Youll Know at the Finish Line:

A Spartan Guide to The Sport of Obstacle Racing

Joe Desena and Andy Weinberg

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Spartan Race, Inc. www.spartanrace.com Pittsfield, VT USA Copyright 2012 by Joe Desena and Andy Weinberg All rights reserved, Including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Spartan Race and Youll Know at the Finish Line are trademarks of Spartan Race, Inc. Designed by Spartan Race, Inc. Produced by PNTHR.com ISBN-13: 978-0615675183 (Spartan Press) ISBN-10: 0615675182

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For Spartans and future Spartans everywhere We give special thanks to our families and friendsespecially our wives Courtney and Sloan and our children Jack, Jade, Charlie, Grace, and Catherinewho support and inspire our adventures and make the Spartan Life real.

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Table of Contents
Cover Foreword Preface WELCOME TO OBSTACLE RACING, THE ULTIMATE HUMAN SPORT THE SPARTAN BRAND OF OBSTACLE RACING JOIN THE OBSTACLE RACING COMMUNITY Timeline Chapter 1. Myths and Legends PRIMAL ELEMENTS: WATER AND LAND, MUD AND FIRE PRECURSOR EVENTS OBSTACLE AND CHALLENGE EVENTS: SKILL, ADVENTURE, AND MUD OBSTACLE RACING AS A FORMALIZED SPORT THE FOUNDING FEW FORGING A NEW SPARTAN LEGACY SPARTAN RACE LORE: IN THE BEGINNING SPARTAN WARRIOR: JASON JAKSETIC SPARTAN WARRIOR: KEVIN GILLOTTI Chapter 2. The Spartan Bible SPARTAN RACE PHILOSOPHY SPARTAN RACE ETHOS AND PURPOSE SPARTAN RACE ELEMENTS PITTSFIELD, VERMONT, OFFICIAL HOME TOWN OF THE SPARTAN NATION SPARTAN RACE LORE: THE BIRTH OF THE HURRICANE HEAT SPARTAN WARRIOR: JASON RITA SPARTAN WARRIOR: ROB SERRANO Chapter 3. The Five Elements of Total Fitness UNDERSTANDING AND MASTERING THE FIVE ELEMENTS OF PHYSICAL FITNESS

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PUT YOUR UNDERSTANDING INTO PRACTICE SPARTAN WARRIOR: BRETT BLANCHARD SPARTAN WARRIOR: 1LT. ELLIOTT MEGQUIER Chapter 4. The Sixth Element of Fitness: Mental Indomitability DEVELOPING AN UNBEATABLE MIND SPARTAN WARRIOR: ELLA KOCIUBA SPARTAN WARRIOR: ROSE MARIE JARRY Chapter 5. Train for a Spartan Sprint SETTING EXPECTATIONS: BASIC TRAINING REQUIREMENTS TRAIN TO FINISH THE SPRINT TRAIN TO COMPETE SPARTAN WARRIOR: CHRISTOPHER RUTZ SPARTAN WARRIOR: ANDI HARDY JORY Chapter 6. Train for a Spartan Super SETTING EXPECTATIONS: BASIC TRAINING REQUIREMENTS TRAIN TO FINISH THE SUPER TRAIN TO COMPETE SPARTAN WARRIOR: JASON BROWN, AKA JAY BE Chapter 7. Train for a Spartan Beast SETTING EXPECTATIONS: BASIC TRAINING REQUIREMENTS TRAIN TO FINISH THE BEAST TRAIN TO COMPETE SPARTAN WARRIOR: LISA DEMETRIOU SPARTAN WARRIOR: MARGARET SCHLACHTER Chapter 8. Train for a Spartan Ultra Beast SETTING EXPECTATIONS: BASIC TRAINING REQUIREMENTS TRAIN TO FINISH THE ULTRA BEAST TRAIN TO COMPETE SPARTAN WARRIORS: JEFF AND TAMMY GODIN

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SPARTAN WARRIOR: CHRIS MITCHELL Chapter 9. Train for Your Life WHAT IS A SPARTAN LIFE? YOUR SPARTAN LIFE TRANSFORMATION SPARTAN LIFE LORE: ADITYA SPARTAN WARRIOR: CHRIS DAVIS SPARTAN WARRIOR: ALEC BLENIS Chapter 10. Make the Future WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? ENTER A RACE! RINSE AND REPEAT THE FUTURE OF OBSTACLE RACING STARTS NOW SPARTAN RACE LORE: FIRST OLYMPIC OBSTACLE RACE SPARTAN WARRIOR: HOBIE CALL SPARTAN WARRIORS: JOHANNE AND LEYLA DI CORI Afterword Appendix A: Top Ten Tips for Conquering a Spartan Race and Reclaiming Your Life Appendix B: Notes on Training Guidelines in Chapters 5 through 7 EXERCISES REFERENCED THROUGHOUT CHAPTERS 5-7 EXERCISES REFERENCED UNDER AB 500 A FEW NOTES ON TARGET HEART RATE Appendix C: Fitness Testing Protocols 1.5-MILE RUN 1-REPETITION MAXIMUM (RM) BACK SQUAT PUSH-UP SIDE-PLANK ONE-MINUTE TIMED SIT-UP SIT AND REACH BODY COMPOSITION 40-YARD SPRINT VERTICAL JUMP STANDING LONG JUMP 300-YARD SHUTTLE RUN

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HEXAGON T-TEST Appendix D: Brett Blanchards Letter to Educators Appendix E: Spartan International Obstacle Race Rulebook INTRODUCTION MEMBERSHIP OR SINGLE-EVENT PASS REQUIREMENTS REGISTRATION AND QUALIFICATION COURSE RULES OBSTACLE RULES GENERAL CONDUCT REPORTING MEDICAL EVENTS THE RACE CATEGORIES Appendix F: A Few Parting Words from the Founding Few A FEW WORDS WITH MIKE MORRIS A FEW WORDS WITH NOEL HANNA A FEW WORDS WITH SELICA SEVIGNY AND RICHARD LEE A FEW WORDS WITH BRIAN DUNCANSON A FEW WORDS WITH SHAUN BAIN A FEW (MORE) WORDS WITH JOE DESENA AND ANDY WEINBERG

Foreword
When I was a boy, I lived in Greece, where my father served as a United States military officer. In school, I read about Ancient Greece, Sparta, and her warrior citizens, whose reverence for physical fitness and competition established an ideal admired throughout the country. I visited the battlefield with my family and saw the towering statue of King Leonidas. The experienceand the statueloomed large in my imagination long afterward. Later, as a teenager living in Denver I attended Thomas Jefferson High School, whose teams were named The Spartans. Those citizen athletes who had evoked boyhood awe were with me once again. Several years ago, when my friend Joe Desena explained to me the idea for the Spartan Race, I thought to myself, What a wonderful concept! But what will it look like, and how will they do it? I understood the idea but didnt quite comprehend the beauty and simplicity of their vision. Was it an endurance event, an obstacle course, a test of athletic ability, or all three? Joe and Andy had not yet fully formed their concept for the race itself, but their vision for the event was in sharp focus: it should be challenging, open to competitors of wide-ranging abilities, and great fun. And that is just how it turned out, as the stories in this book show us. The book itself and its remarkably short production schedule are a lot like the race and its participants. One doesnt always have to know the outcome to begin the journey. Such is the appeal of this book and its stories. Joe and Andy didnt know what the race would become, but they had the intuition and race experience to know that the participants would define it for them. They had to start somewhere, so they launched the race in Vermont in 2009. And what a glorious mess it was! Chaos and confusion reigned, but the competitors found their way to the finish line. Whether first or last, each racer wore a broad smile, and each had had a sense of achievement. Joe and Andy

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approached this book in much the same way with an intuitive understanding that the idea was right and that the details would come together as the participants showed up. It was similarly chaotic and rushed, but once again the result is joyous and inclusive. I enjoyed all of the stories, so Ill add one of my own. Not too long ago on a cross-county flight, I was seated next to a woman in her mid-thirties. We talked about a few superficial things, and then she mentioned that she was headed to a race: The Spartan Race. I said that I knew one of the founders, and she asked me to tell him that the race changed her life. She explained that her life had been mostly sedentary and that she was a non-athlete but yearning for a new challengeone that would start her off in a new direction.

David filming on Mount Everest, 24,800 feet, 2004 (Photo credit: Robert Schauer)

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She had heard of Spartan Race from a friend, and she signed up as a firsttimer. She had no real expectations and was full of trepidation and fear. What will it be like? How will I fare? she thought at first. Yet she took a leap of faith, accepted the challenge, and got to the finish line well behind all but a few. It didnt matter, she said, where I stood on the clock, but only that I got to the finish line at all. She talked about her new race friends and the excitement and nervous anticipation before each new competition. And then, beaming, she said, Im a different, more confident person nowand happier, too. When we were young, we loved to climb, run, jump and swing: to play. Its part of who we are, yet its often absent from our adult lives. We have evolved to expect, and to endure, a little physical hardship every now and then, but its often absent from our lives. But the fact is that we feel and act much better when we push ourselvesand play a little too. So yes, lets get off the couch and race. The rewards are tremendous and the confidence gained priceless. You will find new friends and let loose the innate skills, stamina and abilities that we are born with, but rarely exploit to their fullest potential. For me, the Ancient Spartans used physical training and competition not only to win wars, but also to build strong bonds among citizens in a healthy, prosperous and productive society. Get off the couch and run a Spartan Race. Enjoy the challenges, the fun, and the fruits of your labors. But most importantly, treasure the camaraderie and mutual respect brought forth by friendly competition, whether you finish first or last.

David Breashears

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Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, best-selling author, explorer, mountaineer, speaker, and Founder and Executive Director of nonprofit foundation GlacierWorks1. London June 2012
1 See http://www.glacierworks.org/

Preface
Quick: what do Ancient Sparta, adventure races, and Pittsfield, Vermont have in common? Answer: the two of us, and nearly two million other people (and counting). But more importantly, you. Headquartered in Pittsfield, Vermont, we created Spartan Race obstacle course events to bring the Spartan ideal and the thrill of adventure racing to millions of peopleyourself included. If you have already caught the obstacle racing bug, you will find that this book offers some great reinforcement from your fellow competitors, as well as tips to improve your performance in obstacle racing as well as in any other endeavor you undertake. If you are new to obstacle racing, you will find this book has a transparent and straightforward agenda: to convince you that obstacle racing is the sport for you.

WELCOME TO OBSTACLE RACING, THE ULTIMATE HUMAN SPORT

We are hell-bent on getting you into obstacle racing for one simple reason: the human animal is meant to run, jump, climb, hike, get dirty, and live in the wild. All people share these innate skills, and every human animal is capable of experiencing the thrill of unleashing long-dormant instincts.

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Remember when you were a kidwhen you would not only walk toward a puddle, but stomp right in the middle of it, making as big a splash as you could? Kids who arent yet brainwashed by electronic media go outside to play, explore, and get dirty. They squat down to dig in the sand with impeccable flexibility and balance. They climb and swing and tumble for the sheer joy of their own movement. When was the last time you went through the mud instead of around it, were overcome with exhilaration at your own power, or felt giddy just by being alive? Obstacle racing will provide that thrill. If you have never entered a race, you will catch the competitive desire to excel as soon as you pin on your bib number and take your place at the start. If you are an experienced athlete, you will encounter new challenges that stretch your body and mind. No matter who you are, every step will bring you a completely new sense of accomplishment, satisfaction, and pride. More than 500,000 people will complete obstacle races in 2012, and many who complete their first race will immediately sign up for a second. What are you waiting for?

THE SPARTAN BRAND1 OF OBSTACLE RACING

Grueling, competitive, and fun, Spartan-sanctioned obstacle races are for everyone. Our goal is to make obstacle racing an internationally governed sport that involves competitors of all ages and abilitiesprimary school, high school varsity, university/NCAA, adult recreation, elites, and professionals alike. Spartan Races are timed competitions over standardized distances and feature natural and man-made obstacles specifically designed to test mind-body

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fitness. Every race at every distance will have you climbing, lifting, crawling, rolling, carrying, running, swimming, balancing, throwing, and jumping, and all Spartan Race courses are deliberately designed to leave you exhausted and exhilarated. Short-distance obstacle courses present challenges that anyone can overcome with sufficient determination. You are guaranteed to cross the finish line with a little bit of mud, a lot of sweat, and a keen sense of selfa renewed awareness of what you can accomplish. For those who prefer longer competitions, we have your distance at anywhere from eight miles to a full marathon. At every distance, obstacle races offer the perfect opportunity to identify your strengths and weaknesses, build your resilience, and remind you of that euphoric mind-body synergy that made you never want to quit playing when you were a kid. At every distance and in every category, the majority of those who trudge through and cross the finish line describe their experience as the toughest thing they have ever done, but they cant wait to come back for more. Thank you, may I have another. And for many competitors, Spartan Races are lifechanging. Spartan-sanctioned obstacle racing is rapidly becoming the most demanding, accessible, and addictive individual and team sport in the world. Its for everyone. Its for you. Come on out and find your inner Spartan.

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JOIN THE OBSTACLE RACING COMMUNITY

Whether you are an accomplished athlete or a first-time competitor, now is the time to become an obstacle racer. If you are wondering whether you can wear the medal of a Spartan Race finisher, the answer is an emphatic Yes! This book can guide you to satisfy your personal goals, whether to get to the finish line or take your performance to the next level. A single question remains: do you have it in you to be a Spartan Race winner? Thats a question only you can answer, and theres only one way to find out. See you at the finish line Joe Desena, Founder/CEO, and Andy Weinberg, Founder/Instigator Pittsfield, Vermont July 2012

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Joe and Andy training in Pittsfield, 2008

1 Please bear with us for a brief word from our lawyers: Spartan Race, Spartan Sprint,

Spartan Ultra, Spartan Beast, Spartan Ultra Beast, Death Race, and Youll Know at the Finish Line are all registered trademarks of Spartan Race, Inc. Associated terms such as Founding Few, Spartan HQ, Spartan obstacle race, Spartan Racing, Spartan Racer, Spartan Warrior, Spartan Tribe, Spartan Kids, Spartan Code, Spartan Life or Lifestyle, Spartan Race Lore, Spartan Legend, and Workout of the Day (WOD) are all trademarks of Spartan Race, Inc. All rights reserved. Thanks. Now back to the action. Aroo!

Chapter 1. Myths and Legends

PRIMAL ELEMENTS: WATER AND LAND, MUD AND FIRE

Andy Weinberg: In the 1990s and early 2000s, Joe Desena racked up a preposterous number of adventure race and extreme endurance finishes. But he wasnt satisfied. Nearly all of the events he had entered required expensive, specialized equipment (not to mention hefty outlays for training, travel, entry, and support). Joe wanted to recreate the physical and mental crisis he experienced in those races, but in a smaller, more accessible format that only required the entrants to show up. The event would be designed to bring athletes to a breaking point within a few hours. Joe Desena: Actually, it was a specific race that convinced me that more people should have the opportunity to benefit from the adventure race experience. The idea struck me when I was on the return flight from the 9th Eco Challenge in Fiji, 32 pounds lighter than I had been when I left, recovering from Giardia, and craving nothing except my fiance and a Guinness. After 10 days of mind-fraying exertion, sleep deprivation, cold, wet, and bodily danger, our team had crossed the finish line exhausted but elated. Only 21 out of the 81 teams finished, so even completing the Challenge felt like victory. In all the triumphs and mistakes and physical hardships and camaraderie of those 10 days, what I remember most clearly is the realization that the human body and mind can endure so much more than we ever thought possible. The second insight was that during the race I didnt really miss any of the comforts back homeI really only wanted food, water, and shelter. Getting back to basics was refreshing, liberating, and empowering. The last takeaway was that the Fijian people we encountered during the race were happy, healthy, strong, self-sufficient, and generous, living rich lives without any of

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the things we are told we need every day: cars, plastic, toysnone of it. These object lessons changed my life. I thought I would write or speak about my adventure racing experience to share it with other people, but my friend and fellow adventure racer Andy Weinberg relentlessly pushed me to start a new event that would give them their own direct experience instead. So it happened that in 2004, at Andys instigation, we co-founded Death Race.1 We conceived Death Race as an untimed, unstructured, standalone event designed to eliminate 80% of the starting field. The challenges included rugged natural terrain and exposure to the elements, as well as artificial obstacles and mental puzzles. It was grueling in the extreme, but a far cry from a sport. Andy: Death Race is definitely the extreme. I guess you could call it a lot of things. Some people call it adventure racing, but its really something more primal than that. We wanted to push people mentally, physically, emotionally. Its incredible to see the people who show up for the event, willing to step out of their comfort zone, willing to suffer. The shortest Death Race has been 24 hours, and it has gone to 70 hours in some years. The Death Race is completely unique because it is totally different each year and even changes during the event. We try to make it as unpredictable as possible so that the competitors have no idea what to expect. We intentionally limit the field to a manageable number of competitorstypically a few hundredand we expect only 20% to finish. Its really not for everybody. Inspired by the overwhelming response to the Death Race, Joe set out to create a race that used some of the same elements but could be standardized and developed into an accessible sport. Joe: The Founding Few designed the new event to be an organized, regulated, and timed obstacle race that would draw both first-time athletes as well as serious competitors. So we created Spartan Race, a footrace through natural and man-made obstacles designed to test the competitors physical and

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mental fitness. It was compressed into a short coursethe first race was 5 km (3 miles) longthat incorporated dry land, water features, mud, and even fire. No special equipment was required, only a determination to cross the finish line. We held the first Spartan Race event in 2009 in Burlington, Vermont. By the end of 2011, Spartan Races had drawn more than a quarter-million entrants, including elite, professional, and amateur athletes, and the sport of obstacle racing had found a devoted and growing community.

