Podcasts about Obstacle racing

Send us a Text Message.Award-winning journalist and author Gwendolyn "Wendy" Bounds joins us for an inspiring conversation about her latest book, "Not Too Late: The Power of Pushing Limits at Any Age." Wendy shares her incredible journey from being an unathletic media executive to a competitive obstacle course racer, highlighting the transformative power of embracing change at any stage of life. We discuss the profound impact Wendy's previous work, "Little Chapel on the River," had on our lives and catch up on her new role at SmartNews.Discover the physical and mental benefits pursuing a challenging pastime like obstacle course racing can bring, especially as we age. Learn about how the movements involved in this sport make us fit for “life” – being able to lift a suitcase into an airplane's overhead bin, pick up a bag of mulch, or play with our kids and grandkids. We delve into the importance of resilience and the value of evolving oneself by building on existing attributes like grit and determination. From stories around high-elevation races in Big Bear to desert challenges in Abu Dhabi, this conversation is packed with compelling insights and tactics on overcoming personal and professional hurdles.Reflecting on broader themes of personal growth and finding purpose in midlife, Wendy and I explore the journey of making small, consistent efforts to shift one's outlook on life. We discuss the significance of "crystallized intelligence" and patience in mastering new skills, and how life experiences give us a unique edge. With personal anecdotes about 9/11, future aspirations, and overcoming fears, this episode is a rich tapestry of wisdom and inspiration for anyone eager to push their limits and embrace new challenges.Support the Show.https://bamboolab3.com/

I've been involved in the creation and promotion of a number of athletic events, more specifically a cycling discipline called cyclocross. I've also participated in my fair share of events, from local road running races to Ironman and the Boston Marathon. I like to think that I have a decent understanding on the design of sporting events from the perspective of participants, promoter, and even spectator. When you are looking at these events from different perspectives, different elements become important. When designing them, it becomes important to take them all into account to create a successful experience. It can be a challenge to capture what these events are all about, especially to those who have no direct understanding of them. What is the allure? What draws people in? Why do people put themselves through it all? Portraying more obscure sporting events to a broader audience is a balancing act between over explaining what is going on and leaving spaces to draw people in. We can look at events like the Tour de France, professional hockey, Ironman, and other sports that don't have a broad audience, and as a result any coverage of it seems to try to overexplain itself.  One of the trends we see in sports media is the telling of stories of those who are competing. One of the things that draws us into sports is the struggle inherent in it. The struggle against ourselves, the struggle against others, the struggle against the elements. And it is not just about the struggle, but as ABC sports famously said “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.” We learn about these things through how they are portrayed in sports media.On this episode of Experience by Design, we welcome Matt B. Davis of Obstacle Racing Media to the studio. I first heard of Matt on Marc Maron's WTF podcast where he was talking about his documentary World's Toughest Mudder. You'll hear references to his appearance on Marc's podcast in our conversation. As an endurance athlete, I recognized the struggle of communicating what it is we do and why it is we do it. So, I thought it would be fun to have him on and talk about the documentary he created, the culture of obstacle racing, and sports media for more fringe sports. Matt's desire for creative communication and entertainment led him to a variety of outlets. From comedy to blogging to podcasting and now videos, Matt talks about how he created a media presence for obstacle racing. For those who don't know, which is probably most of you, obstacle racing are events like Tough Mudders or Spartan Race. What becomes really fascinating about these events is the strong sense of support and community that is created by all those involved. Competitors helping one another overcome literal obstacles because they are all in this together. We talk about his journey from New England to the world of comedy. We explore his decision to create a content creation company for the emerging world of obstacle racing. We dig into how to create authentic content that doesn't pander to the world of clickbait. He emphasizes that it is not just about the money, but the challenges of being a content creator who does justice to the community that is being portrayed. 

Kevin Ford and his partner Jules are the folk behind Nelsons Obstacle Park - the only permanent obstacle course racing park in the country.

“I absolutely do have bad days. I just make sure I don't let myself give up.” EMT Kate Smith, who began her public safety journey as a junior firefighter and EMS explorer at 14, before becoming a below-the-knee amputee at 16, shares how EMS helped reveal an inner strength that propelled her to where she is today – working to complete paramedic school, training for obstacle course races and inspiring others through her Adaptive Kate TikTok videos. Plus, we dig into all this: The high school job shadow requirement that drove her love of public safety How her work in EMS ultimately helped reveal the true reason she lost her leg – suspected Münchausen Syndrome by proxy The impact of Spartan races on her mental health Her thoughts on gratitude after trauma and overcoming obstacles to pursue your passions Email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback!

