Preparing for a Spartan Race?!?!?

First off, right on for signing up for a Spartan Race! I’ve completed a number of them over the past 4 years and it’s truly an incredible experience that’ll put a big (muddy) smile on your face. My advice comes from having just recently completed the Trifecta: Beast (25km), Super (10km) and Sprint (5km).

Some general training advice would be to make sure you are comfortable with the distance you sign up for (no surprise there). It may even be in your interest to train slightly beyond the distance, simply to get your body used exerting itself a little bit more. Next, I would recommend doing a good amount of hill training. Best approach is to get some hill experience by running on single-path/width trails. This’ll come close to the type of course setup of most Spartan Races.

Aside from that, some upper body strength is needed. For the Sprint races, it’s pretty basic stuff. If you can walk to the grocery store and back with a backpack and carrying two packed bags back with groceries, you’ll be able to handle all of the Sprint obstacles. They obstacles range from climbing rope netting, pulling yourself through the mud under barbed wire, using a rope and pulley to lift a sandbag, throwing a spear, climbing over a hooyah wall, and so on. All in all, difficult, but far from impossible. I ran beside a husband and wife in their 60s with moderate running and strength abilities, and they had little trouble. You’ll be fine.

For the Super, much of the same advice applies, with some from what I’m about to recommend for the next distance length. However, for the Beast, you’ll certainly want to have some significant training under your belt. I ran the Beast having completed a marathon the month before at an average time (4h25m) and it took me and my trail runner partner 6h30m to finish the Beast (fastest time was 3h45m). First, you’ll need to have hill training under your belt. Second, you’ll NEED to carry water in a camelpack (waterbottle will not cut it; water stations often run out) and be carrying gel packs/food/etc (expect to go through these every 30 mins and have people on the course ask for your supplies due to poor planning). Third, you’ll need a good pair of trail runners. Again, most of the obstacles are upper body strength: kettle bell lifts, hooyah walls, pulleys, moneky bars, mesh nets, rope climbs, etc.

So for training, just practice your selected Spartan distance, hit up the trails, practice Hills, practice screaming AROO! x 3, run through any mud you can find, run in the rain, climb playground monkey bars and on the day of, watch out for racers around you so you don’t get hurt/hit someone by mistake/fling someone off a net/etc.

Other good ressrouces is this fellow’s website: http://www.hobiecall.com/ I believe he’s ranked #1 or #2 on the Spartan Race leaderboards. Here’s another site with a race review: http://danerunsalot.blogspot.ca/2011/08/spartan-beast-recap.html

Good luck! Aroo!

Anytime! The Spartan race's are a fantastic way to ignite your passion for running (if you enjoy this type of race).

this sounds like basic training or ranger indocrination training. nice.

Great tips! I have been thinking of doing the Spartan Sprint here in AZ next Feb. It looks like a blast.