The 4″ Stars and Stripes Bear Komplex Lifting Belt for use at home was a very good entry-level belt for the home gym user. Though not really a “power lifter” type belt, this hook and loop secured (Velcro) belt made for easy on and easy off use and initially worked very well for abdominal bracing […]
In 2023 I took the plunge and purchased the Spartan Rd Pro “Trifecta” Shoe by Craft. Having run most of my races in Salomon Speedcross (check out my review of those), I decided it would be nice to have a back-up pair of OCR shoes and try out the shoe that was designed specifically for […]
I purchased my second pair of Saloman Speedcross trail shoes after having used the first pair from 2015-2018 for Spartan Races. I eventually blew out the pinky-toe sidewall on my left shoe and had to retire those, but overall, a great OCR shoe. The tread design is excellent for slick trails, slipwalls, and other traction-dependent […]
I did utilize these socks for all of my races and training when I wasn’t running in full compression pants, check out my review on those as well, until eventually I created holes in the bottoms of the socks around the balls of my feet. The likely cause was the sand and gravel associated with […]
Beast 21k – Saturday Sep. 16, 2023 My first trip to the Snohomish-area for a Spartan was surprisingly NOT a mountain goat event as one might expect that close to the mountains. The event did, however, make use of the inclines and during the Beast, specifically challenged runners along the river’s edge and the ankle-turning […]
My “triumphant” return to Spartan racing, the first since December 2017, took place in Colorado Springs, Colorado throughout “The Bowl” at Fort Carson military base. I had been there before in 2017 completing the Super and Sprint races (10k and 5k respectively) back then, and knew this was going to be a dusty, dry and […]
David Goggins – Author The highly anticipated follow up to “Can’t Hurt Me”, Goggins once again puts everything out there for the reader to marvel at, but most importantly, apply to themselves. The importance of this book required I read it through twice. “Can’t Hurt Me” was an awe-inspiring look at what adversity David Goggins […]
In honor of SSG David H Gutierrez – KIA 12/25/2009 and his family left behind (Patty and the Boys – always in our hearts) Challenge yourself to the Murph – weighted vest (20#) 1 mile 100 Pull ups 200 Push ups 300 Air Squats 1 mile Modify as needed, perform at your own pace. It’s […]
My first back-back race days in years started with Gladiator Assault Challenge in Boone, Iowa on Saturday, and finished with my first Mud Factor 5K on Sunday at Berry and Pumpkin Ranch on the border between Bellevue and Papillion, Nebraska. Prior to taking part, I had been told this would be a fairly mild OCR […]
“Iowa has some hills!” Iowa and Nebraska are notoriously thought of as flat states by those from outside the borders. But, when the Gladiator Assault Challenge (GAC) crew found a location with a “hill”, in this case, the Seven Oaks Recreation Area ski hill about five minutes’ drive outside of Boone, Iowa, they utilized pretty […]