In Shape, Out of Shape....
- Thread starter johnny010
- Start date
Thanks for the suggestions. The starting with cardio is really just my attempt at getting my heart rate up. Usually only lasts around 15 minutes so not very much distance/activity.
Going to slowly start adjusting my daily diet to be more friendly to my working out. Lean meats, not too many grains/carbs, more fruits and vegetables. Stay away from fatty meats, pastas, and sweets as much as possible.
In the end, if I can lose 10-15 lbs from working out constantly, and building up my strength, then I will be happy. Really need to start hitting core hard because that is BY FAR the weakest link.
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@broinkrist- When I trained for my first Tough Mudder this is what I went through- use what you can, it worked out very well for me. For the second Mudder I followed a similar regimen, but I increased my milage, and I am also now a vegetarian.
My Tough Mudder training...
Here is what I did, and then I'll give you some ideas as to what I'm going to do to train for next year.
I literally came off the couch to run in this event- I hadn't run competitively since High school, I'm 36 now so I had a long road of 18 years deconditioning to overcome before the Mudder. Fortunately I was able to really focus in the final 4 months of preparation and got my conditioning in line with what was needed.
First- I went to a Sports Doctor and got a physical assessment. Tough Mudder is NOT a joke, and I wanted to be sure I was physically capable of making the run. Had the Doc nix'd the idea then I'd have been pissed, but I have a lot of things worth living for, so I'd have bowed out. In my case the Doc was pretty cool about the whole thing, and gave me a checklist to help me get started on my conditioning- VERY cool Sports Doc, I highly recommend finding one.
To get started I did a lot of roadwork. I was averaging about 12-15 miles a week by the time I was done. That doesn't sound like a lot- but it was more than adequate. The only way I have seen to really build up your VO2 Max is to train mileage. Considering my event was held at 8500- 11000 ft, I knew this would be a factor. I picked up Couch to 10k app for my iPhone and used that to get me started. I outpaced the program after about two weeks and then put it to bed, but it was a nice way to get myself going in my first attempts at training.
I have also been training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for the last year and a half- this was my primary workout before training for the Mudder. The school sponsors training runs on the steps at Red Rocks Ampitheater- I wish I had done more of those. Stair and hill work would have been REALLY beneficial. i'll be training those every chance i get before next years run.
Here is another thing i did- I used my Facebook page to raise money for Wounded Warrior Project- Tough Mudder gives you a donation page when you register. You don't HAVE to raise money to run in the Mudder, but I still managed to raise over $1000.00 for our wounded Veterans. This served an additional purpose as it also kept me accountable, and motivated in my training. Most folks gave $20.00 but a few of my close friends dropped over $100 each towards the cause- Money is hard earned. NO WAY was I going to fail them by not training to complete the event!
In the final 4 months I increased the intensity- I started rolling 3 and 4 times a week at the BJJ school. I also started building upper body into my cardio- we have treadmills in the basement at work so I'd go down there during the day and run a mile, then hit the weights for a moderately heavy set, then run a mile, then hit the weights again- this was useful training for the climbing obstacles.
I started using a volumetric exerciser to increase my lung capacity- the thing was cheap- bought it on Amazon for $12. I can now easily pull the max while maintaining the "best" flow rate. It's a cool thing. http://www.amazon.com/Hudson-5000-Voldyne-Volumetric-Exerciser/dp/B000C4MLGA
I put myself on a diet starting in March. I am 6'1, and I was 202lbs when i started. I went online at myapex.com and ordered myself a Bodybugg armband like the ones they use for "The Biggest Loser". I set myself a program for nutritional content- 60% protein, 25% carbs, 15% fat and then planned my eating habits around that, and a calorie ceiling of 1700 per day. My intended burn was 2700 calories a day for a 1000 calorie deficit. I was really focused on this, and totally quit fast food wuith the exception of Subway but still I only averaged 45% protein, 25% carbs and 30% fat month over month- it is REALLY HARD to get good, lean food and still be a meat eater, but i digress...
It still paid off. At the time I started the Mudder I weighed in at 176lbs. 26lbs lighter is actually a LOT lighter especially when you are hauling yourself over the 12ft Berlin walls- all 6 of which I assaulted without assistance. I intend to maintain my "walking around" weight at 180lbs- I feel great at this weight- more confident, and it actually shows on my face. I look like I did in my mid 20's (if you're not looking at my grey hair) I feel MUCH better than I did as a couch potato.
I ran a 5k "Tune Up" event called BeachPalooza early in June to see where I stood as far as conditioning. I ran the event in my Vibram KSOs. I had a blast, but 5k wasn't really all that challenging. There was very little elevation change, and if I'm being honest- the "obstacles" were a joke next to the ones encountered during Tough Mudder- still it was a good way to work on my pacing running in a crowd. I'll be running the 5k Warrior Dash in the Rockies @ Copper Mountain in August which is promoted by the same company as BeachPalooza- my expectations of comparative challenge are not incredibly high, but my wife is running with me, so it ought to be fun.
