“THIS IS CAMBRIDGGGEEEE” screams a pasty white guy wearing a red cape and loin cloth. “Well it’s certainly not Sparta,” I think as he fires the starter gun and fifty scantily clad athletes run past the Specky Spartan. “What a goon,” one racer says. “They must have pulled him out of the maths department,” replies the other, only to disappear into the crowd. Off in the distance smoke is rising from the track. The air wobbles from the heat. As the smoke begins to tower over us my heart begins to pound. At the side of the track one racer is having his shoes extinguished and another is trying to stamp out his cape. I think it’s about time I re-evaluated my stance. “Maybe this is Sparta.”

Well that’s what they call it at least: The Spartan Race – a three mile sprint filled with gauntlets, crawl spaces and other unknown challenges all designed to test even the hardiest of athletes. This one, only the second in the UK, is the shortest of the races. There are four in total. The most difficult being the death race: A 48 hour test of your endurance and spirit.

The death race was the original of the Spartan Races and is by far that hardest. The event was created by Joe DeSena, an ex-Wall Street man who spent much of his time developing close relationships with his clients by training them to compete in endurance events. Over time he realised that this was his true passion and he quit his job to take endurance racing to the next level.

But before Joe became the race organiser he is today, he would only compete in ultra-endurance events. These races would normally span over a hundred miles and certainly aren’t for the faint hearted. He even once said that competing in a regular marathon was “adorable” and even completed over 50 of these ultra-events in just one year. In just one week he took part in the Vermont 100, the Lake Placid Ironman and the Badwater Ultra; a 135 mile race which is said to be the world’s toughest foot race.

Now the Spartan Sprint is like a leisurely stroll to the corner shop in comparison to these but that doesn’t stop it from being an extraordinary challenge. To give you an example one of the obstacles I encountered was the spear throw. After about two miles you are stopped and forced to throw a spear into a straw target before you continue. Having not thrown a javelin since secondary school – not that I was good at the time – I missed the target and was made to 50 burpees press-ups, a type of alternating jump press-ups, before I was allowed to continue. That’s just one of ten obstacles you face.

But if it wasn’t for a chance meeting with Richard Lee and Selica Sevigny back in 2009 the Spartan Race would never have reached the UK. Richard, an ex-Royal Marine, had been hiking the Appalachian Trail (a 2000 mile walk) with his partner Selica to help heal his broken leg. As you do. Then just days before the death race the couple stumbled into Pittsfield Vermont where they dared each other to take part. Richard, to the pride of our nation, went on to win the event and Selica, who had never participated in an endurance event, came in third in the female category.

“It was just endless hours of agony and fatigue,” Selica told me recalling her first attempt, “but I came in third and managed to beat ex-Navy Seals, world class athletes and even some of the hardiest people on the planet.”

But if you looked at Selica you wouldn’t think she had it in her. At 5’7 and 120 pounds many of the press and competitors thought she wouldn’t finish at all.

“People in the media event even made bets that I wouldn’t last more than two hours,” she said, “but I did and it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.”

After a well-earned rest the following day Richard managed to break his foot thanks to some worn out walking boots and the couple were forced to stay in Vermont where they spent some time talking to Joe about taking the race global. It must have gone well because they are now the Company Directors for Spartan Races in the UK and Canada.

Richard knew from the beginning that there was something distinctive about the race and he was keen to bring the race to the rest of the world. “I was getting tired of the repetitive nature of traditional running events,” he told me, “they are just very predictable and we wanted to create something unique. I did the lake placid Ironman and it was tough, but at the same time I knew what was expected of me and where I should be at what time. When I did the Death Race everything was unpredictable, which makes it more exciting and very challenging.”

Richard and Selica successfully brought the race to the UK and it’s now in its second year. One of the first to attempt a Spartan Race in the UK was Daniel Scott, Sports Psychology student at Bournemouth University who took part in the event in Cambridge as well as the very first in 2010. “I was very wary before the event because I wasn’t sure what was to come,” Daniel told me after the race. “By the time I’d finished the Spartan Sprint I’d challenged all kinds of fears, particularly my claustrophobia and in only three miles. That’s why I’m back again today.”

