4 MORE Tips from a prairie boy to help you conquer your next obstacle race no matter where you live by Mikhail Gerylo

Winnipeg is definitely not the ideal place to live and train for obstacle races. The terrain provides no playground for the obstacle racer and throws in extreme temperatures to battle through year round. Think Mars in the winter and the Sahara Desert in the summer. Here is a short list of strategies used by a prairie boy to help catapult you into your best 2016 obstacle racing season yet:

1. Plan a trip around a race

When you live on the prairies, you must be willing to venture out of province. When you do travel, take in as many experiences as possible.  Pick your adventure wisely, however, as the local hotdog eating contest the night before may seem like fun, but will reap havoc come race day. Having to venture out of province for races has taken me to cities and towns where I have tried new things and explored all the little things life has to offer. Experiences are always beautiful when shared with others and finding a travel companion who is on board makes it that much sweeter. The memories you take away from each trip are priceless and you will never be the same.

2. Don’t be intimidated

It can be tough to judge your level of fitness when you do not have other racers to train with. Race day is the opportunity to finally see if the way I have been training has transferred to a successful race. Social media can intimidate you with posted workouts, race videos and results that make you question if you are training hard enough. Time and time again it is obvious that consistency, knowledge, purpose and mental toughness can do more for you on race day than a few outrageous workouts. This is something I have to remind myself continually before race day. Trust yourself and your hard work.

3. Understand delayed gratification

Living in a place like Manitoba there isn’t always a race coming up soon, which can cause people to lose motivation or go easy with their training. Your hard workouts and purposeful training will give you a sense of accomplishment but it may seem futile if the race is months away. Always remember to relate back to the feeling you had at the finish line. You will feel proud if you stick with your training even when balancing a busy life. Tired, -40 degrees Celsius, sore, and Star Wars marathons are all factors that can tempt you into ignoring your training. Remembering your goal and keeping the race in the back of your mind helps keep you on track….so maybe ride the bike while watching the Star Wars marathon? Sign up and know that the distant race date will come up sooner than you expect.

4. Find your why

Eric Thomas has always pushed the idea to “find my why”. With everything that happens in your life, if you can find the reason to push yourself, then you can find your inner drive to keep improving. In life it is important to find your “why” and allow it to launch you towards the path you desire. Find yours and make sure you have fun doing it.

Mikhail Gerylo lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba where he teaches Physical Education. He is constantly working to help students find a love for physical activity, learn valuable life lessons and discover something they can stay healthy with for their entire life. He has completed multiple Spartan races across all distances. Amongst the thousands of competitors in each race, Mikhail has yet to stay off the podium. He is undefeated in Manitoba and is ranked amongst the top 50 racers in the world. He continues to follow his “why” and push himself to be he best racer he can be. Follow or feel free to reach out at:

Instagram: @mik_fitt
Facebook: facebook.com/Mikhail-Gerylo-OCR/