I Finished The Colorado Tough Mudder in 2hrs and 40mins- 10miles, I averaged a 16 minute mile- which to my old HS Cross Country standards... Sucks- HOWEVER, considering the terrain with it's monster climbs, and waiting for others to clear the obstacles, and then clearing the obstacles myself I'm going to say my performance was a little better than average. I'll be training harder for next time, definitely working on my downhill as I lost a LOT of time I could have made up on those sections.
Ok, so what would I have done differently?
1. I'd have climbed some trees. Not kidding. Tree climbing would train a lot of the dexterity and skills you need in the Tough Mudder.
2. HILL WORK!!! Dear God I'd have hit hills every chance I got- both up, and more importantly DOWN! My form was so piss poor in the downhills that I had to slow up or risk injuring my knees since I was basically heel striking in my Vibrams (REALLY BAD)
3. grip exerciser- you can find them at REI in the rock climbing section- monkey bars are a very grip intense exercise. Wish I'd have trained for them better. I am thinking of building some "training obstacles" in my back yard- adult sized wooden monkey bars will be part of this.
Some advice for people who intend to run a Tough Mudder
Dress the Part- for the Mudder I wore the following
1. a long sleeve rash guard shirt- this saved my elbows in the crawling obstacles, it dried out quickly after the water obstacles, and basically felt like a second skin- this was an extremely good idea.
2. 3/4 length Solomon running pants- my buddies made fun of me for wearing "capri pants" i had the last laugh when my knees weren't all busted up and snow rashed
3. northface running shorts- I'm too modest to be displaying my package in the running tights alone.
4. very basic, no frills Camelback- carry your own water! There are water stations, but they are few and far between. I took pulls from my Camelback several times during the run. You want to have water when you need it. Also, you want a very basic pack since when you get immersed in water the more elaborate camelback models may fill with water, and ice cubes (we had an obstacle that was just a vat of food colored water and ice cubes).
5. swimming goggles- these were pointless. the water is so murky you couldn't see your hand in front of your face anyway. Just extra weight, I wouldn't carry again.
6. Fingerless cycling gloves- these were great for every obstacle until i hit the monkey bars- i fell right off. This could also be due to weakness in my grip, but the gloves weren't a help there. Advice- wear gloves- take them off and pocket them for the monkey bars.
7. (most important for this forum) Vibram 5 Finger Shoes- I'm torn on this. I wore my Komodo Sports- the Vibrams were GREAT for the climbing portions, great on the trail running portion, great on the obstacles, but man did i suffer in those downhills. This is my fault for poor form, and lack of training but still... I'm not sure I'll run in Vibrams next time- and that is VERY hard for me to say since I love them so much. I will definitely train my downhill form in them, and see if i can't improve it to a point where I am more capable in them.
Other useful info
1. They are going to write your race number on you with permanent marker. They want to write it on your forehead- BUT you can have them write it on your neck instead! I opted for this, and as a result I was one of the few Mudders at the bar that night that didn't look like I had come from the worlds sloppiest Ash Wednesday service.
2. the Dos Equis Facebook updates are pointless- don't stand in that line. per discussions at the bar afterwards it didn't work for half the people who signed up for it. It worked for me, but I only got 3 so/so puictures posted to my page, all of which were on the Super G (possibly the lamest obstacle on the course) and there were 2 posts on my wall that were generic- my friends were going to try and use those to guess where i would be next so they could try to get there for pictures, but it was a wild goose chase. All my photos from the event are at the start, and just before the finish.
3. per the above- if you want pictures taken during the middle portions of the race, you need to have your people in place before the start- they can easily get around the course and eventually down to the finish line before you using the resort chairlifts, gondolas ect.
4. Wear your number on your chest- they use this for the professional photographs. Also- take some time after the pro photos are posted and browse ALL the pictures- this is how I found my avatar pic. My number was covered so they didn't send it to me, but I found it anyway.
5. Don't believe the distance they publish for the course- Tough Mudder advertised the Beaver Creek Course as 9 miles (approx) I hit mile marker 9 and still had the 6 obstacles to go! (super G, slip-n-slide, snow slide, monkey bars, Everest, and electroshock) I'd estimate it was closer to 10 miles maybe a bit over- that last mile was all downhill though, maybe they think that doesn't count LoL.
GOOD LUCK!
Here are my pics- posted elsewhere on the forum, but gathered here as well...