PRECURSOR EVENTS
Joe: Obstacle racing didnt just appear out of nowhere, and Andy and I didnt come up with Spartan Race purely from our own individual adventure racing experiences. We are a competitive species. I firmly believe that humans have participated in contests of various kinds, and celebrated feats of prowess, for as long as we have existed, but the record of competition seems to go at least as far back as we have had languagemaybe further than that, if you believe cave drawings are accounts of great achievements of skill and stamina. At a bare minimum, obstacle racings roots span back through Western history. Andy: Egyptian hieroglyphs depict athletes engaging in all kids of sports,2 but the first truly interdisciplinary sporting event originated in ancient Greece. In the Olympic Games, the pentathlon combined wrestling, javelinthrowing, discus-throwing, a long jump, and a short footrace called a stadion. Like obstacle races, these ancient precursors were designed to test the competitors martial capacitytheir strength, speed, endurance, and skillalthough they didnt incorporate physical obstacles.3 Modern tri-sport events, forerunners of the triathlon, came into existence in France around the turn of the 20th Century. In 1902, a competition in Val-de-

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Marne called Les sportmen de lpoque featured running, biking, and canoeing to celebrate Les Trois Sports (The Three Sports). The length of the race was probably similar to a race held in 1920 in the same place: a 4-kilometer run, a 12-kilometer bike ride, and a quick few-meter swim across the Marne Riverthe first instance of a modern triathlon! Another competition with the same activities occurred one year later in Bouches-Du-Rhone,4 but these and other multi-sport events were relatively uncommon until the fitness revolution of the 1970s. In 1974, a group of Californian runners organized an informal, local event called the Mission Bay Triathlon.5 Four years later, a few naval officers in a bar in Oahu, Hawaii wanted to settle once and for all which of them was the most physically fit, so they conceived a similar event that involved biking, running, and swimming over longer distances. The new challenge combined a 2.4-mile open swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile (marathon-distance) run140.6 miles in all. Fifteen athletes competed, but only twelve finished.6 The officers named their creation the Ironman triathlon, and the name stuck. In 1979, after the second triathlon, Sports Illustrated published an article that brought national attention to the event. In 1982, the Ironman triathlon exploded in popularity after competitor Julie Moss collapsed and crawled to the finish line. Her dramatic finish captured the imagination of athletes worldwide, doubled the number of competitors for the next year, and drew twelve million television viewers the next year. Sports Illustrated featured a second article in 1983 praising the gall of triathletes; One must be bold indeed, the article read, to even try the triathlons killer mix of swimming, cycling, and running.7 This and other media coverage fed the competitions fastgrowing popularity.8 That same year, Canadian Sylvianne Puntous became the first non-American to win an Ironman, and Vaclav Vitovec of Czechoslovakia won the race a year later. Within five years of its founding, the Ironman triathlon was unequivocally an international event. Unfortunately, money became an issue for many would-be competitors; the

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combined cost of a week in Hawaii, the gear, and the humongous amounts of food needed to sustain the athletes typically amounted to thousands or tens of thousands of dollars. One article drily noted, The Ironman slowly became a sport for the rich, a status symbol for business executives and athletes in other disciplines.9 Whether elite or killer, by 2004 the Ironman competition involved 1500 athletes from more than 78 countries. Even with the triathlons steep rise in international participation, it took more than two decades for it to become an official Olympic sport. The coaching work of Cyle Sage finally brought the competition to the attention of the US Olympic Committee in 1999,10 and the triathlon became a full-medal event in the Summer Olympics of 2000 in Sydney, Australia.11 Swiss Brigitte McMahon won the first womens competition, and Canadian Simon Whitfield won the mens.12 Still, the Ironman triathlon tended to impress the public by its reputation of attracting maniacs and masochists13or, as we might say, people who thrive on a structured challenge.

OBSTACLE AND CHALLENGE EVENTS: SKILL, ADVENTURE, AND MUD

Andy: Like triathlons, obstacle course races are essentially a recent phenomenon with ancient antecedents. The Ancient Greeks used obstacle courses in the eighth century BCE to train soldiers for combat, and more recent military training and paramilitary training programs have also used obstacle courses to prepare and qualify personnel for active duty.

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1881 Fleet Athletic Sports Malta Obstacle Race Manitoba, from The Illustrated London News, circa 1850-1899

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Military training using an obstacle course, circa 191714

The steeplechase, one of the first purely competitive obstacle races, originated in the British Isles. Participants raced from the steeple (of a church building) of one town to the steeple of the next town, covering whatever distance separated the two and clearing whatever natural obstacles lay in their path. Oxford University adapted this informal race to a more structured competition in 1860, and a flat field and artificial barriers replaced the original cross-country terrain five years later. This became the modern Olympic steeplechase.15 Over the past fifty years or so, all kinds of challenge competitions have gained widespread popularity. These competitions range from serious tests of professional mastery (like lumberjack16 and firefighter competitions17 or heritage celebrations such as the Highland Games18) to quirkier events (such as cheese rolling19 and wife-carrying races20). All of these competitions demonstrate our innate human desire to compete, to prove ourselves, and to excel in feats of strength and skill.

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On a much larger scale, multi-discipline, long-distance endurance challenges called adventure races21 appeared in the late 1960s. In 1968, the first Karrimor International Mountain Marathon required participants to run through mountains for two days while carrying their own food and supplies. Beginning in the 1980s, New Zealands Coast-to-Coast22 featured cross-county running, cycling, and kayaking, and Australias WildTrek (later Winter Classic)23 incorporated skiing, mountaineering, and whitewater paddling. Similar events like the Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic (1982)24 and the Raid World Championship (2004)25 involve long stretches of wilderness and mountain running, caving, and snowshoeing. And of course theres the EcoChallenge Adventure Race,26 27 which became an award-winning televised event, airing in theUnited States between 1995 and 2002. These and other adventure races tend to be multiple-day events, covering tens or hundreds of miles, held in far-flung locales, and requiring highly specialized gear and technical equipment.28 Where adventure races tend to take advantage of an existing environment, Sasuke (1999),29 a televised Japanese endurance challenge, confounds competitors with metal bars, rolling logs, and other synthetic props.30 Finally, mud racing (not to be confused with an off-road motorsport popular in Canada and the southern States) is also a recent phenomenon in its own right. Until very recently, people ran through mud only out of necessity; even the original Olympic Games took place on clean tracks in specially constructed stadia.31 By contrast, recreational events such as Muddy Buddy and Warrior Dash (both started in 1999) and Tough Mudder (started in 2010) are founded on mud, so to speak. They feature predominantly artificial obstacles32 to instill in participants a sense of rough-and-tumble pride and camaraderie, with or without an actual competition. Some people think that this newfound love of mud may be a symptom of our rebellion against the sanitization of contemporary Western life. Maybe so, but we see it as a source of

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added challenge: water is harder to cross than dry land, and in the right mixture, mud can be harder still. Each has its place.

OBSTACLE RACING AS A FORMALIZED SPORT

Andy: Although obstacle races are often associated with the United States, races like Sasuke demonstrate that their popularity already extends worldwide. Wherever theyre held, we believe the best obstacle races feature four key attributes: 1. 2. 3. a variety of obstacles and course elements strategically designed to test a wide range of athletic skills; clear and well-documented rules (to support consistent and fair officiating) standardized distances and difficulty levels (to enable objective thirdparty record-keeping and competitor rankings across events and seasons) the element of time (to provide transparent and objective race results)

4.

We believe these are the minimum requirements for obstacle racing to become a legitimate sport, and we wrote the Spartan Race International Obstacle Racing Rulebook (Spartan Race IOR Rules)33 to codify them for Spartan-sanctioned races.

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We encourage other groups to organize and host obstacle races following Spartan Race IOR Rules, and eventually to form an independent governing body.

THE FOUNDING FEW

Joe: Legend is already forming around the Founding Few: eight athletes and adventure racers who contributed in various ways to the definition of the sport of obstacle racing through their participation in Spartan Racing and other extreme challenge events. Each of the Founding Few has his or her own narrative of the origin, but the basic history goes like this. After he succeeded in the extreme challenge of convincing me to launch the Death Race, Andy Weinberg biked the 1200 miles from Peoria, Illinois to Pittsfield, Vermont in seven days to teach and direct races here full time. The insanely competitive swimmer, triathlete, ultramarathoner, and triple-Ironman finisher has a consuming passion for keeping serious athletes from getting soft and for inspiring non-athletes to get fit and challenge themselves in ways they never even thought possible. After Andy forced me to start Spartan Race, we looked around for people to help us execute the idea. Andy: The Founding Few are eight people who came together over the course of the late 1990s and early 2000s and bonded over their love of adventure and competition. Each has made a unique contribution to shaping Spartan Races and the future of obstacle racing. By 2009, Joe Desena had built and sold two businesses and was well into his third. He had also earned a reputation as a hardcore competitor among the most elite adventure and extreme endurance athletes. Joe shaped the spirit of Spartan Races based on his experiences in maniacal physical exertion (such as completing the Vermont 100, the Lake Placid Ironman, and the Badwater Ultra all in a single week).

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Mike Morris selects sites and designs courses for Spartan Races, applying his experience as a champion adventure racer. Mike has competed in adventure races in Vermont, Florida, Missouri, California, New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Canada, Georgia, and Costa Rica and has raced three times in the yearly United States Adventure Racing Championships. Selica Sevigny and Richard Lee met the other Founding Few when they came off the Appalachian Trail to compete in the 2009 Death Race. Richard is a retired Royal Marine with several Ironman and marathon finishes to his credit, but Selica was new to endurance racing. In the Death Race, Richard finished first and Selica developed hypothermia, but despite their divergent results they were both enthralled by the experience. They returned to do the 2009 Winter Death Race, and this time Selica finished third. She realized she could do ANYTHING she set her mind to and wanted the rest of the world to feel this sense of accomplishment at least once in their lives. Richard broke his foot the next day, so the pair stayed in Pittsfield to recuperate and help shape the first Spartan Race. They subsequently became Spartan Race Directors of their respective home regions: the UK, and Quebec & Eastern Canada. Spartan Race, Inc. CEO Brian Duncanson brought his perspective from both sides of adventure racing. A career athletic event organizer, he had a love and professional appreciation of the keys to creating great events; an accomplished adventure racer, he had a passion for surmounting physical and mental obstacles, particularly in teams. This experience allows him to make sure that Spartan Race courses remain unique and totally mysterious yet function effectively as well-regulated sporting events worthy of top competitors. In 1997, Irish police officer and anti-terrorism specialist Noel Hanna entered the Himalayan 100-mile stage race as his first multi-day running race. He won. The lifelong athlete left law enforcement in 2002 to become a full-time climber, endurance and adventure-racer. He can boast new finishes, summits, world records, and unique achievements34 every year and helps to define the

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Death Race and advise Spartan Race course designs even from the mountaintops. Shaun Bains signature quote is, Working harder, living fuller, and loving stronger. Shaun started competing seriously in adventure races in his 20s, while getting his Psychology degree at University. He has a long roster of summits and victories to his credit, including completing the Fiji EcoChallenge (with Joe as a teammate) and winning the USARA Adventure Racing National Championship in 2005 and 2007. Shaun ensures that Spartan Races challenge racers in ways they cant expect or plan for, making the competition both mentally and physically challenging.

FORGING A NEW SPARTAN LEGACY

Joe: The Spartan obstacle race concept sprang from our desire to extend the exhaustion and exhilaration of extreme, adventure, and endurance racing to a million people who would never attempt many of the events the Founding Few had conquered. The initial concept was hazy at best but quickly found its expression as a reinterpretation of the ancient Spartan ideal. And this ideal extended beyond the race to profoundly reshape race participants lives. Everyone in the Founding Few had a hand in developing the first obstacles and concepts for what a Spartan Race should include. Richard, Selica, and Brianwith the help of the other founderscontributed mightily to launch the first events. Ultimately the entire race design was really determined by whether or not a given obstacle or challenge was something a human should know how to do, should be proficient at, and/or has been doing in some form for 10,000 years. In short, everything on the course should be functional. We determined the Sprint distance based on what people in today's society are able to complete cold off the couch: anyone should be able to jump off the couch and complete 3-4 miles. The Super would be challenging but still

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accessible to reasonably fit first-time competitors and to athletes accomplished in other sports. The Beast and Ultra Beast distances were set to break even the most hardened athlete. The first events were experiments designed to cultivate the nascent sport. They were part adventure race, part Spartan battle, part spectacle. The first field of entrants was a motley crew, a mix of athletes and friends. People were afraid at first, and overcoming that fear took some selling on our part. But it took hold really quickly. Andy: Brian Duncanson tells the story this way: Where did the idea for the Spartan brand come from? Before he even brought the rest of us in, Joe was already committed to the race concept and the lifestyle it would inspire. We brainstormed brand names during the first planning meeting, and I had just finished a "300 Workout" challenge with some friendsapparently this was the workout used to train the actors for the movie 300.35 We weren't sure at first, as Spartan seemed like it could be a gimmick, but as we talked through the mission of the company and realized that we wanted to encourage people to get off their couches while providing a challenge to everyone who entered, we realized that Spartan gave us a strong, resonant theme and lifestyle foundation that we could leverage in our outreach. (And the domain name was available!) The more the team pursued the Spartan theme, the more it appealed to us.

THE ANCIENT SPARTAN IDEAL

Andy: The life of every Spartan citizen was entirely devoted to the State. The emphasis on physical fitness in Sparta derived in part from military necessity: approximately one in sixteen members of Spartan society was a free citizen called a Spartiate; the rest were Laconians whom the first Spartans subdued and enslaved. One historian wrote, To maintain a ruling class out of such a disproportionate relationship meant that the citizen of Spartamust of necessity have made himself so hard and fine a soldier that his efficiency

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outweighed the balance. Each Spartiate trained for the strength, endurance, and agility of fifteen ordinary men. Neighboring Greeks respected the Spartans physical dominance: it would certainly not be easy for anyone to find men healthier or more physically adept than the Spartiates, since they exercise their legs, arms, and neck equally.37 The need for a strong military led Lycurgus, a notable Spartan legislator, to develop institutions that promoted both the physical fitness and moral character of the Spartiates. These institutions formed the foundation of the lifestyle whose legacy inspires the modern English usage of the word Spartan, often associated with minimalistic interior design but also conveying audacity, rigorous self-restraint, and austerity. Lycurgus instituted fixed rations, which ensured that no Spartan ate too much or too little, as well as communal meals, which both discouraged drunkenness and ensured that everyone was living on an equal diet.38 Military training occupied the whole of a mans life. Children became conditioned toward resilience and obedience at a very early age. Parents taught children to refrain from crying and to endure solitude. At age seven, every male Spartiate began his agoge, or training.39 Lycurgus discouraged the use of shoes to toughen childrens feet and reduced boys rations so that they would learn to stealonly unsuccessful stealing was punished. The nave might compare the agoge to Boy Scouts, but training in Sparta was involuntary and very harsh, its goal being to turn boys into military heroes. All aspects of Spartan training served to toughen the body and to instill a spirit of obedience, endurance, bravery, and cunning, with the ultimate purpose of creating an unconquerable state. When asked why Sparta had no walls to protect it, the Spartan king Agesilaus pointed to his armed citizens and said, These are the Spartans walls.40

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WITH SOME CRITICAL ADAPTATIONS

Andy: The ancient Spartan ideal served its era spectacularly well and resonated strongly as a historical reference with the Founding Few, but it has obvious disconnects with both modern values and the goals of Spartan Race, Inc. Joe: So, like resourceful Spartans, we adapted. First, we decided that Spartan Races would be purely athletic events; would expressly include men, women, and children; would inspire as many people as possible to compete; and definitely would under no circumstances condone slavery, child neglect, or theft. Second, Spartan Races would incorporate natural and man-made obstacles designed to test the physical and mental capacity of every competitor. They would also be timed. Spartan obstacle race elements would be standardized so that courses could be rated and competitors times compared across events; at the same time, each Spartan obstacle race event would be designed to be unique to surprise and challenge competitors and keep them from becoming bored or complacent from predictability. Third, Spartan Races would employ objective timing and third-party recordtracking to ensure unbiased, complete, and accurate competitor standings.41 Fourth, Spartan Race would define the template for an internationally sanctioned and governed sportobstacle racingwhich would in the future overtake triathlons in popularity among serious athletes and engage a million people who had never competed in any athletic event before. Finally, Spartan Race, Inc. would absolutely commit to the cultivation of an international, intergenerational breed of athlete capable of the strength, endurance, and agility of fifteen ordinary people. Aroo!

