Have you made resolutions to shed a few pounds or eat better? I'm guessing the answer is yes and that you may have to make that resolution again, because it didn't go so well. But it really has nothing to do with your motivation, and everything to do with the goal itself. In the project management world, they say that goals should be SMART. It should be a specific goal, a measurable goal, and an attainable and realistic goal. Finally it should have a specific time frame. So the reason why so many people don't lose weight or get healthier is because those goals don't fit the criteria for a smart goal. So here's a better one for you: resolve to train for and participate in a mud run within the next six months.
Mud Runs, also known as obstacle course races, are all slightly different beasts, but the simple idea is that you go through a course full of obstacles such as tire fields, mud pools, short walls, and maybe even a slip-n-slide. Some of the original races try very hard to be hardcore military style races with barbed wire and cargo nets, but the newer ones have adopted themes that are more warm and fuzzy (i.e.: the Foam Fest or Run Drenched). Most of these events are about 5k, though there a few more advanced ones.
I know that the excuses in your mind are already running, but I hope you are still reading because I want to make 4 points before the excuses start flowing: 1) Race day isn't tomorrow. 2) If any obstacles make you feel nervous, you don't have to do them. Many people skip at least one obstacle, and sometimes many. 3) You don't have to run, plenty of people walk. 4) There will be people of all shapes and sizes at the starting line.
So now let's imagine the worst possible outcome of your goal. You may may spend a day walking a 5k mile course without trying the obstacles, but even so you will be entertained by all of the crazy and muddy participants around you. But the best outcome is totally worth that risk: you become super motivated to get in shape for the event and you go far beyond what you thought was possible in the race. And along the way you actually managed to lose some weight.
So why exactly is training for a mud run such an awesome tool for losing weight? Well to begin with an obstacle course race is a very glamorous and exciting goal. They have names like "Tough Mudder" and "Spartan", so you can't help but feel hardcore, tell your friends, and want to commit to being ready for it. But even more than the image, mud runs promote endurance and strength. People who are trying to lose weight tend to focus too much on long and monotonous low-intensity workouts on the stationary bike or the treadmill. It's hard to stick with and takes too long to see results.
In addition to cardio activity, when you are training for an obstacle race you also have to work on developing your strength through anaerobic activity. The combination of aerobic and anaerobic activity is a powerful tool against fat, because not only do you burn calories through your workouts, you rev up your metabolism so that you burn calories while you rest too (muscle tissue burns calories even when you are at rest.)
I hope I have convinced you that a Mud Run just might be the gaol that you need to help you make good on the same old new years resolutions. Give it a try; you may just find that it is your ticket to getting the results that you want this year.
Mud Runs, also known as obstacle course races, are all slightly different beasts, but the simple idea is that you go through a course full of obstacles such as tire fields, mud pools, short walls, and maybe even a slip-n-slide. Some of the original races try very hard to be hardcore military style races with barbed wire and cargo nets, but the newer ones have adopted themes that are more warm and fuzzy (i.e.: the Foam Fest or Run Drenched). Most of these events are about 5k, though there a few more advanced ones.
I know that the excuses in your mind are already running, but I hope you are still reading because I want to make 4 points before the excuses start flowing: 1) Race day isn't tomorrow. 2) If any obstacles make you feel nervous, you don't have to do them. Many people skip at least one obstacle, and sometimes many. 3) You don't have to run, plenty of people walk. 4) There will be people of all shapes and sizes at the starting line.
So now let's imagine the worst possible outcome of your goal. You may may spend a day walking a 5k mile course without trying the obstacles, but even so you will be entertained by all of the crazy and muddy participants around you. But the best outcome is totally worth that risk: you become super motivated to get in shape for the event and you go far beyond what you thought was possible in the race. And along the way you actually managed to lose some weight.
So why exactly is training for a mud run such an awesome tool for losing weight? Well to begin with an obstacle course race is a very glamorous and exciting goal. They have names like "Tough Mudder" and "Spartan", so you can't help but feel hardcore, tell your friends, and want to commit to being ready for it. But even more than the image, mud runs promote endurance and strength. People who are trying to lose weight tend to focus too much on long and monotonous low-intensity workouts on the stationary bike or the treadmill. It's hard to stick with and takes too long to see results.
In addition to cardio activity, when you are training for an obstacle race you also have to work on developing your strength through anaerobic activity. The combination of aerobic and anaerobic activity is a powerful tool against fat, because not only do you burn calories through your workouts, you rev up your metabolism so that you burn calories while you rest too (muscle tissue burns calories even when you are at rest.)
I hope I have convinced you that a Mud Run just might be the gaol that you need to help you make good on the same old new years resolutions. Give it a try; you may just find that it is your ticket to getting the results that you want this year.
About the Author:
To view a calendar of mud runs near you, look at Obstacle Race Calendar 2013 . You can also find specific training routines to help you get get ready in Mud Race Ebook
No comments:
Post a Comment