How to Conquer an Obstacle Course Run or Spartan Race in Middle Age (or Beyond)

Posted on August 23, 2023 by Jennifer FIsher

Succeeding at obstacle course races (like Spartan Race) after age 40 requires a combination of preparation, dedication, and smart training tailored to your body’s capabilities and limitations. If you have decades of varied and ongoing fitness activities behind you, your race-ready strategy may not be much different than your current routine. But, if you are jumping into an OCR event like Spartan race, “from the couch,” your readiness plan may be more encompassing –but the great news is, that most anyone at any fitness level can successfully complete a Spartan race! The body achieves what the mind dreams!

Conquering a Spartan Race in Middle Age - Use Spartan discount code: SAP-718613Z to save 20% on US Spartan Race.

As a personal anecdote, I started Spartan racing eight years ago at age 48 and talked my husband into it also, he was 54 then. Today we are 56 and 62, respectively, and still going strong with no plans to give it up! Check out these tips to help you conquer the obstacle course races as you navigate the middle age phase of life:

Consult Your Doctor: Before starting any new fitness regimen, especially if you’re over 40-years old, consult your doctor to ensure you’re physically ready for the demands of obstacle course racing.

Set Realistic Goals: Understand and accept that your performance might differ from when you were younger. Even if you have continued to be active over your life, there are physiological changes that can and do affect performance. Set realistic goals that consider your current fitness level and potential limitations. If you reach your goal, you can always push it higher!

Focus on Functional Fitness: Prioritize functional strength and mobility exercises that will help you navigate obstacles effectively. There will be running, climbing, carrying, hanging, crawling and more! Incorporate bodyweight exercises, resistance training, and flexibility work – even a yoga class would be beneficial.

Train Smart: Develop a training plan that balances cardiovascular fitness, strength, agility, and recovery. Incorporate cross-training to prevent overuse injuries and improve overall fitness. Listen to your body and scale down if something feels off – on the flip side, if you feel great, then go for it! Get a free 30-day Spartan Training Plan.

Warm-Up and Cool Down: Make a point to warm-up before training and races to prevent injuries. Incorporate dynamic stretches and mobility exercises. Foam rolling will also aid in recovery.

Obstacle-Specific Training: Train specifically for the obstacles you’ll face in the race – this may vary from race to race. For example, a Spartan Stadion race has many different obstacles that a Spartan Beast – you can learn more about obstacles at Spartan.com and their associated social media. Focus on learning the best-practice techniques so that you minimize strain on your joints and maximize efficiency.

Rest and Recovery: Recovering after a race or intense training day is very important for older athletes. Allow ample time for recovery between training sessions to prevent burnout and injury. Listen to your body and adjust your training as needed. Many over 40 and over 50-year athletes move from a 7-day training plan to a 10-day training plan, still covering the same miles and exercises, but spread out for more time to safely bounce back.

Nutrition and Hydration: Eat a balanced diet that supports your energy levels and recovery. For my women friends, I would highlight the fact that this means EATING ENOUGH. You can’t perform your best and recover properly if you are under fueled due to dieting, worry about mid-life weight gain, societal conditioning, etc. Also, stay hydrated before, during, and after training and races. You can check out my posts like Nutrition Timeline for Marathon & Longer OCR Races or 9 Easy Breakfasts with Protein Powder or for more nutrition info, meal advice, and athlete-friendly recipes.

Mindset and Mental Resilience: Cultivate a positive attitude and focus on your progress and achievements, both small and large. Celebrate getting across the monkey bars for the first time just as you would getting on age group podium. Embrace challenges as opportunities to learn and improve, rather than comparing yourself to others. This also means stop trying to compare your 50-year-old self with your 20-year-old self – it’s just not the same!

Injury Prevention: Pay attention to your body and any signs of pain or discomfort. Address any injuries promptly and avoid pushing through pain. Incorporate exercises that strengthen supportive muscles and improve joint stability.

