Race Review - Survivor Mud Run

The first thing that struck me about this race was organization. These guys definitely know what they are doing. Getting parked was easy and parking was close to the fairgrounds. We had a team miscommunication that morning and ended up getting to the venue just a half hour before our heat. This was not a problem as the registration area was easy to identify, organized, and we breezed through it in about 2 minutes. The bibs had the RFID timing chips attached to them, so getting ready for the race was that much simpler. There was a free bag check, but the parking was so close we didn't utilize it.

This race started a little later than most, with the first heat going off at 9:15, and our heat at 9:30. The course was well laid out with a good bit of running at the beginning, which helped spread out the pack before the obstacle choke points. The venue was a motocross track and they used the hills there well, sticking to more of the sort and steep variety, rather than those tough, long uphill ploughs, like at Rugged Maniac.

The course staff were friendly and encouraging.

After some squishy mud pits we came to the big slide, where a race staff member was yelling at us to "run fast and go head first!", so I did. It was a comfy inflatable slide, which was a nice change from the usual piece of this sheet plastic thrown right on the hard, lumpy dirt. The pool at the bottom was a good depth and not as ice cold as these things usually are. Certainly the safest and most comfortable slide I've been on. Not to long or too steep.

It soon became apparent that the title of "mud run" was apt. This race was the muddiest I've run to date. Thick, deep, sticky mud everywhere. Many of the obstacles were wire or net crawls through mud, or just random mud pits you had to slog through and try to keep your shoes from getting sucked off.

Slop pit.

The obstacles were well spaced and getting stuck behind people wasn't really an issue. The few obstacles that were narrow enough to get stacked up, were short enough that you wouldn't be stuck for long. We did catch up to the stragglers in the first heat pretty quickly and it was obvious that several of them were just walking the course.

The later heats enjoyed extra slippery hills.

The most interesting obstacle was a narrow tube crawl that terminated into a drop into a deep mud pit, with a hill to scramble over to get out, that then turned into a slick mudslide down a short hill. The most dangerous obstacle was the cargo net climb, only because it was the only one with any real height to it. The wire under crawls were not barbed. Although I did see some quitters walking off the course, I didn't witness any injuries. I got a few scrapes from rocks in the mud pit, but no major cuts.

If you look close you can see the course
winding back and forth on the right.

The course was quick and you finished covered in mud. If you didn't bring your own wash water, your were in trouble, because we saw no showers there. The obligatory beer was sponsored by Left Hand and they brought 3 nice offerings.

Results:
Kellan posted our best time of 37:31, putting him 12th for age, 63rd for men and in the top 4% overall at 78th place.
I came in a little behind him at 38:49, placing 14th for my group, 73rd for men and making the top 5% overall at 91st place.
Dave pulled caboose with a time of 43:14, going 21st for age, 149th for men and in the top 8% at 206th place.
The quickest time posted was 26:49 with just under 2,000 competitors finishing.

Our personal podium.

This was a really fun race and I enjoyed it a lot. I would definitely recommend to someone looking to run their first obstacle race. It's fantastically organized, safe, well laid out, kid friendly and an all around muddy good time.

DIY - Spartan Slosh Pipe and lifting technique

We first came across the slosh pipe at this year's Spartan Race in CO Springs. After struggling with it post race, I decided I needed to build my own and get a feel for this crazy device.

Putting one together is pretty easy and will run you about $30-40, with the PVC glue. The biggest problem is storing it. I stash mine under the deck in the backyard.

To build one, all you need is:

1 - 10 foot section of 4 inch PVC pipe.
2 - 4 inch PVC pipe caps.
Hot Blue PVC glue, or the like.
Water.

First, clean off the pipe ends and inside the caps for a good glueing surface.
Glue one pipe cap on the pipe.
Allow 15 minutes or so for it to dry.
Fill the pipe about half full with water.
Glue on the other cap.
Wait another 10-15 minutes.

Pro tip: Mark a centerline and/or a preferred grip position, on the completed slosh pipe.

10' of sheer awkwardness

Ours weighs just over 45 pounds, and feels about the same as the one at Spartan. At Spartan, being the best at the pipe can earn you a free race entry, so here's some tips on beating the competition:


1. Get a good base, feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart.

2. With the pipe in a mostly vertical position, establish your grip.

My grip postion is 3 feet wide, 18" each side from center.

