Thursday, January 31, 2013

‘Nana Power! Why Eat a Banana Before and After Ruckus?



Ever finish a 5K, 10K or half marathon and see a box of bananas at the finish line?  Sometimes, there are so many banana peels covering the finish line of a race that you’d think Donkey Kong had an all-he-could-eat buffet.  We all know bananas are good for us but do we know why we eat them before and after races like Ruckus? 

Apart from being the most popular fruit in America, bananas have loads of carbs and potassium—which make them the perfect pre- and post-race snack. 

Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates often get tagged as being unhealthy, but that’s a myth! There are different types of carbs—some healthy, and some that make people gain weight.  The average banana has about 28 grams of carbs that are easily digested and enter your bloodstream in the form of glucose. During physical activity, glycogen is used as energy. By eating bananas before a race you’re ensuring that you’ll have enough glycogen to power you over through the barricade boulevard. When eaten after a race, bananas refuel your depleted glycogen reserves and aid your body in recovery.

Potassium
One banana contains 13% of the daily recommended value of potassium, a valuable electrolyte lost while sweating. For your body and muscles to perform at their peak, you need minerals like potassium. If you’ve ever had a cramp, it is often because you didn’t have enough of the vital minerals that your muscles needed. The potassium in bananas staves off pesky cramps that can occur during or after a race.

Unleash Your Inner Donkey Kong!
When crossing the finish line at this year’s Ruckus, be sure to go unleash your inner Donkey Kong! In addition to being great sources of potassium and carbs, bananas also contains vitamin B6 which is an anti-inflammatory agent and also contains vitamin C. Rich in fiber and nutrients, bananas will fill what’s empty and help your body recover from the fun and physical activity that awaits you at this year’s Ruckus mud race!  

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Top 10 Treadmill Workouts to Prep for Ruckus



Ruckus Kansas City isn’t until April 6, but now’s the time to start training!  The only problem is that Kansas City winter weather is a little unpredictable—one day, it’s mid-fifties and the next, it’s in the teens. Running in freezing cold is no fun (we all know that “my-lungs-are-on-fire” feeling!).
But rather than letting the winter weather deter you from training for our Ruckus mud run, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 best treadmill routines that’ll have you in Ruckus shape, even when the thermostat is below 0! 

1.  30 Minute Intense Interval


2.  Walking Lunge Interval 
Do the same workout as above but during the resting segments, drop the speed to 1.2 and perform walking lunges.

3.   Short Intervals, High Incline 


4.  Speed Increasing Ladder
Same as the above workout but instead of a speed of 7, start at 6.6 increasing by .1 each segment. By the end of the 10th segment, you’ll finish at 7.5 

5.  King of the Mountain 


6.  Climb the Ladder
Perform the King of the Mountain but this time, start low and increase every level. Start at an incline of 1 and raise 1 with each segment. Feel free to manage speed accordingly.

7.  Sprinter's Paradise

8.  Endurance Sprinter's Paradise
Same workout as above except you increase the sprinting interval time to 1:15 and decrease the resting interval to 45 seconds.

9.  The Ruckus
Also known as the never-ending sprint, this bad boy will get you in Ruckus shape in no time!


10.  The Ruckus Level 9000
If The Ruckus is a little too easy for you congrats—you’re a beast! If you need something more challenging, perform The Ruckus, but after each interval, bring the speed down on the treadmill so you can safely exit. Once off, perform 30 seconds of jumping lunges.  When complete, get right back to it. Yowza! 

These workouts are perfect for the beginner or those eyeing a golden helmet in the Champions Heat. So what are you waiting for? Sign up for Ruckus today and then hit the treadmill—you’ve got some training to do!

Monday, January 28, 2013

Are You Clever? Witty? Hilarious? Enter Ruckus' Caption Contest!


We know a lot of you RuckStars out there are pretty clever, witty and downright hilarious.  To participate in something like Ruckus, you have to have a sense of humor.  That's why we're opening up our Ruckus Caption Contest--a Facebook contest where our funniest, most creative RuckStars will truly shine!

Every week from Jan. 28 until Feb. 18, we will post a new photo on our Ruckus Facebook page and our Instagram account (@RuckusSports).  The person who comments below the photo with the funniest, wittiest or most hilarious caption will receive 2 free tickets to Ruckus Kansas City!

Many will enter, 4 will win.  What are you waiting for?  Take a stab at a hilarious photo caption on our Facebook page or Instagram profile today!

Follow us on Twitter, too! @RuckusSports 

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Share Your Ruckus Story!


Have you had an amazing Ruckus experience?  Wish you should share your experience with other RuckStars?  Now you can!  Ruckus is looking to spotlight your stories on our blog and Facebook page!

