championships from a couple weeks ago, and whats to come with Worlds Toughest Mudder. Yancy shares some advice with me about how to be ready for WTM, and maybe it'll help some of you as well.
Yancy was awesome enough to share a link with us to get a free month of Yancy Camp. Its definitely an awesome program so get over to yancycamp.com to take advantage of that!
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In this episode I talk to Peter Dobos from Obstacle Course Training. Obstacle Course Training is a program designed by Jonathan Albon, Ryan Atkins and Matt Murphy to help OCR competitors of all levels improve. We talk with Peter about what the Obstacle Course Training program is, how it works and what you get. We also talk about the 2016 Spartan Race World Championships, what happened, who won and a general analysis of the race. Lastly we cover the upcoming Obstacle Course Racing World Championships. Peter has had an opportunity to check out the course map and is a local to the venue. We talk about what he can share about the course and what the awesome competitor village is going to be like. This is an awesome and packed episode!
As peter mentioned in the episode, use code: Pete15 to get 15% off any program at Obstaclecourse.training!
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In this episode I talk to OCR Elite Hunter McIntyre. We cover a long range of topics from training, to making OCR a career and what its like to have become a TV personality of sorts.Hunter has been on Steve Austin's Broken Skull, Boundless, and Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge. He was the host on Boundless and is currently the reigning champ on Broken Skull.
This is a super fun episode and you definitely need to check it out!
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In this episode we talk to Melissa Dugan, a 2 time Worlds Toughest Mudder Veteran an active leader in the Tough Mudder community. We talk about why she ran her first WTM, how to physically prepare for a WTM, what to bring, what to wear, what to eat and any extras that you need to know. If you are planning on, or have even thought of running a WTM this one is for you!
Heather talks to Scott Keneally, director and creator of the new documentary Rise of the Sufferfests.They talk about the film and what it took to create it, the deeper reasons why people run OCRs and why this sport has exploded in popularity, and Scott's personal experience with the world of OCR.
We speak with Alex Sawicki, an elite OCR athlete who recently placed first in back-to-back Spartan Ultra Beast and Super races in Hawaii. We talk about those wins, why she loves the steep courses and the rush of downhill running, and the mental strength required to run these races with a competitive edge.
In this episode, Heather takes over while Jay is occupied with the Navy, and she talks with Yuri Force, a top tier OCR athlete who dominates the Savage Race and competed in the most recent season of American Ninja Warrior. Yuri shares his experiences with Savage Race and why it's one of his favorite race series, and talks about the wildly different and challenging experience of competing on American Ninja Warrior, and the lessons it taught him. Make sure you're keeping up by following us on Instagram and Facebook, and signing up for our mailing list!
In this episode I talk to OCR Running coach and Podcast host Richard Diaz. Richard coaches all levels of OCR athletes online or in person through Diaz Human Performance, as well as hosts a podcast called The Natural Running Network Live.
Richard shares with us common issues people make that cause injuries, best running form, what you should consider when getting running shoes, proper running cadence and how to gain speed down hills. This episode is PACKED with great information!
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our Instagram, Facebook and joining our mailing list!
In this episode I talk to Kristena and Ali about their experience at the Agoge 002. Kristena was able to complete the full Agoge and has a ton of great anecdotes, and Ali unfortunately DNF as a result of an injury. This is a follow up episode to Episodes 4 and 6 where I talked to Ali and Kristena about their plans to complete the Spartan Delta in 2016. If you haven't already listened to those, check them out and hear about how they started. If you are considering any of the Hurricane Heat's or the Agoge, then you definitely need to check this episode out!
In this episode I talk to Megan and Terry from Warrior Dash. We talk about where Warrior Dash came from, what they're doing now and what they have planned for 2017.
Don't forget to get over to overcomeandrun.com and sign up for our mailing list!
In this episode I talk to the CEO of w Sam Abbitt, and Personal Trainer Jared Renyer.
