Heart Rate Training page added

So I have a quick reference, I added a Heart Rate Training page that has my target heart rate training numbers for running, cycling, and rowing.

The formula, Miller et al, I think is accurate. Check out the page for details on the formula.

Post-race review of Reebok All Terrain Sprint

Bottom line: The Reebok All Terrain Sprint shoes performed at Saturday's Charlotte Spartan Sprint. I didn't.

That said, I ended up 8th in the elite heat after failing the traverse wall and the spear throw, so that resulted in probably 4 minutes of burpees. Oh well, that's all part of the fun and uncertainty when it comes to obstacle racing.

Back to the shoes...

The terrain around the festival area was a muddy mess. Things weren't nearly as slick as they looked later in the day, but the mud never clumped on the shoes to the point I could feel any extra weight. Other parts of the course were smooth, gravel roads. And other parts were paths through the uncharted woods or pastures of tall grass.

• The shoes gripped well. There was only one slip where the shoe slid back a few inches before catching.
   
• The shoes drained well. I specifically ran through (instead of jumping over) a shallow creek to see if the shoes would hold much water. They didn't. And I kept on going without missing a step.
   
• The shoes are light. Because of the light weight, I never felt like they were holding me back, and I was able to make up ground after failing those obstacles.
   
• The shoes have short laces. Because of the Salomon QUICKLACE™ system, I had concerns about going back to regular laces. And the laces on the Sprints are short. They were just long enough to double-knot them. They did not come untied, so I'm over that concern.

Finally, I didn't notice any damage to the shoes after cleaning them off in the shower. (Yes, I usually jump in the shower after a race with my race shorts and shoes on still.)

Looking forward to racing in them again.

Pre-race review of Reebok All Terrain Sprint

The Georgia Spartan Sprint killed my Fellcross shoes about a mile into the race. (Thankfully, the Fellcross design allowed the shoes to stay on my feet still!)

The shoes had 100+ miles on them mainly from snowy trail races, Spartan races (including two Spartan Beasts), and two races at Mud, Guts, and Glory (home of the 2014 OCR World Championships)...

I replaced them with the Reebok All Terrain Sprint shoes when I found a pre-order, 30% off discount code. I was planning to get a pair of Inov-8 X-Talon 190 shoes, but I couldn't pass up the deal and there was all the hype about Reebok's OCR-specific shoes.

While I'll probably get the X-Talon eventually, the All Terrain Sprints cost less (even before the discount code) and weighed less (by about an ounce).

Concerns:

• Traction? The hills at Mud, Guts, and Glory require serious traction like the Fellcross shoes provided.

Well, I guess that was my only major concern while looking at the shoes online. The lugs are tough, so I doubt there will be any slippage issues.

We'll see how they work on Saturday at the Charlotte Spartan Sprint.

Post-race update to follow...

Reference: Reebok All Terrain Sprint

My "secret" to recovery: Ultragen by First Endurance

[Originally posted to Facebook on January 11, 2014]

Some of you have called me "crazy" (like my buddy Tim) or sent me Facebook messages asking about my OCR training, so I thought I'd share my "secret" in case you want to try something new in 2014. In addition to getting enough sleep and (mostly) eating right, I've been drinking Ultragen by First Endurance after my morning workouts (which last about 2 hours).

I'd been looking for a post-workout/recovery drink...water wasn't cutting it and figured Gatorade wasn't enough. That's when I found Ultragen. The research and science on their site sold me over other products.

I'd say it's working. My times are close to what they were in college (even after taking most of my 20's off). And I'm "crazy" enough to work out in the morning, get another workout in later in the day, and still be ready to go the next morning—at 4:30 a.m.

Anyways, check out Ultragen if you're looking for a post-workout/recovery drink. Message me with questions.

http://firstendurance.com/nutrition/ultragen.html

140 characters isn't enough sometimes

Sometimes you need more than 140 characters, so this blog is where I plan to elaborate on my OCR activities when a simple tweet won't cut it.

Also, you'll find my race schedule (subject to change) and other plans.

You can follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/schapness (@schapness).

Thanks for your interest and support.

- Chris