Race Selection: As an older athlete, you may need to choose a race that is best for your current physical condition and easier on any limitations you may have. For each of their venues, Spartan gives a Course Rating that summarizes the challenge for Altitude, Elevation Gain, Terrain Type, and Climate – this can help you pick a race that is best for your hips/knees or intolerance for heat or whatever! Also consider the race distance a Stadion and Sprint are both about 5k with obstacles, a Super is 10k, a Beast is 13.1 miles and an Ultra about 30+ miles. Find a Spartan Race.

Community and Support: Join a gym that has OCR classes or a local training groups – it’s always easier to accomplish your goals with support, accountability and friendships. There are also online communities in Spartan, OCR and Hybrid racing where you can find workout ideas, motivation, encouragement, and share your journey. Check these out on Facebook: Spartan Age Group, Spartan 4-0 , Spartan Women Strong and many, many other regional and interest-specific groups.

TIPS FOR WOMEN SPARTAN RACE TheFitFork.com - There are enough obstacles on a Spartan Race course. Don’t let the fear of unknow race day logistics and personal care keep you from committing to conquering a race. These tips for women only will calm your jitters so that you can enjoy your best day ever. Save 20% on US Spartan races; and most apparel, gear and nutrition (some exclusions) at spartan.com code: SAP-718613Z

Remember, obstacle course races can be incredibly rewarding at any age. By adapting your training approach, focusing on your strengths, and prioritizing overall well-being and safety, you can excel and enjoy these challenges in middle age – you can Spartan race in 40s, Spartan race in 50s, Spartan Race in 60s and beyond. Spartan has 80- and 90-year-olds finishing some of their races!

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3 Ways to Make Exercise a Habit in Middle-Age and Beyond

Posted on May 18, 2021 by Jennifer FIsher

This post is sponsored by Celltrient™, however all opinions, anecdotes, and enthusiasm are my own.

Even though I’m a kid at heart, my body sometimes still reminds me I’m in my 50s . . . maybe a little less resilient, not quite as strong/fast, and sometimes just plain low-energy and tired. Not really things I want to hear and feel when I’m still working my rear off to remain a competitive athlete through each passing decade of my life.

Learn these three ways to make exercise and healthy living a lifelong habit, even if you are already in your 40s, 50s or beyond. Consistency, keeping things fun and taking proper care of your body with the right foods and supplements are important strategies to aging well. Supplements like Celltrient that support the cell’s mitochondria may help. Use discount code JENNIFER at celltrient.com to save.

Many of these differences I’m noticing can be blamed on “Age Associated Cellular Decline.” That’s scientist-speak for “the body’s cells just don’t replicate as efficiently from age 40 and beyond.” But thankfully there are ways to optimize the health of aging cells and redefine “getting old.” Eating nutrient-dense food and taking a supplement (like Celltrient™) that can offer additional cellular health support and are two daily strategies I employ. And, so is regularly getting enough exercise. Ensuring your fitness journey is consistent can be a challenge for some, so today I want to share my top three ways to make exercise a habit, especially as you move into and on through mid-life.

Exercise in mid-life can be hard for so many reasons. You may still have kids at home, senior parents who need assistance, and the daily stress of career and/or running a household – time seems so limited! Of course, there are other reasons people in middle-age and beyond don’t exercise either – it’s never become a routine, they are intimidated, it seems hard or boring. And, so on. Everyone can come up with an excuse, even I do sometimes!

But, for the most part (except for some travel, post-partum, injuries, and well-deserved recovery days, etc.) I have exercised consistently for my whole adult life. When people ask me how I’ve managed to be so steadfast in my sweat sessions, I culled it down to these three things: 1) I show up, 2) I find a way to make it fun, and 3) I fuel my body with the proper care to make it function at its best.

#1 Show Up:

Perhaps the most important way to create a lifelong fitness habit is to just SHOW UP. For example, I really can’t say I initially liked waking up at 4:45 to go to a boot camp, but I was ALWAYS glad that I got up and did it. You’ll better afterward too, no matter what time of day it is. Try it, and at some point . . . “showing up” becomes what your body is conditioned to do. It’s a habit, it’s part of raison d’etre! If you are having trouble showing up, then ask yourself what the obstacle is – and remove it. Can’t get to a group fitness class due the extra time rush hour adds to the commute? Well, then run the stairs in your office building and skirt traffic. Sleeping through your alarm clock? Consider going to bed an hour earlier so you can wake up and show up on time! Motivation waning? Then find an accountability partner to join the journey with you!