This is me, with my friend Kristie before the start. Kristie was the person who told me about Tough Mudder last year. She was telling us about this event she wanted to run and I think she was half expecting my wife and I to think she was crazy- instead we said "I'll do that with you" LoL. My wife didn't make the run because she failed to meet some fitness milestones she had put forth, but she is well on her way for next year and has committed to Warrior Dash in August as well as a few other 5k events.
This is a pic that was meant to be posted on a friends Facebook wall- Bill Caswell is an inspiration to me. His efforts are automotive related, but basically he races an old BMW in World Rally, and hillclimb races all over the continent. The story of how he built a $500 BMW he bought on Craigslist into a racecar, and then raced it against $250,000 purpose built race cars to 3rd place in a World Rally Championship in Mexico has been optioned by Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker) and picked up by Paramount to be made into a motion picture- currently the working title is "Slingshot". Bills moto? Build. Race. Party! I adapted it for Tough Mudder Train. Race. Party!
So here is what i posted on Bill's FB page- that is his sticker on my Camelback.
Here i am at the bottom of the start
Coming off the Super G- notice my short stride? Poor downhill form FTL...
running down what was supposed to be a slip-n-slide. The material my shorts were made of didn't allow me to slide on the surface- so I ran down instead. i like this pic as it looks like the TM Logo but with water behind me instead of fire...
approaching Electroshock- it stunned me (no pun intended) how many people came full stop in front of the obstacle- YOU COULD SEE THE FINISH LINE!
The birth of an avatar... I chose to hit the Electroshock at full speed- i got zapped about 3 times as i went through. My friend kristi got knocked out- seriously, she went out and fell face first into the hay bale i am vaulting here. The pictures of her getting back up are EPIC! I'll see if it's cool to post them here.
GOOD TIMES! Seriously, if you are thinking about it- DO IT. It was awesome. I'm all pumped up again just remembering it.
Philip
My Tough Mudder training...
Here is what I did, and then I'll give you some ideas as to what I'm going to do to train for next year.
I literally came off the couch to run in this event- I hadn't run competitively since High school, I'm 36 now so I had a long road of 18 years deconditioning to overcome before the Mudder. Fortunately I was able to really focus in the final 4 months of preparation and got my conditioning in line with what was needed.
First- I went to a Sports Doctor and got a physical assessment. Tough Mudder is NOT a joke, and I wanted to be sure I was physically capable of making the run. Had the Doc nix'd the idea then I'd have been pissed, but I have a lot of things worth living for, so I'd have bowed out. In my case the Doc was pretty cool about the whole thing, and gave me a checklist to help me get started on my conditioning- VERY cool Sports Doc, I highly recommend finding one.
To get started I did a lot of roadwork. I was averaging about 12-15 miles a week by the time I was done. That doesn't sound like a lot- but it was more than adequate. The only way I have seen to really build up your VO2 Max is to train mileage. Considering my event was held at 8500- 11000 ft, I knew this would be a factor. I picked up Couch to 10k app for my iPhone and used that to get me started. I outpaced the program after about two weeks and then put it to bed, but it was a nice way to get myself going in my first attempts at training.
I have also been training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for the last year and a half- this was my primary workout before training for the Mudder. The school sponsors training runs on the steps at Red Rocks Ampitheater- I wish I had done more of those. Stair and hill work would have been REALLY beneficial. i'll be training those every chance i get before next years run.
Here is another thing i did- I used my Facebook page to raise money for Wounded Warrior Project- Tough Mudder gives you a donation page when you register. You don't HAVE to raise money to run in the Mudder, but I still managed to raise over $1000.00 for our wounded Veterans. This served an additional purpose as it also kept me accountable, and motivated in my training. Most folks gave $20.00 but a few of my close friends dropped over $100 each towards the cause- Money is hard earned. NO WAY was I going to fail them by not training to complete the event!
In the final 4 months I increased the intensity- I started rolling 3 and 4 times a week at the BJJ school. I also started building upper body into my cardio- we have treadmills in the basement at work so I'd go down there during the day and run a mile, then hit the weights for a moderately heavy set, then run a mile, then hit the weights again- this was useful training for the climbing obstacles.
I started using a volumetric exerciser to increase my lung capacity- the thing was cheap- bought it on Amazon for $12. I can now easily pull the max while maintaining the "best" flow rate. It's a cool thing. http://www.amazon.com/Hudson-5000-Voldyne-Volumetric-Exerciser/dp/B000C4MLGA
I put myself on a diet starting in March. I am 6'1, and I was 202lbs when i started. I went online at myapex.com and ordered myself a Bodybugg armband like the ones they use for "The Biggest Loser". I set myself a program for nutritional content- 60% protein, 25% carbs, 15% fat and then planned my eating habits around that, and a calorie ceiling of 1700 per day. My intended burn was 2700 calories a day for a 1000 calorie deficit. I was really focused on this, and totally quit fast food wuith the exception of Subway but still I only averaged 45% protein, 25% carbs and 30% fat month over month- it is REALLY HARD to get good, lean food and still be a meat eater, but i digress...
