Spartan Race

MrTolerable

How intense is the Spartan Race?

Like would just about anyone be able to get through it, or would you need to train for it?



Oh.. and go Germany. Go celebrate at Hugo Boss or Mont Blanc

Alyssawinter1221

Uh... It depends! I'll message you some info

MrTolerable

Uh... It depends! I'll message you some info

certainly won't be complaining about that.

siport

^ what a good way to get a PM lol

siport

i completed the Rat Race dirty weekend course which was 200 obstacles and 22 miles long in total, i had never run more than ten minutes in my adult life before i signed up so did train for it.

i lost 3 stone and managed to complete the "worlds hardest Assault Course" in under 5 hours.

training is a good idea if you havent done a race like it before

ew_david

Oh you.

MrTolerable

If you run and strength train you should have no problem finishing a sprint. It's not easy and it takes longer than other races, but you should be able to complete it.

oh!! You look like an authority on this with those medals.

If you did recommend training - just endurance, strength training and HIIT because there are sprints?

MrTolerable

i completed the Rat Race dirty weekend course which was 200 obstacles and 22 miles long in total, i had never run more than ten minutes in my adult life before i signed up so did train for it.

i lost 3 stone and managed to complete the "worlds hardest Assault Course" in under 5 hours.

training is a good idea if you havent done a race like it before

congrats on the weight loss!

leadslinger17

I want to try this or a Tough Mudder, I've done a smaller obstacle race and it was a lot of fun.

siport

check this training plan out, the half mucker plan is for a 13 mile race the full mucker is for the 20 mile course.

http://www.ratracedirtyweekend.com/training/

PRMinx

I want to try this or a Tough Mudder, I've done a smaller obstacle race and it was a lot of fun.

Tough Mudder is a blast! Highly recommend :-)

redheaddee

Allow me chime in as one of those less fit people (5'10", 222 lbs). I completed a Superhero Scramble in April: 5.3 miles, 32 obstacles. That thing whipped my @ss and I loved it. The only thing I did not complete was the Leap of Faith (jump 25 feet into a pond...can you say panic attack?). I workout 4 times a week: at least 2 lift days and 2 cardio days, plus I own a farm and have a large yard, so lots of physical labor for me as well. Not everyone could, but I think anyone who is physically active and damn stubborn could. And people were super supportive and helpful of each other, the whole thing was an excellent experience. My next challenge is a Spartan Super in October. Good luck to us all!

MrTolerable

If you run and strength train you should have no problem finishing a sprint. It's not easy and it takes longer than other races, but you should be able to complete it.

oh!! You look like an authority on this with those medals.

If you did recommend training - just endurance, strength training and HIIT because there are sprints?

I wouldn't say I'm an authority on Spartan, I've only run two sprints, both at the Tuxedo NY location. Damn hard race. Spartan likes to select ski resorts and mountains for their races, to force you to climb up hill.

I'm signed up for the Super and Beast in October. If I complete those I'll have finally earned my trifecta. So there are different race lengths for whatever level of fitness you're at.

But even people in great shape find a Sprint to be no joke. You'll crawl uphill under barbwire, carry heavy logs and stones, rope climb, a few balance-type obstacles, and every obstacle you don't complete comes with a 30 burpee penalty.

There's still plenty of race season left if you wanted to find one. Sadly you just missed PA.

ETA: When I say "sprint" I'm not talking about running, I'm talking about the length of the race.

A Spartan Sprint is 3+ miles with about 15 obstacles.
A Spartan Super is 8+ miles with 20 obstacles.
A Spartan Beast is 13+ miles with 25+ obstacles.

Complete all 3 in a calendar year and you've earned a trifecta.

This is incredible, I didnt realize how involved this was. I'm going to go for the spartan sprint initially.


"But even people in great shape find a Sprint to be no joke. You'll crawl uphill under barbwire, carry heavy logs and stones, rope climb, a few balance-type obstacles, and every obstacle you don't complete comes with a 30 burpee penalty. "

-now this sounds like fun!! :smokin:

so do you need a team or is solo no problemo?

GorillaNJ

Well my 2 cents... I am sure you can finish it. Get yourself some teammates, train for it and you will do fine. The hardest part of the entire thing is just the mountain itself. I have only done the one in Tuxedo (twice, with Brett actually) and the up mountain stuff is the hardest. Trail running and hill sprints are the number one training things I am focusing on for my Spartan Super in September

MrTolerable

Well my 2 cents... I am sure you can finish it. Get yourself some teammates, train for it and you will do fine. The hardest part of the entire thing is just the mountain itself. I have only done the one in Tuxedo (twice, with Brett actually) and the up mountain stuff is the hardest. Trail running and hill sprints are the number one training things I am focusing on for my Spartan Super in September

So teammates are a requirement?



And I currently practice my HIIT running uphill, but trail running is something I would love to add to my routine... since I just purchased the new balance mt10 v2 to boot!

MrTolerable

This is incredible, I didnt realize how involved this was. I'm going to go for the spartan sprint initially.


"But even people in great shape find a Sprint to be no joke. You'll crawl uphill under barbwire, carry heavy logs and stones, rope climb, a few balance-type obstacles, and every obstacle you don't complete comes with a 30 burpee penalty. "

-now this sounds like fun!! :smokin:

so do you need a team or is solo no problemo?

No matter how short the race is, they design it to really test your limits.

I'll put it to you this way. The Tuxedo NY Spartan sprint, a 4 mile race, took me 2 hours. And that was an improvement over last year.

^this is EXACTLY what I've been looking for. getting my limits pushed.

and with it being a 4 mile race - taking 2 hours - so obviously these obstacles are indeed intense.. any specific strength training lifts aside from the squat and deadlift that should be imperative in my routines?

I got the PM about wearing gloves, any other gear or input on what to come equipped with?

sunscreen obviously as well to cover my pale tail

crystal_runs

Burpees....practice your Burpees...

I have done 3 sprints, 3 supers, and 2 beasts. Earned my trifecta last year and will again this year.

Most people don't realize that for any obstacle you fail or can't do, you are penalized with 30 burpees. That adds up quick. I almost always miss the stupid spear throw and am usually so tired by the rope climb and traverse wall that I fail those. That is 90 burpees on top of all of the running and other stuff.

The two worst ones I have done was Virginia Super last year, which was up and down a ski slope. and Texas Beast which was colder than any obstacle course race should be. There was snow on the ground. They still had us walk thigh-deep through creeks. Also carrying buckets full of gravel up a hill twice when your fingers are frozen sucks (no handles on buckets).

If you really want a break down of what a course looks like, I can probably walk you through one depending on the distance you are looking to conquer. I'd say almost anyone can do a sprint, be in decent shape for a super, and work hard and pray long for a beast.