Author Adharanand Finn chats with world trail running champion, multiple world Skyrunning champion and obstacle racing superstar Jon Albon. Despite hailing from the flatlands of Essex, Albon has won some of the world's biggest mountain races and has his eyes set on even bigger goals. Here he talks about finding a flow state, the benefits of cross training, the joy of Coke, and why he hopes that trail running never makes it into the Olympics. Music by Starfrosch Adharanand Finn is the author of three award-winning books, Running with the Kenyans (2012), The Way of the Runner (2014), and the Rise of the Ultra Runners (2019). Follow The Way of the Runner podcast on Instagram: @thewayoftherunner or find it at thewayoftherunner.com The Way of the Runner podcast is sponsored by Veloforte, who make the best-tasting running fuel around. Visit veloforte.com The podcast is also supported by Adharanand's Patreon page, which is full of original and exclusive material: patreon.com/adharanandfinn

In this episode AJW welcomes world class obstacle racer Amelia Boone to Crack a Brew with AJW to discuss the transition from obstacle racing to ultras, the Barkley and her Hardrock dreams.   Find Amelia on Instagram @arboone11

In this new series, I'll be having conversations with innovators and founders of startups who are building products and solution to offer healthier alternatives to Indians. For the first episode i'm talking to Adnan Adeeb, Co-founder at Devils Circuit. More about them on https://www.devilscircuit.com/ We speak about the founding of India's most sought after obstacle races, current growth, learnings from past 10 years and future of the company. Hoping these conversations will make toolkits for other entrepreneurs thinking to build and health & fitness company in India. ___________________________________ Links to the full podcast Youtube: https://youtu.be/aQDN9KwhkPw Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3lF5ZrI5R045A6qfZwm8d5?si=l2TUGd8rRN2ounrxRDioeQ Apple podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-other-side-with-dilip/id1659991514?i=1000625261096 ____________________________________ My name is Dilip and I'm the host. You can connect with me on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/kmr_dilip Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dilipevs My blog: https://www.dilipkumar.co

Megan Jacoby just became the first woman ever to go sub-60 minutes in a HYROX professional race, setting the new fastest women's time ever at 58:58.  In May she will be looking to come out on top in the World Championships in Europe. Before dedicating herself to HYROX competition Megan was a NCAA Division 1 runner.  She has also excelled at Obstacle Racing, Powerlifting and functional fitness in general.  On top of this, and most importantly, she is a active and involved mother. She has a HYROX training program and individually coaches and trains athletes. In this episode Jamie and Megan talk about her record-setting race, the challenges and rewards of building her own business and the example of a health active lifestyle she wishes to set for her daughter. Be sure to tell Jamie and Meg what you think about this episode by leaving a review and rating.  It helps us get the message out there!  Find out more   https://linktr.ee/bigideabigmoves    Follow us on Instagram www.instagram.com/bigidea_bigmoves    Facebook www.facebook.com/bigideabigmoves    For amazing Lifestyle Clothing and pickleball apparel epitomesportswear.com    For Human Resources and Talent help contact www.epitomeHR.com Take their free assessment    Talk to us about partnerships    https://beacon.by/epitome-hr-inc/bibm-sponsoship-packages  Sleep is the key to building muscle, improving athletic performance, and increasing productivity.  But winding down and getting great sleep can be tough. Thirdzy's PM Recovery Collagen can help. This all-natural drink powder, packed with nutrients and amino acids, supports great quality sleep and muscle recovery. With no melatonin or sedatives – you won't get hooked or feel groggy in the morning.  Go to thirdzy.com and use code BIBM20 to save 20% Follow Megan on Instagram @mjac0by and find out more about her training programs and races.    Photo: Hyrox

Today on the Show David and Wolfie discuss: Quiet Quitting Obstacle Racing Vinyl Music vs Digital Now let's hear them talk about it. Let's talk about our video production software. We use Ecamm Live, The leading live streaming and video production studio built for Mac. AFFILIATE LINK: http://bit.ly/ecammsensitive Check us out at sociallysensitive.com Follow us on: YouTube - @sociallysensitive Twitter - @sociallysens Instagram - @sociallysensitive Facebook Group - SociallySensitive $upport our $how? https://anchor.fm/sociallysensitive/support Leave us a message: https://anchor.fm/sociallysensitive/message --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sociallysensitive/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sociallysensitive/support