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SPARTAN RACE LORE: IN THE BEGINNING

Andy: The first Spartan Race was in Burlington, Vermont in May 2010, and had something like 800-1000 people. We promoted it around the area by going to meetings in bars, and Joe told other local people about it. Everyone was really confused. You mean like a triathlon? No, not really. Even though no one knew exactly what to expect, some college students got really excited and plastered posters all over the place to bring people in. On race day, most of the people who entered still didnt know what they had signed up for, including the accomplished athletes. Every other race you go to, you know exactly what to expect: a marathon is a marathon, no matter what. This time, it was a completely new experience for everyone. And everyone loved it. After that first race, it really took off. The whole thing just skyrocketed. In the remainder of 2010, we had five more events across the United States and one in Montreal, Canada, and each one saw more entrants than the one before. Some of the endurance races we (the Founding Few) participate in ourselves are way too extreme for most people, but obstacle racing is accessible for everyone. And with each race it gets more popular.

SPARTAN WARRIOR: JASON JAKSETIC

Andy: In each chapter that follows, you will hear the voice of at least one Spartan Warriora person who embodies the Spartan Ideal in some way. Most of the introductions will come from me, but in this instance, Jason

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Rita has offered an introduction thats much better than I could have delivered. Jason Rita: Jason J once wrote in his blog Heavy into Overwhelming,43 If you want to excel as an athlete, embrace your inner scientist. If you want to excel as scientist, embrace your inner philosopher. If you want to excel as a philosopher, embrace your inner athlete. Jason J has an excess of courage like dogs have an excess of loyalty. He has the courage to succeed mightily and fail epically, to live in a barn through multiple Vermont winters out of devotion to his training, to race double- and triple-Ironmans, to push his body to the brink of collapse in 100-mile snowshoe races, to attempt both winter and summer Death Races, to be a philosopher, to search for answers, and to examine his beliefs and choices, his strengths and weaknesses, his virtues and flawsin public and with unflinching honesty. Spartan refers historically to the Spartan warriors, but it has broader meaning: Rigorously self-disciplined or self-restrained. Simple, frugal, or austere. Courageous in the face of pain, danger, or adversity. Jason J lives as a modern Spartan, applying his alert, informed intelligence, pushing his body through uncharted endurance challenges, testing himself through training and competition, continually and critically examining, questioning, and seeking understanding and self-knowledge, and engaging in all of these as primary expressions of the Spartan Code. Jason J: In November of 2010, I came to possess a passport that wasnt mine. Some guy named Joseph Desena had dropped it on the ground while getting off a flight from ATL to JFK. I had lost my passport on that flight, tooI was searching for mine in the airport terminal. A stewardess went back aboard the plane for me (because security measures prevented my reboarding), and handed me what we both assumed was my ID. I stuck it unthinkingly into my pocket and left the airport. Neither I nor the stewardess thought to actually open and read itfor what were the chances that it

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wasnt mine, that some other absentminded American traveler had dropped his most vital travel documents at the same place and time as I had? I was returning from the remote bush of Swaziland, where I had been living temporarily, mostly in response to having sustained a season-ending injury that derailed my plans to be an elite triathlete. I hadnt taken it well and needed some space to rebalance my perspective and reevaluate my priorities. Inhabiting a squat hut with a concrete floor and drawing all your water from a pump-action well (then carting it home in a wobbling wheelbarrow) helps one develop a sense of what is important. In a village where 20 kids shared 3 rusty mountain bikes to travel the 9 miles of trails to school every day, there was no place for my carbon fiber, custom-fit racing machine that was engineered only to be ridden on the most pristine stretches of swept asphalt. It was a reality check. I had supported myself in my early to mid-twenties as a touring rock bass player and private guitar teacher, all the while spending every spare second training for ultra-endurance events. I was all over the map, so to speak. For me, life was never about what youre supposed to do. It was a matter of peak performance, pursuing excellence in the endeavors that interested me. Now, back in New Jersey, with the African dust from my clothes rapidly being scattered into an atmosphere of Starbucks and The Snuggie, designer jeans and The Shake Weight, I was looking at American life with fresh eyes. I had a clearer understanding of the difference between human wants and needs. I was ready for a change in the way I went about living. What did this actually mean in any practical sense? I hadnt a clue, but returning Joes passport turned out to be a good place to start. As my first step to track down Joe, of course I turned to Google. Immediately, I was confronted with online race results pages for endurance events I was well acquainted with. Apparently, Joe and I had raced many of the same events, and in one case, the same race. I was impressed with his race rsum, which extended much farther than mine. Simply, he did extreme shit. I

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respected that tremendously. In the endurance racing world, if you are wise, you respect and honor people who have certain notches in their racing belt. Joe is one of those guys who can hang out in a world of hurt that, as an athlete, you may only visit once or twice in your career. The coincidence of finding his passport was hard to believe. I decided that I would go meet him if I got the chance. Finding a news article mentioning Joe and the Pittsfield General store, I got a phone number to call and eventually landed his email. I arranged to return his passport to his Madison Avenue office, and Joe invited me for a weekend in Pittsfield, Vermont. There, in the small river valley town I now call my home, Joe told me about a totally different kind of sport that he thought was going to take off: Spartan Race. (Then he told me Id be sleeping in the barn that night.) At this point in time there was no such sport as obstacle racing. There was just Spartan Race, Tough Mudder, and Warrior Dash. I didnt know anything about the three event models, save one thing: I saw myself as probably the least likely guy to be interested in some fringe sport than involved mud and fire. It just didnt make much sense to me. I was a racer. I was hardcore into being as fast and as tough as possible. Id geek out building bikes, worrying about saving grams in weight. I was into VO2 max testing, speed workouts, neuromuscular recruitment, sport-specific technique, not some tough guy event more focused on beer than personal best. Joe broke down for me how Spartan Race was a race, a timed and objectively officiated format for athletes to excel while also introducing new athletes and non-racers to fitness, thus providing them a vehicle for personal evolution much in the same way triathlon had done for me. A Spartan obstacle race was all in one. It could be fun, a team activity. But it could also be a serious competition for great racers to demonstrate and test their athleticism. Spartan Race seemed like it was speaking my language. I had lived my life with a no-boundaries attitude that had taken me around the world, and I

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believed in the power that comes from integrating sport, art, and personal philosophy. The integrity Spartan Race, Inc. brought to the table sold me on taking part in building a revolution in racing. I wanted to bring my racers perspective to this new kind of activity, which I saw had all the makings of a great sport. I packed up everything I owned into my car and drove to Vermont. There I was introduced to a whole new world of rural living that none of my travels had prepared me for. In Pittsfield, living in a barn where I was expected to do farm chores, I went into long weeks of computer marketing while buried in deep Vermont snows. I was the first real staff at Spartan HQ. (And if memory serves, I might have even coined the phrase Spartan HQ in a social media or blog post.) Despite the isolation, or maybe because of it, my love for obstacle racing deepened quickly in response to its attitude, its spirit, and its community. When I started writing the Workouts of the Day (WODs), I was speaking to a few thousand scattered people across the country. I'm now writing workouts with motivational commentary seen by 1.7 million Facebook fans and read by 135,000 fitness-minded subscribers daily. It's hard to believe, really. It blows my mind that so many people come together each day through Spartan Race to share in health and wellness, as well as the other ideals Spartan Race has come to encompass. For the Spartan Race community, obstacle racing is not a once or twice a year activity, it's a daily conversation for Spartans worldwide.

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Jason doing burpees, 2012 (Photo credit: Steve Wollkind)

The other side of being at Spartan HQ is that, when you turn off your computer, you leave normality behind. I became known as the Barn Beast, drawing comparisons with Rocky IV, where the boxer trained in the Siberian wilderness using only the most primitive means. I dragged tires and logs up mountains. I chopped wood. I grew a beard, from which I often had to break icicles during long training days. You get the picture. As one notable example, on February 1st, 2011 I got on snowshoes for the first time. On March 6th, I snowshoed 100 miles and was escorted delirious and tattered to the finish line by Joe himself. This was the embodiment of the Spartan spirit. There was a no-limits attitude to everything Joe and other Spartans did, and this was made manifest in the daily intensity we put into building a sport where there was no preconceived limit.

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Lots of people ask, Why do a Spartan Race? There is no quick answer, or at least not one that is easily encapsulated in a simple sentence. I have to say it is the philosopher in me (I spent all of college locked in the library formally studying the subject) that continues to be drawn to obstacle racing as a sport. To me, all philosophies and even mysticisms point to great moments of immense wonder and of nowness, to worlds beyond words reachable only through the scaffolding of adventure. In the middle of a race, in the thick of things, when your mind and body start to unravel around you, there is a revelatory wonder and sense of now that goes beyond what we can rationally express. And thus the irrational act of racing through mud and fire becomes rationalan insane behavior transforms itself into a very sane demonstration of human will. Spartan Race orchestrates for its racers the sense of wonder that is found in a kind of self-reliance that we seldom need in this society, where we have far more than we could ever use. Spartan Race forces you to awaken your senses, and it is through the acuity of our senses that we feel human. This is what we mean when we say, Youll Know at the Finish Line.

SPARTAN WARRIOR: KEVIN GILLOTTI

Andy: Kevin Gillotti is known for routinely occupying the podium, winning five first-place finishes in the first half of 2012 alone. He has been keeping a heavy multi-sport race schedule for nearly two decades, with top finishes in run/bike duathlons as well as triathlons, half and full marathons, mud runs, and other events. In 2001, Kevin had just returned home from a world championship competition in Europe when he was out for a light training ride on his road bike. Struck from behind by a moving van, he was thrown 65 feet and narrowly survived multiple catastrophic injuries including thoracic spine fractures. After a year of rehab, he was back to elite-level competitionand he has stayed at that elite level ever since.

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Kevin: By the time I put my foot on the starting line of my first Spartan Racethe 2011 SoCal Super SpartanI had entered all kinds of well-known obstacle course events, and even won a few. I had done mud runs of many flavors, trail runs of varying distances and elevation gains, obstacle course races, and boot camp challenges. So, to me, it was just another fun way to spend a morning racing with buddies and doing an obstacle course pretty much like all the others I had done before. All of them claimed to be the one that was really the one to rise above anything else I had ever done in that racing genre. Yeah, okay, been there and heard that before. When race day came, I woke up and saw the weather we had in store, and I remember thinking it was already feeling like a different kind of race day. In Southern California we had been having a rare spat of cold and heavy rains off and on for days. The venue was about an hour inland from me with a slight elevation gain, which resulted in snow-dusted peaks above and hammering rains below. The rough weather seemed to be in sync with the vibe of this new race. When we pulled up to the venue, my best buddy Jonwho went on to take second behind Hobie that dayand I got our first look at a few of the obstacles visible from the starting area. Having done many races before and almost all of them together, we looked at each other and both knew instantly that this, in fact, was not like any mud run or trail race or obstacle course race we had done before. We both started to get somewhat giddy with excitement at the prospect of actually getting challenged, and a little nervous about what was to comea rare and welcome sensation. I started to wonder if this really might be one that was finally different than all of the rest and one that would really test us. At the start line, the dusting of snow high in the surrounding hills, bitter cold, and pounding rain, along with the visual of smoke and smoldering fire in the fire line, all coupled with Hobie Call jumping up and down shirtless yelling (while I had several layers on and stood silent), just set a tone that is hard to describe unless you were there.

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Soon enough its time to line up. The gun goes off, and the rabbits bolt out front (there are always guys at any race whose intentions are bigger than their abilities, so you just let them go knowing you will reel them in due time). Right off the bat, we run into a freezing lake for a good 20-30 yards, come back to dry land and have to jump over a fire line heavy with actual crackling flames and smoke, then charge into a wet, muddy, short but steep climb up along a high ridge line on a tight single track over-looking much of the venue. Natural obstacles (hills, washes, narrow single track, steep ascents and descents, water, sand, mud, holes, weeds, trees, rocks) played a big role, as the organizers had plotted the course to make smart use of the terrain itself as an obstacle to slow us up and make us think. Then came the man-made obstacles: one after another after another after another. Most obstacle course races have a truly paltry number of obstacles that, for truly fit racers, are laughable at best and might slow me down for a few seconds; so I had assumed that would be the case here. I was wrong. Not only was I wrong, but I was actually faced with unique obstacles: a javelin throw; a long horizontal climbing wall; a bucket carry into cold water and back; a zigzagging balance beam; real, blood-drawing barbed wire crawls very low to the ground; a 25-yard tight tunnel-crawl; a rope climb above water; heavy carry obstacles; a Vaseline-rigged wall; trail breaking; and one that was an off-the-ground tire that you had to contort to get through as it was just high enough off the ground to make you wonder, do I dive through it or go feet first? But you have to think quickly as it is a race, mind you, and the clock is ticking. In the end, I even made up a spot as we had to stop and solve a Rubix Cubewhile being cold, muddy, wet, tired, shaking and in a more physical modeand passed my good buddy, who had been leading me for the entire course up to that point. But hey, that is a Spartan Raceand its war, so I used what I had to my advantage. Even my good buddies are open game once the gun goes off. In Omnia Paratus.

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Kevin driving to the finish at the 2012 SoCal Super (Photo credit: Nuvision)

My first Spartan Raceto run in driving rain and 40 degree temps through a freezing lake waste deep, then push, crawl, run, jump, throw, bend, leap, roll, carry, fall, get up, and then stop and solve a mental challenge and continuewas unlike any race I had done before. Suffice it to say that, for me, Spartan Race turned out to be a mud run, trail run, mental challenge, and obstacle course race wrapped into oneand more. It proved to be a legitimate challenge, with unknowns that only presented themselves once you turned a corner and had to react with what you were confronted with. Its more than a race; it is more like an endeavor.

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Anyway, for the rest of the day as the later waves lined up to start in the corral, when asked how the race and course were, the best answer I could give was, You have no idea what youve gotten yourselves into.
1 See http://www.youmaydie.com . Yes, that really is the url. 2 http://www.sis.gov.eg 3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stadion_(ancient_sports) 4 http://thiswastriathlon.org/twt4c_023.htm 5 Granskog, Jane. "Triathlons." Encyclopedia of Recreation and Leisure in America. Ed.

Gary S. Cross. Vol. 2. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2004. 379-380. Gale US History In Context. Web. 14 June 2012.
6 http://thiswastriathlon.org/twt4c_023.htm 7 Levin, Dan. "Gall, Divided Into Three Parts." Sports Illustrated 10 Oct. 1983: 86+. General

OneFile. Web. 14 June 2012.

8 Lund, Bill. Triathlon. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 1996. Print.

Keteyian, Armen. "Triathlon's Secret Sugar Daddy." Sports Illustrated 10 Oct. 1983: 10+. General OneFile. Web. 14 June 2012.
9 Donner, Simon. "Ironman Triathlon." St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture. Ed. Sara

Pendergast and Tom Pendergast. Vol. 2. Detroit: St. James Press, 2000. 503-504. Gale US History In Context. Web. 14 June 2012.
10 "Sage's work with triathletes garners Olympic notice." Tampa Tribune [Tampa, FL] 25

Aug. 1999: 6. General OneFile. Web. 14 June 2012.

11 Garrahan, Matthew. "UK: Deal for triathlon." Financial Times 8 May 2000: 26. General

OneFile. Web. 14 June 2012.

12 Harris, Stephen. "THE SYDNEY GAMES; Women's Triathlon; McMahon wins on first

tri; Swiss underdog surprises Aussie." Boston Herald 16 Sept. 2000: 048. General OneFile. Web. 14 June 2012.

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Fish, Mike. "MEN'S TRIATHLON: WHITFIELD GETS 1ST GOLD FOR CANADA SYDNEY 2000 SUMMER OLYMPICS SPECIAL SECTION." Atlanta Journal-Constitution [Atlanta, GA] 17 Sept. 2000: F6. General OneFile. Web. 14 June 2012.
13 Ibid. 14

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ File:Training_at_the_Royal_Military_College_of_Canada.jpg#filelinks (public domain image)

15 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steeplechase_(athletics) 16 See, for example, http://www.lumberjackworldchampionships.com/ 17 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefighter's_Combat_Challenge 18 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highland_games 19 Perhaps the best well-known is the Gloucestershire Annual Cheese-Rolling Contest, which

takes place on a hazardous course boasting wet grass, brambles, and nettles. The 2010 contest was banned after 15,000 spectators arrived to watch the contest the year before. Some contestants reportedly dont even like cheese. ("Celebrating jubilee with a cheese roll." Europe Intelligence Wire 5 June 2012. General OneFile. Web. 20 June 2012.)
20 Wife-carrying races derive from the 19th century practice of wife-stealing in Finland.

