This morning, the obstacle course race Rugged Maniac has announced that they will be shutting down, effectively immediately. All 2024 Rugged Maniac races will be canceled – and those who have registered will be receiving a full refund. The race posted the following message on their website regarding the closing: We regret to inform you that our obstacle course full of adventure will no longer continue in 2024. Thank you for the mud and the memories. If you already registered for a race this year, please be on the lookout for a full refund. For racers who have questions regarding their refund ..read more

The list of Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) movies is not particularly long (check out my previous article on the topic “OCR Documentaries to Keep You Motivated”), so anytime a new one comes out you are definitely going to want to check it out.  After a couple of years in the making, my documentary is finally available to the public. Ultra-OCR Man is a documentary shot, produced and edited by professional filmmaker Bobby Ross.  Over a span of a couple of years, Bobby has been following me around on some of my more interesting ultra-endurance charity events including: OCRmill 21,000 Fe ..read more

Hyperwear makes the best tactical weight vest plates for fitness as well as the best weighted vests for fitness.  So I decided to pick up their sandbag to see if they could hit a home run in the sandbag category as well.  Here are my thoughts after using it for the last couple of months: Convenience:  The first big thing you’ll notice is the convenience.  These workout sandbags are shipped already filled with sand.  No need to go spend money and time driving to Home Depot to get sand. They arrive ready for your workout.  Already filled to the perfect amount, alre ..read more

Spartan Race returned to Fort Carson Colorado for the first time since 2019. The race temporarily moved in 2021 due to contract and scheduling issues after being canceled in 2020. The Honor Series Race returned to the hot and dusty bowl of Fort Carson military base and racers came from near and far. The event weekend featured a Super on Saturday and Sprint on Sunday. There was also a Hurricane Heat for those who wanted to tempt fate and take on the military-style event on a military base. The sun and heat were unrelenting this weekend and added to the overall difficulty of the course. When the ..read more

Photo Credit: Ben Jones Have you ever wanted to take a selfie with a Yeti? Look no further than the highlight of every Midwest OCR fanatic's winter: The Abominable Snow Race. This isn't your typical OCR. Normal obstacles like walls, monkey bars, and bucket carries are leveled up by the chilly weather. It is conveniently located north of Chicago on the Illinois/Wisconsin border by gorgeous Lake Geneva. Everyone is bundled up in layers while they run, climb and swing… well, almost everyone. David Hart impressively runs in a speedo every year. Photo Credit: Ben Jones The Venue The ASR returne ..read more

XOSKIN, a brand well known in the ultra-running world, has dove headfirst into the Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) world in 2021.  With products like compression shorts/pants and socks they are great for racing or training.  Another product in their line is the brand new XO Underwear.  I picked up a pair to test out and here are some thoughts on them: Fit:  Like the compression shorts, the XOUNDERWEAR fits snuggly.  I normally wear a medium and the medium fit felt good.  Just as with their compression shorts, if you are normally someone that straddles the line ..read more

There’s some benefits and drawbacks from using a tactical vest as a fitness vest (I already talked about those in a previous article).  However, Hyperwear has revolutionized the tactical weight vest in their newest product thus making some of my older complaints obsolete.  Here’s a quick review of one of their latest products, Hyperwear Adjustable Flexible Weight Plates, now available off Amazon (just in time for your Memorial Day Murph): Tough exterior fabric of the Hyperwear adjustable flexible weight plate. Material:  The shell of the plates are made of rip-stop nylon maki ..read more

The 2021 season for me was all about training up to win a Spartan AG podium.  I came in 7th, a personal best this past weekend at the Spartan Sprint Vernon.  Enough about that.  The real highlight of this race was the venue.  Let’s start with Spartan+. Spartan + Tent If you received an email from Spartan last year talking about some class action lawsuit, I hope you opted in and took the Spartan+ settlement.  It was absolutely wonderful.  They had a huge private tent set up in the festival area overlooking the finish line.  This perk-filled tent included Fit ..read more

DEKA comes in four flavors.  Perhaps you heard three: Strong, Mile, and Fit.  Add Pain to that list.  This was my first ever DEKA event.  Bill Kemmerer, the owner/operator of Flemington Fit Body Boot Camp at Nex Level Sports and Fitness, producer of the event, asked me on Friday if I knew what I was getting into.  Truth is, yes.  I’ve been a Spartan for almost ten years.  I planned to go into this event and redline it the whole way.  And I did.  Glorious Pain was the outcome.  A top 10 world Leaderboard finish for my AG and #2 AG for this event ..read more

Deka Denver was able to return to the Broncos training facility after being canceled in 2020 and brought together a collection of athletes from all over the front range. Deka is a new Spartan event that combines functional exercise with a racing mentality. With a little over 3 miles of total running and 10 different stations to test your strength, endurance, and overall fitness level, Deka is a fun way to prepare for your next Spartan race and get out with the OCR community. The Venue: Tucked into the Denver Broncos training facility in Englewood Colorado, this event gave athletes the chance ..read more