Obstacle Racing Media Podcast

Mark Batres, Nicole Mericle, and Kris Rugloski journeyed to the Saudi Arabian desert aiming to secure the top prize of $80,000. Although victory eluded them, they collectively earned $50,000 as Nicole finished 2nd, Mark finished 3rd, and Kris finished 7th. Tune in as we conclude our coverage of the 2024 Tough Mudder Infinity Alua event.

Terrapin Events sponsor today's episode. We are excited to promote Dirty Leprechaun on March 16th. Awesome local race plus a pancake breakfast!

Also use Code ORM20 to save 20 percent on any Tough Mudder or Spartan race.

Follow Nicole, Mark, Natalie, and Kris.

Support Us On Patreon for LOTS MORE behind the scenes.

All other Obstacle Racing Media Links.

Intro  Music – Paul B. Outro Music – Brian Revels and John Wesley Harding.

Ian K is back to discuss news from the last week in OCR including Matt's lack of luggage in AlUla, Ian did a DEKA STRONG, Rugged Maniac closing its doors, and more.

Terrapin Events sponsor today's episode. We are excited to promote Dirty Leprechaun on March 16th. Awesome local race plus a pancake breakfast!

Follow Ian K at UKOCR.

Support Us On Patreon for LOTS MORE behind the scenes.

All other Obstacle Racing Media Links.

Intro  Music – Paul B. Outro Music – Brian Revels and John Wesley Harding.

It finally happened. All the hype is over and the event is on.

Listen as athletes settle in for Friday dinner, then we hear from tons of athletes from the finish line of this epic race.

Full race results here - https://www.obstacleracingmedia.com/featured/alula-tough-mudder-infinity-results/

Support Us On Patreon for LOTS MORE behind the scenes.

All other Obstacle Racing Media Links.

Intro  Music – Paul B. Outro Music – Brian Revels and John Wesley Harding.

Ian joins the show to talk Spartan firings, HYROX rowers, Superbowl commercials, and so much more.

Terrapin Events sponsor today's episode. We are excited to promote Dirty Leprechaun on March 16th. Awesome local race plus a pancake breakfast!

Also Rugged Maniac - The ultimate and muddiest obstacle course and 5K mud run—takes over the US with 25 live events in 2024! With over 3 miles overtaken with 25+ obstacles, the Rugged Maniac course has the most obstacles per mile of any race on the planet. Save 15 percent with code ORM15.

Follow Ian K on Instagram.

Support Us On Patreon for LOTS MORE behind the scenes.

All other Obstacle Racing Media Links.

Intro  Music – Paul B. Outro Music – Brian Revels and John Wesley Harding.

Veejay Jones and Natalie Miano join forces with host Matt B. Davis to share their insights on the upcoming $480,000 Tough Mudder Infinity event set for the 24th.

As part of a four-person team, Veejay will be in the thick of the competition in AlUla, with Natalie on the sidelines cheering for her husband and WTM record holder, Mark Batres.

The trio will offer their expert analysis on key contenders across the men's, women's, and team divisions.

The full list of athletes heading to AlUla for the event can be accessed here:

https://www.obstacleracingmedia.com/featured/tough-mudder-alula-infinity-participant-update/

Follow Veejay on Instagram.

Follow Natalie on Instagram.

Support Us On Patreon for LOTS MORE behind the scenes.

All other Obstacle Racing Media Links.

Intro  Music – Paul B. Outro Music – Brian Revels and John Wesley Harding.

Fontaine has been writing for ORM for many years. She joins us today to talk about photography, OCR in the Northwest, being married to an obstacle racer, and more.

Terrapin Events sponsor today's episode. We are excited to promote two races coming up soon. My Muddy Valentine on February 10 and Dirty Leprechaun on March 16th.

Also by Rugged Maniac - The ultimate and muddiest obstacle course and 5K mud run—takes over the US with 25 live events in 2024! With over 3 miles overtaken with 25+ obstacles, the Rugged Maniac course has the most obstacles per mile of any race on the planet. Save 15 percent with code ORM15.

Follow Fontaine on Instagram.

Support Us On Patreon for LOTS MORE behind the scenes.

All other Obstacle Racing Media Links.

Intro  Music – Paul B. Outro Music – Brian Revels

Veejay wants an old-school jam for the Pan American Spartan Champs. Matt does not know how to handle the cold. Veejay is 1-1 in field goal attempts. So much more.

Support Us On Patreon for LOTS MORE behind the scenes.

All other Obstacle Racing Media Links.