*Mowing the lawn is considered exercise – and I think it’s fun!*

#2 Keep Fitness Fun:

Don’t look at exercise as a chore to dread, instead make it fun! Maybe the gym or running isn’t for you, but there are so many creative things you can do to stay fit! If you are a people person, group classes, boot camps and fitness meet-ups with friends in recreational sports leagues like tennis, golf, and bowling are FUN! Or, even adventous outings like rock climbing, ninja park visits, skiing, learning how to trapeze and more! If you are more of a one-wolf-pack sort of person, any type of solo endurance sport will probably seem fun – cycling, swimming, running, or a solitary paddleboard ride are some ideas. Even gardening and mowing the lawn!

As the years started piling on my body, I inevitably became slower and saw VO2 Max declines – even with more work, more muscle and more training. Honestly, this was really hard for me and the fun factor– from going from “could win the race outright” elite runner to “just being an age-group winner.” I would fake smile at those well-meaning but depressing compliments people gave – “you are really good for your age.” It started making running seem like a burden and something I was failing at. When I stopped looking at my watch so much and comparing present self to old self, the joy came back and I remembered why I loved to run in the first place. However, a person can get burned out on simply running for decade after decade, so I started adding new challenges I thought were exciting – obstacle course racing, adventure racing, hybrid fitness competitions (running + strength). And also was always ready to try out any fun class, or fitness challenge, or crazy exercise equipment that crossed my path. Moon bounce shoes, hula-hooping challenges, drum stick workouts, yoga, zoom workout classes, hip-hop lessons and more. Even putting on a colorful outfit or socks sometimes makes my workouts seem more fun! Find YOUR fun, be willing to switch it up as needed for motivation, and a lifelong fitness habit will be much easier to create!

#3 Proper Care of Your Body:

Eat right the significant majority of the time. I’m not going to tell you what, when or how much you should eat – it’s really a personal thing. If weight is an issue for you or eating to fuel performance isn’t in your knowledge bank, then work with a medical professional or nutritionist to find the dietary eating pattern that works best for you. Eat to fuel your goals. Elite endurance athletes eat a lot different than healthy mid-lifers who walk a few miles a day and practice yoga when they can. Of course, sleep is important too – we all know that by now, but it can unfortunately elude many of us in middle age and beyond. So put a priority on getting rest – it’s much more important than staying up late to scroll on your tablet or watch TV. Finally, take supplements target to address your specific concerns. As a 50+ competitive/elite athlete, I take several supplements that are invaluable to my workout performance, recovery and well-being. One that I’ve come to rely on is Celltrient Cellular Nutrition, specifically the Strength formula (but they also make and Energy formula and Protect formula ).

For more information on cellular health and why and how we age at the cellular level, check out these informative, research-based articles HERE and HERE.

If you have any questions about Celltrient™ and cellular nutrition or just creating a lifelong fitness habit, drop a comment here or find me on Instagram @thefitfork Also, check out my past articles that focus on Age-related Cellular Decline, Three Ways to Age Less and Do More and How Cellular Nutrition Helps Redefine Aging for Aging Athletes.

If interested, save with my Celltrient Discount Code JENNIFER on product purchases (excluding bundles and subscriptions) at Celltrient.com. Find the Celltrient product best suited for you with the Product Recommender

7 Ways Women Can Blast Middle-Age Belly Fat

Posted on October 31, 2018 by Jennifer FIsher

One of the biggest queries I get from my mid-life friends is how can I get and stay lean? Many of these same ladies in their 40s, 50s and beyond are telling me they eat well, they exercise, and still yet, they can’t get rid of the stubborn pounds that show up around their middles. And, I believe them because many are workout buddies and so I see the struggle firsthand. We can largely thank pre-menopause and menopause for this unwelcomed fluffiness. The changes can be so frustrating and stressful, that many (even the once dedicated) decide to throw in the proverbial towel and allow their fitness to turn into fatness . . . but that’s not healthy, mentally or physically!

