WOD Talk Takes on World's Toughest Mudder | WOD Talk Magazine ...
By Amy Lawson
Tough Mudder is one of the toughest mud and obstacle course challenges on the planet. Primarily an event centered on camaraderie and teamwork, obstacles boast names such as Funky Monkey, Walk the Plank, Arctic Enema, Electroshock Therapy, Everest, and Cry Baby. World�s Toughest Mudder? It�s a 24-hour AMRAP: 5-mile loops of a Tough Mudder course in the desert hills of Lake Las Vegas. Some of us here at WOD Talk have formed a team to find out how CrossFitters will fare at one of the toughest 24-hour endurance events on the planet.
Crazy? Probably. But we�re taking the necessary steps to make sure that we�re ready to not only make it to the starting line healthy and well-trained, but also to finish the race in one piece. We�re inviting you along on our journey and would like to share some expert advice from someone who not only raced WTM last year, but was a member of the winning team.
Hunter McIntyre is well known among the obstacle course racing world and has earned himself the reputation of being a bit of a bad boy for his non-traditional approach to the sport of OCR. Coming from a bodybuilding and CrossFitting background, he�s one of the bulkier OCR athletes. Since turning Pro as an Elite Spartan Racer three years ago, he�s been racing in everything from adventure races, to shorter stadium Spartan Races to the longer and toughest of all�placing 3rd and 5th in the last two Spartan World Championships, and winning the short course championship Spartan Race.
Hunter states about his life since turning Pro: �The past three years since I've been Pro have been a crazy adventure of racing endurance events while chasing a never ending passion for weightlifting. Both are very opposite styles of training but I think that's what makes me such a unique and powerful athlete in the sport.�
And that mix of training has paid off well for McIntyre who shares his knowledge through coaching. His long list of certifications includes Yas yoga and spinning, Soul Cycle, CrossFit Gymnastics, Kettlebell and the Level 1 Cert. He also partners with Ben Greenfield to host the Obstacle Dominator Podcast, which is available on iTunes. Hunter�s enthusiasm is contagious as he describes his role as a coach:
�I have been training people for almost 7 years now, and it's definitely the biggest passion in life. I decided after a year in college that I would pursue my dream of being a top-notch trainer, at which point I started reading like crazy while racking up certifications. I trained 1-on-1 for a while but my passion quickly moved towards spinning classes and Boot camp style classes. I eventually began teaching at Epic Hybrid Training, a circuit based group fitness studio a few years ago, and I've been in love ever since.�
I asked Hunter to give Team WOD Talk some advice on training and racing for the World�s Toughest Mudder, and here�s what he said:
�WTM is one of the craziest races on the planet. It's so dynamic, and the length alone is soul crushing at times. First off�you have to run! At least 3 runs a week and one has to be a long run of 1.5-5 hours tops. Overload your body, but realize you're likely to be on your feet for 24 hours if you make it to the end.
�Another big challenge is running in a wet suit. It's going to get freezing, so wet suits are 100% necessary! Give yourself at least 1 run in your wet suit before the race.
�Nutrition is pretty simple, lots of comfort food! Everything you could ever want in your wildest dreams should be in your food box! Mine included tons of Campbell soup to keep my sodium levels up for avoiding cramps.
�Gear is a bit more complex, shoes are huge! Have at least 2 pairs with a handful of really good socks. The shoes should vary in size because your feet will swell like crazy. Have a wide variety of running gear that will take you through the extreme heat of the desert and also prepare to run in temperatures that can get as low as 40 degrees. Last but not least have tons of Vaseline, rub it all over your body at every transition into new race wear.
�Recovery is a b*** at times. I would say move as much as possible as soon as possible and drink tons of water. Try to avoid the temptation to drink booze even though you're in Vegas. Bring a pair of sandals for the ride home because you'll likely have fat feet and less toe nails then you came in with.�
Now, doesn�t that make you want to try a Tough Mudder?
Follow Hunter all over social media @huntthesheriff
Currently he�s working on a pretty secret adventure racing TV show project; once he�s done filming that, he plans to settle down in South Florida at Epic Hybrid Training in Miami and set his sights on next year�s CrossFit Regionals.
Source:
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