Intro  Music – Paul B. Outro Music – Brian Revels

Nick might be less visible on the course until later this year, yet this doesn't diminish his happiness. Stay tuned to discover how he's embracing his roles as a full-time teacher and track coach.

Terrapin Events sponsor today's episode. We are excited to promote two races coming up soon. My Muddy Valentine on February 10 and Dirty Leprechaun on March 16th.

Also by Rugged Maniac - The ultimate and muddiest obstacle course and 5K mud run—takes over the US with 25 live events in 2024! With over 3 miles overtaken with 25+ obstacles, the Rugged Maniac course has the most obstacles per mile of any race on the planet. Save 15 percent with code ORM15.

Follow Nick on Instagram.

Support Us On Patreon for LOTS MORE behind the scenes.

All other Obstacle Racing Media Links.

Intro  Music – Paul B. Outro Music – Brian Revels

Check out this interview with European OCR Champion Leon Kofoed. He tells us about his plans for 2024, which may be his final OCR season. First, we deep dive into a 2023 Championship Season recap. Plus a preview of the AlUla Saudi Arabia race with his team of studs.

Today's episode is sponsored by Terrapin Events. We are excited to promote two races coming up soon. My Muddy Valentine on February 10 and Dirty Leprechaun on March 16th.

Follow Leon on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/leonkofoed_/.

Support Us On Patreon for LOTS MORE behind the scenes.

All other Obstacle Racing Media Links.

Intro  Music – Paul B. Outro Music – Brian Revels

Veejay is back to talk gas station self-surgery, hip-hop origins, Spartan Tea, A House Divided, Breaking Bad, getting hit in the head with obstacles, what races he'll hit in 2024, and much more.

Today's episode is sponsored by Rugged Maniac - $5 off registration with code ORM24.
5K course. Awesome obstacles. Plus this year's shirts are venue-specific and look cool as hell.

Support Us On Patreon for LOTS MORE behind the scenes.

All other Obstacle Racing Media Links.

Intro  Music – Paul B. Outro Music – Brian Revels

And you may find yourself as the host of a strange new sport called obstacle racing.

And you may ask yourself "Well, how did I get here?!"

Today's episode is the chapter before the other chapters. We dive in with someone who started as the first employee of the famed staffing company and ended up a life long friend.

Today's episode is sponsored by Rugged Maniac - Score 15% off your @ruggedmaniac registration, plus snag a FREE can koozie! 🙌 Just use code RMNYE24 at checkout until January 7th.

Support Us On Patreon for LOTS MORE behind the scenes.

All other Obstacle Racing Media Links.

Intro  Music – Paul B. Outro Music – Brian Revels

Ian K from UKOCR and STFK from I Am A Spartan Podcast check in on the latest Spartan changes including paying for photos, not getting paid for winning, Matt’s appearance on WTF, and more.

Don’t forget to Support Us On Patreon to help us continue bringing you exciting content.

Instagram Links To Follow:

I Am A Spartan Podcast

UK OCR 

YouTube Channel:

Explore more content on our ORM YouTube Channel for additional insights and behind-the-scenes footage.

Listen:

You can listen to the podcast here.

2023 3K Spartan World Champion Veejay Jones talks about Abu Dhabi, DEKA World Champs, Tough Mudder in Saudi Arabia, and so much More.

Don’t forget to Support Us On Patreon to help us continue bringing you exciting content.

Links To Follow:

Veejay on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/veejay_jones/

YouTube Channel:

• Explore more content on our ORM YouTube Channel for additional insights and behind-the-scenes footage.

Listen:

You can listen to the podcast here.

Nic Cartwright and Duncan D'Ewes from CaB Sports answer your questions about the 8-Hour Infinity in Alula in February.

We talk payouts, clothing, food, accommodations, flights, course design, and more.

Don’t forget to Support Us On Patreon to help us continue bringing you exciting content.

Links To Follow:

The original AlUla article which includes additional links and FAQ can be found here.

YouTube Channel:

• Explore more content on our ORM YouTube Channel for additional insights and behind-the-scenes footage.

Listen:

You can listen to the podcast here.

Cali joins to talk about her breakout 2nd place performance at World’s Toughest Mudder 2023. She discusses lessons learned from last year’s defeat, and how her crew of “Diamond Dogs” refused to let her stop before the final horn sounded

We are then joined by Gregg from Green Beret Fitness. GBF events feature a variety of activities, including rucking, trail running, and various strength exercises. With most events hosting fewer than 50 participants, each individual receives a personalized and exceptional experience.

Don’t forget to Support Us On Patreon to help us continue bringing you exciting content.