This episode was first released in 2021 and has proven to be one of our all-time most popular episodes. It has tons of action items and insights. Hunter McIntyre is one of the most decorated (and polarizing) multi-sport athletes in history. On top of being a mainstay in the sport of Obstacle Racing with 6 World titles to his name, he is a CrossFit Games competitor, has held the "Murph" World Record and Hyrox World Record, has been the Hyrox World Champion, was featured on both editions of the Spartan Games, and is undefeated on CMT's popular TV Show Steve Austin's Broken Skull Challenge. He was named to the Top 50 Fittest Athlete's List by Sport's Illustrated and has been featured in numerous magazines like Men's Health and Men's Journal. Hunter is a successful fitness entrepreneur and trainer. In this episode, Jamie Allison and Hunter talk about his drive to win at everything he does, how he studies his competitors, how had to build back his businesses and sponsorships after the pandemic, and how his grandfather played a big role in his success.   Be sure to tell Jamie and Hunter what you think about this episode by leaving a review and rating.  It helps us get the message out there!  Refresh and plan!   Find out more   https://linktr.ee/bigideabigmoves    Follow us on Instagram www.instagram.com/bigidea_bigmoves    Facebook www.facebook.com/bigideabigmoves    For amazing Lifestyle Clothing and pickleball apparel epitomesportswear.com    For Human Resources and Talent help contact www.epitomeHR.com Take their free assessment    Talk to us about partnerships    https://beacon.by/epitome-hr-inc/bibm-sponsoship-packages  Sleep is the key to building muscle, improving athletic performance, and increasing productivity.  But winding down and getting great sleep can be tough. Thirdzy's PM Recovery Collagen can help. This all-natural drink powder, packed with nutrients and amino acids, supports great quality sleep and muscle recovery. With no melatonin or sedatives – you won't get hooked or feel groggy in the morning.  Go to thirdzy.com and use code BIBM20 to save 20% Follow Hunter and find out more about his training programs and races  www.huntermcintyre.com    Instagram @huntthesheriff  Photo: Hyrox

Mark grew up with an “out of the box mentality”, a passion for entrepreneurship at a very young age, and a huge desire to help others. Since the age of 12 Mark has had a background in sponsored skateboarding, extreme sports, competitive running, later years molding into the world of Calisthenics, Obstacle Racing and Ninja Warrior. After college Mark was driven to start a business and fueled by the passion in the fitness industry with a vision to create a place that he always dreamed of training in. After years of determination and pure grit to prove a concept that had never been tried, tested or proven iCORE Fitness was born. The end result is a lifestyle brand of the best and most unique fitness trainers and enthusiasts that use calisthenics, movement, and camaraderie to create a driven, all-encompassing atmosphere unmatched in the industry of fitness. Mark has since expanded the growth in the niche industry of Ninja Warrior and Calisthenics training and is on the board of directors for the National Ninja League (a nationwide competition hosted in facilities around the country) as well as the start of the National Bar League (a series of calisthenic freestyle competitions). Visit: https://icore.ninja/

This week, we are lucky enough to be joined by the legend himself Kyle Struckmeyer! Kyle is a new father, physical therapy assistant and an accomplished obstacle racer! In this episode, we talk about Kyle's experiences growing up the middle child on a farm, fatherhood, his introduction into the world of obstacle racing and so much more! This episode has it all from award winning cows to Star Wars themed birthday parties and all the places in-between!Follow us!Twitter: twitter.com/wbperspectiveInstagram: instagram.com/wbperspectiveMicah: instagram.com/piker_7Tyler: instagram.com/j.t.goodKyle: instagram.com/kstruck416Music by Augusto DinizLogo by Scott Bailey: instagram.com/scottabailey

The Wildrunners are joined by James Burton aka @ocr_jamesburton who is the elected director of the UK Obstacle Sports Federation (UKOSF) In this episode we chat to James about obstacle course racing in general, the newly announced UK OCR series and what the future goals are for the UKOSF. We highly recommend anyone who enjoys OCR and ninja sports to become a member of the federation and help us to grow the sport to become a recognised sport in the UK. See some of the membership details below that includes the membership cost and all the awesome benefits you get with your membership and also the line up for the uk OCR series. UKOSF membership details (currently for 15 months long) Cost :- Adults - £12.50 , Under 18 - £6.25 (this works out 83p a month for an adult) Your membership includes discounts for over 15 companies including the following Kitbrix - 15% off, Overload Run - £10 off, Proviz Clothing - 20%, Pull Up Mate - 10% off Private facebook group, UKOSF members only events, plus lots more More information and sign up can be found at www.ukosf.org UK OCR Series events March 5th - Winter Nuts May 14th - Nuclear Race Rush June 25th - Total Warrior 12K August 6th - Beach Ballistic 16k October 16th - Battle of Lansdown November 5th - Nuclear Challenge Cup Thank you for listening to our podcast. Check out our running and ocr community on instagram @wildrunners_ig Feel free to follow our accounts Hosts - @colinlee_ocr @superdan84 Guest - @ocr_jamesburton UKOSF - @ukosf --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wildrunners/message

Some do it for the intense competition. Others do it for the mud, sweat, and beers. Regardless, adventure racing has become a wildly popular worldwide sport.Today, we're excited to have Mike Deibler on our show. Mike is the founder and co-owner of San Diego Premier Training. He has an extensive background in preparing athletes for adventure racing.We discuss what defines adventure racing, who is participating,  and how Mike helps these athletes reach their goals. We cover nutrition, common movement problems found in adventure racers, and how they can gain more efficiency in their training.So get ready for another episode of the Movement Podcast -- powered by FMS.Special Offer: Intro to Indian Clubs30% OFF: Use CLUBCOURSE promo code at checkout.