Daniel was a clear choice to ask about the Spartan Sprint because he has always been enamoured with the warrior culture. “I was always interested in the idea of being a Spartan and spent many nights out in Bournemouth dressed in my homemade cape and amour,” he said. “So when I heard about the Spartan Sprint I was dying to have a go.”

But Daniel assures us that the Spartan Race isn’t just for the elite athlete, even though he’s enjoyed martial arts and rugby for years. “The beauty of the Spartan Sprint is that anyone can try it,” he said. “Whether you are ‘in it to win it’ or just out to complete the course there is definitely a place for you.”

But he urges future racers not to underestimate how challenging the Spartan Race is, he said: “Because of the nature of the event there is of course an element of danger so you must be careful, but for me this only adds to the races credibility and made it more rewarding when I finally crossed the finish line… intact.”

So for those wishing to have a go at the Spartan Sprint, the next of which is in Yorkshire on September the 4^th, we spoke to Maria Obradovic the UK Customer Service Representative for Spartan Races to see if she had any tips for beginners.

“Most importantly is to remember to have fun,” she said. “We do have contenders who just race to complete the course and others who want to finish it in record time.” Those elite few who finish in the top three will also be given free entry to the Super Spartan race of their choice, which doubles the distance and adds a further five obstacles.

But this event is not yet available in the UK so you will have to pay for flights to the US. However Richard and Selica are planning to bring all the events to the UK. She said: “Our next big challenge is to bring events such as the Death Race and Jr. Spartan to the UK!”

But before that she has another mountain to climb. “Perhaps the biggest challenge of them all will be getting married [to Richard] in the near future. But after creating and organizing the Spartan Race, organizing our own wedding should be so easy. I hope!”

So good luck to the Spartan couple and all you budding racers in the future. Those who are planning to take part Maria advises that you check www.spartanrace.com as well as www.spartanrace.tv to get a better understanding of what you’re letting yourself in for. There are some excellent training videos and interviews with the creators and participants alike. And for those who have an aversion to mud and fire you should probably stay away. Those of you who don’t, make sure to bring a range of back backs full of high energy food because, trust me, you’re going to need them. And one last piece of advice: Don’t let that Specky Spartan at the beginning fool you.

The GPS Watch for Explorers and Adventurers

The idea behind the Suunto Ambit is that it is a watch that has all the functionality of an advanced GPS training watch but at the same time provides the battery life and essential features that mountaineers and explorers have come to rely on.

Suunto Ambit - Black - Available From March

Being able to use the watch for accurate speed and distance tracking in training mode but then being able to switch to mountaineering mode to navigate your way back home with the help of advanced GPS waypoint navigation, barometer, altimeter and compass for up to 50 hours is something that I can see really appealing to those adventure runners, trail runners and mountaineers out there.

Video from the Munich ISPO where the Ambit was first announced last month.

Ambit Features

Before I talk about some of the things that excite me about this new watch I jsut want to give a quick run down of some of the Ambit’s features:

Specialised Outdoor Functions:

• 3D Compass
• Advanced Waypoint Navigation
• Temperature
• Route Logging
• 100m Water Resistance

Advanced Training Functions: 

• Real time heart rate monitoring with Peak Training Effect
• A battery life of 15 hours in training mode (one second GPS interval) and 50 hours in outdoor mode (sixty second GPS interval)
• Responsive and accurate speed and pace settings using a combination of both the in-built GPS and an inbuilt ‘footpod’ type feature using the new patent pending Suunto FusedSpeedTM technology.
• Heart Rate Zones
• Recovery Time
• Movescount.com compatibility (a great social online training portal from Suunto)

Mountain Exploration Features:

• Robust Casing
• Altimeter
• Barometric sensor

Features that excite me! 