Male contestants typically dash 100 yards or so (sometimes as much as 250 meters) while carrying their wives (no marriage certificate required), for the grand prize of the wifes body weightor, for some races, the pairs combined weightin ale. The North-American wife-carrying championship took place in Newry, Maine in 2011. While less inherently hazardous than cheese-rolls, evidently the races are not without risk: a Baltimore woman suffered a broken leg when her husband dropped her during a race, as reported by Angela King in, "The hazardous side of promos. (Promoganda: an overview of radio promotions)." Country Airplay Monitor 2 Nov. 2001: 4. General OneFile. Web. 20 June 2012).
21 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventure_race 22 http://www.coasttocoast.co.nz/ 23 See, for example, http://www.hoppet.com.au/xc/xcfiles/files/winterclassic99.htm 24 See, for example, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Mountain_Wilderness_Classic

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25 Prior to that (from 1989) it was the Raid Gauloises, originally called the Grand Traverse

(NZ, 1989).
26 Mark Burnett operated the May 1995 Utah race under a license from Gerard Fusil (Raid

Gauloise) to run the event under the name Eco-Challenge in the United States only. The June 1995 race was the ESPN X-Games Eco-Challenge. In 1996 Mark went renegade on his license and expanded to BC.
27 Many of the Spartan Race Founding Few have extensive adventure race credentials, in-

cluding having competed in one or more Eco-Challenge races. More on the Founding Few in the next section.
28 For more on adventure racing specifically, and its contributions to obstacle racing, see

world champion Ian Andersons account in Appendix D.

29 See, for example, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sasuke_(TV_series) 30 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Sasuke_stages 31 Flacire, Robert. Daily Life in Greece at the Time of Pericles. Trans. Peter Green. New

York: The MacMillan Company, 1965.

32 http://muddybuddy.com/about/faqs/obstacle-info/ 33 See Appendix E 34 See, for example, http://www.7summits2sealevel.com; Read more about it in Appendix B. 35 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416449/ 36 Ernle Bradford, The Battle for the West. page 60 37 Xenophon, Spartan Society, 5 38 According to Xenophon, Lycurgus thought that boys under this kind of regimen would be

better able, when required, to work hard without eating, as well as to make the same rations last longer, when so ordered; they wouldadapt betterand be in healthier condition. The regulation of food was also thought to cause mens appearances to reflect their level of physical exertion: those who exercised more exhibited healthier physiques and complexions. (Xenophon, Spartan Society, 5)

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39 An austere lifestyle, full of hardships, but also one designed to train young men to obey

orders. Plutarch, On Sparta, Lives, Agesilaus, 1

40 Plutarch, On Sparta, Sayings, Agesilaus, 29 41 We currently rely on Athlinks for timing and race records, to provide objective comparis-

ons across races and comprehensive annual rankings for all competitors. See http://athlinks.com/
42 Jason Rita is a Spartan Legend in his own right. Youll get to read his narrative in Chapter

2.
43 http://jasonjaksetic.blogspot.com/

Chapter 2. The Spartan Bible

SPARTAN RACE PHILOSOPHY

Joe: For the Spartan obstacle racer, less is more. We believe that our post-modern Western culture is distracted by a barrage of fitness gurus and devices that aim to meet every imaginable (or imaginary!) need. Even endurance racers in the last 30 years have focused on refining movement to greater and greater degrees of efficiency. Because of this trend, athletes are often ripped but cant actually function in the real world. For example, picture a cyclist who has skinny arms and dinosaur legs. That person is conditioned to perform exceedingly well at a specific event (cycling), but less well-conditioned for functional excellence in lots of events (life). When did we forget exhilaration and personal exploration? When did we accept that we had to rely on equipment, gear, and technology to achieve and maintain either peak condition or lifelong fitness? Spartan Race believes you should be able to run, crawl, and climb like your ancestors. Spartan Race believes you dont need anything to overcome an obstacle other than intestinal fortitude and a will to excel. Spartan Race wants you to achieve more. Thats why we put a brutal and unforgettable course in front of you. Our mission is to WOW our racers, push their minds and bodies to the limit, and make them healthy through superior, extreme, and challenging obstacle races. That is why Spartan-brand obstacle race events are designed to break people down.

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The goal is to push you to overcome your short-term desire for comfort in an effort to practice reaching for something greater than your current self. Anyone can run up a hill. What about going up the same hill crawling under 300 feet of barbed wire? Obstacles and mental challenges force our athletes to be agile and capable in movements that are lateral as well as linear, as well as resilient to plenty of surprises. Spartan Race obstacles are equalizers. You cant win a Spartan Race on speed or strength or even endurance alone. You will need guts, fortitude, and a desire to finish, pushing yourself through the obstructions before you. It will hurt, we promise. It will also be the most fun youve had in a long time. You will discover a sense of exhilaration and personal achievement that has eluded you in every other sport or endeavor, and youll see yourself in an entirely new light. Thats why the Spartan Race motto is, Youll know at the finish line.

SPARTAN RACE ETHOS AND PURPOSE

Andy: Having publicly stated our commitment to define and shape the sport of obstacle racing, the Spartan Race vision is to establish, own, and defend the #1 position in obstacle racing. You might use the Ironman as an analogy as it was both the preeminent organizer of triathlons and the body that defined the triathlon as a sport. Thats why we created the Spartan Race International Obstacle Racing Rulebook (included in Appendix E) and actively promote and organize races across the United States and around the world. As if all this isnt ambitious enough, our larger goal is to rip one million people off the couch and into a healthy lifestyle. We aim to change peoples lives by cultivating an atmosphere of wellness and accomplishment at our events and in our online communities and by asking racers to lay their guts on the line and push their limits.

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The race series pushes all athletesfrom professionals to beginnersto discover new levels of resourcefulness and fortitude and to rekindle their appetite for personal betterment. We really mean it when we say Spartan Race is for everyone. Kids 4 to 13 can do our kids race; 14 and up can race our adult circuit in the United States. Special access services are available for physician-cleared competitors with physical disabilities. We even provide a festival area designed for spectators to enjoy the action. Friends, relatives, future Spartansanyone can experience it. If youre still wondering, yes: Spartan Race is for you.

SPARTAN RACE ELEMENTS

Andy: By now you should be getting the idea that Spartan Racing is about much more than just a contest to complete a fiendishly challenging obstacle course. But dont get too distracted by the philosophy. Spartan obstacle racing is first and foremost a fierce sport. Spartan-sanctioned obstacle races are constructed on standardized distances with regulated obstacles. Each event is uniquely configured so the racers never know exactly what to expect, but the obstacles themselves are selected from a predetermined set. This enables our races to be rated on difficulty so that objective comparisons can be drawn between events. Standardized distances also encourage racers to attack courses that are at the limit of their capacity while not getting themselves into trouble. Spartan-sanctioned races are timed and officiated, and all Spartan Race obstacles are mandatory. Racers who avoid or fail to complete an obstacle are assigned a penaltygenerally 30 burpeeswhich they must complete in order to advance. Failure to complete an obstacle and the associated penalty

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results in immediate disqualification. This ensures our race results are fair and unbiased. Entrants either complete the course or they dont. No excuses, no waivers, no asterisks. Spartan-sanctioned races are responsibly staffed with appropriate medical services. There are no water stations or other support services along the course, and we expect our competitors to push themselves well beyond their accustomed limits. Minor injuries such as scrapes, bruises, strains, pulls, and singes are common, and Spartan Race HQ created a Best Injury Award that the recipients cherish as much as their finish line medals. So Spartan Races dont cater to comfort, but thats not the same as being cavalier to real emergencies. Spartan Race officials and racers alike are required to be alert and responsive to any injury or event that requires medical attention.

SPARTAN RACE OBSTACLES

Joe: All Spartan-sanctioned obstacle racecourses, whether Sprint, Super or Beast, must include at least these obstacles: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Balance Beam Barbed Wire Crawl Fire Jump (venue/weather dependent, replaced with alternative if necessary) Kettle Bell Pull Over/Under/Through Rope Climb Sand Bag Carry Gladiator Pit

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9. 10.

Traverse Wall Water Crossing (venue/weather dependent, replaced with alternative if necessary)

Additional obstacles required in Spartan Super and Spartan Beast races include: i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. vii. viii. Slippery wall 8-foot wall Spear throw Rope climb Traverse wall Barbed wire crawl Weight carry Tractor pull

The terrain itself is also chosen and/or shaped to be a factor in each race as well. In Sprint races terrain is a minor factor, in Super races it is a moderately significant factor, and in Spartan Beast and Ultra Beast races it is a major factor.

THE SPARTAN CODE

Joe: Whether first-time racers or Olympic champions, all Spartan Race competitors are expected to meet an elite standard for sportsmanship. Race rules are posted on our website and at each event. All rules are strictly enforced.

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Beyond race day rules, we promote the Spartan Code to encourage and inspire Spartan Race participants and organizers alike to live up to the highest standards on race day and every day. A Spartan pushes his/her mind and body to its limits. A Spartan masters his/her emotions. A Spartan learns continuously. A Spartan gives generously. A Spartan leads. A Spartan stands up for his/her beliefs, no matter the cost. A Spartan knows his/her flaws as well as his/her strengths. A Spartan proves himself/herself through actions, not words. A Spartan lives every day as if it were his/her last.

PITTSFIELD, VERMONT, OFFICIAL HOME TOWN OF THE SPARTAN NATION

Joe: We could have planted the Spartan Race flag anywhere in the world, but we chose Pittsfield, Vermont for its scenic combination of natural and developed terrainwhich includes skiing, hiking, and mountain biking trailsas well as its four distinct seasons and strong tradition of formal and informal athletic competition. Every year, thousands of athletes come to Pittsfield to train, compete, and push themselves to new levels of performance, in a wide variety of athletic pursuits ranging from the obvious outdoor sports (downhill and cross-country skiing, cycling, snowshoeing) to more surprising

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indoor endeavors (yoga, wrestling ). Thats why Pittsfield has earned the nickname, the endurance capital of the world. Come on home and find your next peak.

SPARTAN RACE LORE: THE BIRTH OF THE HURRICANE HEAT

Andy: In late August 2011, Hurricane Irene wreaked havoc in the Caribbean and the eastern United States, including the Spartan Home Town, Pittsfield, Vermont. Homes were destroyed, towns were flooded, and lives were lost. It was by every measure a devastating storm. Without making light of the destruction, Spartans nonetheless found a new resiliency and camaraderie around the Sunday, August 27 Amesbury, MA Sprint. When the event was cancelled on Thursday by Massachusetts officials taking precautionary measures to safeguard the public, we resolved both to work cooperatively with them to keep the course from adding to the storm hazard and to provide an alternate race opportunity to our registered athletes. After 48 hours of extraordinary effort by our volunteers and a lot of negotiating with the local officials, we had an opportunity for some disappointed Spartans to experience race-day glory and earn their coveted Spartan Finisher Medals. Here is the letter Joe sent out by email to the registered racers: Dear Sunday Amesbury Spartans, This is Joe Desena, owner of Spartan Race and one of the Founders. Weve heard your cries to run and were here to make it happen. No one was more disappointed than we were at the forced cancellation of Sundays event. And as Spartans, we take on challenges and overcome obstacles. Irene is one tough obstacle but we are resilient. We are Spartans!

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I am emailing you directly regarding a special offer to run this weekend in response to the cancelled Sunday race. After much deliberation and due to rising safety concerns, the State of Massachusetts is shutting down access into and out of the venue on Sunday making a race on that day impossible but we have come up with an additional opportunity we are offering to the first 250 responders from Sundays Race heats. Race with the Founders Heat: We are offering a one heat shot at a special Spartan Course and youll get to run with the Spartan Race Founders. This heat was given some conditions we have to meet: 1. We have managed to negotiate a single heat of racing to take place Saturday, August 27th at 6:00 a.m. There will be no volunteers available at this time and no bussing. Be prepared to arrive at 5:00 a.m., sharp to ensure you are there on time. 2. Public Safety is allowing us entry of 250 people for this heat. Only the racers on the list will be allowed entry. Read all the instructions below to find out how to get on the list. 3. YOU MUST HAVE YOUR SUNDAY WAIVER IN ORDER TO RUN. 4. There is one heat broken into five groups of 50 spaced 5 minutes apart. No chips will be available and it will be non-competitive. 6. Bring everything you might need. Onsite at that hour, we cant guarantee that well have food, water, or any other common race amenities set up. Volunteers will be limited if there are any. 7. We recommend you have a headlamp or a flashlight. 8. No one is required to run this heat as a condition of your original registration and the cancellation. Safety is our primary concern. You will still be entered into next years Sunday Race, so if you are unable or unwilling to join us at Saturday morning.

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9. Saturday 6:00 a.m. runners WILL get a finisher medal. If youre interested, you have to email us: spartanusa@spartanrace.com with the following information. The first 250 to respond with the necessary information are in the heat. No non-Sunday registrants qualify for this special event. Please do not call Spartan HQ; our staff is onsite in Amesbury, and wont be able to answer your calls. Name: Email: Phone: Age: Emergency Contact: Emergency Phone Number: Come ready to run! 5:00 a.m., sharp! Meet at the parking lot. Please note that in hurricane conditions we are experiencing, we are at the mercy of the State of Massachusetts and Public Service policy. If they see fit to close down the venue and disallow racing, we have no option but to comply. Sincerely, Joe Desena

Just like that, Running with the Founders: The Hurricane Heat was born. More than 150 Spartans showed up for the untimed Hurricane Heat. They formed spontaneous teams with even more spontaneous names like Team Orange Hat, Team Death, and Team Sandbag, and raced together for

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the pure joy of the challenge. All of the racers that morning spent nearly 2 1/2 hours with Joe and other Spartan staff racing the course, doing burpees together, hauling sand bags and getting a taste of what motivates our company of athletes to do what we do with our races. Everyone finished. No Spartan was left behind. The athletes, dubbed the Hurricane Heaters, earned their finisher medals and forged lasting bonds of pride and friendship. The reaction from the racers and Spartan staff was nothing short of amazing. Since then, the Hurricane Heat has grown into a permanent staple at every Spartan Race event. The Hurricane Heat/Founders Race gives runners the chance to meet and run with the Founders and other Spartan HQ staff in a unique and memorable way. Held early in the morning both on and off the racecourse, the goal is to finish as teams. No one gets left behind. There are no timing chips, no clock, no bells and whistles. It's simply a Spartan-style workout that represents what our company and our athletes are all about: getting up when youre knocked down and finishing what you start.2 The Hurricane Heat/Founders Race has since become a signature event in its own right, exposing participants to extra challenges in addition to portions of the race day course and eliciting rave responses like this one: Thank you to all the organizers for pulling together and making the Hurricane Heat possible. It was above and beyond the call of duty and something we all will never forget. Special thanks to Joe for running with us at 6:00 a.m. with a sandbag for the entire race!Kevin Andrews Cant thank Joe enough for making the Hurricane Heat happen! It was 2.5 hours of torture, but we loved every minute of it! Thanks for designing such a challenging course, pushing us to our limits, and running along with us carrying a sandbag! Thanks to Team Orange Hat for killing it! (And Mr. Orange Hat himself for dragging that sandbag under the barbed wire for the team!) Alison Brown

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Thanks, Spartan organizers, for putting together this mornings Hurricane Heat. Wish Irene would have let us have Sunday, but this was a great and perhaps more memorable alternative. Toughest course Ive done (so far). Go Team North Shore! David Elston-Pollock

SPARTAN WARRIOR: JASON RITA

Andy: Jason Rita is responsible for recruiting elite athletes to Spartan Races. He has racked up podium and top-10 finishes in a long list of ultra-endurance events. A brief sampling of recent notable results includes third place in the 2011 La Ultra (222 km in the high Himalayas, average elevation 15,000 feet, temperature range -20 to 110F), third place in the 2010 Leadman Competition (cumulative time from the Leadville Trail marathon, 50-mile mountain bike, 50-mile trail run, 100-mile mountain bike, 100-mile trail run), and third place in the 2009 Everest Marathon Stage of the Himalaya 100 Mile Stage Race. Jasons self-effacing demeanor is a model the Spartan maxim, A Spartan proves himself through actions, not words, and may be one of his most effective weapons as a competitor. That, and he just never quits. Jason R: I met Joe at the Amee Farm in Pittsfield Vermont because I had seen something online called The Death Race and really wanted to do it. The caption was, You May Die, which certainly suggested an extreme adventure to me. Joe advertised a Death Race Camp to train for the Death Race, and, while I had competed in marathons and adventure races and Ironmans, the idea of the Death Race as something beyond those endurance challenges just captured my attention. The notion that the event had no fixed or premade rules was a very cool conceptyou had to show up and do the race to find out what was going to happen, instead of being told in advance. Andy and Joes goal in the Death Race is to make you quit. Its really you against them: if you quit, they win. I guess this is sort of perverse, but their interest is to find your weakness; and it just really appealed to me as equal parts novel

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and intimidating. I always felt like if I was scared to do something, then it was probably worth doing. Showing up for the camp in 2009, I thought, Oh, this camp is going to be great: Ive done training camps. Ive done Epic Camp (a triathlon camp where you practically did an Ironman every day for 2 weeks), so I thought there was going to be a little bit of biking, a little bit of running, some strength trainingwhatever. Ive done that before. This is cool; I got this. I was the first to arrive, and Joe pointed me to this huge mass of vegetable planter boxes in the barn, there were 300 of them, each 50-60 pounds. He said to move them out to the other end of the field. After about an hour, I called my girlfriend and said, This is bogus* (may have used a different bword). This is not what I signed up for, and I think Im leaving. But I didnt. By the end of the weekend, there were only a few of us left. Im just an amateur runner or competitor, but it profoundly influenced me. It challenged me to put aside preconceptions about what I could do, what I was willing to do. It changed how I looked at the events I was training for. I wrote to Joe at the time: Joe: Thank you for an amazing weekend of training, discovery, camaraderie and insanity. As I drove away on Sunday afternoon, I was completely exhilarated at thinking back over what we did. I felt proud. I felt strong and vital. I felt a huge sense of accomplishment, although I did still think there were plenty of rocks up at the cabin already without needing to bring 4 wheelbarrows of them up to the top of the mountain from the farm across fields, through creeks, up dirt roads, over single track, into bushwhack and no trackI am still not sure what that "accomplished, except, of course, to test our resolve.