It still paid off. At the time I started the Mudder I weighed in at 176lbs. 26lbs lighter is actually a LOT lighter especially when you are hauling yourself over the 12ft Berlin walls- all 6 of which I assaulted without assistance. I intend to maintain my "walking around" weight at 180lbs- I feel great at this weight- more confident, and it actually shows on my face. I look like I did in my mid 20's (if you're not looking at my grey hair) I feel MUCH better than I did as a couch potato.
I ran a 5k "Tune Up" event called BeachPalooza early in June to see where I stood as far as conditioning. I ran the event in my Vibram KSOs. I had a blast, but 5k wasn't really all that challenging. There was very little elevation change, and if I'm being honest- the "obstacles" were a joke next to the ones encountered during Tough Mudder- still it was a good way to work on my pacing running in a crowd. I'll be running the 5k Warrior Dash in the Rockies @ Copper Mountain in August which is promoted by the same company as BeachPalooza- my expectations of comparative challenge are not incredibly high, but my wife is running with me, so it ought to be fun.
I Finished The Colorado Tough Mudder in 2hrs and 40mins- 10miles, I averaged a 16 minute mile- which to my old HS Cross Country standards... Sucks- HOWEVER, considering the terrain with it's monster climbs, and waiting for others to clear the obstacles, and then clearing the obstacles myself I'm going to say my performance was a little better than average. I'll be training harder for next time, definitely working on my downhill as I lost a LOT of time I could have made up on those sections.
Ok, so what would I have done differently?
1. I'd have climbed some trees. Not kidding. Tree climbing would train a lot of the dexterity and skills you need in the Tough Mudder.
2. HILL WORK!!! Dear God I'd have hit hills every chance I got- both up, and more importantly DOWN! My form was so piss poor in the downhills that I had to slow up or risk injuring my knees since I was basically heel striking in my Vibrams (REALLY BAD)
3. grip exerciser- you can find them at REI in the rock climbing section- monkey bars are a very grip intense exercise. Wish I'd have trained for them better. I am thinking of building some "training obstacles" in my back yard- adult sized wooden monkey bars will be part of this.
Some advice for people who intend to run a Tough Mudder
Dress the Part- for the Mudder I wore the following
1. a long sleeve rash guard shirt- this saved my elbows in the crawling obstacles, it dried out quickly after the water obstacles, and basically felt like a second skin- this was an extremely good idea.
2. 3/4 length Solomon running pants- my buddies made fun of me for wearing "capri pants" i had the last laugh when my knees weren't all busted up and snow rashed
3. northface running shorts- I'm too modest to be displaying my package in the running tights alone.
4. very basic, no frills Camelback- carry your own water! There are water stations, but they are few and far between. I took pulls from my Camelback several times during the run. You want to have water when you need it. Also, you want a very basic pack since when you get immersed in water the more elaborate camelback models may fill with water, and ice cubes (we had an obstacle that was just a vat of food colored water and ice cubes).
5. swimming goggles- these were pointless. the water is so murky you couldn't see your hand in front of your face anyway. Just extra weight, I wouldn't carry again.
6. Fingerless cycling gloves- these were great for every obstacle until i hit the monkey bars- i fell right off. This could also be due to weakness in my grip, but the gloves weren't a help there. Advice- wear gloves- take them off and pocket them for the monkey bars.
7. (most important for this forum) Vibram 5 Finger Shoes- I'm torn on this. I wore my Komodo Sports- the Vibrams were GREAT for the climbing portions, great on the trail running portion, great on the obstacles, but man did i suffer in those downhills. This is my fault for poor form, and lack of training but still... I'm not sure I'll run in Vibrams next time- and that is VERY hard for me to say since I love them so much. I will definitely train my downhill form in them, and see if i can't improve it to a point where I am more capable in them.
Other useful info
1. They are going to write your race number on you with permanent marker. They want to write it on your forehead- BUT you can have them write it on your neck instead! I opted for this, and as a result I was one of the few Mudders at the bar that night that didn't look like I had come from the worlds sloppiest Ash Wednesday service.
2. the Dos Equis Facebook updates are pointless- don't stand in that line. per discussions at the bar afterwards it didn't work for half the people who signed up for it. It worked for me, but I only got 3 so/so puictures posted to my page, all of which were on the Super G (possibly the lamest obstacle on the course) and there were 2 posts on my wall that were generic- my friends were going to try and use those to guess where i would be next so they could try to get there for pictures, but it was a wild goose chase. All my photos from the event are at the start, and just before the finish.