This week on a bumper Episode 114 of The Aid Station, presented by njuko, we travel to the USA for a far-reaching conversation with Ian Adamson, former competitive adventure racer, television professional and president of World Obstacle. It's an episode so packed with insights and inspiration that it stretches way beyond our usual limits to 30minutes. A few of the highlights include: The vital role of sleep and its impact on memory. These insights alone are worth investing the time to listen to the conversation The story behind how Obstacle Racing was one of only two sports since 2018 to achieve Global Association of International Sports Federation observer status - a key stepping stone to becoming an Olympic Sport Behind the scenes insights into delivering the World Ninja Championships in 2019 in Gorky Park, Moscow with 100,000 spectators Delivering the highest ever OCR World Championships in the crater of Mount Kilimanjaro and directly impacting the lives of over 10,000 local People and it's relevance to every mass participation event Understanding that everyone's point of view is 100% correct - even if you don't agree with it #MassParticipationWorld #TheAidStation #IanAdamson #MassParticipationEvents #MassEvents #MassSports #WorldObstacle #OCR #Spartan #JoedeSeana #MPW #Spartan #Ninja

Joe Desena, Spartan Race Founder and New York Times Best Selling Author, joins me to talk about health, leadership, and the Spartan Way of life. Joe's best-selling book's are "Spartan Up" and "Spartan Fit," and recently released, "The Spartan Way." Joe's vision in life and business is clear, bold, and inspiring. His vision is to get 100 million people healthy and off the couch, get Obstacle Racing recognized as an Olympic Sport and to guide my kids to be badass, productive, and happy for when they are out on their own.  Joe tells it like it is. His message is raw, authentic, and inspiring, and that's why it resonates with so many people. I hope you enjoy this show as much as I did!

This week we are joined by elite runner Dr Becky Rendell. Becky is a member of Team Nuclear Phoenix and has recently been appointed the Head of Obstacle Racing at the UKOSF. We talk to Becky about elevating Women in OCR before discussing her experiences racing in 2020 which included the UKOSF short course time trials and the Spartan European Championships that were cancelled the night before. Follow Becky on Instagram at Becky R (@therunnerbeanuk) Outro song courtesy of Destiny's Child – Independent Women (Pt1) Check out our website for news and reviews  UK.OCR Follow UKOCR on Instagram UK.OCR (@uk.ocr) Join our Facebook group Obstacle course racing (UK.OCR) | Facebook Support our Producers on Patreon Give Voom a try by clicking here

It starts out seeming like "The Odd Couple" but ends up becoming a training program that has the potential to change the way CrossFit athletes approach their training.  Richard Diaz is recognized in the Obstacle Racing community as world renowned Running mechanic and diagnostican.  Ryan Fischer is arguably one of the best CrossFit athletes in the world.  Together they created a program that is incredibly different but remarkably effective in "Battling the War on Fatigue".  Release only 5 weeks ago and many of the first adopters are reporting personal records in CrossFit workouts that used to leave them flat on their faces!  Give it a listen... If you're intrigued here's wher you can get your copy.   https://www.gymryan.com/pages/endurance-rich-diaz

Margaret Schlachter, expert in the sport of obstacle racing, business and beekeeping, shows us the parallels between running an obstacle race and running a business.

 What if...the winning mindset needed to get you through an obstacle race is the SAME mindset you need when facing a big scary task at work or at home? Learn how to overcome fear, cultivate resilience and take practical risks in business and life by taking part in obstacle races. 
 IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:
 • How doing obstacle races can help you develop the mindset needed to help push through the hard stuff • Everything you need to know about entering an obstacle race in your local city: what you should wear, what to eat the day-of and how you should train for the event including:       • The #1 rule when entering an obstacle course race: Do NOT wear cotton. (especially if mud is involved)       • GORE-TEX shoes do not breathe and will actually hold water!       • How to run your tennis shoes through the waterproof test before the race
 • Margaret's suggestion for training at home to prepare for a race. (it involves crawling under monkey bars)
 • Where our power source comes from as women, may surprise you. Not our brain, not our heart, but our womb • The different qualities of masculine, feminine and child-like spirit and how they are all valuable resources in our life and business And much more.... Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here:https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/009-margaret-schlachter/