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But that, of course, is the point of the weekend. Can you focus enough? Can you put aside the pre-judgments of what you are or are not capable of? Do you have the mental and emotional capacity to not be beaten by man or nature, or, more crucially, by yourself? Do you want what awaits you if you persevere through the obstaclesthe rewards that only you can give yourself when you reach the finish, the intrinsic gift of looking inside your mind and knowing you met and overcame the enemies of complacency, of making excuses, of giving up, of quitting? This weekend emphasized that it doesn't matter what you've done in the past or might do in the future, but only what are you doing right now, and is it everything you can give? In that sense, I found the physical exertion to be very meditative and relaxing, all the while notwithstanding that my forearms and quads are screaming bloody murder. The challenge is to turn down the volume of the muscles' rebellion, to close the door on the mind's sabotage, and simply to stay the course. Too much of the training done by recreational athletes is simply thatrecreationand goes nowhere near the edges of our potential or our limits. What you offered at Death Race Camp, and I imagine at Death Race a thousand times more intensely, is a true "breakthrough" experienceone that will make you see yourself in a different light, or perhaps more in-focus. And with a new outlook comes new horizons. I hope to transform into that kind of breakthrough athlete, not with respect to records or prizes, but always with respect to defining expectations of and for myself. Thank you for helping me along that path. I think these adventures let you earn the right to reimagine what is possible for yourself. And that has a very life-affirming, staying-young-at-heart pitch to it, despite all the allusions to "Death. I had a blast, and I hope to do it again soon. It was truly a gift to my soul. In 2011, I did a 140-mile ultramarathon in the Himalayas in India, and there was a point in the race, probably 40 hours in, when I realized it really didnt

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matter if I had 6 miles to go or 20 or another 100, because where the finish line was defined was arbitrary. The hours I had already run were gone, the hours I had yet to run hadnt happened yet, and all I had to master was the moment in which I was moving forward. I learned at Death Race Camp that I can keep pushing beyond where I think the finish line is, or where I think my resources end. I learned to put those limitations aside.

Jason approaching his 3rd place finish at the 2011 La Ultra (Photo credit: Chris Ord)

When Joe launched Spartan, I came to see how it was clearly different from other sports, and unlike other mud or similar events. I see Spartan at the vanguard of, and motive force behind, the creation of a new sportone that requires a new breed of athleteto my mind, almost the perfect athlete. There are lots of claims about people being the fittest people on the planet, but in

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general most athletes are specialists at the one skill their sport demands. Runners run; triathletes swim, bike, and run; but Spartan obstacle racers have to run, jump, throw, climb, carry, pull, drag, vault, dive, roll, hike, boulder, crawl, swim, hurdle, row, traverse, Tyrolean, and whatever else the obstacle course designers throw at them. They have to think on their feet, be creative, and be problem solvers. Spartan Races are tests of mind as well as body. Its a whole mind-body experience, and on some level its like recapturing the complete in-the-moment engagement of childhood. Spartan Race Champion Hobie Call3 embodies this new ideal of a perfect hybrid athlete: fast, strong, agile, skillful, endless endurance, quick-witted. But the sport embraces anyone with the spirit to test themselves. You can be like Hobie, finishing in less than an hour. But you can also be like Fredo Dinten from the television show The Biggest Loser, who did a Spartan Race in New York last year, finishing the race in something like three hours, and became one of our most passionate fans. In either case, youre putting yourself in a do-or-die, make-or-break situation, which modern society doesnt normally make us face, even in athletic competitions like running or triathlon. And whereas sports like triathlon and adventure racing have pretty high barriers to entry for a lot of people (Not everybody is going to do a 10-day adventure race at the ends of the earth like Joe and I have done.) Spartan Race events are designed so that you just need the will to compete in order to participate. Everyone can experience the same kind of personal drama or moment of truth scenarios, as well as the reward of crossing the finish line; yet the challenge to become proficient at every element of the race is such that its impossible to ever be satisfied. Leaving aside the origins of the Death Race and the Founding Few, the biggest single factor in the early evolution of Spartan Race was really Hobies emergence and his determination to chase the $100k prize that Joe offered in 2011.4 Hobies quest really galvanized a higher level of competition and attention and, I think, even made us at Spartan HQ realize the potential of the sport. He showed up, a father of five from Utah, an HVAC

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repairman, having put aside his dreams of success in professional competitive marathon running. He came out of nowhere and was phenomenal. He left the field behind in the Sprint, Super, and Beast races he entered. Death Race was an altogether different event. Its like asking a sprinter to win a marathon. The Death Race winner the previous year was a guy by the name of Joe Decker5, a huge ox of a man, 200 pounds of furnace-forged muscle, with phenomenal strength and endurance. By contrast, Hobie is a slight, extremely lean man, 140 pounds with 3% body fat, with no prior race experience longer than three hours. Hobie gave Decker a real run for the prize, but had to bow out after 38 hours when he was hypothermic. It was a battle of epic proportions, like two mythic gods with unique superpowers dueling for honor and glory. After the disappointment of Death Race, Hobie redirected his attention to winning the 2011 Spartan Race year-end championship event in Texas. Hobie faced a serious challenge from Josiah Middaugh6, who is a pro Xterra and Ironman triathlete with a ridiculous number of US national Xterra titles (something like 5 out of the last 7 years, and multiple Teva Mountain Games titles). It was a truly fierce championship event, and Hobie held off Josiah and the rest of the field to clinch the $10k purse. That superlative caliber of competition really cemented the idea of Spartan Races as a legitimate model for obstacle races worthy of X-Games or Olympic inclusion. Spartan obstacle races now attract serious, competitive athletes who make obstacle racing their primary competition. There are also growing numbers of serious athletes who are competing in Spartan-sanctioned races to gain sharpness for their primary eventstypically triathlons or ultramarathonsbecause the total fitness required by an obstacle race is much more demanding. It is the perfect competition for cross-training athletes, such as people who do CrossFit. Christopher Rutz,7 one of the leaders in the Spartan Race Points Competition for 2012, was recently quoted in Scottsdale Health as saying he had competed in CrossFit and trained consistently within the CrossFit community but didnt realize what he was training for until he entered a Spartan Race.

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Even among serious athletes, a lot of people are attracted to Spartan Race events because its what they did as kids, writ large. Its a serious athletic challenge combining strength, speed, and endurance, and its also just plain fun. I enjoy them because they allow the expression of your personality through the activityas a triathlete, I always wanted to swim elegantly, bike powerfully, and run gracefully. To do a Spartan Race well requires a comprehensive skill set over many different movements. The freeform range of challenges makes you feel that childlike joy in ways that other events cannot recapture, yet requires tremendous skill and training to do well. Spartan Races are very sticky in that wayour athletes cross that finish line and find they cant wait to come back for the next one. The Ultra Beast, the marathon distance Spartan Race, has people desperate to enter, because to be able to complete a marathon distance obstacle course will be a badge of immense achievement. And the camaraderie is so great that, even after 18 hours, you have people standing at the finish line waiting to cheer on the last finishers. As more countries come online with Spartan Races, the next major evolution will be the first truly global obstacle race season. We take it seriously so that it is a sport with real accountabilitytiming, rules, penaltiesto provide the athletes a consistent, high-level competition. Looking further into the future, I am certain there will be a world championship for obstacle racing, where the elite racers from each country or continent gather to race against each other. Ideally it would move to a new location each year. If such diverse events as rugby and swimming and tennis and rhythmic gymnastics are all at the Olympics, obstacle racing could be as well. We are building a global sport and community around the Spartan model of obstacle racing because we want to give millions of people the opportunity to push themselves to be their best; to race with others who share this passion; and to embrace the Spartan Code for training and competition in their lives. Just like people say, Im a runner, or, Im a triathlete, hundreds of thousands of people are now saying, Im a Spartan Racer. And kids and grownups alike are saying, I want to be like Hobie.

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That is very cool.

SPARTAN WARRIOR: ROB SERRANO

Andy: Rob Serrano describes himself as a 38-year-old father of three, married for 15 years to his supportive wife Lilian. He has blogged about the paralyzing self-doubt that prevented him from pursuing activities he loved, despite the encouragement of his family and friends. In his first ever Spartan Sprint, Rob discovered that the cure for his self-doubt was in his power all along: commit to surmount the challenge you think is beyond your capability, and never give up. Echoing Jason Ritas characterization, Robs reward at the finish line was the discovery that he was a Spartan at heart, capable of far more than he had ever realizedand he had a newfound hunger and determination to achieve more and bigger goals. Rob: On September 10th, 2011 I participated in my first obstacle course race: the Spartan Sprint in Palmerton, Pennsylvania. Prior to race day, I had no idea that it would be not only the most physically demanding event I ever participated in, but also a life-changing experience. My best friend Erik Campos had signed me up for the event without me knowing. When he told me, he said it would be challenging; so I decided to hit the gym for two weeks prior to the event. I was not in great shape at all: I was 37 years old, 284 pounds and a couch potato. I arrived at the venue that Saturday morning not quite sure what to expect, and was I shocked at what I saw: a ski mountain staring me in the face. Really. A ski mountain. Youre kidding me, right? is what went through my mind. At that point I realized that I was in trouble and not prepared physically or mentally for the race. I always portrayed a certain self-confidence to my friends, but the truth was that I always had self-confidence issues and doubted myself. I tried to put a good face on it, but I think we all figured I didnt stand much of a chance.

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Before the race started, Eriks wife Chrissy said that she would stay by my side for the entire race while Erik and my other two friends Karl and Mary ran ahead of us. So the race started and we were off and runningor more like a swift walking pace for me. Up steep hills, over and under walls, through rough, rocky, muddy terrain. I struggled but never quit. I continued up more steep hills, climbing walls and crawling under nets. I never quit. Every step was painful, but I never quit. I climbed up a cargo net, hoisted up a cinder block, walked through waist-high water, and tramped through the woods. You are given one chance at each obstacle. If you cannot complete the obstacle, you have to do 30 burpees (not a fun exercise). Some obstacles I completed, some I did not, and had to do the 30-burpee penalty. Still, I never quit. As I continued through the course I was passed by many other racers, all of whom offered positive, encouraging words to me. People I never met before were rooting for me to continue on and finish the race. There were many times where I thought about quitting, but I couldnt do it. I had to prove to myself that I was a Spartan, that I could finish this Spartan Race. I continued to struggle along the course, taking short breaks every so often to catch my breath and re-focus. Chrissy stayed with me the entire way. I crawled under barbwire, threw a javelin, climbed up a wet slippery wall. Finally, I finished the race. As I crossed the finish line, I received a medal for completing the event. It took me over 3.5 hours, but I did it. I finished the Spartan Race.

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Rob with Chrissy Campos after crossing the finish line at the 2011 Palmerton Sprint (personal archive)

After I crossed the finish line, Erik found me, gave me a hug, and apologized for signing me up for the Spartan Race. He said he did not know it was that demanding. He even said he was not sure that I would be able to complete the race. He then said that he was proud of me and gave me another hug. I thanked him for signing me up, and it was at that point I first realized that my life would be different. On my drive home, it really hit me what I had accomplished: I completed a Spartan Race, one of the toughest, most challenging obstacle events a person can complete. As soon as I got home, I told my wife Lilian about Spartan Race and about my accomplishment. I joined the Spartan Race Street Team, changed my diet, and started working out on a regular basis. I committed myself to the Spartan Code and embraced the challenge to live a healthy and active life. I have made numerous friends via Spartan Race, have signed up for the WOD

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(Workout of the Day), and have recruited my friends and family to compete in Spartan Races. Today is June 26th, 2012. I now weigh 228 pounds and am living an active lifestyle. I recently completed the Spartan Sprint in Tuxedo, NY and am registered for four more Spartan Races. I am completing the Spartan Trifecta (Sprint, Super, and Beast).

Rob negotiating the course at the 2012 Tuxedo Sprint (Photo credit: Nuvision)

Spartan Race made me realize that I am capable of accomplishing great things. I am stronger than I thought, I have gained more self-confidence, and I have been told that I am a motivation to others. If anyone had told me last year that I would be climbing walls, crawling under barbwire and jumping over fire, I would have laughed. Now, because of Spartan Race, I look forward to those things, and I will train every day to be the best Spartan I am capable of being. Spartan Race has not only affected me but my entire family as well. My wife and kids have also embraced the healthy, active lifestyle and

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my two younger kids will be doing the Spartan Kids Race in Pennsylvania this year. I am forever grateful to Spartan Race for changing our lives, helping me to gain true self-confidence and introducing me to a great group of friends. Spartan HQ, their employees, and the Spartan Racers are a family, a family that positively motivates people. I promote Spartan Race every day, to my friends, my family, and my co-workers. Spartan Race may never realize how they have impacted my life, but I do. Thanks to Spartan Race, this is my story: sign up, show up, and never give up. No Spartan Left Behind.
1

See, for example, http://www.necn.com/Boston/New-England/2009/12/02/Olympichopefuls-leave-the/1259763310.html

2 Joe: We are honored and humbled by all the great examples of the Spartan spirit in action

throughout this book; I think my personal favorite might be Spartan Life Lore: Aditya in Chapter 9.
3 Youll hear a lot more about Hobie in the chapters that follow, and youll hear from Hobie

himself in Chapter 10.

4 The challenge was steep: win 15 Spartan Races (out of 17 that year) plus the Spartan Death

Race
5 See http://blog.spartanrace.com/the-death-race-profile-series-2011-champion-joe-decker/ 6 See http://www.josiahmiddaugh.com/ 7 Youll hear from Christopher himself in Chapter 5.

Chapter 3. The Five Elements of Total Fitness

Andy: We see all kinds of fitness fads that focus on a single aspect of fitnessaerobic conditioning, or strength building, or body mass index, etc.as the key to health. By contrast, a recent article in the Indian journal Mint1 praises varied exercise routines because there is no one single form or type of exercise that is all-encompassing or has versatile benefits. The best fitness regimes develop cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance, strength, flexibility and body composition [fat to lean mass ratio] equally. The article concludes that ideal fitness comprises versatility and balanced muscles. We agree emphatically. The Spartan ideal is to achieve total fitness at every stage of life. We have some pretty strong opinions about this, having completed a bunch of races and challenges ourselves and having observed for more than two decades what other elite competitors do, who wins, and who drops out. Youll hear more from us on the subject of trainingand a lot more from some elite competitorsin the chapters that follow. To get you started on the basics, here is Jeff Godin, Department Chair, Exercise and Sport Science at Fitchburg State University; ultra-endurance racer; and Director of Certification for Spartan Race Coaching. Jeff is a genuine Spartan ambassador: both by his own example and through his work as a teacher and coach, he educates and guides people of all ages to create their own active lives.

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UNDERSTANDING AND MASTERING THE FIVE ELEMENTS OF PHYSICAL FITNESS

What is physical fitness? Is it how we feel? How we look? Physical fitness is defined as the ability to perform occupational, recreational, and daily activities without becoming unduly fatigued. The five elements of physical fitness are: 1. Cardiorespiratory endurance (CRE)the ability of the heart, lungs, and circulatory system to supply oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles; Muscle strength (MS)the maximal amount of force that can be produced by a muscle or muscle group; Muscle endurance (ME)the ability of a muscle or muscle group to maintain submaximal force or repeated contractions over a period of time; Flexibility (FL)the ability to move a joint through its full range of motion; and Body composition (BC)the relative amounts of fat and lean mass that contribute to body weight.