3. per the above- if you want pictures taken during the middle portions of the race, you need to have your people in place before the start- they can easily get around the course and eventually down to the finish line before you using the resort chairlifts, gondolas ect.
4. Wear your number on your chest- they use this for the professional photographs. Also- take some time after the pro photos are posted and browse ALL the pictures- this is how I found my avatar pic. My number was covered so they didn't send it to me, but I found it anyway.
5. Don't believe the distance they publish for the course- Tough Mudder advertised the Beaver Creek Course as 9 miles (approx) I hit mile marker 9 and still had the 6 obstacles to go! (super G, slip-n-slide, snow slide, monkey bars, Everest, and electroshock) I'd estimate it was closer to 10 miles maybe a bit over- that last mile was all downhill though, maybe they think that doesn't count LoL.
GOOD LUCK!
Here are my pics- posted elsewhere on the forum, but gathered here as well...
This is me, with my friend Kristie before the start. Kristie was the person who told me about Tough Mudder last year. She was telling us about this event she wanted to run and I think she was half expecting my wife and I to think she was crazy- instead we said "I'll do that with you" LoL. My wife didn't make the run because she failed to meet some fitness milestones she had put forth, but she is well on her way for next year and has committed to Warrior Dash in August as well as a few other 5k events.
This is a pic that was meant to be posted on a friends Facebook wall- Bill Caswell is an inspiration to me. His efforts are automotive related, but basically he races an old BMW in World Rally, and hillclimb races all over the continent. The story of how he built a $500 BMW he bought on Craigslist into a racecar, and then raced it against $250,000 purpose built race cars to 3rd place in a World Rally Championship in Mexico has been optioned by Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker) and picked up by Paramount to be made into a motion picture- currently the working title is "Slingshot". Bills moto? Build. Race. Party! I adapted it for Tough Mudder Train. Race. Party!
So here is what i posted on Bill's FB page- that is his sticker on my Camelback.
Here i am at the bottom of the start
Coming off the Super G- notice my short stride? Poor downhill form FTL...
running down what was supposed to be a slip-n-slide. The material my shorts were made of didn't allow me to slide on the surface- so I ran down instead. i like this pic as it looks like the TM Logo but with water behind me instead of fire...
approaching Electroshock- it stunned me (no pun intended) how many people came full stop in front of the obstacle- YOU COULD SEE THE FINISH LINE!
The birth of an avatar... I chose to hit the Electroshock at full speed- i got zapped about 3 times as i went through. My friend kristi got knocked out- seriously, she went out and fell face first into the hay bale i am vaulting here. The pictures of her getting back up are EPIC! I'll see if it's cool to post them here.
GOOD TIMES! Seriously, if you are thinking about it- DO IT. It was awesome. I'm all pumped up again just remembering it.
Philip
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- Joined
- 14 April 2002
- Messages
- 2,273
Good to see everyone working hard. Didn't expect this thread to come back from the dead.
Well - at 43 now (gulp - I was only 29 when I got my NSX!) it gets harder.
You can't stay static. Every day I either lose weight or gain weight. I am getting fitter or slower. To just "stay the same" you have to work harder at it every year.
My problem is and has always been time.
3 kids that play 2 instruments and are in every activity / sport. Keeping my business going requires 60 hours a week. PTO board, coach 1/2 the kids sports, and doing a lion's share of the housework/cleaning while my wife adjusts to full time work.
I watch about 30 mins of TV a week (outside baseball season when I watch a little more) and am lucky to find an hour a day to workout so the answer has always been running for me.
I ran my 7th and 8th marathons last year (including Boston) and continue to push myself to run around 50 miles / week. I ran 2100 miles last year (first time I was able to get over 2000) and am still at my 175 happy weight (and fight it hard when it creeps up during vacations/holidays/etc).
I am 10 pounds over my all time low but 35 under my all time high 5 years ago and still get into my 32's which are my ultimate "scale".
Here is a typical running week for me. I would love to do more lifting but in the time I have for working out - I have make the most of every second.
Now if I can find a way to get more than 500 miles/year on my NSX... :redface:
Well - at 43 now (gulp - I was only 29 when I got my NSX!) it gets harder.
You can't stay static. Every day I either lose weight or gain weight. I am getting fitter or slower. To just "stay the same" you have to work harder at it every year.
My problem is and has always been time.
3 kids that play 2 instruments and are in every activity / sport. Keeping my business going requires 60 hours a week. PTO board, coach 1/2 the kids sports, and doing a lion's share of the housework/cleaning while my wife adjusts to full time work.
I watch about 30 mins of TV a week (outside baseball season when I watch a little more) and am lucky to find an hour a day to workout so the answer has always been running for me.
I ran my 7th and 8th marathons last year (including Boston) and continue to push myself to run around 50 miles / week. I ran 2100 miles last year (first time I was able to get over 2000) and am still at my 175 happy weight (and fight it hard when it creeps up during vacations/holidays/etc).
