Meet The Pro-Team: Deanna McCormack
Talk to us a little about how you got into OCR and what about it appeals to you?
I am an exercise physiologist and train my clients, and myself, largely with kettlebells, body weight exercise, some outdoor running, organic exercise like trail running and outdoor bootcamps etc. I found a coupon online in 2013 for a Spartan Race, and both Kiaran and I decided to give it a shot. The rest, as they say, is history.
Training, there always seems to be a huge contrast between how pro-level athletes tackle it, whats your philosophy or overview of how you train?
I only began competing in road races of different lengths, triathlons, and trail runs 6 years ago. As it turns out, I love to compete!I view running as therapy, I like to think I run through my problems, not away from them. My philosophy on training is that I always can do more than I thought I could. I find cross training 4 to 5 times a week the way I train my clients, in addition to running is enjoyable and effective. I have one day of strict rest each week as I know it is important for my body to heal. I know my accomplishments motivate my clients, and theirs certainly motivate me! The biggest difficulty I think that people face is sticking with an exercise routine. Signing up for something that pushes your limits is a great way to stay motivated to continue to push harder and do more. The most exciting thing that has come of all of this is my 15 year old sons desire to race as well. He will be competing in his first Spartan Race at Fenway this fall!
What's your goal this year? Are you aiming for a certain mark in the season points at Spartan Race? or are you setting your sights on individual race goals?
I originally hoped to finish in the top 100, but now that I have got a few races under my belt and qualified for the Spartan World Championship, I am hoping to finish top 50. I have also qualified for the OCR World Championships, which I am very much looking forward to competing in. I never thought I would compete at this level, and again, pushing those limits is exhilarating and fulfilling!
Have you learned anything this year that you'll be storing for later and applying next season for the start?
I hope to learn which distance is my forte and concentrate my training more for that next year. I enjoy the endurance races, but I may actually be a stronger contender in the sprint distance. I look forward to learning the answer to that question and focusing my efforts accordingly.
