I recently participated in a 5-mile obstacle course race known as the Spartan Race which is known for its abundance of obstacles that include 6-10 ft high walls, cargo net climbs, and a spear throw to name a few. Oh, and there was some mud involved too.
(This is me nice and clean before the race)
There are three types of Spartan races you can do, with each one increasing in difficultly with more obstacles and a longer course. The Sprint, Super, and the Beast. Together they are known as the "Trifecta" and each include individual medals for completing the course that can be combined into one big medal when all three are attained.
(My medal)
The race in Houston was my second Spartan race, the first one I did was at AT&T stadium in Dallas, TX and I learned the hard way that there is a big difference between the arena race and the outdoor race.
The main difference being the mud, which was multiplied during the week due to the six inches of rain leading up to the race. This made the race almost un-runnable as the mud was so deep and filled with waist deep pot-holes that by trying to run you could almost guarantee a twisted ankle or other injuries.
This slowed the race down tremendously for me and the other participants as we were forced to take our time through the winding muddy trails that were flooded with water. Luckily, the obstacles on the course were able to break up the monotony of mud-wallowing and keep it fun.
(Coming out of the muddy lake)
The first obstacles were mostly walls to go up and over, then as I got deeper into the course the obstacles became increasingly difficult. There was a 60lb sandbag carry where I carried the mud soaked bag on my shoulders and completed a loop that included squatting under barbed wire while maintaining enough balance in the deep mud not to fall over. Another surprisingly tough one was the sled pull which went from relatively easy to very hard after the sled became completely stuck in the mud and it took me and another racer to pull the sled. There was also a small lake crossing which provided some entertainment just from watching the reluctance of the other racers to actually get in the cold muddy water. Other obstacles included monkey bars, a 5-gallon gravel filled bucket carry, and of course the infamous 20ft rope climb near the end of the course. I was able to complete all of the obstacles except the spear throw where I barely missed the target, and a crazy ninja-warrior type obstacle known as "the rig".
(Post-race bliss of completing the course and using the last of my energy on a victory flex pose)
Overall, I had a blast competing in the Spartan sprint and will definitely participate in more races in the future. I crossed the finish line exhausted but also proud of myself for completing the course by myself and with a respectable time. I encourage everyone to find a race near you, sign up, start training and just do it! The course was filled with people of all shapes and sizes, first time racers and veterans. The course will test your mental and physical toughness and will leave you crossing the finish line with a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction!
You can find a race near you by visiting this link to the Spartan Race website: http://www.spartan.com/en/
Overall, I had a blast competing in the Spartan sprint and will definitely participate in more races in the future. I crossed the finish line exhausted but also proud of myself for completing the course by myself and with a respectable time. I encourage everyone to find a race near you, sign up, start training and just do it! The course was filled with people of all shapes and sizes, first time racers and veterans. The course will test your mental and physical toughness and will leave you crossing the finish line with a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction!
You can find a race near you by visiting this link to the Spartan Race website: http://www.spartan.com/en/
"Don't Blink"
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