I am 10 pounds over my all time low but 35 under my all time high 5 years ago and still get into my 32's which are my ultimate "scale".
Here is a typical running week for me. I would love to do more lifting but in the time I have for working out - I have make the most of every second.
Now if I can find a way to get more than 500 miles/year on my NSX... :redface:
Attachments
I'm no guru:wink: but I can give you guys who struggle with your weight when unable to exercise ,some good advice.....get a better handle on your daily calorie intake.You have to scale back your intake when you stop exercising...Many of you who think you are dieting are actualy grazing,eating small portions,but too many,and most likely densely caloric.
Very true. Big things started happening as far as weight loss when I started monitoring my diet, and swapping out high calorie, easy to come by fast foods for foods I chose based on protein, carbs and fat content (in that order). At that point I became a label reader. Once you understand content it becomes really hard to justify a quick burger and fries. Treating soft drinks as deserts rather than beverages really changed the dynamics of my diet- and I think I got that from one of docjohns posts in this thread or another.
Parenthood has helped quite a bit too. No time to go out and drink a lot of beer, and eat hot wings at the bar when I have a 3 yr old to chase after.
Phil
me, too - thx for the heads-up on that post, doc!
I thought it would be good to bump this thread with some progress.
I competed in my first Tough Mudder PA (Pocono Manor) on April 28th. It was awesome!
Leading up to the event, I had started to train at the beginning of February with a friend of mine at the gym, for around 1-2 hours every Monday-Thursday after work. This is how be broke down our workout week:
Monday:
Warm up on Treadmill (30 minutes)
Weights: chest, shoulders, tri/biceps, back
Cool down on Treadmill (15 minutes)
Tuesday:
Warm up on Treadmill (30 minutes)
Weights: Leg Presses, Calf Raises, Leg Lifts, Squats
Cool down on Treadmill (15 minutes)
Wednesday:
Warm up on Treadmill (30 minutes)
Core workout: Medicine ball throwing and punching sit-ups/crunches, deadlifts, wood choppers, the inverted body raising things
Cool down on Treadmill (15 minutes)
Thursday:
Cardio on Treadmill, Bike, Rowing (60-90 minute)
Friday:
Rest for the winter, but when the weather got better, we played soccer with co-workers for around 2 hours.
The results of the workout were pretty dramatic. I am around 5'7" to 5'8" and 27 years old. I had always been in shape for my younger years, but after my masters thesis defense, and transitioning to the working world, i really started putting on the weight. I gained around 20 lbs from not working out and not being as generally active as I had always been.
I started at 195ish lbs and out of shape. I could run maybe 0.5 miles before being completely winded, was dead tired afte 1.5 miles of slow jogging, and could barely use 135 for my weight workouts (bench - incline, decline, flat, shoulders, dead lifts, squats, etc)
After following the workout routine listed above and eating more healthy (yogurt and granola for breakfast, lots of vegetables and lean meats and multi-grains for lunch, and lots of vegetables, lean meats, and no carbs for dinner). I also cut out soda and all snacks from my diet for the most part.
The results of the workout and diet were pretty awesome. I can run a good 2 miles before even having to breathe through my mouth, and can continue onto 5 miles without that much effort. My weight workout routine has been steady using 135lb for weights (bench, dead lift, squat, shoulder) but now I usually do 5-6 sets of 10-15 reps. I have only lost a total of 10 lbs (now around the 180 to 185 mark), but I feel that I have gained a good amount of muscle and lost a good amount of fat.
Now as for the Tough Mudder, I ended up finishing in 5 hours...not something to be exactly proud of, but a lot of time was spent waiting for my teammates. 1 twisted his ankle twice (once at mile 4 and once at mile 7) because he decided to wear lace-less sneakers that are more for fashion than for anything else. He also did not prepare at all for the Tough Mudder thinking it wouldn't be that difficult. Another teammate's feet started really hurting (flat feet) around mile 8. Another did not train, but was generally in good shape from his daily activities (remodeling his home). Another had his muscles start really tightening up around mile 10. The last teammate and myself felt good throughout the entire run. The Pocono Manor course was advertised around 10.5-11 miles, but it was actually closer to 13. My friend and I that felt good through the whole event felt we could have probably cut 1.5 hours off our time if we had not spent time waiting.
At around mile 10, we decided to take off and just wait for the others at the finish line since at that point, the other 4 were walking between obstacles. We ended up gaining 40 minutes on them in those last 3 miles. The crazy part is if the event ended up being another few miles, I don't think it would have been a problem.
The killer of the entire event was the COLD...It was 40 degrees F outside in the sun and windy the whole day. Diving into the cold water everywhere really took its toll, but I immediately started running after to avoid my muscles from freezing, like happened to a few of my teammates. The course designers must have had a ball making it their mission for you to never be dry. I was wet and blue for the entire time, which was the main reason my teammate and I decided to take off at mile 10 because we were freezing.
At the end of the day, I had a GREAT time. I would definitely do Tough Mudder again, but will probably do more Warrior Dashes and Spartan races to supplement the annual Tough Mudder. Pocono Manor was a great venue because it was constantly changing terrain, up and down ski slopes, always interesting trail running through the woods. I'm not sure if I would enjoy it if the event was completely flat. The obstacles weren't bad at all. I couldn't get across the monkey bars or the rings because I was pretty tired at that point, but that is something to train. The walls, half pipe, trench crawling, cargo net, all the other obstacles weren't a problem at all.
Thank you fellow members for inspiring me to push myself to get back in shape. Thank you for the advice for training for the Tough Mudder. I feel like this is only the beginning for how in shape I will get. I will bump this thread again when the next milestones are reached.
Thank you NSXPrime and members!
I competed in my first Tough Mudder PA (Pocono Manor) on April 28th. It was awesome!
Leading up to the event, I had started to train at the beginning of February with a friend of mine at the gym, for around 1-2 hours every Monday-Thursday after work. This is how be broke down our workout week:
Monday:
Warm up on Treadmill (30 minutes)
Weights: chest, shoulders, tri/biceps, back
Cool down on Treadmill (15 minutes)
Tuesday:
Warm up on Treadmill (30 minutes)
Weights: Leg Presses, Calf Raises, Leg Lifts, Squats
Cool down on Treadmill (15 minutes)
Wednesday:
Warm up on Treadmill (30 minutes)
Core workout: Medicine ball throwing and punching sit-ups/crunches, deadlifts, wood choppers, the inverted body raising things
Cool down on Treadmill (15 minutes)
Thursday:
Cardio on Treadmill, Bike, Rowing (60-90 minute)
Friday:
Rest for the winter, but when the weather got better, we played soccer with co-workers for around 2 hours.
The results of the workout were pretty dramatic. I am around 5'7" to 5'8" and 27 years old. I had always been in shape for my younger years, but after my masters thesis defense, and transitioning to the working world, i really started putting on the weight. I gained around 20 lbs from not working out and not being as generally active as I had always been.
I started at 195ish lbs and out of shape. I could run maybe 0.5 miles before being completely winded, was dead tired afte 1.5 miles of slow jogging, and could barely use 135 for my weight workouts (bench - incline, decline, flat, shoulders, dead lifts, squats, etc)
After following the workout routine listed above and eating more healthy (yogurt and granola for breakfast, lots of vegetables and lean meats and multi-grains for lunch, and lots of vegetables, lean meats, and no carbs for dinner). I also cut out soda and all snacks from my diet for the most part.
The results of the workout and diet were pretty awesome. I can run a good 2 miles before even having to breathe through my mouth, and can continue onto 5 miles without that much effort. My weight workout routine has been steady using 135lb for weights (bench, dead lift, squat, shoulder) but now I usually do 5-6 sets of 10-15 reps. I have only lost a total of 10 lbs (now around the 180 to 185 mark), but I feel that I have gained a good amount of muscle and lost a good amount of fat.
Now as for the Tough Mudder, I ended up finishing in 5 hours...not something to be exactly proud of, but a lot of time was spent waiting for my teammates. 1 twisted his ankle twice (once at mile 4 and once at mile 7) because he decided to wear lace-less sneakers that are more for fashion than for anything else. He also did not prepare at all for the Tough Mudder thinking it wouldn't be that difficult. Another teammate's feet started really hurting (flat feet) around mile 8. Another did not train, but was generally in good shape from his daily activities (remodeling his home). Another had his muscles start really tightening up around mile 10. The last teammate and myself felt good throughout the entire run. The Pocono Manor course was advertised around 10.5-11 miles, but it was actually closer to 13. My friend and I that felt good through the whole event felt we could have probably cut 1.5 hours off our time if we had not spent time waiting.
At around mile 10, we decided to take off and just wait for the others at the finish line since at that point, the other 4 were walking between obstacles. We ended up gaining 40 minutes on them in those last 3 miles. The crazy part is if the event ended up being another few miles, I don't think it would have been a problem.
The killer of the entire event was the COLD...It was 40 degrees F outside in the sun and windy the whole day. Diving into the cold water everywhere really took its toll, but I immediately started running after to avoid my muscles from freezing, like happened to a few of my teammates. The course designers must have had a ball making it their mission for you to never be dry. I was wet and blue for the entire time, which was the main reason my teammate and I decided to take off at mile 10 because we were freezing.
