From kicking balls (on turf) to kicking butts (in mud)
Spartan Race elite Kathy Karpati reminisces about her transition from varsity soccer player to obstacle course racing competitor. While in college, Kathy met her current partner Sean who shared a similar interest in fitness and introduced her to the sport of obstacle course racing (OCR).
Co-owner of the Cor.Fit training center in Calgary, Alberta (Canada), Kathy Karpati recalls her first OCR event. The significant adrenaline rush that initial mud race produced and the stimulating athletic challenge it represented got Kathy instantly hooked to obstacles racing. She immediately sensed that immersing herself in this newly discovered sport would satisfy her need for competition.
“Just that drive to be better than yesterday and always pushing for more… what can I do better, what can I change to get a better result.”
– Kathy Karpati, Co-Owner at Cor.Fit
Surprising silver medal in Sparta
Rapidly climbing the rankings in OCR, Kathy Karpati competed in the Spartan Trifecta World Championships in Sparta (2018), which consisted of consecutively running a Spartan Sprint (5-7 kms), a Spartan Super (10-12 kms) and a Spartan Beast (25 kms) in the same weekend. After a 4th place in the Sprint and a 5th spot in the Super, Kathy crushed the last 10 kms of the Beast to earn the second step on the podium in her age group category.
Relentless competitor, Kathy Karpati states that all the sacrifices invested and the preparation races performed prior to her weekend in Sparta were worth the commitment, despite the little sponsorship she got. For a OCR racer vying for the #1 spot, satisfaction of one’s competitive need should be the sole motivation.
Importance of rest in performance training
X-Warrior Challenge competitor Kathy Karpati advises that knowing when to slow down and rest is key for a competitor, no matter how hard it sometimes might be. For example, she recalls participating in a 200-km charity bike ride the weekend before competing in an important Spartan Race in West Virginia, which resulted in underperforming. As a full-time fitness coach, Kathy acknowledges the fundamental importance of recovery in a training routine.
3 tips to optimize your workout routine
#1 | Sensei says: Be Adaptable.
Listening to Kathy, I get that we should leave space for spontaneity in our training regime. Keeping our workouts fresh and diversified – with a little touch of randomness – allows our body and mind to become more responsive.
#2 | Sensei says: Nutrition.
A key element in any active lifestyle is how well you feed your body. As Kathy Karpati says, we should always eat as clean and healthy as possible, but without sacrificing what we love. As she so wisely puts it, there is always room for ice cream (especially chocolate mint).
#3 | Sensei says: Focus On Your Goal
However rough and crooked the path to your goal might become, Cor.Fit coach Kathy Karpati reminds us to never lose sight of our main objective. She also suggests that appointing punctual markers – or sub-objectives – to our trajectory nourishes our motivation towards achievement.
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