Aside from hosting this podcast, Richard Diaz is one of the most saught after running mechanics in the world of Obstacle Racing.  Many of the elite professional athltetes from the sport count on him for advice and training support, too many to mention.  Durning this episode, he and his co host Shan Khan plan to accept live callers and field questions. Topics include: Running gait issues... how to transition from heel striking to forefoot runningStride length vs cadenceDealing with nagging injuries and preventionheart rate specific trainingHydration and feeding strategiesand much much more... ?The Spartan World Championships and Worlds Toughest Mudder Championships are right around the corner, If you are competing in these or other similar events, ere's your chance to gain some expert advice!  www.natruralrunningnetwork.com

I did this interview about a year ago but I wanted to bring it out of the archive because Doc Kaufman has some great advice for grip strength, dealing with blisters and basically everything you need to know about getting a good climb on! For those who are not paying attention; Doc Kaufman is part of  "The Wolf Pack" a team of professional climbers who were a dominating force on "American Ninja Warrior". Noah and I traded interviews, I on his show and he on mine. He was fascinated with the sport of Obstacle Racing and is a life long climber and E.R.  Physician. Suffice to say; he knows a bit about injuries and how to treat them.

It's hard to keep a handle on Hunter McIntyre. He's either one of the fiercest competitors in Obstacle Racing, reigning champion on The Broken Skull Challenge or gone missing. Yep, I coach him and sometimes that's not easy! I thought it would be fun to bring him back and have him share his thoughts on future competition, who he feels is a threat, his feelings on the women's pro field and his plans for the upcoming NBC Series Spartan Monterey Super.

You've heard it said: “You are what you eat”, I would suggest more to the point, “your race results reflect how you eat”.  The sport of obstacle racing is growing like a weed. Unfortunately good training advice for the sport is spotty at best. It will take time for us geeks to figure out how best to prepare a champion for this ever changing sport. Suffice to say; how you feed plays an important role in your success.  I've invited Josh Stryde (Nutritionist/ Faye Stennings confidant/boyfriend) on to discuss his newly released book: Nutrition for the OCR Athlete, aptly put. Josh has put together a very well organized approach to feeding for those who compete in Spartan Racing, Tough Mudder etc., he also includes an overview of Austin Azar's feeding strategy that gained him 100 miles in The World's Toughest Mudder in 2016. Be sure to listen to this one if you plan to race this season. www.naturalrunningnetwork.com

In this episode, learn about one of the key elements that you must train to improve if you want to see gains in your endurance performance.  This episodes research review discusses a study on what type of training you should be performing on a regular basis to improve VO2 Max.  Learn what VO2 max is, why it is important, and how to train to improve it.  Plus practical strategies to implement these techniques. On the nutrition side of training, we have SGX coach and RD Anne L'Heureux to discuss one of her recent articles she wrote for the Spartan blog.  In this episode she reviews her article on 10 Foods You Should Always Have In Your Kitchen For Good Nutrition.  She discusses 3 of the 10 in this podcast and explains why it is not just about carbs, fats, and proteins, and why you need to consider micronutrients to maximize your health and performance. In our resource of the week I talk about a book that is a must have in your library.  This book is a complete guide to OCR training and has everything you need to know to train for your next race.  For a complete exercise library, training checklists, gear recommendations, done for you programs, and much more.  In our SGX Coach's Interview we have on one of the authors of the book Coach David Magida. David is the Founder and Head Coach of Elevate and has dedicated his life to fitness. A former collegiate runner, David shifted his training focus to the Elevate Method and immediately moved up the world rankings in the sport of competitive Obstacle Racing. Through HIIT David got stronger, leaner, faster and more explosive. He is a founding member of the Reebok Spartan Race Pro Team, the author of “The Essentials of Obstacle Race Training” and the host of NBC Sports “Spartan Race.” In this interview he chats about how he got started running competitively in the early days of Spartan Race training.  We dig into some of the topics discussed in his book from proper gear and apparel, how to create a balanced program, what it takes to be a athlete built for Spartan Racing, lessons from Randy Moss, and a ton more.  You won't want to miss this jam packed interview.   Full show notes at www.spartanunderground.com/episode-19

Many of the elite athletes in the sport of OCR work hard to draw attention to themselves to earn sponsorships and fan base. Mark Jones will have none of it, he just loves to challenge himself; the bigger the challenge the better. An Elite OCR and Endurance athlete, winner of the Death Race and team member of the infamous Wolf Pack, winners of the 2014 World's Toughest Mudder speaks with us. I asked Mark to be a guest to discuss the things that drive him and to speak on the future, past and present of the sport of Obstacle Racing. He was also kind enough to provide some insight into some of the events he and his fellow event producers have slated for 2017. You don't want to miss this!

