mud runs and training (Read 409 times)

I have a question. I like doing mud runs/obstacle courses. My main problem always seems to be my quads crapping out on me. I am upping my quad work, implementing plyometrics, hillwork etc now but I have one more question. If I'm doing say a 10k, or 10 mile mud run should I be training for a 10 mile or 15 mile run respectively due to the wear the obstacles place on the body. Or should it be more hill work, weight training, plyometrics, etc as the main focus to get the legs past this hump?

yeah they get tired and beyond tired.  If it's a 10 k course I can fight through it, but if it's a 10 mile course and I want to run a good pace capable of placing in the top 1% of finishers I have no problem as far as breathing wise I feel fine but my legs not only feel like a ton of bricks but will start to spasm, seize up, go into convulsions, whatever you wanna call it.  And I have to walk for a sec and then I can run again, until they act up the next time.  I had no problems with my calves, hamstrings, upper body.  Just my quads destroyed me in both of my mud runs. 

 

I did a lot of my miles on a treadmill which was a huge mistake.  Absolutely no hill work. 

 

thanks for the advice.  I'll do that and see how it goes.

The strain of pulling your legs up with the additional weight of the muddy shoes is hard to simulate on regular runs.  Try a lot of uphill running.

Maybe try and run in shallow water with your shoes on for practice.

 

well honestly everything dries fairly quickly.  All the mud runs seem to have the same obstacles that kill your legs. There are a few varieties but one is where there are a series of 5-10 huge uphill downhills followed by trekking through waist high water which every step your feet sink into the mud and it's a tremendous strain to pull out your leg.  The second variety and not quite as brutal at first but it creeps up on u obstacle is they will have a watery area less than knee high that once again with every step or stride puts a lot of extra strain on your legs.  By the end of the race, they are screaming.  I did all my prior training either on the TM or track so very very flat.  It was a huge mistake.  I placed incredibly high, but had my legs been able to tolerate the wear better I might of been top 3. 

 

The tough mudder was the first race I have EVER walked.

 

Last mud run we did was co-ed and was a bit easier as we just maintained her pace.