Nelson Diaz prepares for Gateway's Spartan Death Race for Life on June 27th.
Average Man @ 2014 Spartan Death Camp
May 4, 2014 at 11:25pm
Pre-Camp Preparations
Workout: BigDog Crossfit 3days a week, infrequent 1 mile jogs due to huge blister courtesy of 4/19 toughmudder PA, air squats & walking lunges 3days a week. Nutrition: 80% Paleo, 15% Gluten Free, 5% Carvel Ice Cream hybrid Diet (don't judge me you don't know my struggle :)) Supplements: morning O3, M3, D3, C, & post workout recovery shake. Death Camp Meal Plan: meals every 2hrs consisting of Carbs, healthy fats, & protein (14 meals consisting of 3 varieties packed), a 2.5L bladder of electrolyte/water mix & a 2.5L bladder of water (but it was useless since the seal was busted so cumbersome water bottles it is...fail #1)
War Time
We were asked to arrive in Pittsfield, Vermont @ 1pm on 4/25 with BackPack, Bucket, Gloves, Compass, a Rock, Hard Boiled Egg, Regular egg, Shovel, Axe, Hand Saw, Safety glasses, Whistle, Safety Vest, Food and water for 24hrs, Clothes/Gear/Footcare for 24hrs. I also brought my 10X TM headband & a cast with my H2H & BOOCR colors for my right hand due to my "boxer's fracture" (broken finger courtesy of my husky...not the manliest of injuries but the name makes up for it :) I drove through the night & napped behind a restaurant waking up to 29 degree snow capped mountains...(reality check #1)
I was pleased to find out during my 9am registration that some in Spartan leadership have completed about 6 Tough Mudders so needless to say I felt right at home :) Turns out we started the camp @ 12:30pm by building a fire ring/fire pit out of river rocks then collectively moving a 500-700# rectangular rock 30' from river to fire pit to be used as a bench. We then chopped wood which is very difficult to do with 1 hand & 2 fingers...so I finished last (the axe got away from me a few times, i'm just glad everyone lived to tell about it...fail #2)
After we finished chopping wood, we had to crawl on our hands & knees upstream (forearms for me to keep the 1 week old cast dry) until we reached our Death Camp bibs. Turns out my bib was "accidentally" moved downstream so a longer than most crawl was my lot...see VT temperature above) & yes, I was the last to complete this challenge as well thank you very much...fail #3!
I finally started the 3+ mile run (in last place) but started turning that around rather quickly until my pack came undone & sidelined me for a few...fail #4! (thanks New York Death Camper for helping me restrap my pack).
Tasks included log carries, rock carries, 10' long 6"x6" beam team carries, countless hike up & down Joe's mountain to Shrek's cabin via rock stairway constructed by previous superhuman Death Racers, egyptian pyramid builders, or aliens! We had a late night 2hr rock workout (as in small boulders not music) led by Captain Caveman himself followed by a 2hr log workout out in the cold 1am Vermont rain which included 20 burpees every 20minutes (1 armed burpees for me!)
We participated & video recorded the fire burial of a fallen Spartan Gladiator (video pending), I learned enough orienteering to mislead my team,
backrolled
100yds in an itchy field nearly barfing up what I was scarfing down.
All in all a wonderful 28hrs with some cool crazies from around the US
& Canada. I even had enough time to cause all of the Death Campers
an unnecessary midnight 200yd hike & 40yd military crawl since I
failed to remember when Spartan Pro Team member Miguel horchata moved to
the Pitts. (Sorry DC's). Turns out that all the discomfort &
annoying tasks like carrying a raw & a boiled egg throughout the
camp was actually a well planned exercise in focusing on details. BTW if
your eggs cracked, you had an interestingly annoying exercise with a
boiled egg in your mouth @ the end of camp which actually helps your
cardio in a wierd way :) For the 1st time in my life, I kept falling
asleep standing up with my eyes opened, even during the video
recording...meal plan modification may be needed ASAP. Shout out to Mark
Jones for sacrificing his training by partnering with me during the
Flintstones rock/log workouts.
During the post camp dinner, Death Race co-founder Andy mentioned that he was pretty concerned when I was the last to start the 3+ mile run @ the start of camp but that suprisingly I did pretty good. I guess I favorably represented my family, Team Believe, Next Step Fitness-NE, H2H, BOOCR, CF, my sponsors, WTM's, TM's, & the host of others who support me.
Lessons Learned:
1. Knowing & preparing for the demands of elevation changes mattered in the 24hr camp & will matter more in the 3-day 6/27 Death Race. Garmin Forerunner 910XT would help me get to the next level.
2. Need Arch support which is critical to my progress & I just tried on the Brooks Adrenaline sneakers & based on treadmill testing they will assist me.
3. Meal plan needs to be modified to prevent the crashes I experienced while standing still :)
4. My cotton socks must go!!! I need real runners nylon/polyester socks to wick moisture, prevent blisters, & cushion ball of my feet.
5. Heal striking must be reduced to improve my time & reduce my shin splints.
6. Need to bring more toilet paper :)
7. Need to buy Pro Arm protection & compression sleeves to protect elbows & forearms from future injuries (barbed wire, mud crawls, etc..)
8. Need Compression calf sleeves to protect my shins & assist with recovery.
9. Need to thank God & my family more often for this AMAZING LIFE!!!
The 24 hour Death Camp was my preparation for the non-stop, 3 day, round the clock obstacle challenge called "Death Race" which starts 6/27/2014 (stay tuned for more on the Death Race.) Thank you to my generous sponsors who believe in my sacrificial OCR journey for others! Contact me if you would like to help me overcome my lessons learned with your sponsorship. Visit www.teambelieveonline.com for additional fundraisers.