2. 3.

4. 5.

Each of these elements is vital to our health. People who have higher levels of cardiorespiratory endurance have a lower chance of developing cardiovascular disease. Muscular strength and muscular endurance reduce the strain of heavy work and reduce the probability of incurring acute or chronic injury. Flexibility is related to joint health; in particular, flexibility of the hips and lower back is associated with a reduced likelihood of developing lower back pain. Conversely, being overweight or obese increases the chances of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer.

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At a minimum, every person should participate in enough physical activity to develop basic fitness for overall good health. Meeting that minimum requirement for basic fitness will provide the essential foundation for some success in Spartan-style obstacle racing, particularly if your goal is to complete a race for the first time, like Rob Serrano. If you want to be competitive at obstacle racing, you must aspire to a much higher level of physical fitness, including incorporating training that addresses additional dimensions of performance or athletic fitness: A. B. C. D. E. F. Speedthe ability to perform a movement in a short period of time; Anaerobic powerthe ability to exert force rapidly; Anaerobic capacitythe ability to produce and sustain production of large amounts of force over a short period of time (30-90 seconds); Coordinationthe ability to perform motor tasks accurately and smoothly using body movements and the senses; Agilitythe ability to change direction or body position quickly; and Reaction timethe ability to respond and react quickly to a stimulus.

Comparing the fitness requirements for finishing a Spartan Race to those for running a marathon or triathlon reveals some significant differences. For example, to be successful in endurance events, you need to focus on two dimensions of fitness: cardiorespiratory endurance and body composition. Even participation in a triathlon doesnt require strength or power, nor does it require coordination or agility to any significant degree. For some high-level triathletes, transition time can be improved by practicing their transition skills, and they may display some agility and coordination moving from sport to the next (quickly removing a wet suit, flying mount on the bike), but relatively speaking it is of small import. By contrast, Spartan racing requires fitness in all dimensions. The race distance ranges from 3 to 26 miles; therefore all events require some degree of cardiorespiratory endurance. Sprinting up

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hills and jumping over obstacles require speed and power; climbing ropes and walls requires muscle endurance and strength; navigating the cargo net climb or the balance beam requires coordination and balance. To move through all of the obstacles efficiently, flexibility and agility are also required. In the truest sense, Spartan Race tests every dimension of health and performance-related fitness. Thus a competitors training should reflect all of the components of physical fitness, and your weekly training plan should include specific workouts that address each of the components. Activities such as jumping would emphasize power; lifting heaving objects such as stones or logs would develop strength; running would improve cardiorespiratory fitness; the practice of yoga would improve flexibility and balance. And of course you should run sprints and hills to improve speed and anaerobic capacity. Body composition also plays an important role in sport. Body fat represents extra mass that needs to be carried throughout the event, whether a triathlon or a Spartan Race. For some sports, having extra body mass may be desirable: Sumo wrestlers or football linemen, for instance, are more difficult to move because of their extra mass. But for any endurance sport, extra fat mass in particular poses a hindrance by increasing energy expenditure, increasing the effort needed to climb obstacles or hills, and increasing the force required to achieve a desired speed. Possessing too little body fat can also have deleterious effects by suppressing the endocrine and immune systems and negatively affecting the adaptation to regular training. In women, it may be particularly harmful as it affects the production of estrogen and is linked to the development of osteoporosis. There is no single perfect body composition. Any given individuals ideal body composition is a balance that serves competitive performance while sustaining good overall health. For illustration, consider the ranges of norms for adult male and female subjects in the following table.2 Note that there is considerable variability in

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these ranges, whether explicitly stated (x-y value) or implied (<x or >y value), even for the performance fitness levels. Adult Males Fitness Measure Cardiorespiratory Endurance 1.5 mile run (min:sec) Muscle Strength 1-RM back squat (as a proportion of body weight) Muscle Endurance Pushups to exhaustion (repetitions) Muscle Endurance Side plank (seconds) Muscle Endurance Oneminute sit-up count Health Performance Adult Females Health

Performan

<13:00

<7:11

<14:00

<10:05

1.0

2.0

.85

1.85

35-45

5060

25-35

38-44

90

180

90

180

>40

5.>60

>35

>55

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Flexibility Sit and reach (inches) Body Composition (bmi) Speed 40-yard sprint (seconds) Anaerobic Power Vertical jump (inches) Anaerobic Power Standing long jump (inches) Anaerobic Capacity 300-yard shuttle run (seconds) Agility Hexagon (seconds) Agility T-test (seconds)

>16.5 18-22 NA

>22.5 7-11 <5.0

>19.0 21-27 NA

>24.0 1319 <5.56.0

NA

2526

NA

1618.5

NA

>100

NA

>90

NA

<65

NA

<65

NA NA

<12.3 <10

NA NA

<13.0 <11

Core strength, or stability, is also often identified as an important characteristic of health-related and performance-related fitness. It generally fits under the category of muscle endurance. Although it hasnt been successfully correlated to performance, most fitness professionals would agree that it is

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important; it forms a stable foundation for other muscles to perform their actions. Core strength can be developed in many ways. The preferred method is carrying odd-shaped objectsalways with the understanding that the weight of the object should be appropriate to the individual, so that you can carry the object with good technique. That task forces the musculature of the core to work to keep the combined center of gravity of the body and the object being carried within the bodys base of support. For example, carrying a log in front of the body shifts the center of gravity forward. To prevent the body from falling forward, the back extensors must contract to create an opposing force. Similarly, carrying a log on the right shoulder requires the muscles that laterally flex the torso to the left to be engaged in order to oppose the weight of the log. Obstacle racing may be the ultimate sport in the sense that, to be successful, a competitor needs to train across all dimensions of physical fitness. In every single obstacle course, you will draw on strength, speed, power, muscle endurance, balance/coordination, anaerobic endurance, and aerobic endurance. This is not true for sports such as the marathon or triathlon, where the athlete only needs aerobic endurance to be successful. Training for obstacle racing requires a balanced approachtrue cross-training. Your health, fitness level, body composition, and other personal factors, combined with the length of the event and the number and type of obstacles involved, will dictate how much training you need to devote to each dimension of fitness, and what types of activities are most appropriate for you. For example, the Spartan Beast is a 13-mile race that will take some individuals 6 or 7 hours to complete. Therefore, you need to include a substantial amount of aerobic endurance training, such as long mountain runs of up to 3 hours. The Spartan Beast also has 25+ obstacles. You will need strength and power to overcome each of them. High-intensity efforts repeated more than 25 times throughout a race requires a high level of anaerobic endurance. Short bouts of intense exercise (plyometrics, Olympic weight lifting, bike or concept 2 sprints) repeated a large number of times with short recovery

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periods will help improve your anaerobic endurance. The obstacles can be broken down into two general types: those that require pulling, such as climbing a wall or a rope, and those that require pushing, such as the bear crawl or belly crawl. Any training should include movements that involve lifting the body weight with a pull (pull-ups, non-kiping) and a push (pushups) and the many variations of each, to build up strength and muscle endurance. And dont forget that penalties are assessed during the race in the form of burpees, so a good dose of burpees should be included in everyones training. The same general considerations apply for preparing for each of the other course distances. In chapters 5 through 8, we lay out some general training guidelines to help you prepare for each course distance. These are general guidelines. You are a specific person. One size does not fit all, even among Spartans. You will need to pursue a fitness regimen that is appropriate to your body. The principle of individual differences states that each person is genetically unique, and for that reason an individual might not respond in predictable fashion to a particular exercise program. This emphasizes the need to adjust training programs based on individuality. You might want to start off by performing a self-assessment, following the instructions in Appendix C. Its always sensible to consult a coach or your doctor for specific training advice.

PUT YOUR UNDERSTANDING INTO PRACTICE

Andy: Now that youve read that explanation (and maybe done a self-evaluation in Appendix C to see where your current fitness level ranks on the table above), we hope youre freshly motivated to change up your routineor start a new one!to achieve total fitness.

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There are countless ways to keep your training regimen challenging, functional, and comprehensive. Start by going outside! Move your own body, preferably uphill, and as you get stronger, pick up thingsrocks, logs, your kidsand carry them with you. Better yet, grab a friend or your spouse and get out there together! If youre looking for a little bit more structure, one example of a comprehensive workout you can do without any gym or equipment is the Spartan 1500 workout:3 100 burpees 100 pull-ups 100 box jumps 100 sandbag squat throws 100 jumping jacks 100 Brazilian ab twists (50 each side) 100 bodyweight squats 100 side kicks (50 each side) 100 jumping lunges 100 curls (50 each side) 100 tricep overhead extensions (50 each side) 100 frog jumps 100 squat jumps 3 rope climbs

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300 crunches Aroo! If youre just starting out, reduce the number of repetitions to something you can do, and increase as you get stronger. Even if you can only do 10 or 20 repetitions of a given exercise to begin with, thats 10 or 20 more than you were doing before. Before long youll be able to do 40 or 50, and eventually 100 (or 300, for crunches!). The Spartan 1500 is guaranteed to get your heart going with its high-intensity conditioning. But dont forget to also include running or biking or swimming or some other high-intensity aerobic training. Joe: Bikram Yoga is also critical to the longevity of your athletic career, whether youre a regular guy/gal or an elite-level competitor. If you cant stretchand most people cant45youre doomed. Your skeletal structure can only take so much pressure from tight muscles. And whatever kind of fitness regimen you have, or whatever sport you play, or whatever lifestyle you enjoy, your body and mind need balance. Just ask NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who wrote on his blog:6 Yoga scares some people. They imagine a white-robed cult of New Age zombies sipping herbal green tea and smiling vacantly. For some, the problem is the word itself: yoga. Funny-looking, foreign and too exotic. Okay, for you well call it power-stretching or ultimate breathing or hot-bod sculpting. Is that better? Because the truth is that yoga is an excellent means of creating a more flexible and healthy body that will be less prone to injuries. And the most important part of staying fit after 50 is avoiding workout injuries that can disrupt your exercise program for weeks or even months. Ive been an enthusiastic practitioner of yoga since high school. Yoga is one of the reasons that I was able to play professional basketball as long as I did with as few injuries as I had. One of the first improvements I noticed was in my posture. Before yoga Id been having lower back pains;

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after I started practicing the positions, my overall health improved significantly. (FYI: the practice of yoga began 3,000 years ago in India. The word yoga is Sanskrit and means to union, meaning to join together the mind, body, and spirit.) There are many different styles of yoga. I practice Bikram yoga as well as several other styles. Beginners tend to do what I call the yoga tourthat is, trying out the different styles until they find the right ones for them. Thats a perfectly reasonable approach and is more likely to produce the results theyre looking for. When Miami Dolphins Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino came to me to ask me how to extend his longevity and deal with all the collisiontype injuries you get from playing football, I steered him to yoga; the next time I saw him he said it was absolutely helpful in his training regimen. Those of you who studied Pilates know that a large part of its foundation is based on yoga. My father started doing yoga in his late 70s and it helped him to stop his decline of flexibility. So whether you're in top athletic shape like my friend Dan Marino or just have old achy bones like my Dad, I thought I'd give those of you who are ready to get started a few tips: 1. Be consistent. Any new endeavor requires a period of commitment. At first, you may feel awkward or self-conscious, but promise yourself that youll stick with it for two months. At the same time, to receive the most benefits, youll need to practice yoga at least three times a week. 2. Its not a competition. As a beginner, your body needs a period of adjustment as it adapts to new demands. Dont push yourself beyond your limits just because you see others able to do what you cant. We dont throw the teen that just got his drivers license into the Indy 500. Take your time. 3. Practice with a friend. Its easier to keep motivated if you have someone you work out with. So, if you intend to take a yoga class at

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your fitness club, or practice at home with a DVD, see if you can get a friend to practice with you. I started teaching myself yoga when I was 14, from a book. At the time, there werent many other opportunities to learn yoga. Today there are many classes available from fitness clubs, community colleges, yoga centers and senior centers. There are hundreds of books and DVDs that can be ordered off the Internet. Today about 18 million to 20 million Americans practice yoga regularly, including everyone from children to senior citizens, from weekend warriors to professional athletes, from soccer moms to marathon-running moms. Theres a reason yoga has grown so dramatically in popularity: it works! Its worked for me for over 45 years and it can work for you starting today. Like the old saying goes, the best time to plant an oak tree is a hundred years ago. The second-best time is today. If youre already in great shape, but not in total fitness, now you know what to do. If youre not already in great shape, whats stopping you? Its your body and your life. Get fit so you can enjoy it!

SPARTAN WARRIOR: BRETT BLANCHARD

Andy: While preventable diseases are taking over our society (with devastating effects), after-school activities cost money, and kids have less access to physical education and good food. Like those in most or all other states, Vermont schools are struggling, and some of our communities are so small or underfunded that they really dont offer much, and only the wealthier families can afford to pay for activities for their kids. Obstacle racing counteracts those trends, and Spartan Race, Inc. aims to take an active role in being part of the solution. As a Physical Education teacher, I find the concept of putting people though an unpredictable set of challenges to be really cool. When you

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think about how we evolved, we ran and climbed and did all these things. So its natural to play this way, and its great for establishing the kind of basic fitness that sustains long-term health. I became friends with Brett Blanchard about a year ago when he said, I have this idea. I was thrilled because we had wanted to approach schools but didnt really have access to the Principals Association or other organizations. Thanks to Bretts incredible advocacy, this autumn we expect to have 500 or 600 kids at the Killington race. And we plan to have two waves just for high school students. The more kids the better, and maybe their siblings or parents or friends will get involved with them. Obstacle racing has the potential to reshape physical education and physical fitness for a whole generation, and were thrilled to get to work with educational leaders like Brett to make that happen.7 Brett: As Principal of a high school, Im trying to modernize education all the way around. In terms of health, we really need to bring kids into an awareness of lifelong health: how do you stay healthy throughout your life? Right now kids play team sports in high school, but the overwhelming majority of those kids wont play in college; and most of those who do play in college wont play professionally, so its essentially a short-term program. We want kids thinking about whole-body fitness not just for their teens, but for the next several decades of their lives. As much as I enjoy playing volleyball, football, and the rest, we have to offer kids something better. Why is this so important? Starting with the bad news, diabetes and other avoidable morbidities have vastly increased over the past 30 years. We owe it to kids to give them better preparation for lifelong fitness. That is why I feel so strongly that sports cannot continue to be limited to 3:00-5:00 p.m. after school, and then youre done. It has to be a lifelong activity. Not because youre on a schedule for the four years youre in high school, and maybe another four years in college. You do it whenever you can because you care about it, you enjoy it, and it makes your life better.

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Now, the good news: lots of studies have shown that regular physical activity has a significant positive impact on longevity and quality of life, as well as mental acuity.8 So the downward trends are reversible. We can reverse them. The challenge for us as educators and administrators is to deliver the new and more effective athletic education programs needed to reverse these trends, using even fewer resources than we have had in the past for our existing programs. Currently the two biggest sports worldwide are soccer and basketball. In both cases you need very little: a ball and a court. For obstacle racing, you need even less: essentially all you need is a park or woods. Furthermore, pulling in the expertise from Spartan Race HQpeople at the height of competitive fitness and accomplishmentall kinds of workouts and advice are available online, for free. Its difficult to learn how to do a bicycle kick or catch a football by looking online; the resources just arent there for soccer and other sports. Why not use the experts at Spartan Life to provide guidance and context for kids to learn a lifestyle they can carry with themobstacle racing, triathlon, marathon, any activities where kids are completely involved, and responsible for their own results. In my mind, obstacle racing is the only new modern sport other than snowboarding. Like snowboarding (which also originated in Vermont!), obstacle racing is an all-body sport, which is vital for lifelong fitness. I see obstacle racing as offering a balance of competition and healthy goal-setting that is much more relevant for most individuals than our current team sports model, and it is something kids can continue to pursue over the entire arc of their adult lives. Obstacle Racing has something like a million and a half (mostly adult) followers now, I think. I see courses being built in every state. Its going to take a while, but I envision thousands of kids taking part in regional competitions. A worldwide sport is realistically possible because kids can do this anywhere.

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My first step in pursuing this ambition was connecting with Spartan Race HQ. They have a long-term vision. I participated in a bunch of Spartan events, where I witnessed people of all ages and all fitness backgrounds taking part in the sport. I also saw kids from my school really busting their humps in the gym, and none of them played any team sports. I told them I was thinking of starting Spartan Racing as a team sport and asked them if they were interested. They said yes. I pitched a proposal to our school last year, and then started working to connect with kids. Then the challenge was to connect with other administrators who have their focus on education, rather than sports. Starting with the vision of thousands of kids learning lifelong fitness, I introduced them to the idea, to kids, and to other people who were involved in the sport, including some alumni. Next I had to pitch the athletic association. I built a team of supporters, mostly through phone conversations and letters. We created a 3-5 year plan, knowing that it was going to be hard, with lots of frustrations. My Vice Principal was named Vice Principal of the Year for Vermont, so he used his bully pulpit to tell the story to our two Vermont Senators and our Congressman. I tell everyone I meet that were getting this out there and well make it work. Ive been going to local youth centers all over NY and CT, to schools, to community centers, extending the invitation to compete to a wider youth-oriented audience. With my school board, we presented obstacle racing as an official club sporta recognized school activity, which allows me to arrange budget and transportation, etc. I see it becoming a varsity sport, a kind of feeder program for adult racing. I cant think of any other feeder programs we have, getting kids to look way beyond high school. You could still do other sports like soccer and footballobstacle racing is complementary. The flexible training it entails leads to heightened health awareness and improved results in any other sports you care to pursue.

