World's Toughest Mudder 2013 (Pre-Race)

I'm still a little in shock right now.  I have 1 day before I head out to New Jersey for the 2013 World's Toughest Mudder competition.  It's been a crazy year trying to train for it.  Long runs, wet suit workouts, and embracing the suck all come to mind when I think about it.  Overall, it has been a crazy ride getting ready for this race.  I really want to start this race.  I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas morning!

RACE BREAK DOWN
Well they up and changed a lot of the race.  It's now 5 mile laps with the first lap being a sprint with no obstacles.  The sprint is to help break up the crowd and not have a huge traffic jam at the first obstacle.  They also are awarding individuals who complete specific tasks during the race.

• First to Lap 1: Green Bib and free entry to 2014 WTM
• Most Night laps: Black Bib (Night-ops) and free entry to 2014 WTM
• 50 mile mark: Brown Bib and free entry to a Tough Mudder in 2014
• 75 mile mark: Silver Bib and free 2014 Season Pass
• 100 mile mark: Orange Bib and free WTM entry for 2014

There are also orange and black headbands to differentiate between WTM contenders and WTM 24 hour finishers.

I can't even try to compare this to the previous 2 years.  The shorter laps and condensed obstacles will create havoc out in the race.  Anything is up for grabs at this point.  Especially if the penalties for each obstacle are as severe as I think they will be.

GEAR
All of my gear is purchased and tested.  I have an amazing 5/4/3 mm Cypher wet suit from Quicksilver.  Should get me through the night hours.  I was also lucky enough to get several lighter wet suits from my wife's family to destroy as saw fit.  I also have 3 pairs of gloves ready to go and some of the new Inov-8 X-Talons.  If I fail, it won't be due to lack of proper gear.

• HEAD
• 2mm Neoprene Beanie
• Polartec Fleece Dive Hood
• TORSO
• 1/4" Fleece Lined Shortie and Vest
• 5/4/3 mm Hooded Cypher Wet Suit by Quicksilver
• 1/8" Full Wet Suit
• 1/4" Farmer John with Jacket
• Lavacore Long Sleeve Top
• SHOES
• Inov-8 X-Talons (2011)
• Inov-8 X-Talons (2013)
• GLOVES
• Mechanics Gloves
• 2mm Neoprene Ice Fishing Gloves
• 5mm Neoprene Diving Gloves
• 7mm Neoprene Quicksilver Lobster Claws
• WIND/RAIN GEAR
• Columbia Rain Jacket
• Columbia Rain Pants

NUTRITION
Food was a conundrum for me.  The freezing temperatures at night have a tendency to make gels extremely thick.  I always have a hard time eating solid foods during a race.  Most of my food options require little to no chewing with exception to my Perpeteum tablets.  I didn't want to take a heavy water pack with the race laps being so short.  Plus, at 33 calories per tablet, I can easily dial in my nutrition requirements every lap.

I divided my food into 15, 1 hour grab bags.  I figured I won't need much beyond that since I will have to stop at least 6 at the pits to replenish food stocks.  I'll just leave what I have out and grab and go.  Overall, I have enough food to last the full 24 hours, assuming I consume 200-300 calories per hour.  I also packed my electrolyte tablets and my anti-fatigue tablets.  I packaged them in a smaller zip-lock to hopefully keep them dry enough for me to consume.  I have a backup plan for the container should it not work.

• 1 hour Bags (Packed 15)
• Buddy Fruit Puree (80-120 calories)
• Hammer/Gu packet (100 calories)
• 1 S-Cap Tablet
• 2 Anti-Fatigue Tablets
• Filler Food
• Perpeteum Tablets (33 calories)
• Can carry 6 in a case (~200 calories)
• Pit Food
• (x10) Ensure PLUS (350 calories)
• (x4) PB & J Bagels (Each half is 200-300 calories)
• (x2) Banana (Each half is 50 calories)
• Extra Buddy Fruits (4 packs @ 100 calories a piece)

GEAR BAG
I needed to pack a gear bag with all the pit essentials, including a general med repair kit, should something need fixing during the race.

• REQUIRED GEAR FOR NIGHT RACE
• Head Lamp (Surefire Headlamp)
• Flashing Strobe (Diving Strobe)
• Backup is Nathan Clip-on
• OTHER GEAR
• Duct Tape
• Packing Tape
• Zip Ties
• Tent
• Sleeping Bag
• Fold up camping chair

WEATHER FORECAST
The current forecast is providing something interesting.  Warmer than last year's race with a slight chance for rain.  Depending upon how cold the water is, I may use a light wet suit for a lot of the race.  I'm packing enough to have some options for clothing during the race.