Sam and I talk about what's new with Savage Race in 2016, what to expect in 2017 and when or if we should expect to see Savage Race on the west coast.
I talk with Jared about some training tips and things to do to help prevent injury. Make sure to get over and check Jared out on Instagram at j_ren13_fitness or facebook J_Ren13 Fitness.
Don't forget to get over to overcomeandrun.com and sign up for our mailing list!
In this episode I talk to Ryan Woods about his recent race at the Atlantic City Bone Frog Challenge and how it compared to what Brian Carney told us to expect in Episode 12 We also talk about Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge, how its being viewed by the OCR community, and as a competitor on the show how he feels it is being represented on TV.
Make sure you are following everything we are doing by taking a look at our instagram, facebook and joining our mailing list!
In this episode I talk to BattleFrog Pro Team member and course designer Marco Bedard. Marco talks about his time training for and competing in the Olympics. We discuss his transition to OCR, how it has been competing at an elite level with BattleFrog, and what its like and what he is trying to do as a course designer.
In this episode I talk to Evan Perperis about his OCR America where he ran to raise money for the charity Folds of Honor. Today is day 7 and you can go back and see his journey on his website, or on Facebook, or just check back here for the previous episodes.
In this episode I talk to Evan Perperis about his OCR America where he is running to raise money for the charity Folds of Honor. Today is day 6 and you can follow his journey on his website, or on Facebook, or just check back here every day for a post race reca
In this episode I talk to Evan Perperis about his OCR America where he is running to raise money for the charity Folds of Honor. Today is day 4 and you can follow his journey on his website, or on Facebook, or just check back here every day for a post race recap
In this episode I talk to Evan Perperis about his OCR America where he is running to raise money for the charity Folds of Honor. Today is day 4 and you can follow his journey on his website, or on Facebook, or just check back here every day for a post race recap.
In this episode I talk to Evan Perperis about his OCR America where he is running to raise money for the charity Folds of Honor. Today is day 3 and you can follow his journey on his website, or on Facebook, or just check back here every day for a post race recap.
In this episode I talk to Evan Perperis about his OCR America where he is running to raise money for the charity Folds of Honor. Today is just day 1, but you can follow his journey on his website, or on Facebook, or just check back here every day for a post race recap.
In this episode I talk to 34x Tough Mudder veteran Domineck Deutsch AKA Wolverine. We talk about best and worst venues and obstacles, What to expect when running a Worlds Toughest Mudder, and how preparing for a Worlds Toughest Mudder helped him make a full body transformation.
In this episode I talk to Evan Perperis about his OCR America where he is running to raise money for the charity Folds of Honor. Today is just day 1, but you can follow his journey on his website, or on Facebook, or just check back here every day for a post race recap.
In this episode I talk to BattleFrog Pro Team captain Ryan Atkins. We talk about his experience as the race designer for the BFX24, his plans for the 2016 Worlds Toughest Mudder with the new team rules, and I get some great training tips.
In this episode I talk to Obstacle Racing Media owner Matt B. Davis. We cover the origin story of Obstacle Racing Media, the upward movement of OCR, the new OCR documentary Rise of the Sufferfests and the correct pronunciation of the Aegean Sea.
In this episode I talk to Ashley Samples, with a little cameo from Dustin Radney. We cover her upcoming first race at Conquer the Gauntlet, what happened at the most recent Battlefrog she ran that sparked an article on Obstacle Racing Media, and her races all over the world.
In this episode I talk to Conquer The Gauntlet pro team member Matt Campione. We talk about what makes Savage Race and Conquer The Gauntlet so great, how he overcame addiction and his experience as a team member on the show Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge.
In this episode I talk to elite OCR trainer Yancy Culp. We talk about training techniques, workouts and common mistakes people make in training. Yancy has a ton of great info to say, and you definitely want to check this episode out!
In this episode I talk to the CEO of Spartan Race Joe De Sena. We talk about the Spartan Delta, Agoge, creating a culture of fitness and incorporating fitness into your whole life, and bands over burpees. Check this episode out!
