Local Coach Trains Runners for Extreme Mud Races

Extreme races such as the Tough Mudder and Warrior Dash, which see participants running in mud and navigating through obstacle courses, have become a unique athletic event attracting first-time runners and experienced athletes alike. 

Without proper preparation, however, participants can sustain serious injuries. This is where Ryanne Moroschan comes in.

Moroschan, a fitness coach at Sola Life & Fitness in Rochester Hills, started a training program for aspiring participants in these races to reduce the risk of injury and ensure proper race-day preparation. 

Moroschan works with first-time runners to slowly and safely build up their mileage using the facility's indoor track.

"What you need to do is increase mileage slowly so you don't hurt yourself," she said. 

She also implements time-capped workouts, where trainees perform what they can in, say, a 30-minute interval.

Given these races' penchant for obstacles that test strength and agility, Moroschan focuses on these areas with kettlebell workouts, balance exercises, agility rings and climbing.

"Over time we build the time cap up, doing more each week," she said.

Moroschan says the variety of challenges in mud races tend to attract participants who might not run a traditional 5K.

"There is a little bit of the factor of getting bored with just running on the road," she said. "It makes it fun and interactive."

Entering the race without preparation, however, can pose an injury risk, she said.

"You don't want to hurt yourself," she said. "There have been injuries due to people not being prepared or jumping off of an obstacle and getting hurt because their leg muscles weren't strong."

Even experienced cross country runners accustomed to running on uneven terrain, she said, need to work on stabilizers such as the ankles.

Moroschan has a degree in exercise science from Oakland University and has been training for road races since about 1996-97, she said.

"About 5-6 years ago I kind of got more interested in doing things that involved more than just running," she said.

In an effort to offer more well-rounded training opportunities, she began working with triathlons and, more recently, the extreme mud-type races.

Moroschan's tips for training for a mud run/obstacle race:

• Try to build base mileage up to at least 15 miles/week. This will ensure you have the tolerance level for the distance  required for the typical 5k mud run. If your race is going to be longer, try to build weekly mileage to at least 20-25 miles/week.
• Try to do at least one run/week on an unpaved trail. These races are typically on rough gravelly terrain, so you’ll want to be prepared. Begin slow and short distances, to reduce chances of injury, and gradually build up your speed and distance over time. 
• Strength train at least 2 times per week. A good basic strength training program will incorporate all of the major muscle groups and help prevent imbalances that many runners can be susceptible to.
• Begin training now! Many mud-run participants sign up after getting talked into it by friends or coworkers, and then forget all about the race until a week or two before. To avoid a struggle on race day, prepare yourself by slowly increasing weekly mileage, and incorporating functional fitness movements into your weekly routine.