Build Up - Tough Mudder Michigan 2013

Race Recap

I was extremely excited going into this event.  I was lucky enough to be able to sleep in a bed the night before and woke up on Saturday, June 29, 2013 in good spirits and high hopes for the day.  This was crushed only a few hours later when I found out that my running partner was sick and barely moving in his tent.  I hike the 3/4 of a mile from my car to the starting area.  Oh, the lengths I'll go to save $10.  I had planned to run the first lap with a group of first timers.  However, I was quickly persuaded after the start to just run the course.  It was supposed to rain that afternoon and I wanted to get the 2nd lap in before those shenanigans hit.  I started out at the rear of the 8:00 A.M. starting group and spent the next 20 minutes trying to pass the solid mass of people out in front.  Luckily, Tough Mudder has a way of helping those in need.  I was able to find some other running partners for both of my laps that helped me to keep pushing myself harder.

I met a man named Russ a little after Arctic Enema.  We chatted briefly and I asked if I could pace with him.  He was happy to oblige and we ran the rest of the course together.  It worked out well since I was able to help him out at several obstacles.  Being tall has its consequences.  Especially at the Boa Constrictor.  I can easily ball up and shimmy up the slope.  Russ, being over 6' was unable to copy my technique.  I threw my legs down the tube and helped him out of the pipe.  Overall, the first lap was uneventful.  I didn't have to walk anywhere due to the mud and the only new obstacle, the Cage Crawl, was very easy and quite refreshing.  The only issue I had was at Electric Eel where I lost count of how many shocks I had after 15.  Getting shocked that many times on a fresh battery is just painful.

The first lap was finished in around 1 hr, 45 minutes.  A little fast for a 2 lap day but overall, I felt good going into the second lap.  After finishing I quickly grabbed my headband and shirt, threw them on, and promptly jumped in for the 10:00 start.

Lap 2 was a big learning experience for me.  I would see how race-day nutrition and hydration play a key role in how well you can perform.  I set an easier pace on this lap and eventually ran into two brothers who I ran with for the rest of the lap.  Joe and Chris were their names.  It was their first time running a TM and it worked out well for my pace.  Everything was good until around mile 6.  I realized later that the amount of nutrition available on the course is not enough to supplement what I truly needed.  I think I had enough calories, it was my hydration and sodium levels that were too low.  This led to a calf cramp at Bale bonds on mile 11 of 12 that severely dampened my pace.  Luckily, I had enough gas to make it up Everest and finish in  2 hours and 45 minutes for my second lap.

Overall, I'd give this course an 8 out of 10.  The first demerit is for having to walk so damn far from the parking lot to the venue.  The second is for the soil.  Very sandy and rocky so my knees and elbows were shredded by the end of the day.  The last is for having the changing tents at the bottom of the hill while the showers were at the top.  I was unable to change into some dry things because of this.  Once I was at the top of the hill, I wasn't moving back down!  Otherwise, the terrain was good.  Lots of rolling hills that made me ache later.  It was not nearly as flat as I had predicted.  They also made use of the many concrete dividers as mini obstacles throughout the course.


This race was by far the best learning experience I have had in some time.  I feel like my training is on course for the World's Toughest Mudder in November.  I understand how critical nutrition and hydration are for my overall performance.  I was also able to test my mental stability after my legs were burning and wanting to stop.

Build-Up Plan

1. Run longer.  There is an old saying that "one is infinitely better than two".  My first lap was easy.  My second lap was a challenge.  Third lap and beyond?  I need to get my legs used to the pounding if I am to survive the WTM in November.
2. Nutrition and Hydration.  Plan better for multiple lap days.  One lap is good with using the on-course goods.  Two laps or more I need to bring a race belt with gel packets.

Focus Training for WTM 2013

1. Grip Strength - Continue bouldering and training on my climbing wall
2. Running - Keep increasing mileage and frequency of long runs
3. Rucking - Build up to 50 lb pack and hike for 10 miles.  Will use in place of sprint days.
4. Weight Training - Maintain leg and upper body strength

Break Down - Tough Mudder Michigan 2013

I had a relatively short time to train between the Chicago TM and the Michigan TM.  My long miles were put in and I feel fantastic going into the race tomorrow.  My only let down is that between all the planning I am doing for future events, my strength training has suffered the last two weeks.  Regardless, this TM will be about endurance and breaking my single day mileage run all at one time.  

