Spartan race competitors, get in here....

Brocksterdanza
Brocksterdanza Posts: 208 Member
edited December 3 in Fitness and Exercise
I completed my first part of the trifecta this weekend at Fort Campbell and had a great time.. In order for me to complete the "trifecta" it say that you must do it from Jan -Dec 31. The problem with that is, i need to run the beast and a super before the new year. I am in decent shape and didnt really train a ton for the sprint and finished in the top 45 % of the racers there. My father passed away last week and it really had affected my training in the weeks prior to his death... however the beast is about 9 weeks away.... the closest one is in SC. I looked at times for this thing last year and folks were taking upwards for 15 hours to finish... The only start times available now are the afternoon runs which start around 11 oclock... are those 15 hour folks walking the whole thing? I dont see how it could take that long... I know its 14 miles or so, but geez, thats forever. I just wonder if i should say screw the traditional trifecta and just train up and do a super this year (8miles) on the day of the SEC championship game in ATL in the morning and watch my Vols hopefully in the championship game that nightt... and then do a beast after the new year. Thoughts?

Replies

  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
    15 hours for that Beast seems...excessive. It probably wouldn't take you that long, especially with 9 weeks to train for it.
  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
    I replied to your post on your wall :)
  • Pam_Shebamm
    Pam_Shebamm Posts: 167 Member
    I'm pretty sure most "average" people take somewhere between 6-10 hours.

    I haven't done a beast yet, I'll be completing my first Trifecta next month in VT. But I will also be doing the SC Beast if I don't die at Killington.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    I didn't train at all for my beast, and it took me between 7 and 8 hours for an almost 14 mile course with 30+ obstacles. If it took someone anywhere over 10 hours, then they were walking the whole time...
  • Brocksterdanza
    Brocksterdanza Posts: 208 Member
    I lost a lot in ways of training with my father getting ill and passing. I have 9 weeks until the race and I'm not sure what improvement in conditioning i can make... I'm weighing in at 250 now and want to be as light as possible if i choose to do this. I'm not a spring chicken either, I'm 38 years old. So those gains don't happen like they used to. I'm just worried i wont be able to do well... those times scare me. Are there any heavier people that do these or do they stick with the sprints?
  • kwtilbury
    kwtilbury Posts: 1,234 Member
    I also ran the Fort Campbell Spartan race this weekend....AFTER the torrential downpour. It took us two hours just to park. By the time we started the race, the course was a muddy wreck. It was like running through ankle deep chocolate pudding.
  • richardpkennedy1
    richardpkennedy1 Posts: 1,890 Member
    What's the optimum size to be successful at Spartan? Is it more endurance or power?
  • jts1981
    jts1981 Posts: 30 Member
    Go Vols!
  • Brocksterdanza
    Brocksterdanza Posts: 208 Member
    A mixture... cross fitters typically do really well... i have 9 weeks to train for this puppy... how should i go about it?
  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
    edited August 2016
    OCR is an endurance sport. The true crossfitter's excel at the Sprints and Stadium Races but usually don't podium at the longer races. Almost all the Elite racers I've seen come into the sport more muscular have slimmed down to improve their results.

    @Brocksterdanza - in 9 weeks you want to safely progress your training. Following a training program that will slowly increase your cardio endurance and make sure you slowly build up your body weight exercises and grip strength. Rushing anything will lead to imbalances and possible injury.

    The SC Beast is flat. There will be some hills but it is nothing like VT or NJ with tons and tons of incline. I'm not sure how those people spent 15 hours on course.....the average time in VT last year was around 9-10 hours. I think average time for SC Beast is more like 5-6 hours for the Open Waves. The Super is prob more like 3-4 hours on average.

    I personally never, EVER make plans the evenings of races any more. I had my rear end handed to me at the PA Sprint in 2014 and went directly to a concert while severely dehydrated, limping and still covered in mud. Ha. You just never know what is going to happen out there or how long it will take. But if you live close and it means a lot to do both events - go for it. I think it is more likely you will be fine than end up like I did having my mom pick me up at Walmart and stuffing down chicken and donuts and not getting to bed till 1am....made for a great story though HAHA.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories