Stark Raving Mad Adventure Race 2009

Posted on 16. Jun, 2009 by Jeremy in Adventure Racing, Outdoors, Press On, Sharpening

Stark Raving Mad Adventure Race RouteOh boy. Just over 6 hours and almost 33 miles of trekking, mountain biking, kayaking, and orienteering through the dunes and woods of Muskegon State Park.

There were five of us, two teams of two and me going solo, and as a whole we missed 2nd place in the solo division by a few minutes. We could look back at a dozen decisions that may have made up the time, but the bottom line is this: faster is better.

Because our speed endurance is lacking, we have a very small margin of error in our decision making. One wrong turn can mean we don’t finish on time, and while we learn something new every time we complete a race, it’s impossible to guarantee we won’t make a wrong decision in the next one.

On the other hand, it is possible to guarantee we can run and bike and paddle for 6 hours (unless we get eaten by raccoons or twist an ankle).

The only problem: I loathe running. When I played sports in high school, running was punishment. I started looking for a training method that will increase my running endurance without actually running, but I know better.

To write better, write.

To get stronger, lift.

To run better, run.

Zoom!

Stark Raving Mad Adventure Race 2009Stark Raving Mad Adventure Race 2009Stark Raving Mad Adventure Race 2009Stark Raving Mad Adventure Race 2009

A Different Kind of Workout

Posted on 23. May, 2008 by Jeremy in Press On, Sharpening, Writing

From what I’ve seen and felt, the only thing that can prepare one for an MMA workout is an MMA workout. I went into Tuesday’s class feeling pretty good despite a tender thumb (tweaked during my first class one week prior when I stumbled into a rack of wooden swords – if they’d been real, I’d be typing with stumps right now), and ready for more boxing drills and sparring.

Ah, surprises. We warmed up as usual, then went right into 5-minute rounds of agility and power movements:

  • Footwork through a rope ladder on the floor
  • Forward high jumps over little hurdles with our knees as high as we could get them
  • Hopping on one foot in and out of a rope ladder on the floor
  • Lateral high jumps over hurdles
  • Moving laterally along a rope ladder on the floor, touching the toes of each foot inside each square
  • Start over and do it all again

We did three rounds of that with 30 seconds rest in between, and I had to take a few breathers during the last round. It doesn’t feel good to let the other guys down by taking a break, but I didn’t want to dig a hole I couldn’t get out of.

Then we moved on to something I was really interested in; the instructor, Fernando Neto, an MMA fighter and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt from Brazil, showed us how to transition into an armbar from the guard when our opponent postures up and plants a foot for balance. This is the kind of stuff that will really inform my writing and give me an understanding of MMA strategy. How to set something up and execute it with all the details on where to put your hands, feet, hips, etc.

After that we sparred. I find it fascinating how two people who’ve never met can say, “Wanna go?”
“Sure.”
“I’m Dave.”
“Jim.”
Then they touch gloves and begin to kick, punch, choke, and crank each other. When it’s over, they touch gloves again and say, “Nice work.”

It’s honest and real, and incredibly refreshing. There are no facades, at least not for me. I don’t have the energy to spare for it.

Driving home, one week after the first class that left me barely able to dial a phone, I felt great. A few tweaks here and there, but the long Memorial Day weekend should be ample time for those to heal.