We start at 8:00 A.M.  Luckily, my fiance has family just 6 miles from the venue so I can get a good nights rest after the 3 hour drive to the Raceway.  That will put me ahead of my game from the Chicago TM.

I am traveling with a group the first lap so the pace will be slower than my typical race pace.  I estimate that it will be closer to my pace at the World's Toughest Mudder so I can start to get an idea of how I will deteriorate after each lap.  This will also provide a good chance to test some equipment(mainly socks, shoes, and undergarments) over a longer period of time.  I'm expecting a 3 hour adventure with the newbies in tow.  Nothing fancy, just enjoying the run.

Mike and I will be the only ones doing a second lap.  The weather forecast is calling for thunderstorms early in the afternoon so we will have to push hard to finish in time.  Otherwise, they will call the race like they did in the Indiana TM in 2012 and push us to the finish line while skipping the obstacles.

Nutrition will be a key part of this race.  I will need to stop at every food station and grab something to keep my energy up going into lap 2.  I'm not taking a pack with me so every calorie I can keep down will help to keep me from bonking.  I will take a Gu packet in between laps with something to drink and then hit the course again.

BREAK-DOWN

• Location:  Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, MI 49230
• Roughly a 12 mile course based on my GPS mapping
• Flat course, especially the last 4 miles
• 20 obstacles per lap
• Only 1 new obstacle: Cage Crawl
• No Revenge obstacles this round
• Biggest Challenge: Mentally preparing for the latter half of the 2nd lap and not bonking because of lack of nutrition

Build Up - Tough Mudder Chicago 2013 and WTM Qualification

RACE RECAP

I felt rather calm going into this event.  I knew I had trained harder than I did the year before for my first Tough Mudder.  Now it was just a matter of finishing.  I ran the race in the first heat on Sunday at 10:00 AM.  The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day with a good breeze going.  After getting checked in, it was off to the starting gate to wait for the start.

I ran the race with Mike Durkin and his Uncle Bill.  Mike is by far the better runner between us so he set the pace from the beginning.  Bill peeled off after the first obstacle and ran his own game.  Mike and I stayed up front and tried to keep the top two runners in our sights.  This was okay till lap 5 but I just didn't have the stamina to make a push to catch up.  Where I did excellent at were the obstacles themselves.  I could often close the gap the Mike would build up between obstacles during the running portions.  My grip training paid off during Hanging Tough and at Funky Monkey.  I never once felt like I couldn't hang on long enough.  I was able to take my time and focus on the obstacle.  The toughest component of the course was just the mud itself.  It wasn't as slick as other events but it had a lot of clay which made it sticky.  One long section, I was forced to walk.  The energy expended would have been detrimental in the end.

The venue did a fantastic job setting up the course.  The water obstacles were well spaced and came around just in time to help cool you off.  The course was as flat as I had mapped from my previous posting.  The only severe elevation changes were going in and out of the water or dips for ditches.  With that being said, I was able to complete the course in/around 1 hr and 33 minutes. I was shooting for the 2 hour mark and simply blew it away.  The man who finished first in our heat, completed the course in 1 hr 24 minutes and some change.  Props to the man who so thoroughly trounced the competition.  Mike ran across 3rd and I came across shortly after him in a wonderful 4th place finish for the heat.  We stood around enjoying our much deserved beer.  What happened next was pretty damn cool in my book.  It wasn't until several minutes passed that we realized that no one else had finished yet.  We started walking back to Everest to lend a hand to whoever was coming. Around 20 minutes passed before the next competitor made his way up to Everest.  Mike and I spent a good 30 minutes up there helping people up the wall.  It was a lot of fun and it felt even better having the headband on.  Eventually, Mike spotted Bill (I have no idea how) coming up to Funky Monkey.  Bill ran a hard race and had to have finished in the top 40.  With him being 50 years old, it makes it even more impressive.  However, he lost all of his glory when he exited stage right, 3/4 of the way through Electroshock Therapy.  It was one of the funnier  sights I have seen in a long time.  The announcer had a blast with it as well.

