Coach JP's Journey, Training, Nutrition, Mindset
JP Siou
My Journey To Ultra - The Obstacle Is The Way

Kicking off the 2024 race season and the ultra training plan…and then getting COVID! Everyone’s got a plan until they get punched in the face, as “Iron” Mike Tyson used to say. Here’s what I’m doing to keep moving forward.

My Journey To Ultra - The Obstacle Is The Way
Coach JP's Journey, Training, Nutrition, Mindset
JP Siou
My Journey To Ultra - Baseline (Day 1)

Embarking on a transformative journey in 2024, I'm taking on two monumental challenges: my first 50K mountain ultramarathon and my first Spartan Race Ultra on my 50th birthday. Despite recent health setbacks and injuries, I'm determined to reach peak physical condition. Join me as I document this journey of resilience and self-discovery - it won't be boring!

My Journey To Ultra - Baseline (Day 1)
Mindset, Nutrition, Training
JP Siou
Reality Check:  Do You Need To Lose Weight ...

One common thing people mention as a goal when we first talk about trying to eat better is weight loss.  For some, it's just "a couple of pounds" and for others, it's pretty significant.  The reasons behind wanting to lose weight may be to improve some health markers, to move better and feel less day-to-day aches and pains, to "look better naked" or for similar aesthetic reasons, or simply because of some preconceived notion of what they "should" weigh.  Some of those reasons also feed into emotional and mental well-being, and can affect our self-confidence, self-image and happiness.

The truth is, most people don't NEED to lose weight to be healthier, and with the right mindset, they don't NEED to lose weight to be happier or more self-confident either.

Read more…

Reality Check:  Do You Need To Lose Weight To Be Healthy And Happy?
Nutrition
JP Siou
Protein Price Guide - UPDATED 2022.11.09

One of the keys to maintaining a lean, healthy body is eating enough protein. In addition to the energy (calories) it provides, protein also provides essential amino acids that are needed by your body to rebuild and renew tissue, vitamins and minerals to support your body’s day-to-day functions, AND it can help rev up your metabolism because your body has to work harder to break it down than it does for carbs or fats.

Ideally, we should be getting most of our protein needs from whole foods, but sometimes it’s tough to know what to buy, especially if you’re on a budget. For that reason, every once in a while, I take a cruise through the local grocery store and update this protein price guide for the reference of our members at The BTG, and now I’ve decided to share it with all of you!

Protein Price Guide - UPDATED 2022.11.09

Spartan Race

Brachiation (Hanging Grip / Movement) Training

Brachiation (Hanging Grip / Movement) Training

If you want a good chance of succeeding on the hanging obstacles on a Spartan Race, you're going to have to train your grip and learn to swing like a primate!

While being able to do pull-ups is great, it's not really necessary if you have a strong grip and good technique.  It's also less important how long you can statically hang than it is to be able to grip HARD and release over and over again.

Combined with that, it is important to learn how to properly move your body in space while hanging to control your momentum and smoothly load / unload your hands.  This can help you to be much more confident in transitioning from one grip event to the next as you move through the obstacles.

Put it all together, and you have brachiation.

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I Will Endure, I Will Experience, and I Will Learn

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I Will Endure, I Will Experience, and I Will Learn

With so little time to prepare going into my Spartan Death Race (I fly out in 2 weeks!), I'm not going to be able to do anything to meaningfully alter and train my body for the physical demands of this kind of ultra-endurance event.  It's simply not possible.  Preparing to take the step up from around where my current conditioning is at to run a multi-day endurance race is usually achieved on the timescale of years (yes, YEARS, plural), not weeks, so I'm just going to have to "run what I brung" to use an old motor-racing phrase.

But I can't help having some real moments of deep self-doubt.  Like, literally tears streaming down my face while out on a walk or run, "who the hell do I think I am to attempt this?" and "I am in WAY over my head" kind of moments.