GPS Interval and battery Life – It is possible to chance the GPS recording interval between one second and sixty seconds in order to extend the battery life. If you want to use the watch for cycling or running then speed and distance are pretty important and so you will want this interval to be at 1 second. Even with the time interval at its minimum Suunto say that it is still possible to use the watch for 15 hours continuously, making this perfect for endurance running, cycling or long distance triathlons.

100m Waterproofing – It is nice to have a GPS watch that is suitable for open water swimming and adventure swimming as well as having all the advanced land based mountaineering features.

Heart Rate Training – The Suunto Peak Training Effect system is a great feature as you can see how intense your training session is and also your recovery time. I have used this feature on the Suunto Quest and really like the way that you can view your Training Effect metrics on the Suunto Movescount online portal

Availability

The Suunto Ambit will be available from March 2012 in black or silver for the price of £400 with a heart rate monitor or £350 without.

RunTheLine Review

I have been in contact with the marketing agency that handles Suunto’s UK marketing ever since I reviewed the Suunto Quest last year and they are very kindly going to provide me with a trial unit as soon as possible They report that they should have some units by the end of February so I will aim to get a review out within the first few weeks of March.

This post is sponsored by Bodyuilding Warehouse.

An Explanation of Prohormones for Bodybuilders.

A Prohormone is a legal substance that is available over the counter in the same way that you would buy protein or energy drinks. Prohormones work by encouraging the anabolic environment within your body that allows for rapid gains in muscle size and strength.

Unlike a steroid, a prohormone adds no hormone to your body and only acts to increase the strength of the hormones already in your body – this is why they are often confused for steroids.

In the last two decades, prohormones have been developed to offer bodybuilders the benefits of taking anabolic steroids without the legal risk of taking steroids themselves. They are still very powerful substances and can have long term health impact if you do not research how to take them properly. They should only be taken by adult men over the age of 21 and you need to follow a strict course that not only involves taking the correct dosage, but is also followed by an effective period of post cycle therapy that ensures that you maintain the mass that you have gained.

Prohormones have the same side affect as steroids and although the side affects are often minimal there is still a significant risk that the following may occur: Acne, hair loss, breast tissue enlargement, and prostate swelling

There are a range of prohormones available on the market and some of these can be found in the prohormones section of Bodybuilding warehouse.

Three Indispensable Yoga Positions for Runners

Over the course of the typical run, a jogger will take approximately 5000 steps. Factor in your multiplied bodyweight and I’m sure you can imagine what a great deal of stress you are placing on your body, particularly your joints. During my own running career I have had a number of repetitive stress injuries which, for the most part, I was unable work out why.

At first I blamed my running shoes, but for an even longer time I tried to combat my injuries by doing silly leg shakes and stretches as I ran but after a while even looking ridiculous wasn’t enough to stave off injury and so I called up my local running club for advice.

What I was surprised to find was how integral yoga was to these runners’ routines. They told me that running alone was a linear activity and that by adding yoga warm-ups and warm-downs my exercise would become circular – I know, very New Age of them right – and after some initial scepticism, I swallowed my pride and took their message on board.

A few months later my injuries had healed and I had become convinced of the benefits of yoga for runners and so I have compiled a list of top three yoga positions for runners in the hope that they might be of use to some of our injury-laden readers. So without further ado, here is my list:

The High Lunge or Crescent Pose

The high lunge is ideal for warming up. The pose improves strength in your quads, stretches out your hip flexors and develops core strength by activating your stomach muscles. To perform the pose, place your right foot forward and place it directly below your knee and keep the leg at a 90 degree angle. Raise your arms slowly and straighten out your rear leg and then hold the pose for 40-50 seconds before repeating on the opposite side.

The Warrior 3

To me this pose is like the yoga equivalent of planking but trust me, it is excellent for developing running technique. Appropriately the pose is named after Virabhadra – a warrior who was said to have a thousand heads, eyes and feet – and few other poses make your feel as strong, or work as many muscles.

To achieve the pose, lower your torso so that it is horizontal with the ground and bring your right leg up so that it is parallel with the body. Then extend the arms. Press your palms together and hold it for 40-50 seconds before repeating on the opposite side.