In this episode I talk to BFX Director David Moore to clear up any confusion you may have about the new rules. This episode is short and sweet, but will make sure you are ready to crush your next BFX.
In this episode I talk to the Bill and Jacob from BROCR Review. We talk about what BROCR review is, what are the best Spartan Races to run, why having friends in OCR is important, and how to best utilize a shake weight in your OCR training routine. This one is a lot of fun, you definitely don't want to miss it!
In this episode I talk to endurance racer, health coach and blogger Ekaterina Solovieva [SOLO]. We cover everything from Fuego y agua in nicaragua to her bucket list. This one covers it all and you definitely don't want to miss it!
In this episode I talk to Kevin Donoghue, a Spartan Race pro-team member and coach on the new Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge TV Show in NBC. We talk about the early days of Spartan Race, The new show and why Kevin keeps it exclusively Spartan.
In this episode I talk about my most recent Tough Mudder experience. I cover the build, the family dinner and an awesome run!
In this episode I talk to BFX race director David Moore. We cover the BFX, BFX 24, the medals and everything in between.
In this episode I talk to Garfield Griffiths, the man behind many of the great races you have already ran, and likely will run. Garfield talks about his new project, bringing back the Civilian Military Combine. Additionally we talk about his work with Savage Race, Battlefrog, and his current work with the OCR World Championships.
In this episode I talk to the CEO of the Bone Frog Challenge, Brian Carney. We talk about what Bone Frog means, What makes the race series different, why you should run one, and what the future looks like for the race and OCR as a whole.
In this episode I talk to CrossFit coach Eric Scola. We talk about the major issues many people have with CrossFit, how to be safe when doing CrossFit and how CrossFit can help any OCR athlete.
In this episode I talk to Morgan McKay who was the women's winner for the first BFX24. We talk about how she was able to complete 75 miles in that race, how she was able to train and win a Spartan Ultra Beast and place in the top 10 at the Worlds Toughest Mudder.
In this episode I talk to the host of the Diz Runs With Podcast Denny Krahe about training, nutrition, injury prevention, recovery everything else running. This is definitely one of the most actionable episodes to date!
In this episode I talk to Matthew Mullens about how he uses positive thinking, high goal setting and mental strength to get him through any OCR race. We talk about having your family as part of your OCR journey, and how the members of his Mixed Interval Training team are now like family.
In this episode I talk to Josh Andrews founder of the popular Team Black Sheep about his fitness group, his training routine with Brute Force Sandbags and his huge upcoming season.
In this episode I talk to Kristena Lynn about her journey in the Spartan Delta, and about maintaining a never quit attitude.
In this episode I talk to Precision Nutrition coach Brian St. Pierre about good nutrition practices for OCR racers. We cover a low carb, high fat diet vs. high carb, low fat diets, intermittent fasting, supplements and the best foods to eat for recovery.
In this episode I talk to the author of the blog Muscles, Mud and Mascara Ali Tucker. We talk about her commitment to the Spartan Delta this year, what it means to be an elite athlete while still being a mother and maintaining a career.
In this episode I talk to Chad Trammell about his victory at the 2015 World's Toughest Mudder where he completed 95 miles to get the win. We talk about how to prepare for a 24 hour race, what kind of gear you need and what it takes on the course to win.
In this episode I talk with Evan Perperis about his fitness site teamstrengthspeed.com, how to become a sponsored athlete, and what it takes to become an authority figure in the obstacle course racing community.
In this episode I talk to Mark Bowles about how he used Spartan Races to overcome his addiction. We also talk about his #5foraddiction and #gohard challenges where he is challenging everyone to burpees to bring awareness to addiction. Be cautous though, you might be challenged to burpees in this episode yourself!
In this episode I will be talking about what Overcome and Run is, what it means to me, what you get out of it and how often you will be getting it. Its just a short introduction of me to you.