“If it doesn’t challenge you, it sure as well won’t change you.”
I travel the world seeking extreme adventures, but sometimes they happen to be right in my own backyard. Recently I participated in the Spartan Race just outside of Los Angeles at Prado Regional Park in Chino, California. A Spartan Race is a bad ass mud run meets obstacle course. If you’re like me and thrive on pushing your limits in a down and dirty competition, the Spartan Race has your name written all over it! Courses range from 3 miles to marathons, the longer the course the more obstacles to overcome.
Obstacles may include, but are not limited to: rope climbing, spear throwing, crawling under barbed wire, mud pits, carrying heavy objects, wall climbing, fire jumping… basically expect to get a good workout and leave filthy! The Spartan Race is held in the U.S. and over 30 countries.
The different types of courses are:
- Sprint [3+ miles, 20+ obstacles]
- Super [8+ miles, 25+ obstacles]
- Beast [13+ miles, 30+ obstacles]
- Ultra Beast [26+ miles, 60+ obstacles]
Some helpful tips for any Spartan Race athlete:
- Get a good night’s rest before your race.
- Eat well leading up to the event and the day of. Pack snacks!
- Depending on your level of athletic ability, train. However, you don’t have to be a gym rat to participate. The race attracts all types of people. Some run the entire course, others walk. The most important part is to challenge yourself and have fun.
- Bring an extra bag of dry clothes (including shoes) and a towel for after.
- Wear clothes and shoes during the race you’re ok having ruined.
- If there’s an option to park in the nearby lot (VIP) it’s worth avoiding the possibility of long bus lines to remote parking lots after the race.
- Celebrate with some beers and a well deserved meal.
- Treat yourself to a massage the next week!
Spartans! Tonight, we dine in hell!
If you plan on racing in a Spartan Race and haven’t seen the movie 300… it’s a must! The movie tells the story of the King of Sparta leading his army of 300 men into battle against a massive Persian army. Their bravery, fight, determination and strong will are the qualities any Spartan runner can draw upon.
If you’ve done a Spartan Race already, consider trying a Ragnar.
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