Overall, I'd give the course a 7 out of 10.  There are two reasons I give it a short stick: one for terrain, two for facilities.  The terrain was not adding to the challenge at all and thus made it a fast race.  Had there been more hills or gnarly terrain, it would have been a perfect run.  The obstacles shouldn't just be what is man-made.  The Indiana 2012 TM was proof of that.  The hardest obstacle there was the terrain itself.  Remove all of the obstacles and it still would have been a tougher race than this event.  The second beef I got is with the shower post race and the location.  The water was recycled so I actually felt dirtier leaving the showers than when I went in.  Also, there was no dry route out of the shower area to get back to the main event corridor.  A drainage creek had built up and you were force to go through it.  So despite your best efforts to get semi-clean before returning home, they were dashed aside by the muck and mire and in my opinion, the only bad bit of planning in the whole event.


BUILD-UP PLAN

My first and foremost let-down for myself in this event is not being able to push on at mile 5 to try and catch the leaders.  I didn't hit my stride till mile 8 or 9 and to seriously compete, I need to be able to run at a faster pace for a longer time, right from the start.  I can run continuously at an 8 minute per mile pace.  Anything below that and my endurance just can't keep up.  This leaves me with two options to improve:

1. Lose weight - Losing weight will help me out by about 2 seconds per mile.  Technically, I am obese for the weight and height that I am.  However, my body fat percentage is below 12%.  That means I have roughly 20 lbs of just fat on my body.  Losing half of that, which will take a serious diet change, will gain me 40 seconds per mile off my time.  This would have made my TM run on Sunday a lot more comfortable and I might have had the stamina to push on harder at mile 5 and beyond.
2. Do more Tempo Runs - Tempo runs help to build the lactic threshold.  This allows for longer runs at higher speeds before you start to tire out.  Since my training is slowly shifting to focus for the WTM in November, these will become a key portion of my training.  

I want to gain 30 seconds per mile for my pace time.  Cutting weight will be the biggest obstacle for me since it requires a major diet change.  But the benefits will be worth it.  I refuse to hold back a team mate on another run.

FOCUS TRAINING FOR WTM 2013

1. Grip Strength - Continue bouldering and training on my climbing wall
2. Running - Keep increasing mileage and frequency of long runs
3. Rucking - Build up to 50 lb pack and hike for 10 miles.  Will use in place of sprint days.
4. Weight Training - Maintain leg and upper body strength
5. Complete 2 (Maybe 3) laps at TM Michigan in a little over a month.

Remember, nothing is impossible.  It just takes longer.

Break Down - Tough Mudder Chicago 2013

The last few months have sped along at a rapid pace.  The training runs, races, and sweat are all I have to show for it so far.  However, now that I am a few days away from the Chicago Tough Mudder, time has started to drag its heels, but not with the usual anxiousness that I have had before.  Inevitably, the week before a major race I have butterflies.  I'm always questioning my training and whether I will perform as well as I had hoped.  I don't feel that this week primarily due to the last few weeks of training I have done.

I validated my running training with a new half-marathon PR at the 500 Festival race in Indianapolis on May 4th.  It was my 4th race in a two week period and I did far better than I could have hoped.  I was able to maintain a good race pace around 7:30, but I still find that I am going out too fast on my starts.  I need to hang back more and relax for the first few miles.  I know that around mile 8 to 10 I will start to fade if I do a "jack rabbit" start.  Otherwise, my legs feel good for the Tough Mudder this weekend.

Strength-wise, I feel strong but slightly edgy.  My body isn't used to taking it easy anymore.  I feel far more confident about this run than my previous two Tough Mudders last year.  However, there are a few things that have limited my training.  My climbing wall is finally up and in service as of 3 weeks ago.  I had to complete my crash mat before I would use it.  Better safe than sorry.  Plus, falling 10 feet onto concrete is not fun. But it wasn't early enough to work on my grip strength.  In addition, I've had to be exceedingly careful in taekwondo practice to keep from injuring myself during sparring matches.  I didn't want to risk twisting my ankle so close to the race.  I have a tendency to do just that when I spar hard for several days.  Pulling back on the sparring has limited my explosive power.  I feel I will have adequate reserves but I would feel better knowing I have the leg strength to give me that extra boost for the "Everest" obstacle and the jumping power for several others.

Regardless of the training issues, I feel calm and ready for this race.  I have no doubt in my mind that I will place in the top 5% for this Sunday's event.  Now, it is just a matter of not hesitating at any obstacle and surging forward after each obstacle is complete.  This will keep my average pace per mile under 10:45 minutes/mile.  Running the two half-marathons before this event really boosted my confidence.  Especially after running a trail half-marathon around 1:50:53 when I was tanked from a PR on a 5k two days before.

