If our teams had slogans...

 You see the names of many teams. But some you're just not sure what they stand for. Wouldn't it be great if they had team slogans that gave some insight into what they're about? No, not really? Well we imagined a team slogan for each team with double-digit members. You'll see the team name, the number of participants on the team, and then a slogan for them. Not to be taken seriously, of course!

Krauza’s Krazies – 66

“Believe it or not we don’t spell everything with a K. Krazy, right?”

Krauza's Krazies are krazy kool.

GE Beasts – 42

“Imagination at Work: We imagine ways to beat the Beast while we’re working.”

Beauties and Beasts for Autism – 29

“The women are pretty, the guys are ugly, but we’re all devoted to one cause.”

Crossfit FBO – 16

“WOD: The Beast”

ERIE Insurance – 14

“The one thing we can’t insure is that you’ll finish the Beast.”

Aaron’s Avengers – 13

“Better than Marvel’s The Avengers – get us angry and see which one of us is The Incredible Hulk.”

Cork Dorks – 13

“We use wine to hydrate, not water.”

The Beasts of Beaumont – 13

“We’re in the Plastics industry, but we’re also in the butt-kicking industry.”

They charge a dollar per butt they kick.

Jugs and Thugs – 11

“We’re good people, we swear!”

Personal Fitness – 11

“We might be labeled as a team, but we’re all in it for ourselves.”

Team Sophrosyne – 11

“We’ll pass you while you look up what our team name means.”

Here's the meaning of "sophrosyne."

Fun Fitness – 10

“F is for friends who do stuff together
U is for you and me
N is for anywhere and anytime at all
Down here at the Barber Beast!”

Team DeMo – 10

“We’re Team DeMo, as in Team DeMostFit, am I right?!”

Get it? Team DeMostFit? It's funny, bro!

Unusual Punishment – 10

“This is 10 miles? And it has tough terrain and plenty of obstacles? Perfect…”

Breathe in, breathe out!

What’s more important than endurance when it comes to a 10-mile run like the Barber Beast on the Bay?

OK, OK, we can argue about whether staying hydrated, having comfy shoes and being in shape are as important or more important, but endurance is definitely something that will be needed come September 6.  Training, of course, will be fundamental to your success. But you may be overlooking one important thing that could help you out.

Your breathing.

You’re breathing in and out just fine, you think. But do you cramp up when you run? Are you huffing and puffing when you’re trying to talk while running? Chances are you’re not breathing right. Or, more correctly, as efficiently as you could be. Some tips:

If you feel like you're breathing through one of these while running, you're not breathing as deep as you should

   

          1. Breathe with your belly, not your chest. It’s all about getting deeper breaths. If your belly isn’t moving when you breathe, it means you probably aren’t breathing deep enough.

          

     2. Get oxygen to your muscles with longer breaths. Be smart about it, of course, but avoid those short, wispy breaths that many people take while running. It’s going to deplete your body of oxygen faster and result in fatigue and/or cramps.

       

        3. Remember to breathe through your mouth. Unless you’re Pinocchio and you just lied a bunch, the opening of your mouth is much larger than the openings in your nose. By keeping your mouth open, you can take in more air. Don’t stop breathing through your nose, though! Use both.

         

   

4. Breathe consistently throughout your running. Find a pattern that works for you. That way you can hone in on your breathing and ensure that you are bringing in enough oxygen. Plus, if you focus on breathing, there’s a chance the course might just breeze by!

This won't be you any more! You'll be cruising to the finish line.

We also have some general tips from Karle Lyons, a fitness instructor at Nautilus Fitness Center:

Work hard and you'll be celebrating, too!

This year for the Beast on the Bay I'm sure you're thinking about training. There are many aspects that go into getting ready for such an event. Motivation is key. First you must build a mental stamina. Every time you train, pretend that it’s the real thing. One thing I like to do whether it’s while I'm running, cross training, or just holding a plank, is to utilize my procrastination skills in a helpful way. I say to myself “I'll stop holding this plank in 10 seconds.” Then I say, “How about ten more?” If I'm running I say I'll walk when I get to that sidewalk, then I push it further until I have procrastinated so much that I forgot to stop at all!

Next let’s think about our surroundings. You're probably not used to running in the sand and it does make a difference, so get good at what you might not be used to. I would advise a series of "suicide runs." (They're not as bad as they sound.) On the beach choose a length of, say, 200 meters. Mark off every 50 meters in between. First start off by running to the first 50 yard mark and back...then to the 100 yard mark and back...etc. Time yourself and try to beat it!

Train like a Beast

Once you have made the decision to take on the Beast, the next obstacle is to start your training, which needs to begin sooner than later. Definitely make sure that training is something that you put an emphasis on as you prepare for BBB. Do not go into September 6^th having not prepared yourself for what awaits you at Presque Isle. You must prepare your body and mind to endure 2-4 hours of continuous physical demand. Your body is stronger than you think and your mind will play tricks on you, but in the face of fatigue, pain, and discomfort it is important that you have trained to be comfortable being uncomfortable. So let’s talk about that comfort factor for a minute.

The body is made up of an elemental composition that can be viewed from the point of mass composition or atomic composition. The human body is approximately 57% water, and water is 11% hydrogen by mass but 67% hydrogen by atomic %. Hence, most of the mass of the human body is oxygen, but most of the atoms in the human body are hydrogen. Body composition may also be analyzed in relationships of molecular type (e.g., water, protein, connective tissue, fats (or lipids) apatite (in bones), carbohydrates (such as glycogen and glucose) and DNA. In terms of tissue type, the body may be analyzed into water, fat, muscle, bone, etc.

Phew...so, what does this mean in terms of training? If you deplete the body of what it needs -- i.e. water, oxygen, protein, carbohydrates, etc -- you will forcing your body into a state of duress that is unhealthy and will result in a frustrating training regimen. We will come back to the nutrition/hydration details in a week or two. For now we will focus on the physical attributes of the training regimen and what it is going to take to get you prepared to physically bust the Beast.

Your body is your body. You are your own science project, as no two people will respond exactly the same to a specific exercise program/regimen. So what you need to do is work with what you have while striving to make it the best it can possibly be. Be proud of what you are doing and always remember that you are given one body and what you do with it is up to you -- garbage in = garbage out! Strength is a key component to taking on any obstacle race challenge/event. Your body is the luggage that you will run around with, climb with, jump with, and ultimately stomp the Beast with. Get comfortable with working with your body weight.

What this means is a training program that incorporates body weight movements and exercises will be successful in helping you get ready. Here is a look at some of these movements and environments:

       

   Running – As elementary as it sounds you need to be able to run and/or walk 10 miles. The rate at which you run is up to you. A mile is a mile, but the speed at which you complete that mile is what will differ person to person. Your body must be accustom and receptive to the toll running will take on it in a given 10-mile span. Avoid surprises and start running today. Also, skip the treadmill. Get outside on God’s treadmill. Running outside on variant terrain and weather is vital to the training approach to an event such as Beast on the Bay. Strap on the iPod and get on the trails if possible. You need to experience variable changes in terrain and be able to make your body recognize the changes it will face.

       Body Weight Movements – Remember that gym class from the ^5th grade? Well, take yourself back to that day of push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, etc. These are a few of the exercises it will take to help you through the BEAST. Being able to work with your own body weight is key in the fact that you must be comfortable with moving yourself around, as aforementioned, for 2-4 hours.

If you’re interested, feel free to start your training at 3 RING BOX on 8348 Edinboro Road and talk with Jenn and Chad. Training is important, and if you need our help you can find it there and here on the blog.