While we can’t completely beat the “the change,” there are ways to keep ahead of this stage of life and minimize unwanted symptoms – like belly fat. Read on to learn 7 Ways Women Can Blast Middle-Age Belly Fat – you’ll feel better and you’ll #BeYourBestBeast – that’s the personal hashtag / mantra I live by! Continue reading →

Less Stress, More Sleep! 25 Cortisol-Busting Foods + In-Home Test

Posted on September 2, 2016 by Jennifer FIsher

This post is sponsored by EverlyWell.com, however all opinions, experiences and enthusiasm are my own.

Turn on the television or flip through a magazine and you’ll be bombarded with the news that stress and lack of sleep causes health problems. Honestly, these reports stress me out! With three kids, a full-time job (I’m self-employed and typically work from home . . . flexible but often frantic) and a never-ending email inbox, I sometimes feel like my head is going to explode. Add to that a heavy training schedule to stay competitive in the sports I have a passion for, and I am often worn down at the end of the day. And the more tired I get, the less I sleep – it’s a cruel joke that being a middle-aged woman compounds even further.

Learning to treat stress more like my dog — if you can’t eat it, play with it, pee on it . . .then turn around and walk away!

I’ve been fighting with this sleep and stress problem for several years now, it’s a constant issue. Often, I wonder just how bad off I’d be if I didn’t already eat well and exercise. I recently look a Sleep & Stress Test from EverlyWell.com a convenient medical testing company where you perform the tests on yourself in the privacy of your own home and then mail off the data (which things such as urine samples, finger-prick blood draws, vital signs, etc.) to a lab – the results are then delivered in about a week.

I recently received my results via email. It wasn’t surprised to learn that my sleep and stress hormones were elevated, I just had no idea that they would come back “sooooo” off the charts. Yeah, I’m an overachiever – haha! So the EverlyWell Sleep & Stress Test examined four hormones and how they relate to each other (cortisol, cortisone, melatonin, and creatine) throughout the course of a 24-hour period.

So, this is a screen grabs of one of my test results, mainly I am sharing so you can see how the results are super-simple to interpret – an easy “visual” chart approach rather boring, confusing columns of black and white numbers. So, as you can see, I’ve gotta problem – out of 4 tests with 4 measurements each (for a total of 16 data points), I’ve got 14 data points in the “high-risk category” (most at the top of it) and 2 data points at the ceiling of the “elevated risk” category.

So, what does this mean and what does Everlywell.com say I should do to bring these numbers down? So, first off, let me just focus on the Cortisol today, it may be the most important. While cortisol levels do fluctuate throughout the day (and can be affected by exercise), they should come back down to a normal level by the next testing period. Sustained elevated cortisol levels have been shown to impair cognitive performance, dampen thyroid function, cause sugar imbalances, decrease bone density, disrupt sleep, decrease muscle mass, elevate blood pressure, lower immune function, slow healing and pack on fat around the abdomen. Oh, yippee – said no one ever!While EveryWell.com doesn’t make diagnoses (just the lab facts, ma’am), all test results are reviewed by a board-certified medical doctor and they do advise that I consult with my own personal physician. While I wait for an appointment, I can peruse medical articles that they’ve provided for me that address whatever my pressing issue might be – in this case, Cortisol & Adrenal Function and Cortisol: It’s Role In Stress. I also have the opportunity to ask their Chief Medical Officer a question by filling out a web-based form.

I’m also dialing in my already pretty healthy diet to focus on cortisol-reducing foods, pretty much anything considered “anti-inflammatory,” or high in zinc, folate, Omega3s, vitamin C, theanine, lyphenols, flavonols and all sorts of other soothing and stress-busting nutrients. Here is a list of 25 Stress-Busting “Comfort” Foods if you want to get some of these on your shopping list – but, hey, don’t stress out about it!

