Nathan Rewerts is a busy guy - the father of 5 is currently running and training for obstacle course runs like the Tough Mudder and the Spartan races. However, his true love is hiking and biking with his family, who love the outdoors. The Rewerts all have Orange Mud HydraQuivers, so even the youngest (at 6) can stay hydrated, no matter where they are. Check out our Q & A about how Nathan first got started.
Q: Can you tell us a bit about your "running history?" When did you start?
I don't know that I have a running history as much as I have phases of running. I started running about 7 years ago more out of necessity. 4 young kids tended to keep life hectic and the house noisy. A place of quiet was hitting the road for a few miles, 5 days a week, along with lifting weights. I enjoyed the rhythm of running and the ability to tune out the world and process thoughts without interruption.
My running days came to an end with scar tissue developing in an ankle due to a non-running injury. Surgery fixed the problem but it took time to heal and I lost my interest in pounding out mile after mile on the pavement in a straight line. After a couple of years of finding a love of working out in my basement doing Insanity and Les Mills Combat, a couple of friends of mine and I decided that completing a Tough Mudder event was a must.
Q: Is that when you decided to start incorporating further distances?
What was it about that challenge that intrigued you? Training for our first Tough Mudder required me to put in runs longer than I had done. I found that running on the Shunga Trail allowed me to avoid the things I did not like about running on pavement. The trail is winding with moderate hills and provides a fantastic place for longer trail runs.
Q: Tell me a bit about how you discovered Orange Mud’s products.
Somewhere in the middle of training for the Tough Mudder, I happened on a Facebook post on Orange Mud. I despised all other types of hydration packs, and I tried a lot of them, so I went without. Doing this limited the distances I could run and actually hindered training as the effects of dehydration took some time to recover from after long runs. On a whim I ordered a hydration pack and a transition towel. To my surprise I received an email from Josh (Sprague, the owner) telling me that where he grew up and where I live are not far apart and that I was one of the first people from Kansas to order from him.
I started using the Orange Mud pack and loved it from the first run and it allowed me to stretch out my distances. For the first time I actually looked forward to longer runs. I put in my ear buds, rocked out some tunes, kept plenty of fluids and supplements in the pack and after a while I forgot it was even there. Bottom line...running become enjoyable.
Q: Are there any Tough Mudder memories that especially stand out in your mind?
After the first Tough Mudder event, several teammates started having leg cramps and we realized that we would need to change up our strategy on hydration and nutrition for the next one. A team of seven of us headed out with five HydraQuivers loaded with water and nutritional supplements. Happy to say, no cramping, and the level of soreness the next day was noticeably less than the first event. Through the entire day, we were able to remove the HydraQuiver to complete obstacles and quickly put it back on to start running again. It went through more mud than I thought it could handle and with one washing it was as good as new. Now our team has set our sights on the Spartan Beast race in 2015. The training for it will be more intense and require more running of trails.
Q: What do you love most about being outdoors?
Truthfully, my outdoor love is hiking and biking in Colorado. Our family owns 7 HydraQuivers - 5 orange and 2 pink, to accommodate long biking trips and long hikes. One of the great attributes of the HydraQuiver is its ability to fit on large adults all the way down to a 6 year old girl and still function perfectly.