Note to Self:  Allow adequate time to recover between races or train back to back for them.  One day of rest is not enough!


Tough Mudder Chicago 2013 Break Down

• Roughly an 11 mile course from my shoddy GPS mapping over the course layout
• Extremely flat course.  Less than 150 feet of total elevation change (Gains and losses of no more than 10 feet at a time)
• Approximately 2 obstacles per mile with the exception of the last mile which has 5
• Longest stretch w/o obstacles: mile 3 to 4
• New Personal Obstacles (never attempted)
• Dong Dangler
• Twinkle Toes (Obstacle canceled at first TM in 2012 due to lighting storm)
• Wounded Warrior Carry
• Glory Blades
• Revenge Obstacle: Hangin Tough (Lost the last ring when I swung up and was 1 inch too short)
• Biggest Frustration:  Back and forth meandering to get distance due to small venue size (Previous experience at Wisconsin 2012 TM)

MUD & GUTS TRAINING April 22, 2013

April 13th, 2013 Workout Update

The weather had us at a handicap this weekend.  The rain made Sunset a rather swampy place.  But I still had some fellow runners show up in the blowing snow.

• 3/4 mile warm-up run/jog
• rest 1 minute
• 200 yd sprint
• 1 minute jumping jacks
• 1 minute rest
• 50 yd lunges + 150 yd sprint
• 1 minute Air Squats (as many and as fast as you can go)
• rest 1 minute
• 200 yd sprint
• 1 minute burpees (as many and as fast as you can go)
• Rest 1 minute
• 200 yd sprint
• Rest 1 minute
• 1/2 mile run with hills (try to keep an even steady pace up and down the hills)
• Weighted Sprints (Grab a sandbag or weighted pack for the last bit)
• 100 meter run
• 20-30 air squats under weight 
• 100 meter run
• rest 1 minute
• 100 meter run
• 20-30 lunges under weight 
• 100 meter run
• rest 1 minute
• 100 meter run
• 20-30 air squats w/ push press (push the weight above your head after each sqat)
• 100 meter run
• rest 1 minute
• Stretch and cool-down

Total Mileage: 2.25 miles

April 20th, 2013 Workout Update

Decided to cancel the training session.  Sunset was too waterlogged.

April 27th, 2013 Workout CHALLENGE

Here's a really good challenge for you.  Try and do 100 burpees as fast as you can!

If you need to kick it up a notch, then add a jumping pull-up after each burpee.

My time for 100 Burpee Pull-ups: 10 minutes 53 seconds


Give it a shot!

Running the Extra Mile

     Training can start to seem more like a chore than fun when the mileage keeps building.  I've had to gradually devote more and more time to training and it does get frustrating.  Primarily, trying to keep motivated during the long runs.  Keeping the motivation up from week to week has been stressful.  Especially when there is no clear results from the training.  I've had nothing to compare myself too for over 3 months now.  I have only done the single 5k race at the beginning of the year and my next race is still a week away.  The time in between has moved far too slow.  But there is a good lesson I learned from this.

I will definitely plan to run at least 1 race per month for the remainder of the year.  Even if I'm not going all out, it will still keep me focused on a temporary short-term goal.  Plus, I will have a race event to gauge my performance against other individuals in my age range.  This was an issue for me when I first started running. I had no concept of how well I was doing until I ran my first road race.  After I ran a few, I was able to setup some goals for the next race.  I may not be a speed demon anymore, but I want to feel comfortable running at a good pace for extended periods.  I designed my training around this and set the goal of completing 70 miles at the World's toughest Mudder.  Assuming I have been training correctly, the next few weeks should be a breeze.

Overall, I feel strong going into the beginning of the race season.  I have the 10 mile trail run at County Line Orchard in a week, then two half-marathons in the following two weeks.  It's an abrupt start, but I feel that I have prepared well for it.  I'm doing a 19 mile training run this weekend.  It will be the farthest I have gone in a single run.  I've been keeping at an 8 minute per mile pace so far with little difficulty.  The experimentation with Gu packets and the like has been fruitful.  I don't bonk anymore during a long or hard run.  It's been a lot of work trying to get ready for the World's Toughest Mudder.  I'll know in a little over a month whether or not my training has paid off when I try to qualify at the Chicago Tough Mudder.  I know that 3 years ago, I would have thought I could never have even tried to do something like this.  But that is why I live by my old Blacksmith Master's words:

Nothing is impossible.  It just takes longer.