Thanks to EverlyWell, it was simple and convenient to get the info I need to put together a plan to get the sleep and stress relief I need. They have all sorts of other regulatory-compliant home tests including Food Sensitivities, Cholesterol & Lipids, Heavy Metals, and more. I’ll be posting a full review and the findings from my Sleep & Stress Test in a week or two – but, in the meantime, if you want to save 10% use the code EVERLY10 at checkout. #KnowYourNumbers #EverlyWell

Another thing I just did to help improve my sleep – ordering these Anti Blue Ray Reading Glasses that obliterate the blue rays emitted by electronic devices (like computers, phone screens, television) that experts say can disrupt your ability to sleep. So far, I love them and I think they are helping! Available in a huge array of magnifications (I take a 2.0x) and frame colors.

Stressed about Stress?! Get insights, #KnowYourNumbers @EverlyWellness http://everlywell.refr.cc/PDQ5ZQH

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***EverlyWell offers lab testing for wellness monitoring, not to diagnose or treat disease, or replace a physician’s consultation. Testing not available in NY, MD, RI, or NJ due to regulatory restrictions. EverlyWell does not provide medical advice and suggests sharing results with primary care physician.

Do you have trouble managing your stress or sleeping enough? How do you get relief? What is your favorite food from my Cortisol “Comfort” Food List? Please share in the comments – XOXO, Jennifer

Purifying Skin Solution for Run, Yoga and Workout +Giveaway #DermaeDetox16

Posted on January 19, 2016 by Jennifer FIsher

This post and giveaway are sponsored by Fitfluential on behalf of derma e, however all opinions and enthusiasm are my own!

Greasy, sweaty and covered in city grime. Eek, that sure sounds yucky as I type it out, but that’s pretty much describes the condition of my skin on a daily basis. Well, that is, until I started using the Purify line from derma e. One of my favorites is the 2-in-Charcoal Mask – more on that below!

I knew I had to do something to freshen up my skin and stat. Many days (okay, most days), I live in my fitness clothes from dawn until dusk — sometimes it’s because I’m knocking out two-a-day workouts, and sometimes it’s just because I don’t know exactly when I’m running or hitting the gym — and I want to be dressed ready! Anyhow, I was getting breakouts from not being able to jump in the shower right after exercise. Plus, my skin just looked dull and sallow from lack of attention, (ahem) middle age, pollution, and who knows what else. Obviously, had made a priority out of taking care of my body, but not so much my skin!

I couldn’t have discovered the products from derma e at a better time. I had booked for some fun jobs booked where I would be in the public eye in January and I hoped to put my best foot (and face) forward! The perfect time for a derma e New Year’s Detox!

There are so many fabulous products in the Purify line – Gel Cleanser, Daily Detox Scrub, Toner Mist, Oil-Free Moisturizer, Youth Serum and 2-in-1 Charcoal Mask. All are designed specifically for oily and active skin types and work to draw out toxins, replenish vital nutrients and help skin resist oxidative stress. Two thumbs up to the “Green Chemistry” what combines the best of modern science with eco-friendly, sustainable and plant-focused ingredients to create natural, planet-friendly products that really work! And, of course, the company is cruelty-free when it comes to testing their products.

One of my favorite products is the Purifying 2-in-1 Charcoal Mask – it makes me feel like I’m getting a special spa treatment! The dual-action formula purges pores of deeply rooted toxins and yucky stuff and exfoliates everything away until I’m glowing! Look for new derma e Purifying products at your local health food store as well as Whole Foods Markets (on sale at Whole Foods through end of January).

Don’t just take my word for it! Enter for a chance to win a derma e New Year’s Detox Kit! The lucky winner will win the entire @derma-e Purifying line (including the amazing 2-in-1 Charcoal Mask pictured above). It’s a $150+ value!

Follow these steps to enter:

Repost this video on INSTAGRAM OR this photo on INSTAGRAM
Make sure photo or video is hashtagged #dermaedetox16
Follow @thefitfork (me) and @derma_e (sponsor) and tag in repost

Enter @derma_e #dermaedetox16 #giveaway at #thefitfork awsome Purifying #skincare #ad

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One winner will be chosen on Jan. 31^,2015. Contest is open to USA and must be 18 years or older to enter. Enter as many times as you like but spam and giveaway accounts will be disqualified. Thank you to @derma_e for sponsoring this great giveaway — I have personally been delighted with the detox!

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