Miles Keller is your better than average OCR athlete and he plans on making adjustments to this statement by improving his approach to training. Miles attended one of our OCR Run Clinics (Dallas 11/20/16) and we invited him on to discuss his take on what he learned and his feelings about the event. If you are one of those who have been thinking about attending one of these clinics but can't seem to pull the trigger, this is a good episode for you to listen to. In this episode you will: Learn why it's important to train with heart rateLearn why running for is so importantWho should attend these clinics?Why Miles is eating his Thanksgiving dinner alone! Miles is cohost to the Link Endurance Podcast: https://goo.gl/EOtbVl

We get a lot of questions asked regarding various training approaches for OCR and Running. We feel this makes for great content on The Natural Running Network. Our Facebook friends were good enough to provide us with quite a few questions; unfortunately time does not permit us to answer them all in one episode. However, the questions we did attempt to answer were good ones and my featured guests, Yancy Culp and Miguel Medina and I (Richard Diaz) put together a handful of gifts to award to the people who contributed what we felt were the best questions.  If you enjoy our training tips and would like to hear more of this, please drop us a message, your feedback is important to us. Be sure to like The Natural Running Network on Facebook too! #wreckbag #Beetelite #NaturalRunningCoach #diazhumanperformance #YancyCamp

Anyone who has participated in a BattleFrog event has had the opportunity to get a dose of Coach Pain's inspirational saber rattling words. Some will not soon forget how he moved them. It was by mere coincidence that our interview was scheduled on the day that BattleFrog announced that they are suspending all future events effective immediately; clearly, a shock to those who loved to compete in these events, more of a shock to those who were employed by the organization. All the same, Coach Pain and I held true to our words; we answered questions that people posed and were offered a seemingly final bit of inspiration from the man who touched so many in the sport of Obstacle Racing. Be sure to provide a positive review on Itunes!

Ryan Atkins is the winningest athlete in the sport of Obstacle Racing today. It seems as if no course or competitor thus far has been able to undue his success. Ryan and Richard Diaz fields some questions from friends on social media and wrap up by discussing what it might take for someone like Hunter McIntyre to beat him at the Spartan World Championship and his team plans for Worlds Toughest Mudder. If you are a fan of Ryan Atkins, you don't want to miss this episode. Want more? Visit www.naturalrunningnetwork.com

Anyone who knows me (Richard Diaz), knows I am hard-nosed when it comes to supplementation and gimmicks. I have always believed that a good feeding strategy and plenty of rest will be all you need to perform optimally. I get plenty of opportunities to test all sorts of products in the world of Sports Performance and have been known to slam the door on a lot of snake oil salesman. I am also fortunate in that I have great connections among elite professionals in sports science and in the athletic community and keep my ear to the ground to learn as much as I can, whenever I can. Enter Beet Juice, an all-natural food recognized in small circles since Roman days as potion of life giving qualities. Listen as I interview Dr. John Ivy as he reveals the science behind this natural performance enhancing potion. This particular product has become a staple of most all of the elite athletes in the Obstacle Racing community, from the entire Spartan Pro team and across the board to cyclists and runners who hope to shave precious seconds from their performances.

Because I see so much of this malady among the athletes I meed I decided to revisit this interview done with Dr Brian Abelson, author or a great book on understanding and the treatment of Plantar issues. In order to resolve this pesky injury you first need to understand the culprit that is responsible. If you are an Obstacle Racing athlete, planning to participate in a Spartan Race or BattleFrog and have been plagued with Plantar Fasciitis, you really need to hear this!

We all want to win the races we enter; some have a reasonable chance and others feel winning is out of reach. Why not improve your chances and your Obstacle Racing finish times by following some solid advice that you can put to work immediately.  Some of this advice you may have heard before but I promise, there are a few tips you had never heard before that will get you those precious seconds you need to beat your competition.  We've brought on Amber Headrick, a seasoned elite OCR athlete on to help us share these pearls of wisdom with you. We'll discuss the importance of energy management, running mechanics, finding an online coach and a few tips that will really help you in your next Spartan race.  You'll need to listen to the entire episode to reap all of the benefits! More of this atwww.naturalrunningnetwork.com

This episode is a rerun. It was posted late in 2015 but I felt the information was important enough to bring it back to our listeners. The discussion revolves around making the best out of the training metrics we gather from our Heart Rate Monitors.  There is a wealth of great information that is made available with the advent of GPS, heart rate, cadence etc., but it can become overwhelming at times.  In this episode we take a real world scenario of data collected by an OCR athlete and help him to make sense of the data so he can take charge of his training.  This is a great episode for any runners, triathletes and Obstacle Racing Athletes who want to better understand the data from their heart rate monitors.