God Bless & Keep Running...
Nelson Runaway Diaz
II TIM. II:XXII
Workout: BigDog Crossfit 3days a week, infrequent 1 mile jogs due to huge blister courtesy of 4/19 toughmudder PA, air squats & walking lunges 3days a week. Nutrition: 80% Paleo, 15% Gluten Free, 5% Carvel Ice Cream hybrid Diet (don't judge me you don't know my struggle :)) Supplements: morning O3, M3, D3, C, & post workout recovery shake. Death Camp Meal Plan: meals every 2hrs consisting of Carbs, healthy fats, & protein (14 meals consisting of 3 varieties packed), a 2.5L bladder of electrolyte/water mix & a 2.5L bladder of water (but it was useless since the seal was busted so cumbersome water bottles it is...fail #1)
War Time
We were asked to arrive in Pittsfield, Vermont @ 1pm on 4/25 with BackPack, Bucket, Gloves, Compass, a Rock, Hard Boiled Egg, Regular egg, Shovel, Axe, Hand Saw, Safety glasses, Whistle, Safety Vest, Food and water for 24hrs, Clothes/Gear/Footcare for 24hrs. I also brought my 10X TM headband & a cast with my H2H & BOOCR colors for my right hand due to my "boxer's fracture" (broken finger courtesy of my husky...not the manliest of injuries but the name makes up for it :) I drove through the night & napped behind a restaurant waking up to 29 degree snow capped mountains...(reality check #1)
I was pleased to find out during my 9am registration that some in Spartan leadership have completed about 6 Tough Mudders so needless to say I felt right at home :) Turns out we started the camp @ 12:30pm by building a fire ring/fire pit out of river rocks then collectively moving a 500-700# rectangular rock 30' from river to fire pit to be used as a bench. We then chopped wood which is very difficult to do with 1 hand & 2 fingers...so I finished last (the axe got away from me a few times, i'm just glad everyone lived to tell about it...fail #2)
After we finished chopping wood, we had to crawl on our hands & knees upstream (forearms for me to keep the 1 week old cast dry) until we reached our Death Camp bibs. Turns out my bib was "accidentally" moved downstream so a longer than most crawl was my lot...see VT temperature above) & yes, I was the last to complete this challenge as well thank you very much...fail #3!
I finally started the 3+ mile run (in last place) but started turning that around rather quickly until my pack came undone & sidelined me for a few...fail #4! (thanks New York Death Camper for helping me restrap my pack).
Tasks included log carries, rock carries, 10' long 6"x6" beam team carries, countless hike up & down Joe's mountain to Shrek's cabin via rock stairway constructed by previous superhuman Death Racers, egyptian pyramid builders, or aliens! We had a late night 2hr rock workout (as in small boulders not music) led by Captain Caveman himself followed by a 2hr log workout out in the cold 1am Vermont rain which included 20 burpees every 20minutes (1 armed burpees for me!)
We participated & video recorded the fire burial of a fallen Spartan Gladiator (video pending), I learned enough orienteering to mislead my team,
backrolled
100yds in an itchy field nearly barfing up what I was scarfing down.
All in all a wonderful 28hrs with some cool crazies from around the US
& Canada. I even had enough time to cause all of the Death Campers
an unnecessary midnight 200yd hike & 40yd military crawl since I
failed to remember when Spartan Pro Team member Miguel horchata moved to
the Pitts. (Sorry DC's). Turns out that all the discomfort &
annoying tasks like carrying a raw & a boiled egg throughout the
camp was actually a well planned exercise in focusing on details. BTW if
your eggs cracked, you had an interestingly annoying exercise with a
boiled egg in your mouth @ the end of camp which actually helps your
cardio in a wierd way :) For the 1st time in my life, I kept falling
asleep standing up with my eyes opened, even during the video
recording...meal plan modification may be needed ASAP. Shout out to Mark
Jones for sacrificing his training by partnering with me during the
Flintstones rock/log workouts.During the post camp dinner, Death Race co-founder Andy mentioned that he was pretty concerned when I was the last to start the 3+ mile run @ the start of camp but that suprisingly I did pretty good. I guess I favorably represented my family, Team Believe, Next Step Fitness-NE, H2H, BOOCR, CF, my sponsors, WTM's, TM's, & the host of others who support me.
Lessons Learned:
1. Knowing & preparing for the demands of elevation changes mattered in the 24hr camp & will matter more in the 3-day 6/27 Death Race. Garmin Forerunner 910XT would help me get to the next level.
2. Need Arch support which is critical to my progress & I just tried on the Brooks Adrenaline sneakers & based on treadmill testing they will assist me.
3. Meal plan needs to be modified to prevent the crashes I experienced while standing still :)
4. My cotton socks must go!!! I need real runners nylon/polyester socks to wick moisture, prevent blisters, & cushion ball of my feet.
5. Heal striking must be reduced to improve my time & reduce my shin splints.
6. Need to bring more toilet paper :)
7. Need to buy Pro Arm protection & compression sleeves to protect elbows & forearms from future injuries (barbed wire, mud crawls, etc..)
8. Need Compression calf sleeves to protect my shins & assist with recovery.
9. Need to thank God & my family more often for this AMAZING LIFE!!!
The 24 hour Death Camp was my preparation for the non-stop, 3 day, round the clock obstacle challenge called "Death Race" which starts 6/27/2014 (stay tuned for more on the Death Race.) Thank you to my generous sponsors who believe in my sacrificial OCR journey for others! Contact me if you would like to help me overcome my lessons learned with your sponsorship. Visit www.teambelieveonline.com for additional fundraisers.
God Bless & Keep Running...
Nelson Runaway Diaz
II TIM. II:XXII
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