At the end of the day, I had a GREAT time. I would definitely do Tough Mudder again, but will probably do more Warrior Dashes and Spartan races to supplement the annual Tough Mudder. Pocono Manor was a great venue because it was constantly changing terrain, up and down ski slopes, always interesting trail running through the woods. I'm not sure if I would enjoy it if the event was completely flat. The obstacles weren't bad at all. I couldn't get across the monkey bars or the rings because I was pretty tired at that point, but that is something to train. The walls, half pipe, trench crawling, cargo net, all the other obstacles weren't a problem at all.
Thank you fellow members for inspiring me to push myself to get back in shape. Thank you for the advice for training for the Tough Mudder. I feel like this is only the beginning for how in shape I will get. I will bump this thread again when the next milestones are reached.
Thank you NSXPrime and members!
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Did the Spartan Military Sprint at Ft. Carson on 5/5- 25 obstacles on a 5 mile course. That was a good time.
My 3rd Tough Mudder is coming up on 6/9 @ Beaver Creek. I've got a big team, and picking up a new GoPro HD Hero2 to film the run. Should be interesting.
My first 1/2 Marathon is scheduled for July 14
First full Marathon will be at Disney in January- bonus is a vacation for my Family.
Just a few years ago I couldn't have run 400 meters, but last Tuesday I ran a 6:49 mile. Still training. Getting stronger, leaner, and better with age.
Who would have thought?
current weight 172lbs.
My 3rd Tough Mudder is coming up on 6/9 @ Beaver Creek. I've got a big team, and picking up a new GoPro HD Hero2 to film the run. Should be interesting.
My first 1/2 Marathon is scheduled for July 14
First full Marathon will be at Disney in January- bonus is a vacation for my Family.
Just a few years ago I couldn't have run 400 meters, but last Tuesday I ran a 6:49 mile. Still training. Getting stronger, leaner, and better with age.
Who would have thought?
current weight 172lbs.
Last edited:
So I guess it would be a good time to update this.
I ran my second Tough Mudder at Englishtown, NJ at the Tri-State event.
We finished the event in 4 hours flat, but there were a lot of hold-ups along the way that slowed us way down. The event had a record number of participants, so overcrowding was a big problem. We probably spent a good 30-45 minutes just standing around waiting in the crowds to go across obstacles. The course, I thought, was a little bit boring and lame compared to the Pocono Mountain TM. It was completely flat, way way too much mud, and the finish was very anticlimactic. 12 miles in total and when we finished, we all had a sense of "Really? That was the end? That's it?". Also, during the running, my knees decided they hated me and started going sore/into pain. I need to get them checked out by a doctor when I find one. May have sprained a ligament or something.
I am again down weight from last time, now hovering between 175 and 180. Still have around 10lbs to lose. I am thinking of picking up a cardio workout (insanity, p90x, etc) to finish the tone since I have lost most of the excess weight I had at the beginning of this year.
It's funny to think when the year began, I could barely run 1/2 mile without gasping for air and calling it a day, and now I can pretty much keep going (depending on my knees) for hours on end.
All in all, the Tough Mudder was a great experience and I will do more in the future once I sort out my knees. I have lost 15-20lbs since the beginning of this year by eating better and going to the gym 3-4 times a week. I have kept an active lifestyle and it has really paid off. Going forward this winter, I want to lose another 5-10lbs while toning the muscles I have gained.
Thanks NSXPrime.
I ran my second Tough Mudder at Englishtown, NJ at the Tri-State event.
We finished the event in 4 hours flat, but there were a lot of hold-ups along the way that slowed us way down. The event had a record number of participants, so overcrowding was a big problem. We probably spent a good 30-45 minutes just standing around waiting in the crowds to go across obstacles. The course, I thought, was a little bit boring and lame compared to the Pocono Mountain TM. It was completely flat, way way too much mud, and the finish was very anticlimactic. 12 miles in total and when we finished, we all had a sense of "Really? That was the end? That's it?". Also, during the running, my knees decided they hated me and started going sore/into pain. I need to get them checked out by a doctor when I find one. May have sprained a ligament or something.
I am again down weight from last time, now hovering between 175 and 180. Still have around 10lbs to lose. I am thinking of picking up a cardio workout (insanity, p90x, etc) to finish the tone since I have lost most of the excess weight I had at the beginning of this year.
It's funny to think when the year began, I could barely run 1/2 mile without gasping for air and calling it a day, and now I can pretty much keep going (depending on my knees) for hours on end.
All in all, the Tough Mudder was a great experience and I will do more in the future once I sort out my knees. I have lost 15-20lbs since the beginning of this year by eating better and going to the gym 3-4 times a week. I have kept an active lifestyle and it has really paid off. Going forward this winter, I want to lose another 5-10lbs while toning the muscles I have gained.
Thanks NSXPrime.
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