Obstacle Racing has grown to be the most popular recreational sport around the world by leaps and bounds over running, cycling and triathlon. There are now “Pro” athletes, who earn a living racing and through sponsorships. These “Pros” are clearly vested in the legitimacy of the sport.  Brakken Kraker is one of those athletes.  Listen as Brakken and Richard Diaz discuss the potential for an OCR/ Spartan Olympic event, the need for drug testing, clarification of the distinction of Pro status vs. Elite and the importance of speed and running form to win races.  We will also visit some podium predictions for the upcoming Spartan Monterey Race and NBC Spartan Series; who we like and why. www.naturalrunningnetwork.com  

If you can't run well you just won't win in Obstacle Racing. It does not matter if you are part monkey and fly through the obstacles, the time lost running opposed to the time gained over an obstacle puts you at a serious disadvantage in OCR. Here is another tip: If you set your mind on pushing harder into your running program, you stand a better chance injuring yourself than improving your running splits. This episode is a down and dirty explanation of the things you need to focus on in training and why. If you had never attended one of Richard Diaz's running clinics, listen to this episode, its short and to the point and these training tips will go a long way in helping you to improve your finish times and may even get you on the podium like many of Richards's clients. To learn more or to schedule a private session with the coach visit www.diazhumanperformance.com

Many of us aspire to train “Naturally”. We have evolved from the traditional gym rat mentality, we've gotten outside to get our dose of exercise, we've adopted what believe to be functional style training but are we really getting the most of our efforts? Enter Erwan LeCorre, founder of MovNat and the MovNat Method. Erwan has devoted his life to training himself and others in a way that revisits our primal instincts. I asked him to come on the show to share his insights, how his training methods differ from what is typical and how this training might server the Obstacle Racing community. If you are looking to take your physical abilities to the height of your innate capacities, you should make a point to listen to this episode. Erwan's training methods are offered around the world, his retreats are designed to serve all ages and fitness levels. The Natural Running Network

In this episode of The Sweet Adversity podcast, I interview Joe De Sena, Founder of Spartan Race, the world's pre-eminent obstacle race, about creating adversity and using it as an opportunity, to grow to become better, and to improve our performance mentally and physically. Guest Bio: Joe De Sena, who grew up in Queens, N.Y.,… The post SA 018: Joe De Sena, Founder of Spartan Race on Building Grit, Developing Perspective, and Obstacle Racing as an Olympic Sport appeared first on Nick Dinardo.

Obstacle Course Racing is hot. Anyone that does an OCR event knows what I am talking about. Some say that they suffer from PRTSS (post-race traumatic stress syndrome), once the race is over, the buzz starts to ware off and the competitors begin to miss the race community they have come to love and respect. Enter Obstacle Maniac, the brain child of Gary Borad and Craig Covington founders of the social site geared to promote post-race banter among the people who collectively understand this experience and want to talk about it beyond the race weekend. Sure, there are other sites that cover the goings on of the race favorites, the elites and pros of the sport but they get plenty enough coverage. Certainly, the familiar names and faces appear but they share the lime light with the mid packers who are proud of their efforts and are hungry for more chatter about all things OCR. If you are one of these folks and have been looking for a place to share your happiness post event, it would serve you well to visit http://www.obstaclemaniac.com

Battle Frog is quickly becoming the OCR Series of choice among discerning competitors in the world of Obstacle Racing. Christopher Acord is Battle Frog's chief architect/Race Director, fondly nicknamed “The Beard” for obvious reasons.  We thought it was time to reach out to Christopher to gain some insight into the planning and development of “the other OCR events”. This interview was highly enlightening and for those who have never competed in a Battle Frog Event, this is clearly a show you don't want to miss! Be sure to get access to more content by visiting www.naturalrunningnetwork.com

We invited a few competitive Obstacle Racing Athletes to come on and to discuss the past year and prospects for The New Year's performances.  Jack Bauer, Alexandra Walker and Benjamin Pina agreed to share their thoughts.  The questions were… How did it go last year? What do you feel you need to improve on? What is your key race focus for 2016?  We also delve into various training considerations that would benefit anyone hoping to improve in the coming year. Listen in; we might give you some food for thought leading into your new racing season.

Learn simple exercises that will greatly reduce your incident of upper and lower body injuries that are common among runners and OCR athletes from the ground up offered by Dr. Emily Splichal, world renowned podiatrist and human movement specialist.  In the sport of Obstacle Racing there are a lot of demands placed on grip strength. Improper approach to training and racing can result in extensive injuries to both the upper and lower extremities. Dr. Emily shares a few exercise techniques that develop “stability from the ground up- foot to core” by adopting these simple exercises you will gain a significant improvements in running skill, upper body strength while greatly reducing the incident of injury.   The Host of “The Natural Running Network” Richard Diaz says: “This episode provides the most useful take away training advice we have offered all year. Dr. Emily is on the cutting edge of evidence based sports science and her research on the subject of developing functional stability is unparalleled. If you put your body to task, you should not only listen to this episode over and over until you completely understand these concepts, you should also share it with your friends”.  

