Spartan Sprint

Preparations

The Course

The Obstacles

Tall Wall Climb – There were several wall obstacles and the taller ones were probably around 9 feet tall. There were small ledges partway up the wall to give you a foothold to help you over. It did take a little effort to make it over mainly because the mud on and around the wall made traction hard to come by. People were generally welcome to help out any fellow Spartans who were struggling.

Barbed Wire – The barbed wire obstacles on this course were more satisfying than other courses I had encountered. They were low enough that it required a true belly crawl to make any progress. The mud was thick and progress was slow and the obstacle was long. Pace through the obstacle was limited by other racers but it was surprisingly strenuous and I don’t know that I could have made it through much faster if the course was open. The key was to dig into the mud with your elbows to gain purchase but my elbows and knees were pretty heavily scratched up by the end. Here the course plays with your mind a little. Once you feel the relief of completing the barbed wire, you move on to climb the next wall only to be confronted with another (even longer) stretch of barbed wire.

Over Wall/Under Wall/Through Wall – This obstacle was an interesting twist on the usual series of walls. The first wall was about 5ft high and pretty straight forward. The second wall was topped with barbed wire and had a small opening underneath that you had to crawl under. The third wall had small windows in the middle that you had to climb through.

Rope Climb – This imposing obstacle was visible from the starting line so spectators could watch and competitors could stew in the anticipation. Normal climbing ropes, hated by school children across the country, can be challenging. Descending down into a thigh-deep mud pit and trying to climb to the top of the mud covered rope is nearly impossible on your own. Even with a couple knots in the rope, the people most successful with this obstacle were running with a group who could help them out. The rope was extremely slick so it took all my energy just to maintain my grip and the resistance of the mud around my legs prevented any real upward progress. A girl behind me tried to give me a boost but it was pretty clear I wasn’t making it up this obstacle. I tried to help her up but she quickly reached the same conclusion. Note to self – need to improve Kung-Fu grip and rope skills before the next race. For now, it was 30 burpees for me.

Slanted Wall Climb – This obstacle was also visible from the starting line. I watch some runners struggling with it but didn’t understand why. From the sidelines it looked like it might even be possible to just run up and jump to reach the top and skip the rope completely. Once I reached the obstacle myself, still feeling the defeat of the rope climb, I understood the challenge. The base of the wall was wet (and possibly soapy) mud that made the obstacle a slippery mess. The wall was higher than it looked and the ropes were also slick. Many competitors were taking the time to help people over though and once someone at the bottom could get under your feet, it was pretty easy to push them up to the top. Some runners also waited at the top to try to help give people a hand but once I was able to latch on to the top of the wall, I found the crowding at the top more of a hindrance than a help.

Spear Toss – I loved the idea of this obstacle. The entire course was about brute force and athleticism but this obstacle was about skill (that none of us could really practice) and finesse. Since you only get one try on the course, you don’t even have a chance to learn from your mistakes. Before I got on the course, there was an area where you could try your hand at throwing the spears in an attempt to win a free beer ticket. I took advantage of that game to familiarize myself with the spear throw. From what I saw, most people gripped the spear too tightly with a closed hand causing the spear to lose its natural point first arc. I was successful holding the spear more like a dart. It was so satisfying to see that spear stick into the bale of hay and run past all the others doing burpees.

Brick Drag – This obstacle is pretty self-explanatory. You grab a short rope with a concrete block tied to the end and drag it around a short dirt course with small hills. You are not allowed to carry the block but it isn’t too tough to drag it around. If you go fast enough it’s uneven shape makes it jump along behind you. I used a two handed grip behind my back to try to avoid taxing my grip as much as possible.

Tire Carry – Other courses have you running through tires but the Spartan Race makes you carry them. The course for this obstacle was in the forest over steep and slippery hills. If the tires hit the ground at any point you were supposed to return to the start (I did see tires touch the ground but didn’t see anyone restart the course). The tire itself wasn’t very heavy but keeping your balance over the rough terrain wasn’t always easy. Other runners became obstacles here are they proceeded very tentatively on the hills.

Bucket of Rocks – Picture two piles at the top of a hill – one pile of gravel and one pile of orange five gallon buckets. You had to fill the bucket two-thirds full of gravel then run a short course (that took you to the bottom of the hill and back, of course) then empty your bucket. You can save a little time on this obstacle if you find someone emptying their bucket as you arrive to fill yours.

Cargo Net Climb – A staple of obstacle course runs. This cargo net was pretty standard. The only surprise was that the net was secured at that bottom but not the top so it was a little squirrely crossing over the peak.

Monkey Bars – The monkey bars had a staggered height that made it a little more challenging than the playground variety. You only got one chance at this obstacle as well so it was important to dry off your hands as much as possible.

Double Brick Raise – The concrete blocks from the Brick Drag make another appearance here tied to a long rope going through a high pulley. Men get two bricks, women get one and the goal is to pull the rope until the bricks reach the top and then slowly lower them back down. The first couple pulls are the hardest but it gets easier once you get some momentum. Some people where holding each other down as they pulled but my 165 lbs were enough to keep me on the ground.

Balance Beam – I underestimated the Balance Beam and it became the second obstacle I failed to complete. The beam was about 2 inches wide and took a zig zag path. Because the ground was so uneven, not every beam was stable and halfway across mine shifted under me. Since you only get one shot at this obstacle, that step meant 30 burpees for me. Taking a couple seconds to watch another runner cross the obstacle to make sure it is stable would have been a good investment.

Wall Boulder – Traversing the horizontal wall with small 2x4 pieces as handholds looks simple enough but it turns out bit of 2x4 aren’t that easy to grip toward the end of this challenging course. You are only given one chance at this obstacle as well so it’s important not to rush it or get overconfident. Be deliberate with each transition and use the angles of the holds to squeeze with your arms/chest instead of relying entirely on hand strength.

Fire Jump – Always a fan favorite, the fire jump is more for show than an actual challenge. The Spartan Race builds the fire in a U-shape so that the pictures from the sides are more dramatic.

Spartan Rush – The final obstacle as you reach the finish line are Spartans wielding pugil sticks. Some people asked for the Spartans to go easy on them and they would comply but it didn’t really seem like it was in the spirit of the race to ask for mercy. I was clipped by the first Spartan and stumbled a little but was hit solid by the second one. It basically felt like being hit with a pillow – definitely all bark no bite.

Overall Obstacle Difficulty Rating: 4/5

Hardest Obstacle

Time

Mud Rating: 3/5

Clean Up

Atmosphere