One-Legged King Pigeon Pose

Without a doubt, King Pigeon is the most difficult pose, so don’t be disheartened if you don’t get it right the first time. God knows it took me long enough. To complete the pose, begin on all fours and bring your right knee between your hands and sit whilst keeping your left leg extended backwards. Rest your right hand on your right knee and grab the toes on your left foot with your left hand.

Now for the tricky part. You need to reach back with your right hand, arch your head back and grab a hold of your toes. Maintain the position for 40-50 seconds and the repeat on the opposite side, but don’t be disheartened if you don’t manage it the first time.

Why does it work?

Yoga is great for strengthening deep postural muscles in the core and back. These muscles are essential for developing good running form. Yoga also helps to remove tension and lactic acid from muscles that are over-worked/trained by hardy runners, but mostly it improves flexibility, which you will discover quickly if you decide to take any classes. Be prepared for embarrassment to ensue.

Once you have been for a while I believe you will find the typical yoga class to be extremely easy. My endurance and leg strength is way beyond what is necessary for the typical yoga class simply because running is such a demanding exercise and I have no doubt it will be the same for you.

One additional thing that has begun to slip over into my running is the tranquillity that is such a hallmark of the yoga experience. I have always found running to be meditative, but more now than ever and it is much appreciated.

Yoga is now an integral part of my running experience and I think it is essential if you want to improve form and technique. I like to mix up my yoga so I will be planning future posts, but in the mean time I would love to hear some of your own experiences and I may well include them in future. So sound off below. In the meantime, Namaste!

I have just had the following press release through from Nike detailing their new Nike+ FuelBand (ok so I had it through last week but didn’t have time to post about it!):

Nike+ FuelBand

New York, New York (January 19, 2012) – NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) announced today the NIKE+ FuelBand, an innovative wristband that tracks and measures everyday movement to motivate and inspire people to be more active. Activities can now be measured through a new metric called NikeFuel: the more active you are, the more NikeFuel you earn.

Nike+ FuelBand

NIKE, Inc. President & CEO Mark Parker unveiled NIKE+ FuelBand at an event in New York attended by seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, Oklahoma City scoring champion and all-star Kevin Durant and 2011 IAAF women’s 100 metres World Champion Carmelita Jeter.

“The NIKE+ FuelBand is a way for Nike to further evolve the exciting possibilities of merging the physical and digital worlds,” said Parker. “Nike has always been about inspiring athletes, and the NIKE+ FuelBand will help motivate them in a simple, fun and intuitive way.”

Designed to be worn throughout the day, the ergonomic, user-friendly NIKE+ FuelBand uses accelerometry to provide information about different activities through movement of the wrist via a LED dot matrix display. Four metrics are available: Time, Calories, Steps and NikeFuel. Unlike calorie counts, which vary based on someone’s gender and body type, NikeFuel is a normalized score that awards equal points for the same activity regardless of physical makeup.

Users set a daily goal of how active they want to be, and how much NikeFuel they want to achieve. The NIKE+ FuelBand displays a series of 20 LED lights that go from red-to-green as the user gets closer to their goal. The FuelBand syncs with the Nike+ website through a built-in USB, or wirelessly through Bluetooth to a free iPhone app, to record activity and track progress every day. The app interface also provides encouragement and motivation as goals are achieved.

Armstrong said, “What’s great about the idea of NikeFuel and the FuelBand is the way it provides real information and numbers to show how much people are doing all day, every day. That’s what will get people challenging themselves to do more and better their own scores. It’s a tool to get people more active.”

“NikeFuel means everyone can get recognition for activities they do,” said Durant. “It provides a scoreboard for your day and gets everyone moving.”
Jeter said, “You don’t have to be an elite athlete to appreciate how NikeFuel can motivate you. It’s an easy way to get credit for activities and compare how you do with others, even if you take part in different sports.

The Nike+ FuelBand will be available in the UK from the 1^st May, RRP £139 (GBP).