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The letter we sent out to parents included nine reasons why we were starting this program. First and foremost, you dont need any equipment. Well run bleachers, run through the woods, do burpees, pull-ups, tire flips, etc. Second, unlike in most team sports, where the majority of team members are sitting on the bench most of the time, here were involving kids in their own destiny, and keeping them all engaged all the time.

Brett with two former students, after completing the 2012 Tuxedo Ridge Sprint from left to right: Brett, Keith Williams, and Justin Hier

Were building from the ground up. Very few 14-year-olds have done anything like this, so its difficult to build momentum. This is where it gets tricky: even though we have a modern world of social media, kids still need to see something to get it and respond. Right now we have 20-30 kids who are telling their friends and peers about it every day. Were educating them on calories, nutrition, and fitness. Kids are also creating their own obstacles. Some local kids ran an obstacle course this weekend, and they were never involved in organized sports here before. The program has barely gotten started and were already seeing kids realize that they can set their own goals and change their world.

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For our school, obstacle racing is part of that larger shift. There will be more and more combined events and tri-events. Were doing snowshoe/skating/ cross-country races this year, and the trend is definitely to get kids involved in mixed-activity competitions. When Im in northern European countries, I see kids outside playing in all kinds of weather, 5-degree temperatures, just being kids and being active. Its no wonder they have such great Olympic programs and such vigorous public health. By comparison, the United States has become fairly lethargic. Our health has plummeted and too many of us have lost the experience of personal excellence. That doesnt bode well for our future. But I believe many Americans are starting to become more conscious about health in a realistic way, and I see obstacle racing and other mixed-activity competitions as an opportunity to really transform fitness for kids so they can live productive, healthy lives. We can achieve the same benefits as other nations by getting our kids outside and active as well. Once they get started, theyll make it their own. We can do it, and we are obligated to get it done.

SPARTAN WARRIOR: 1LT. ELLIOTT MEGQUIER

Andy: Speaking of active kids, First Lieutenant Elliott Megquier was the kind of kid who never sat still if he didnt have to. After fifteen years as a competitive soccer player, Elliott found new satisfaction as an elite-level obstacle racer. He now combines his personal training and professional obligations in characteristically energetic ways, challenging himself and the soldiers under his authority to become stronger, faster, and more resilient.

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Elliott: Growing up, I was a perpetually active child, one who would always run up and down the stairs, play basketball in the living room or my bedroom, and come inside at night with dirty knees that my parents had to force me to clean before I jumped into bed. Every day I would round up my sister and whatever neighborhood kids I could find to play kickball, softball/baseball, hockey, ride bikes, etc. Sometimes I would actually have to change my clothes before I went to school because I had already gotten dirty. Competitively I was strictly a soccer player from second grade through all four years of collegesave my senior year in high school when I ran indoor/outdoor track in addition to soccer. The thing was that I ran to train for soccer, and doing so I would beat all the cross-country runners when the soccer team raced them during each preseason. They kept recruiting me to run track, but I just didnt like running for its own sake. At that point, I felt that running was good training, but I needed more to keep my interest for competition. By the time I finished the Army ROTC program at UMaine and graduated from Husson University in Bangor, Maine, I had grown tired of playing competitive soccer. While at Fort Lee, VA for my first active duty training, I was recommended to join the Ft. Lee Army Ten Mile team based on my speed. I agreed to join, partially to represent and look good to my instructor who had passed my name along, and partially to get out of working out with my classmates (many of whom couldnt keep up with me in workouts). So I did the team train-up and a first race in October 2010, and to my surprise I ended up getting hooked on racing after all. After I graduated from training at Ft. Lee, I headed on to my first assignment at Ft. Drum, NY. There I was, running one weekend, when this crazy guy in a beat-up Toyota Camry started yelling at me that I should do this Hobble Gobble Race with him. That guy eventually became my best friend, Ross Montfort, and together each weekend we would find a race to drive to and have a blast along the way. We started with the 10K Hobble Gobble he had demanded I enter. From there we graduated to an adventure race breaking trails through the woods, to snowshoe races, and then finally to obstacle racing.

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Our first obstacle race together was the 2011 Vermont Tough Mudder at Mt. Snow. We both had a blast, and I thought I was the shit; Ross had done the Pennsylvania Tough Mudder only weeks before and was talking about how hard it was, but I completely destroyed the Mt. Snow course, only losing to this crazy Asian guy (Junyong Pak9). A few weeks later, Ross and I entered the Tuxedo Ridge Spartan Sprint. Before the Tuxedo race, Ross was talking about this Hobie guy who had been winning all the races. But I hadnt visited the Spartan Race website, so I had no idea who it could be. Well, I said that I was going to beat this champion; in fact, Ross and I talked me up to this crazy Joe Desena guy, saying that I was the guy to challenge Mr. Call. I had no idea what Hobie even looked like until someone pointed him out to me before the race. Boy, was I humbled. I started out well, but it didnt last. First, I couldnt make it across the zigzag balance beam, then I fell off the traverse wall, and then I missed the spear throw. Not only didnt I beat Hobie, I came in 6th in the Saturday elite wave, and I was outside of the top ten for the weekend. Was that ever a piece of humble pie. I didnt much care for it. Well, I pledged to continue to obstacle race and train harder, and now I am starting to get on the podium. Being in the Army really helps my Spartan training. Each morning I have around three hours to do whatever I want for workouts (for the most part, as long as its appropriate to my current assignment). I feel like I have gotten stronger at Spartan Racing by running with objects such as tires, rocks, and medicine balls. Currently I am training a group of soldiers to get ready for the physically demanding Air Assault School, so they are at my mercy as I put them through Spartan-inspired workouts. I will run with a rock that I find in a ditch in order to handicap myself to their pace; and that doesnt always work, so I will drop myself and whoever is closest to me down to do exercises such as burpees, flutter kicks, etc. until the last soldier passes us and gets ahead of us for a good distance. This continues for miles at a time.

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Elliott clearing the fire line at the 2011 Spartan Race Championship, Glen Rose, TX (Photo credit: Nuvision)

To date I have run nine Spartan Races and six Tough Mudders. I have won two Tough Mudders, and come in second three times (twice to Pak), with the Worlds Toughest Mudder being my only non-top finish. In Spartan Races I have always done the Saturday elite wave and I have never finished worse than twelfth. Ive scored three second-place finishes, two of those to Hobiewhich, like losing to Pak, is just like winning in my book. It has been quite a journey all over the country from New York to Vermont to Massachusetts to Illinois to Texas to New Jersey to Arizona to Colorado. And I never get bored. Each obstacle race is a new set of challenges, not just running or even cross-country running, but a whole set of intensely competitive activities, like a super-concentrated version of all the sports I loved when I was a kid. My most recent achievement was being added to the juwi Solar Obstacle Racing Team10 and becoming a sponsored racer. One of the best experiences, though, has been the great people I have met: Pak, and Hobie, and Margaret Schlachter,11 and Joe Desena, and all the Spartan staff. Its so nice to go to a

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race halfway around the country and know somebody to talk to or hang out without before and after the race. Spartan Race is by far my favorite obstacle race because I love the competition, and it is only getting better. I look forward to each race in the future. Im 23 right now, and I only hope I can be competitive and in shape like Christopher Rutz when Im in my forties!
1 What's true fitness? Mint (New Delhi, India). May 22, 2012 pNA. 2 The norms in this table were compiled from a variety of sources:

Miller, T. (Ed) (2012) NSCAs guide to Tests and Assessments. Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL. Fahey, T., Insel, P. and Roth, W. (2013). Fit and Well: core concepts and labs in physical fitness and wellness, 10th edition. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY Baechle, T and Earle, R. (Ed) (2008). Essentials of Strength and Conditioning, 3rd edition. Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL Performance norms represent the median score for competitive collegiate athletes. Health norms represent a standard which is believed to be associated with good health for individuals aged 30-39. Younger individuals would have a higher standard and older individual would have a slightly lower standard. The norms are presented as a guideline for educational purposes only; they are not intended to provide individual training advice, to diagnose disease, or to predict athletic performance.
3 You can find explanations and more information on the Spartan Race website. To incorpor-

ate variety into your daily routine, Spartan Race,, Inc. also provides daily inspiration in the form of a Workout of the Day (WOD). Subscribe at http://www.spartanrace.com/wod/.
4 A 2010 survey showed that, on average, only 1 in 3 people can touch their toes. Data was

taken from workplaces in the United States and several European countries, and respondents were between 25 and 50 years old. Sharma, Sanchita. "Unfit Nation." McClatchy - Tribune Business News: n/a. ProQuest Newsstand. Dec 26 2010. Web. 17 July 2012 .
5 A 2007 survey found that 53% of the British population could not touch their toes.

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"Most Britons Too Unfit to Cycle." The Independent: 14. ProQuest Newsstand. Sep 26 2007. Web. 17 July 2012.
6 http://kareemabduljabbar.com/blog/2008/03/fit_after_50_staying_flexible.htm 7 See Bretts Letter to Educators in Appendix D. 8 Incidentally, academic surveys and brain studies also show that early-morning training regi-

mens deliver particularly strong improvements. Unfortunately, that doesnt square with afterschool practice either.
9 See http://blog.spartanrace.com/gold-standard-junyong-pak/ 10 See http://www.Facebook.com/JuwiSolarObstacleRacing 11 Stay tuned for Margarets perspective in Chapter 7.

Chapter 4. The Sixth Element of Fitness: Mental Indomitability

Joe: The Spartan Ideal is total mind-body fitness. History is loaded with examples of superior physiological specimens being defeated by their own mental weaknesses. We dont know anyone better at training people to develop total mental fitnesstrue mental indomitabilitythan Mark Divine,1 the world-famous founder of SEALFIT and Unbeatable Mind, so were turning over this chapter to him. Wake up and pay attention. Aroo!

DEVELOPING AN UNBEATABLE MIND

THE FIRST PREMISE
"Thoughts lead on to purposes; purposes go forth in action; actions form habits; habits decide character; and character fixes our destiny."Tryon Edwards The first premise of forging an Unbeatable Mind is that you must win in the mind before you enter the battleground. For most of us, this battleground is getting through the day. But for those reading this chapter, the battle is more likely to be a Spartan Race, SEAL training (Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL training, or BUD/s), the CrossFit Games, or some other daunting challenge.

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Lets look at SEAL training as an example. BUD/s is the ultimate obstacle race. It lasts for close to a year. One must master body mind and spirit to survive the hardship, intrigue, and many obstaclessome known, but most unknownthat stand in your path. Imagine you show up at BUD/s on day one. Around you stand 175 swarthy SEAL candidates from all walks of life. Some are monster Adonis-types who played linebacker for their college football team. Others are boxers and wrestlers. Still others look like they just parked the tractor in the barn and hopped on a bus to Coronado. Every one of your competition is race ready to compete, yet only a fraction will be there 11 months later to earn the coveted Navy SEAL Trident. However, if you wonder whether you will be one of themthen you wont be. The reality is that BUD/s, or the Race, is won in your mind before you show up on the big day. When psychologists studied who succeeds at BUD/s and who loses, they could only come up with the brilliant deduction that those with more grit were the ones who got the Trident. Grit is hard to define. The best athletes are not always the ones who succeed at BUD/s. Similarly, take a marathon runner and enroll them into a crushing endurance obstacle race, and there is not much likelihood they will finish if they have not developed grit. Grit is determined in your mind. It has little to do with physical training. For most people, training for a big event or goal, your physical training plan drives you. Your plan sets your battle rhythm, and you eat, breathe, and sleep around the training plan. You know you need a good mental attitude, but you devote little effort to training mentally. That is because you dont know how. This approach gets you to the starting line, but is not good to guarantee a win.

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THE THREE WINS

Developing an Unbeatable Mind requires a kokoro, or heart of a warrior spirit. This spirit is keenly focused on all three domains of conflict that arise simultaneously in daily lives. Most of us focus on only one domainthat of competing against others. Lets take a look at the three wins you must prepare for. The first conflict and win you must achieve is the conflict going on inside of you. Dominating this first conflict is the point of our first premise. This battle is won by overcoming your fears, steeling your resolve, maintaining an offensive mind set, developing skills, knowledge and personal power. It is won by not succumbing to poor habits, and by not debiting, or diminishing, your personal power while crediting it to your competition. Folks who understand and win this first conflict are said to have grit. The second conflict is an actual engagement or competition against another human being or team. Interestingly, this second fight is often the easiest to focus on. It requires the least time and energy of the three conflicts; thus it is the easiest to wrap ourselves around. But focusing on winning this conflict, while ignoring the other two, will lead to failure. The third conflict and win to prepare for is between you and the system. Spartan racers know that the race itself is a more formidable opponent than the other competitors. In fact, you have a common bond with your competitors because you share the crucible experience and the goal of surviving whatever is thrown at you. In the SEAL training grinder, the second fight is clear to you. You must fight each and every one of the other trainees to earn the right to wear the SEAL Trident. That means that, out of 40 potential finishers, 39 will be your potential teammates, and the other 165 are your enemies. You are locked in a competitive battle with them to ensure your position in the 40. You must do so by being crafty, ever watchful; exploiting opportunity; being Machiavellian and Aristotelian at the same time. You must be intensely cooperative and forge a

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winning team, while also being intensely competitivethe stakes are the coveted Trident, which some have literally died earning. The third fight is against the system. The system is the race, or the instructor cadre, or the rules and regulations, or the law. At BUD/s this conflict is in your face daily. The instructors sole job is to determine whether you have what it takes to be on the team. They dont care about you personally. Whether you or the next guy makes it is completely irrelevant to them. The instructors all have PhDs in exploiting weakness, finding your opening, crawling inside of you and tearing you apart from the inside out. You will not make itunless You win the first fight first! This brings us full circle to the first premise. You must win in the mind before stepping foot onto the battleground. This is true for any situation in life. The question, then, becomes How?

HABITUATE
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit."Aristotle Our habits define us. They are the little actions we take every moment, every day. The problem is that many of our habits may not be bad habits, such as smoking or over-eating, but they are not excellence habits. Thus we tend to view them as OK and do nothing to change them, while wondering why we dont perform at the top .1%, or 1%, or even 10%. We must examine all of our habits, seeking to weed out bad habits, and drive out OK habits with excellence habits. As a nail drives out another nail, so a new habit will drive out an old one. But what are the excellence habits of the top-tier athletes and performers? The three excellence habits I encourage you to begin forming immediately are discipline, drive and determination. These three values are more than

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words; they are a way of life that, when habituated, will propel you relentlessly toward victory. When we have habituated discipline, drive, and determination such that they become exemplified in our every action, then we have developed Kokoro. Kokoro is synonymous with grit. It means that we grow stronger through trial and tribulation. We grow through a disciplined approach to learning, training, and mastering ourselves. We grow stronger by driving forward, not by shying from hard challenges or quitting when the going gets unfathomable. We grow by practicing quiet determination to win and persevering until we do. Kokoro is gained by habituating discipline, drive, and determination through hard work, life experience, and proper training. Great athletes, like noble warriors, seek training with the severest discipline, methods and schools. They do this not just to be better at athletic contests, but to be better people. Discipline is the habit of the daily grind. It literally means to be a disciple to some higher purpose. So developing the discipline to train hard every day is crucial. To do so means steeling the mind to reject comfort, embrace pain, avoid distractions, and eject negative people and influences to stay focused. Were this easy, the line at the door at BUD/s would be long indeed. Drive is the motivation behind your disciplined actions. Drive is fueled by desire, belief, and expectation that you can achieve, that you are capable of twenty times more than your current state of being. Your drive comes from deep within you, and is your main purpose enacted on the playing field. Determination is the willpower to keep going after everyone else has gone home. The BUD/s trainees who succeed are the ones who learn to go the extra mile on every evolution, including the ones that are not graded. When everyone else is done for the day, the determined will stay for an extra hour honing a skill. FILOfirst in, last outis the accounting system of the determined.

