The Spartan Racer

Brian Yensho II is a Krakatoa Ambassador. 

When he’s not working on his Doctorate in Pharmacy (PharmD), he’s slaying 12-hour shifts for weeks at a time. Despite the impressive workload, he likes to relax running Spartan races uphill -covered in mud. He’s also sponsored by several performance sports brands and we are proud to be his underwear of choice.

Krakatoa: Hi Brian! Thanks for taking the time to let us know about your high-intensity lifestyle. Between work, study and training, there is a lot of effort that goes into performing at your level.
Tell us a bit more of your routine, as you have to juggle between work, school and training, it’s a huge undertaking. How is your regular day compared with your training time? Or are you always training?     

Brian: The hardest part of my life is most definitely juggling the different components of my high-intensity lifestyle and trying to make enough time for all of them.  Consistency is the key to my succeeding.  There are only 24 hours in a day and I cannot change that.  I can control how long I sleep each day; which peeks out at about 4 to 6 hours maximum and is probably less than most others would prefer or require, but luckily it works out for me just fine.  When I don’t have a race for several weeks out I definitely switch gears and pull back a little on my training time each day and focus more on my school and social life. 

Just like there are only 24 hours in a day and I cannot control that fact although I definitely wish that I could; I, for the most part, cannot control much with my work schedule either.  Most of my effort is put primarily on controlling the factors that are able to be controlled such as relaxing, training, and simply hanging out with friends.

Krakatoa: Controlling what you can control is key, and letting go of what you can’t is even more important, for sure. With that incredible workload and workout regimen, how much harder do you push when you are about to do another Spartan race? Do you make radical changes in your nutrition, exercise and psychological fitness? Give us a small window into your preparation.

Brian: Most definitely the entire week before a Spartan Race I focus on my nutrition and most importantly my hydration!  This is the week that if I am going to pull out all of the stops with anything in my training program; now is the time that I will do it.  For the most part, I try very diligently to eat as clean and healthy as I possibly can; but if there is a bad eating habit I may have developed at this point, I immediately eliminate it. I rarely ever consume alcoholic beverages but if I am training for a race I 100% completely eliminate that from my life as it’s not worth it. 

Any time I do a Spartan Race I have to adjust my psychological focus and thought process no matter how many of them I have completed in the past; they always change every time and always get harder which is one of the countless reasons I love them so much!

Krakatoa: And how do you prefer to train, alone or with a group/partner?

Brian: If I am training for strength I personally prefer to train alone as everyone has a different strategy and technique for this component of training.  However, when it comes to training for endurance and stamina such as simply running or working on aerobic fitness, etc. I definitely prefer to train with at least a partner who is as good if not better than myself to keep me motivated and hold me accountable. 

Krakatoa: What goes through your mind while you are running such punishing races? How do you keep yourself pumped during them?

Brian: That is a great question because so many thoughts go through my mind during a Spartan Race.  I would say thoughts of slaying the race and crossing the finish line and getting my medal are primary thoughts going through my mind.  Other thoughts that go through my mind are reminding myself that I have done this before and that quitting or failing is never an option and just keep moving forward and never focus on what is behind you; only what is in front of you!

Krakatoa: Summer is coming, not much snow or mud to run on, so what’s on the horizon in terms of competition?

Brian: The great thing about Spartan Races and other OCR (Obstacle Course Races) is that they are year round and never take breaks for the weather! The Summer is actually the busiest time of the year for racing and trust me, there is absolutely never a shortage of mud no matter what time of the year it is.  I am one of the few odd ones, some would say in the fact that I prefer to run in snow or colder temperatures vs. running in extremely humid and sweltering hot climates.  I am naturally very warm so the colder climates keep me more motivated and going stronger than hot and humid climates, but I like them all. 

I have already competed in and completed 6+ races; with one of them being a 35.2 mile challenge; and look to do at least 3 to 4 times that amount before the end of this year in 2018!  Spartan Races are in full swing right now and I am shifting gears from street racing and trail racing to OCR racing currently.

Krakatoa:  You have a lot of companies sponsoring you, how important a role your gear has in your training and your results?

Brian: My gear has a tremendous role in my training and my results. Without great gear to train and compete in, I would not be near as successful as I currently am with my racing. And I would even go as far as to say that without my gear I wouldn’t be able to truly succeed with my racing at all!

Krakatoa: You told us you are an underwear expert and have a ton of them. What do you think of your underwear in terms of your performance during your hectic days and during the races?  We believe it’s the foundation of your day, but can it make or break your training or even a race?

Brian: Yes. I would absolutely say without a shadow of a doubt that I am, whether I want to be or not, an underwear expert.  It sounds odd to say but your underwear is part of gear and thus has the ability to make or break you when it comes to everything in your life; especially competing in races!  I look for support where I need it and underwear that breathes and maintains its shape throughout the entire day.  Ideally, I want it to feel like I have nothing on at all but also to be as strong as I need it to be for anything I put it through.  Of course, I want something that I wear to be attractive and flattering to my body type and have options as far as colors, etc. 

Krakatoa: We are very glad we are your underwear of choice! But as we say here at Krakatoa, we would never take any credit for your victories, but we appreciate your consideration in letting us help you be the best you can be.
We appreciate your time, Brian. Thanks for talking with us. Krakatoa is better because of your input and consideration.

Brian: Thanks for all of your love and support…you guys ROCK!!!