Spartan Race, anyone?

jdwils14

jessef593 wrote: »

I'm looking to do my first Sprint this September. Maybe even a tough middle of time permits. How would everyone say the cardio challenge is? I can haul my own weight around fairly well, so just looking more into the endurance half of it. I'm aiming for not a single burpie.

The cardio part is what you make it. It is timed, so if you want a better time, go faster. There are no smooth surfaces, though, so you will rely on your strength to increase the cardio. That is my experience. And I am in the desert, so we had to run through sand for the whole race.

ew_david

jdwils14 wrote: »

jessef593 wrote: »

I'm looking to do my first Sprint this September. Maybe even a tough middle of time permits. How would everyone say the cardio challenge is? I can haul my own weight around fairly well, so just looking more into the endurance half of it. I'm aiming for not a single burpie.

The cardio part is what you make it. It is timed, so if you want a better time, go faster. There are no smooth surfaces, though, so you will rely on your strength to increase the cardio. That is my experience. And I am in the desert, so we had to run through sand for the whole race.

Omg, did you do the AZ Sprint last month?! BRUTAL.

esjones12

Comments regarding time to complete - the venue DRASTICALLY impacts the time spend on course, for any athlete. Even year to year the venue average time can change by 30-60min. Weather, elevation, obstacle placement, and start time can all drastically effect your time on the course (outside of your physical condition and how your body holds up that day). For example you have the PA Sprint which is on a massive ski resort and can take around the same time as the OH Beast (4hrs). The VT Beast average last year I believe was around 8 hours.

Every race will feel as difficult as how hard you push yourself. From first-time-out-of-shape racers to elite athletes - every person can be equally challenged as it is based on how hard you push yourself from start to finish. The key is to know your body's limits and listen to them. If you don't that is how you get hurt.

For instance....I did the VA Super last year and pushed myself from start to finish like I was being chased by a pack of wolves. The race destroyed my body, I barely made it over the fire at the end. And I'd never smiled so big when I crossed the finish line (until OCR World Championships in October). A month later I did the VT Beast with a team at a much slower pace, but the course was arguably harder - more elevation and longer distance. Race barely phased me. I had SO much energy afterwards it was sad.

spartan_d

Anyone who says that the Spartan Sprints are "super easy" has no idea what he's talking about. Good luck with the Hercules Hoist and the Atlas Carry, folks.

Do "people with no fitness level at all" try these things? Sure, but that doesn't mean they should. Opinions differ on this matter, but I would strongly advise against trying this if you're not already in decent shape -- especially if you want to do it honestly, i.e. not cheating on burpees. If you're not properly conditioned, then the potential for injury can be significant.

Even if you're not injured, you'll probably be in for a lot of suffering if you're out of shape. Some people treat this as a bucket list item, but I advise against it. Others, I suspect, treat this as a way to get some exercise. It is, but if you're poorly conditioned, then there are better ways to do so.

I always remind people that it's the journey that matters, not just crossing the finish line. I'm not just talking about the 3-5 miles that the Spartan Sprint entails. I'm talking all the preparation for this race. Focus on the training rather than the race itself. You'll thank yourself later.

spartan_d

aub6689 wrote: »

Note: never do one in late June in Utah. They ran out of water. People were getting ridiculous Charlie horses and taking shots of table salt. I found myself sitting in the dirt massaging a muscle cramp out of my buddy's calf. It was crazy!

Hydration packs are your friend. Carry one if you're tackling a Spartan Beast in hot weather.

ew_david

amyrebeccah wrote: »

_dracarys_ wrote: »

jdwils14 wrote: »

jessef593 wrote: »

I'm looking to do my first Sprint this September. Maybe even a tough middle of time permits. How would everyone say the cardio challenge is? I can haul my own weight around fairly well, so just looking more into the endurance half of it. I'm aiming for not a single burpie.

The cardio part is what you make it. It is timed, so if you want a better time, go faster. There are no smooth surfaces, though, so you will rely on your strength to increase the cardio. That is my experience. And I am in the desert, so we had to run through sand for the whole race.

Omg, did you do the AZ Sprint last month?! BRUTAL.

I did! Those hills KILLED. Worse than almost any of the obstacles.

Gah, after a while I was convinced they WERE obstacles. The heat, those hills...I wasn't sure I was gonna make it, but I did.

esjones12

You guys should come do the PA races in July Now THOSE are hills.

But honestly just about every venue has something that makes it uniquely challenging. I almost came out to do AZ, thankfully my plans changed as medical issues would have resulted in a lost plane ticket. Whomp whomp. My finances keep me mostly in the north east - which has plenty of races thankfully. Headed down to Charlotte in a few weeks though. Pumped even though my fitness level has dropped a good bit due to mentioned medical conditions (not related in any way to training or racing).

Oh I did do a Tough Mudder in AZ though back in 2014! It was flat....but fun.