So, knowing that I can't change myself physically, and working through my moments of self-doubt, what CAN I do to prepare?

"Recreational Hardship" - Why I Do The Crazy Stuff I Do

"Recreational Hardship" - Why I Do The Crazy Stuff I Do

In an article from Mountain Tactical Institute's website that was recently featured in their newsletter, the writer used the term "Recreational Hardship" to describe the idea of doing hard stuff when you don't have to (I.E. it's not your job, or a requirement for your life in some way) in order to train your body and mind to be resilient and persistent in the face of the challenges that life brings your way.  I really like that, as it clearly and simply defines, for example, participating in Spartan Race events.

Read on for more…

2020 Spartan Race Prep - Run / Mountain Training

2020 Spartan Race Prep - Run / Mountain Training

In 2020, we have several athletes looking to complete their first Spartan Trifecta, and lots looking to make a return to the Spartan course for a Sprint or Super. I’m really pleased to see so many of you sharing my enthusiasm for the challenge of Spartan races, and I look forward to an even more successful year on the mountains and trails in 2020!

So far, all of you who are part of The BTG Spartan Team for 2020 have run at least one Spartan race before, so you have a good idea of the basics. We’re going to take things up a notch (or three!) in our preparation for the 2020 races to get you all to where you’re not just completing your chosen races, but to where you can feel that you’re actually “competitive” and putting in a performance you’ll be really proud of.

Because most of the races we have on our tentative schedule take place on challenging, mountainous courses, prepping your legs for that challenge will be our main focus. We want to build speed, power and durability so that you can crush those hills and still feel relatively fresh when you get to the obstacles…

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It's official - Coach JP is now Spartan SGX Level 2 certified!

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It's official - Coach JP is now Spartan SGX Level 2 certified!

Thank you to Dr. Jeff Godin, Head of Fitness Education for Spartan Race, for another great learning experience, and for his kind words in the email sending me my certificate!

Dear Coach J.P.,

Attached you will find your Level 2 Spartan SGX Coach certificate. Your work was exemplary and demonstrates the level of knowledge Spartan expects from our Level 2 coaches.

Congratulations and thank you for your continued support of Spartan and Spartan SGX.

We are honored to have you as part of this elite team of coaches. AROO!

Dr. J

The level 2 certification focused more on endurance training and nutrition, and preparing for racing in extreme environments (altitude, hot / cold environments). I sure learned a lot, and look forward to sharing that knowledge with The BTG Spartan Team and all of The BTG crew. :)

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Why We Train - Part 1: My Journey

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Why We Train - Part 1: My Journey

At The BTG, the majority of our members are not competitive athletes, nor do they have jobs that require them to maintain a high level of fitness year-round (E.G. front-line first responders, active duty military, etc.). As a result, we’ve often had folks ask “what the heck do you guys train so hard for?”

The short version is pretty simple - to just kick ass at life, able to meet any challenges that come our way with a balanced spectrum of physical abilities, and to maintain those abilities for as long as possible. To borrow a phrase from Dr. Peter Attia, our aim is “to be the most kick-ass 100-year olds possible.”

Where that gets a bit more complicated is in the details. What constitutes a “balanced spectrum of physical abilities”? If we have no specific demands from a sport or our work, how do we determine where we need to focus our energies?

To understand that, I need to tell a different story…

Spartan Race Sun Peaks Beast 2015 - The Hardest Thing I've Ever Done

Spartan Race Sun Peaks Beast 2015 - The Hardest Thing I've Ever Done

Let's not sugar coat it - nothing I have ever experienced or could even have conceptualized in my mind can compare. This was easily the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.

Having never done anything like this before, we thought a 4-1/2 to 5 hour estimate to complete the 21+ km course with 34 obstacles was feasible. 7-1/2 hours later, the four of us (myself, Coach Julia, and brothers Scott and Dillon) were about as broken as we've ever been.

The obstacles were no big deal, really - but the terrain! Oh, the terrain! Did I mention the terrain?