Simply email the following information to Profile@RuckusSports.com.  
  • Name
  • Hometown
  • Occupation
  • Favorite Ruckus obstacle
  • Preferred race-day gear (what did you wear on race day?)
  • Pre-race rituals
  • Advice to future participants
  • Favorite Ruckus memory
  • What keeps you Ruckus-ing in 2013?
  • A photo of you running your Ruckus or post-race
  • Email address 

Once we receive your information, your Participant Profile will be considered to be spotlighted on our Ruckus blog as well as our Facebook page!

What are you waiting for?  Share your inspirational story about how you got ready for Ruckus, tell us about a time when your kid finished the Ruckus Mini, or tell us about why you loved your Ruckus experience!  

Don't forget to sign up for the Ruckus Kansas City - the most popular waves are beginning to fill up!

OMG! Ruckus is on Instagram



Although of you Ruckstars have impressed us with your incredible rope swinging techniques, climbing abilities and mud running talents, you have also impressed us with your amazing photography skills!  Our Ruckus participants have taken some of the coolest photos of their Ruckus experiences—and we love that you’re sharing them with the world!

We felt a little left out—so we joined the world of Instagram!  We are thrilled to start sharing our favorite Ruckus photos and republishing some of YOURS!  Be sure to follow us on Instagram at @RuckusSports and share your muddiest, wildest, most hardcore photos with us.  Tag @RuckusSports in your Ruckus photos and we’ll help you share them with the world!

Get even more social with Ruckus and follow us on Twitter @RuckusSports

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Ruckus: More than a Physical Challenge



It takes a heck of a lot more than physical strength, agility and endurance to finish the Ruckus obstacle course.  In addition to the physical challenge that Ruckus provides, our obstacle course also poses a mental challenge to our participants.  In fact, many Ruckus racers have admitted to us: “it’s all mental!”

Anyone can climb a 10 foot wall made of rope—as long as they put their mind to it!  Ruckus is all about mental toughness.  It’s about going out onto our obstacle course and challenging your brain to push forward, even when it gets tough.

Although now is a great time to start training your muscles for Ruckus Kansas City, it’s also a great time to start training your BRAIN!  Here’s what you’ll need mentally in order to successfully finish a Ruckus obstacle course:

1.  A positive attitude
First and foremost, it’s important to go into Ruckus with a positive attitude!  We want all of our participants to have the time of their lives—and that all starts with a great attitude.  Whether you’re running to win or just to have a great time, making your way to the finish line with a smile on your face is the most important part.  The more positively you think during the obstacle course, the faster you’ll complete our physical challenges. 

2.  Think on your feet
Finishing Ruckus takes more than muscle—it takes muscle memory too!  When you train for a competition like Ruckus, you are also mentally teaching your muscles to remember certain movements.  This allows your body to react quickly throughout the obstacle course.  Prepare your body and your mind for difficult obstacles.  The more you practice, the less surprised you’ll be when you have to climb a 7 foot wooden wall splattered with mud! 

3.  Mental strategy
Think strategically during your Ruckus race—will it be better if you wade through the mud or crawl through it on all fours?  Should you take the race out fast and get ahead of the crowd or stay in the pack and save your energy for the end?  That’s your mental strategy coming through!  Figure out what works best for you (even before the race starts!).  

4.  Mental toughness
We guarantee that at least one of our Ruckus obstacles will mentally challenge you.  Staring at the course you may think to yourself “can I really climb that wall?” or even “will I really be able to finish a 5K?”  Always remember to fight through any mental barriers.  Keep a can-do mentality throughout the race and you’ll be sure to succeed. 

5.  Fun, fun, fun!  
And most importantly, remember: Ruckus is all about FUN.  We encourage you to determine some goals before the race, but in the end, it’s meant to be a fun, exhilarating experience.  Although you may not get the finish time you wanted, or if one of the obstacles got to the best of you, remember: after the finish line, it’s time to celebrate (with beer and all!). 

Learn more about Ruckus on Twitter! @RuckusSports

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Kansas City, YOU’RE NEXT!



This past fall, we went bonkers in Boston.  We brought our A-game in Atlanta.  And we slid through St. Louis.  And now we are excited to announce that Kansas City—YOU’RE NEXT!!

Ruckus is making its way to Kansas City on April 6, 2013 (you only have a few months to get in Ruckus shape!).  The KC obstacle course, with plenty of gorilla bars, air loops and cargo nets for everyone, is one of our messiest ever and we can’t wait for you to be a part of it.

Registration for Ruckus Kansas City is now open.  Register before February 15 to receive a special, early-bird price of $60.00 (Ruckus Heater) or $75.00 (Ruckus Challenge).  A price increase will go into effect on February 15—so register now!

And remember—Ruckus Kansas City isn’t just for avid runners.  It’s for families and for people who love to have fun and get some exercise!  Bring the kids and have them participate in our famous Ruckus Mini.  Ruckus is the perfect way to spend some quality, muddy outdoor time with your friends and family.

See you in KC!