Cody Moat: Obstacle Course Star And Trail Running Champion
Cody Moat will be a top contender in the 2014 Spartan Race World Championships.
Cody Moat will be a top contender in the 2014 Spartan Race World Championships.
One one level, Cody Moat seems like a pretty boring American Dad. The 36-year-old from Fillmore, Utah, teaches woods, construction and drafting in high school and has four kids—two daughters aged 12 and 6 and two boys aged 9 and 4. But he’s also an elite obstacle course racer, an alter ego of sorts that takes him all over the country as a member of the Spartan Race pro team. He was Spartan’s world champion in both the Beast and the Ultra Beast in 2012 and has placed high in many others in longer distances, though he did win a Spartan Race Sprint last year in Montana. He also won the 2012 U.S. trail marathon national championships in Moab, Utah, and the 2013 U.S. 50-mile trail running national championship in Neuces, Texas, his first ultra. In college, he was a four-time conference champion while running for Southern Utah University, twice in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and once each in the 5,000- and 10,000-meter runs. In high school, he was a three-time state champion in cross country and wrestling.
How did you get into obstacle racing?
I have a friend who had done the Utah Spartan Beast the year before. He asked me if I would be interested in joining his team. I was a little reluctant, but I chose to do so. My first Spartan race went really well so Spartan started to fly me to races.
How often do you race?
I try to race once a month, but that doesn’t always happen. I race a little more in the summer.
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Have you thought about doing obstacle racing full time?
No, I have not thought about doing obstacle racing full time for two main reasons. One, I still do not believe there is enough money in obstacle racing to provide for a family. Two, one major injury and there goes your career.
What events do you do?
I do obstacle racing, anywhere from three to 26 miles. I also do trail racing and ultra marathons. I enjoy both of these different events, as long as these races are on trails.
What was is your athletic background?
Before OCR racing, I was a competitive athlete for Southern Utah University, where I ran cross country, indoor track and outdoor track.
What does your training schedule look like every week?
It’s hard to put my workout into miles per week because everyday is a little different. One day might be 10 miles, another day might only be 6 but with hard obstacles and exercises. One day may be swimming and lifting while another day might be a long run of 12-20 miles on trails. I take one day at a time and try to listen to my body to determine what my next workout will be.
How do you balance out your training with your family given that you have four children?
I wake up and work out at 5 a.m., long before the kids ever get up. Then I go to work, and after work I try to spend some time with my family. Then sometimes later in the evening I will work out again or I my have my family work out with me. We usually go to the weight room together, or I wrestle with my boys, or we’ll go on a hike. Just about anything.