Yancy Culp is an internationally recognized OCR coach with an all-star cast of Elite Spartan Athletes in his stable. It was great fortune for Coach Richard Diaz, his “Posse”, Miguel Medina, Nickademus Hollon and his wife and long time running mechanic Lori Diaz to converge in Austin Texas to put on their ever popular Off Season Running Clinic. It was a great experience for all in attendance, many who partook in A VO2max test administered by Coach Diaz, running fundamentals and a real time technical trail running clinic directed by Nick Hollon, world renowned Ultra Trail Runner and Elite Pro Spartan Miguel Medina.  Post event, Yancy Culp and Richard Diaz discuss the importance of honing running skills in the off season and how running influences the sport of Obstacle Racing. www.naturalrunningnetwork.com

Every year as a way of showing our appreciation to our listeners, we do a Black Friday giveaway show. The way it works is simple: Write or message me, Richard Diaz or The Natural Running Network Facebook page and provide a question related to Obstacle Racing, Running or associated training. We'll do our best to answer the question on our Friday show and award gifts to the providers of the best questions. We gave away ver $1,000 in gifts last year and plan to do it again! Don't be left out!  Be sure to visit www.naturalrunningnetwork.com 

Everyone knows that to be successful in the sport of Obstacle Racing you must develop your running skill. Never mind that of all recreational sports, running leads in the number of injuries that athletes endure. What's interesting is that the leading cause of these injuries is improper running skill and could easily have been avoided with proper training. Our host Richard Diaz is a highly sought after running form specialist and performance diagnostician. In this episode of “Listen and Learn” He hopes to point out the principal flaws runners make and what they should do to correct these flaws and get back to running injury free and optimal performance. If you are setting out to run your first marathon or are an avid Spartan Race aficionado, this is an episode you don't want to miss! ”Running more often or at greater intensity with bad form is a hell bound train!”

Are you are a fan of Obstacle Racing?  Maybe you follow the heroes of the sport and want a chance to ask the reigning World's Toughest Mudder Champion Ryan Atkins a few questions… well here is your chance! This Friday 9/4/15 8:30 am PST.  Richard Diaz has asked Ryan to come onto “The Natural Running Network Live” to discuss his training, his awesome race season, and his prep for The Spartan World Championship and his decision to go team vs. solo and defend his title as World's Toughest Mudder Champion.  This is an episode you don't want to miss!

Anyone who has heard of the infamous Death Race knows that it takes a very special type of person to even consider attempting the event let alone actually finishing.  The brainchild of Joe DeSena, founder of The Spartan Race obstacle racing series, it makes you wonder what darkness lurks in his mind that would cause him to create such an event. Listen as Richard Diaz chats with Dylan Davis, who not only survived the Summer Death Race, he also successfully completed the Winter Death Race this past January.  Dylan provides a rare first person account of the Summer Death race from start to finish.  If you think you're pretty tough, maybe you need to hear what tough is really all about.

Running a marathon,half marathon or participating in Obstacle racing requires more them determination, you need to develop a training strategy designed specific to your current abilities that will allow you to effectively and carefully prepare for success.  Our host Richard Diaz invited nationally acclaimed running coachLuke Humphrey, author of The Hanson's Method, a training program for marathon runners on the show to discuss training philosophies. If you are preparing for an event or a series of events as is the case for Spartan racing, this is a great show to listen to.

Yancy Culp has a long history as a trainer, athlete and now, Coach to some of the top athletes in the sport of Obstacle Racing.  Serving as coach to the likes of Rose Wetzel, April Dee, Matt Novakovich, Isaiah Vidal, Miguel Medina and other podium occupying elite professional OCR athlete's, we discuss the sport, the direction it is taking and the process of making good athletes great.  We also discuss our picks for the Spartan World Championships along with our dark horse favorites.

Rose Wetzel has dominated the pro field in Obstacle Races through 2014 and is currently ranked #2 in the world as of this episode  and has she suggests, “Its early in the season”.  Listen as we discuss what it takes to rise to the top of the field in Spartan Racing, how important running skill plays into her success and her involvement in The American Ninja Warrior competition. Obstacle Racing is the hottest endurance event in the world today, drawing attention from the runners who historically have participated in marathons, half marathons are stepping up to the challenge offered by these unique competitions.

Isaiah Vidal Elite Pro Obstacle racer is on the podium at almost every race he enters. Richard Diaz catches up with Isaiah to find out his tricks and share some with the audience. Running is recognized as a critical component of Obstacle Racing. Some say running skill represents 75% of the winning equation. Isaiah is working hard to add this asset to his portfolio. As a Spartan Elite Pro each athlete is ranked by the number of events they participate in and those in which they win or place. The events are set up around the world in three challenges, a sprint (5K) a Super (8 miles) and the Beast which is 13 miles all with unique obstacles to conquer.