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By Joni Clasen


As you probably already know, obstacle course running has absolutely exploded in popularity over the past few years. Over 500 mud runs will be put on at venues throughout the country this year and millions of people will participate in these events. Why? Because they are a fun and exciting way to pursue total body fitness. You may already be an avid mud runner, or you may be just starting out. Either way, you may be wondering exactly how to train for a 5k Mud Run or if you even have to train at all.

If you are already familiar with the format of a mud run, you probably know that it involves a running course with obstacles mixed in. So your body needs to be prepared to keep up a pace at moderate intensity as you run through the course and then produce a quick burst of energy to conquer an obstacle, such as going up and over a wall or carrying a sand bag for a certain distance.

So as you plan your training routine, you need to balance aerobic exercise like running with strength training activities like lifting weights. Some people prefer to separate these activities by doing one activity on one day and another one on the next day. But an even more efficient way to train is to combine both types of exercise into a circuit workout. An example circuit might involve doing the following sequence:

*Run for 2 Minutes

*A set of Push-Ups

*Run For Two Minutes

*A set of Pull-Ups or modified pull-ups

*Run for Two Minutes

*A set of Squats

*Run for Two Minutes

You would then take a quick break and repeat the same circuit or do another circuit that uses different exercises.

Whether you choose to combine strength training and endurance into one workout or whether you choose to separate them into distinct workouts, it is important to approach your strength-training with intensity. Your body will never be encouraged to build your muscles unless it thinks that the workout was a little bit more than you could handle comfortably. When your body experiences a workout like this, then it will go to work building up muscle so that the next time you do a workout like that, it will be easier.

How long do you train for a 5k mud run? That will depend primarily on your goals and your current fitness level. If you haven't been running at all, try to begin your training at least two months before the event. No matter what fitness level you are at, the more you train, the better you will do during a race and the more benefits you will reap from participating in an event like this in the first place.




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