Overcome and Run

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 Scotland last 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.