Links To Follow:

Green Beret Fitness event website.

Cali on Instagram.

YouTube Channel:

• Explore more content on our ORM YouTube Channel for additional insights and behind-the-scenes footage.

Listen:

You can listen to the podcast here.

We spoke with Miko, Brad Heilwagen, Heather Bode, J.D. Allen, Christopher Brown Johnson, Hannah Carta, Melissa Sharkbait Dugan, James Burton, and Alex Floecker on Friday afternoon.

We then chat at Monday brunch with Heather, JD, CBJ, and 3rd-place female Stephanie Bland.

Sponsor Mention: We’re grateful to Resolute Coffee for sponsoring this episode and introducing their brand-new CRUSHIT Monthly Club! Members are treated to a unique “Crush Shit Daily” mug and a selection of four five-ounce coffee bags, each showcasing distinctive processing methods and a diverse range of varietals.

Use code HFM1 for 20 percent off at checkout right now.

Don’t forget to Support Us On Patreon to help us continue bringing you exciting content.

YouTube Channel:

• Explore more content on our ORM YouTube Channel for additional insights and behind-the-scenes footage.

Listen:

You can listen to the podcast here.

We present a five-episode series on how to best prepare for World’s Toughest Mudder.

Chapter 5 - Final Preparations!

Jason Rulo and Matt B. Davis are joined by WTM veterans Hannah Carta and Evan Perperis to discuss final preparations for this year's big event. We talk about temperatures, obstacles, terrain, and more.

Additional Links:

Jason’s Prep List

Matt’s List.

Great article on layering and more for World's Toughest Mudder.

Intro  Music – Paul B. Outro Music – Brian Revels

ORM YouTube Channel 

Support Us On Patreon

You can listen to the podcast here or the link below.

Find all episodes in this series here.

In this riveting episode, we welcome Carlos, an aficionado in Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) from Venezuela. He dives into the current landscape and challenges faced by the OCR community in Venezuela and across South America.

Following Carlos, Brakken returns to our podcast to dive deep into the dichotomy of entertaining versus informing. We explore the balance content creators must strike between engaging their audience and providing factual, useful information. Brakken delves into the responsibility of race directors and the standards they should be held to. The conversation takes a fun twist as we discuss the spectrum of "goofy vs. hybrid" race events.

With a blend of humor, insights, and thought-provoking discussions, this episode promises to be both entertaining and enlightening.

Don’t forget to Support Us On Patreon to help us continue bringing you exciting content.

Links To Follow:

Brakken on: Race Brain. The Running Public.

Carlos on Instagram.

YouTube Channel:

• Explore more content on our ORM YouTube Channel for additional insights and behind-the-scenes footage.

Listen:

You can listen to the podcast here.

Logan has been around the world and back to throw boomerangs, run marathons, do obstacle races, and compete on Ninja courses. Find out why he can't pick a favorite, and why he still loves his day job.

Plus, our old friend Scott The Fayne Knowles talks about how he thinks the new Spartan Competitive Wave will affect him and everyone else who currently runs Age Group.

Don’t forget to Support Us On Patreon to help us continue bringing you exciting content.

YouTube Channel:

• Explore more content on our ORM YouTube Channel for additional insights and behind-the-scenes footage.

Listen:

You can listen to the podcast here.

First, we have Chris Matlbie, the VP of Global Product for Spartan Race Portfolio, who's here to unveil the changes coming to the 2024 Spartan Series. Chris takes us behind the scenes to discuss the fusion of Age Groups and Elite waves into a new "Competitive Wave." Plus he also talks about how the new national series distances will work and how to qualify for regional and world championships.

We're also joined by the one and only Austin Azar, an enduring force in the obstacle course racing community with Spartan and BattleFrog Races that date back to 2014. Austin shares his extensive journey through the challenges and triumphs of these iconic events, offering a unique perspective on the evolution of the sport. He'll also regale us with his recent adventures, having conquered the two Hyrox races in Europe.

Sponsorships:

• Today’s show is proudly sponsored by Rugged Maniac, offering over 20 adrenaline-pumping events this year and next. Visit their website and use code ORM23 for an exclusive $5 discount!
• Exclusive offer alert! Get a 30 percent discount on all 2023 Spartan Races and Tough Mudder events with promo code ORM2023.

• Don't forget to Support Us On Patreon to help us continue bringing you exciting content.

YouTube Channel:

• Explore more content on our ORM YouTube Channel for additional insights and behind-the-scenes footage.

Listen:

You can listen to the podcast here or the link below.