Behold the World’s First Strongman Marathon

Like most athletes, Michael Miraglia has a level of competition mantra: “Let future you fear about it.” Contrary to most athletes, though, “future” Michael’s path on this freezing morning in February is paved with suffering: a 250-pound tire flip, a 300-pound yoke wander, and a 70-pound farmer’s have, just about every for a whole mile. That is for the reason that the 29-calendar year-previous fitness coach is tackling the world’s very first Strongman Marathon, a race of his possess sadistic structure.

 

 

In excess of the course of a grueling nine hrs and eighteen minutes on Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats, the previous rugby participant turned rock climber turned elite obstacle course racer turned CrossFitter, would grunt through 14 miles of functioning with a 20-pound weighted vest, alternating just about every mile with a distinctive strongman movement. In addition to the tire flip, yoke wander, and farmer’s have, there were being burpee broad jumps, a “dummy” fireman have, handstand wander, 200-pound sled drive, 200-pound sled drag, 200-pound sandbag have, kettlebell toss, and walking lunges.

And though the endeavor would bring about virtually each individual muscle mass to seize from overuse, it would also pose an enormous mental challenge. When the landscapes was infinite miles of frozen salt, with no group of screaming spectators, and the reward for releasing just one muscle mass group from their flood of lactic acid was the chance to hammer at a further established, how did he come across the mental toughness to endure?

It was pitch black and well underneath freezing at 6:00 a.m. when Miraglia stood, viewing his breath cling in the air, at the start off line. Together with him for aid were being his girlfriend, father, and a camera crew from his sponsor, apparel organization Ten Thousand. Touring again and forth in between a few 800-meter markers as he ticked off just about every mile, Miraglia subsisted mostly on heat chicken broth and 80-cent ramen packets to sustain electrolytes, and loads of banana bread to replenish glycogen retailers (and “because I like banana bread a large amount,” Miraglia confesses).