3. Squat down slightly, and lift the pipe straight overhead as you stand up.

Dip down into it a bit.

Drive it overhead as you stand up.

4. Once overhead, hold it steady as the water equalizes. Don't fight it by trying to drop your arms one way or the other! Try and hold it steady.

Lock your arms and use your core to hold it steady.

5. Once it's steadied a bit you can begin your presses.

Try to keep the pipe parallel with the ground.

Timing is important, find your rhythm.

6. If it gets off balance, hold it overhead and let it equalize again.

It's easier to steady in the up position. "X" it out.

7. Now invite your friends over and laugh as they struggle to figure out the Slosh Pipe.

You might also like:
DIY Spartan Spear with throwing technique

Multivitamins: Are you pissing your money down the drain?

Nutrilite introduced the first real multivitamins way back in 1934. By the 1970s, multivitamins had become a staple of the American diet, replacing "an apple a day", for many households. One of my earliest memories is taking a brightly colored character from my Flintstone's vitamin bottle, and promptly sticking it up my nose.

Countless studies on the use, abuse, pros and cons of multis have been carried out over the years. Often with contradictory conclusions. Do they prevent cancer? Can too many cause cancer? In short, you can probably find and convince yourself either way. That's not what this article is about. I've set out to discover if taking them is a waste of time and money. Every afternoon, when I see my too brightly colored urine in the toilet, I have to wonder: Am I just pissing all these vitamins down the drain?

Perhaps this money could be better spent.

Rich Froning, 3 time winner of the CrossFit Games, was quoted recently in Outside magazine as saying, "You should be able to get all the nutrients you need from your diet. I take protein and amino acid supplements, but I honestly don't know if they do anything."

This is precisely where I am at. In my goal to get as fit as possible, I cleaned up my diet, drink protein shakes and pre-workout mixes, started twice a day chondroitin for my aging joints (which I've found doesn't seem to do anything), Omega 3s and, of course, the multivitamin. After taking a handful of pills everyday for years, I began to wonder if they were really helping all that much.

My answer: Probably not.
The reason: I probably get all I need from my diet.

The CDC recently reported that more than half of Americans take a multivitamin or other supplement. Most studies show that most people who take them are healthier. But the reason is not the vitamins, but more likely the people that take them. Healthier people are typically the ones who seek out that little extra. If you're reading this, you are probably not gobbling down a greasy McBurger and swilling a beer. More likely you've gone for a jog or had a hard workout within the last day or so. And, odds are, you also take a multivitamin or some other type of supplement. Not because they make you healthy, but because that's what heathy people do. As Nutritional Epidemiologist at NIH, Regan Bailey put it, "It's almost like the people taking them aren't the people who need them."

If you eat fish 3-4 times a week, do you really need to take that Omega 3 supplement? Probably not. If you hate fish and won't eat it, should you take it? Probably wouldn't hurt. If you eat lots of fruit and vegetables, do you need that multivitamin? Probably not. If you eat like crap, do you need it? Probably.

My daily dose of pills, not long ago. 

I'm trying to cut out the pills and go as natural as I can (I'm forced to take some due to medical reasons). I stopped the chondroitin and noticed no ill effects in my joints. I'm phasing out the Omega 3, as I eat quite a bit of seafood. The multivitamin is also on the list, since I cram in fruits and vegetables everywhere I can. The only thing I cling to is my protein shake. I do so because it's a full serving (or more) of fruit, it's really the only way I get any milk in my body, and of course, the protein. If I can get my head wrapped around a solid breakfast (I'm lazy in the mornings), maybe I can phase that out too. That's the goal. Baby steps.

Reasons to keep taking that multivitamin or supplement:

• Poor diet
• Lack of sun or milk (vitamin D)
• You've been advised by your Dr. to do so
• You figure it can't hurt

Reasons to stop it:

• You have a varied and balanced diet
• You get sun
• You'd like to go more natural
• You'd like to save some money
• You hate taking pills

As for me, I'm focusing more on the food and less on the supplements.