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DEVELOP MENTAL CONTROL

The subject of mental control is abstract. Our society likes to stay distracted, always chasing the next shiny object. We train to keep our minds busy, and our minds are great students. Soon we have no choice: we are slaves to our anxious, darting minds and the constant stream of useless mental chit-chat. During the first week of SEALFIT Academy the students quickly realize how little control they have over their own thoughts. They, like all but a very small percentage of humanity, have made a habit out of letting their minds run amok rather than controlling and directing their minds with laser-like precision. It is common to mistake endless negative mental chatter as thinking. It is not thinking. Thinking requires creating something new. Mental chatter is a neurological reaction to a stimulus, either external or internal. Unfortunately very few of us are exposed to training on how to control and direct thoughts to creatively solve problems, in the process cultivating a rich, positive and powerful inner life. Mental control is about taming the chatter box and directing the mind toward positive, powerful actions that support your goals. The development of mental control is the foundation for building an unbeatable mind that will not fail at any worthy goal or task, including a Spartan Race. We are not talking about developing special psychic powers like reading/bending someone elses mind. Rather, we are talking about learning to settle your own monkey mind so you can then train your whole mind to operate at an elite level, whatever your goals may be. Your monkey mind refers primarily to your rational, analytical left brain mind, especially if it is untrained through higher education and deep concentration. It is estimated that this part of our brains accounts for roughly 12% of our total thinking power. The other 88% lies in our creative subconscious, our right brain, and is typically poorly engaged by the majority of people.

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The first step for developing mental control is silencing yourself enough so you can witness what is going on in your head. As you witness, you gain awareness of the external and internal influences that cause the chatter. The silence is the first layer of training for the mind. Gaining the space to witness our thoughts tames those thoughts in the process. We begin to bring our mind back under our control, allowing ourselves to focus for longer periods of time. Then, we have the possibility of removing negative distractions and ensuring that our psychology supports our physiology. Aligning our psychology and physiology optimally is a key aspect of developing what I call our Performance Zone. As we gain mental control, we can then begin to develop the full capacity of our mental capabilities.2

Whole Mind Training

As discussed above, the first step to mental control training is some form of silent practice. We do this in a variety of ways at Unbeatable Mind. The first is a guided concentration practice called Still Water Runs Deep that has us settle our minds and watch our thoughts through a 20-minute guided meditation. There are many forms of concentration and meditation practice that will work for this purpose, including the moving meditation of yoga. Find the practice that suits you best, and make it a discipline. Once you gain control of your monkey mind, we need to start rooting out unsupportive negative programming lurking in the subconscious mind and emotional body.3 Finally, as we gain control of the mind and excavate the subconscious, we plant new programming to supercharge our performance. The metaphor I like to use is that we must first weed the garden by silencing our mind and pulling out the negative programming. Then with this fertile ground we plant new seeds of thought that will grow to nourish us for the rest of our lives. These new seeds are planted through visualization, imagery, affirmations, and constant vigilance against negative influences in our lives. This whole mind

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approach takes as much commitment to training as does your physical preparation.

Mental Toughness
Does mental control relate to forging mental toughness? The answer is an emphatic yes! However there is more to mental toughness than controlling the mind. My experience is that the term mental toughness does not adequately describe what distinguishes winners who consistently meet their goals from the rest of the masses. Certainly mental control training as outlined above is part of the puzzle, but we can easily fall victim to the notion that there is a secret pill for mental toughness. We imagine that if we put in more and harder training sessions, more mental control bench-press sessions, if we gut through that 100-mile runwe are certain to be mentally tough. Not necessarily so! A look at those who survive SEAL training is informative. Body builders and all-star athletes, who seem tough and, in their domains, are, often fail miserably. Yet the kid who grew up in the inner city, and had no back door, nothing to losethe one who simply wont quitis standing there saluting the Admiral on the last training day. Why is this? I believe that there is a strong spiritual aspect to winning and surviving great challenges. Cultivating an unbeatable mind refers to the whole person approach to winning and surviving. It goes beyond the mental and into the very core of your being. Lets dig into this whole person approach a little further.

UNBEATABLE SPIRIT
Will do today what others wont, will do tomorrow what others cant.Smoke Jumper Creed How do we train to be unbeatable? Being unbeatable means we are physically indomitable, mentally fit, and spiritually unbreakable. But how do we get there? How do we know what to do?

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First, we must learn how to train smarter and harder than everyone else; smarter and harder than we are now; and smarter and harder than we think is possible. At SEALFIT we live by the above quote, borrowed from the famed Smoke Jumpers. It sums up the spirit of training smarter and harder than you think you can. I believe that we are all capable of at least twenty times more than we think we are at any given moment. By pushing the envelope, that twenty times is constantly sliding to the right. Eventually your normal is extraordinary to the common person. I have seen this demonstrated so many times with my SEAL teammates, advanced martial artists and yoga practitioners. What they do as a matter of routine would utterly blow most people away. But these folks are not supermen. They have simply trained harder than what is considered normal. The results layer over the years and show up as mastery with spectacular abilities.

A SEALFIT Perspective
Do or do not, there is no tryYoda How can we forge an unbeatable spirit and do today what others wont so we can do tomorrow what others cant? First, we must challenge ourselves today to be 1% better at all levels. We cant leave this to chance, or a maybe. We must have a plan. That plan must be simple, effective and we must execute it daily. The plan must call for achieving daily incremental improvement over five key human capacities, or intelligences. I call this the 5-mountain training plan after the five mountains we climb daily at SEALFIT. This is appropriate for any Spartan seeking to operate at an elite level. The five mountains are physical, mental, emotional, intuitional and spiritual development. As we embark on a five-mountain approach to our training, we will automatically develop a broad perspective. A broad perspective means that you are not narrow-minded or operating in a closed system of thought and behavior. I encourage you to actively seek to broaden your perspective through study, travel, authentic listening, and introspection.

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You must accept everyone and every moment as your teacher. Humble yourself to be a lifelong learner. The moment you start to believe in your own importance, intelligence, or infallibility, you will be toppled from your throne, like so many before you. Humility and service are the fruits of developing perspective. A broadened perspective results from the unfolding of our consciousness as we break through barriers and see the world through fresh eyes. Many never embark on this journey, preferring to stay in the safe confines of their mental and emotional enclosure. Those seeking an unbeatable mind embrace change and seek to accelerate it, finding thrill in the journey of their conscious self upward toward unknown territory, ever expanding, unfolding and including others. Know yourself and know your enemy, in 1,000 battles you will not lose.Sun Tzu By developing perspective you will begin to know your own inner nature, as well as the nature of others, intimately. This knowledge of human nature progresses through experience, contemplation, heightened awareness and study. Understanding human nature allows us to lead authentically, and have compassion for our own weaknesses as well as those of others. We become better people, and connect deeply with others. Realize deeply that the present moment is all you have. Make the NOW the primary focus of your life. Eckhart Tolle The net result of all this inner work is to gain presence along with your broad perspective. Eckhart Tolle speaks eloquently about presence in his book, The Power of Now. Maintaining attention on the present moment, we are in touch with an infinite source of energy and intelligence, just waiting for us to reach out and refill our cup. Notice when your mind is in the future or past. This is draining energy, obsessing about things that have yet to happen or that are distant to the moment. Being in the moment does not mean we are comatose or personality-less zombies. Quite the opposite: it means that

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the fullest colors of our unique personalities can show themselves in full bloom, unspoiled by mental refraction.

PHYSICAL TRAINING
This chapter is primarily about mental training, but, like the Spartans of Ancient Greece, I view physical training to be a bridge to mental and character development. Physical development is also the first mountain of SEALFIT, so I would like to share our philosophy. How we physically prepare SEALFIT athletes is very relevant for serious obstacle racers preparing for a major event like a Spartan obstacle race. SEALs must handle a diverse range of physical challenges as well as known and unknown tasks on a daily basis. The primary physical capacities they must draw upon include endurance, strength, stamina, work capacity, and durability. SEALs must be prepared for long and arduous endurance events on sea, air, and land. Their endurance must be oriented to the challenging environments that Special Operators work on and under. Having biking endurance isnt going to help on a long ocean swim with gear. Being able to run a marathon isnt going to ensure they can do a 26-mile hike with 60 pounds of equipment and supplies. Thus they must have functional endurance for the environments they operate. Next, SEALFIT athletes must have an advanced level of relative strength and stamina. Strength and stamina are the foundation on which endurance and work capacity are built. Because SEALs operate as a team, each individual must be able to carry his load and have the stamina to do so over long distances. This may show up as having the strength and stamina to carry a wounded buddy a mile to get out of the danger zone. SEALFIT Coach Chriss Smith recently related the story of having to hump the 85-pound rucksacks of a couple OGA (Other Governmental Agency) operators up a very high

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mountain in Afghanistan. They could not carry their own load and let their egos get in the way of mission accomplishment. Not cool. SEALFIT athletes must develop a high level of what I call work capacity, essentially horsepowerour ability to do an intense amount of work in a short period of time. Work capacity, combined with skill and awareness, determines survivability in a firefight. Work capacity is trained through superhigh-intensity workouts of the CrossFit variety. The athlete must be competent in moving external loads at velocity without getting injured or resulting in rhabdo.4 The average person can only sustain output at this level for a few moments. SEALs must be able to do it for up to 20 minutes at a time. The only way to develop this capacity is to train like an animal for it. Competition is a great way to build intensity and work capacity, therefore we like to time each work capacity training session. Finally, SEALs must have serious durability. They cant afford to get benched during training or break during an operation. Just making it through SEAL training is an ordeal in durability. The training places so much load on the candidates bodies and minds through the 11-month ordeal that those who are not durable will break. Training for a serious physical challenge like BUD/s must prepare the extremity bones, joints, ligaments, spine and neck for the constant pummeling. Normal gym training is ignorant to these demands. The SEALFIT Operator Workouts posted on www.sealfit.com are a free resource for military, first responders, obstacle racers, and adventure athletes and others to prepare themselves in this model. They are very challenging, and the program has proven extremely effective as evidenced by its use at the US Naval Academy, Canadian Infantry, numerous US and foreign Special Forces units, as well as many SWAT and first responder teams.

SUMMARY
It is impossible to be confident and prepared for the known and unknown and to lead your team through major challenges if you do not prepare yourself mentally as well as physically. However, the knowledge to do so is not

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readily available; it is buried in the clutter of commercialism and dumbed down by the litigious and politically correct society we live in. There is no excuse for an obstacle racer not to explore mental training to prepare for a serious challenge race. Stepping up to the challenge in the first place shows that you are unique in our society. It is incumbent upon you to train and lead the way as a Spartan would. This means taking responsibility for your own actions as well as those of your teammates. This includes proper mental and physical training. Those of you who are already big event racers know that the mental side of the race is the determinant of success or failure. You must also know by now that physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of your being are inextricably intertwined, and so must be trained in a whole person fashion. Those of you who are new to serious competition may find this novel; but as you become acclimated to the concepts and practice the methods of mental training, you will realize that mental fitness enables you to succeed not only at your competitive endeavors but in every other aspect of your life as wellyour whole person will become stronger, more resilient, unbreakable. I hope the information in this chapter is helpful to you in training for mental indomitability, and I look forward to your inevitable success as you continue your journey! Train hard, stay present, and have fun!5

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Mark Divine at SEALFIT Training Center (Photo courtesy of Rich Vernetti/Vernetti Arts)

SPARTAN WARRIOR: ELLA KOCIUBA

Andy: Ella Kociuba first caught Spartan Race glory at 18 when she turned up as an unknown in a Sunday Sprint and bested the time for the champion of the Saturday prize wave. After just two races, Ella has already clearly established herself among the competitive elite Spartans with a first and second place to her name; and she just signed her first sponsor deal (more to come, no doubt) with Flag Nor Fail.6 Better still than her incredible performance is her amazing story of how she refused to allow a serious injury to derail her from the extraordinary level of competitive performance she craves. Ella is all mental indomitability.

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Ella: This sport has satisfied my innate thirst for competition, and let me tell you: it is a pretty damn good drink. Let me put that statement in context for you. I am nineteen years old and a sponsored obstacle race athlete. Within seven months of deciding to labor day-in and day-out for my dream of standing on the Spartan podium, I was able to earn the right to introduce myself that way. However, my success has not by any means been easily won.

Ella clearing the fire line at the 2012 Burnet, Texas Sprint (Photo credit: Nuvision)

As far back as I can remember, I have possessed an undeniable thirst for competition. It is the blood to my heart, the oxygen in my lungs, and I think it is not too dramatic to say it is what makes me live. That thirst was unquenched for most of my life so far: as I was growing up, you didnt see me winning first place, nor did you see me making newspapers. I faded into the background of my team, like a single stroke in a watercolor painting. I was by no means special. I consistently gave my best but it seemed my body could not handle the physical rigor of being a top athlete.

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Ironically, my big breakthrough came as a result of breaking my body. At the age of thirteen, my body suffered catastrophic spinal fractures in a major horse riding accident. After year and a half of doctor visits, two back braces, and seemingly unending chiropractic work, I was finally sent off to surgery. The surgery revealed something beyond my comprehension: in the accident I had broken the L4 and the L5 vertebrae, but when the doctors opened me up, they discovered that I had Spondylolisthesis (a condition where a vertebra in the lower part of the spine slips out of its proper position onto the bone below it); in addition to that, my spine had never being connected to my sacrum since birth. Following the surgery, four permanent metal rods and screws held my spine together. I was told I may never play sports again, but my journey to becoming normal was extremely promising. I believe the doctors probably meant to be encouraging. But when I heard that sports may not be in my future, I think it was the worst heartache of my life. My future seemed so hopeless at such a young age. I quickly dropped into the abyss of believing I was nothing, and I saw my life going nowhere. For months I sat alone, thinking I was done; but when my thirst for competition began to overgrow my thoughts, I decided to pull myself together and push forwardalong with a few mental adjustments. I decided to bypass normal and go straight back to sports. About a year after my surgery, I started to compete again, I started to make newspapers, and I started to become the champion I always dreamed of being. Sounds simple, right? Yes and no. It was a decision I made, and it was unbelievably hard to fulfill. Id like to explain to you my opinion on what it takes to be your very best. You know the saying, beauty isnt just skin deep, right? Basically, this adage reminds us to look beyond the surface in order to see the true beauty of any individual. Just as true beauty comes from within rather than from our superficial appearance, true strength actually comes from deep within us rather than from

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our passing thoughts or sensations. I honestly believe that true strength is just like true beauty: it is not measured by how much you can lift, how fast you can run, or how flexible you may be, but in fact it is measured by how hard you are willing to push past your limits, how much stress you are willing to endure, and how many times you will fall and get back up. Failure isnt the most delicious dish out there, but it is most certainly more appetizing than regret. Every athlete will agree with me on this when I say training really does suck, but there is honestly something about the fatigue you savor afterwards that is immeasurably gratifying. When I say training sucks, I mean I struggled often; and any number of times I found my head hanging low in disappointment. Many times I found myself quivering down to my knees with vomit dripping down my hoodie, my hands trembling, and my lungs gasping for relief. It is at these very moments when you believe you cannot go anymore that you truly define yourself. You have a very simple choice: give up or get up. Clich, right? But, clich or not, its the choice you will have to make. Which will it be? Really, your mind is lying to you when it tells you that you cannot go on. We are so unaware of the fact that we are all born to do great things, and we are able to perform things we thought we never could do. Very few of us decide to break down our mental barriers to discover our inner strength and beauty. You have what it takes. Its been inside you all along. Decide to find it. I cannot tell you how to be the very best or how to be successful exactly, but what I can tell you is that whatever you are after in life, dont let your own mind become the reason why you fell short of it. Your mind is either your best friend or your worst enemy. Obviously, there are plenty of physical challenges you will face in your lifetime, but nothing can match up to your mind. It is your ultimate fate-maker, your dreaded competition, and possibly your greatest weapon. If you want to achieve your goals, you must master your mind before it masters your fate.

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You may not believe me, but your body can take just about any kind of beating you put it through if your mind will just keep up. The next time you find your mind telling you to give up, decide for yourself that you have the mental strength you need to keep going. The struggle will be persistent, so your success will come down to your discipline and to your honest desire to achieve your goal. Let me tell you plainly that the mental struggle is hard. Nothing worth having has ever been achieved easily, and it doent get easier as it goes. To tell the truth, I dont have this whole mental struggle mastered either, and I continue to fight it. In fact, I think about quitting once in a while, but that is the point! I want to be at my limit, I want to break past the barriers my mind has set up, because that is how I have become my very best so far and how I will continue to find new bests in the future. I never would have thought I would be where I am today, but, with the right mindset, I have been able to achieve great things in amazingly little time. If I had given up on my dreams because of my defeated mind, I would not be living out my desire for elite athletic competition. But let me tell you: that is the symptomthe surface appearanceof the strength I decided to find. My mind feels confident after defeating its own self. That is my biggest victory, and my true strength. To me, Spartan Races are a lot like life. They are exhausting, dirty, and full of obstacles, but most importantly they give us moments to define ourselves, to break down and find our true beauty, our true strength. They challenge you to have the courage to face your fears, to push past your comfort zone, and give you new perspective on who you are within. I have taken from the sport of obstacle racing that, no matter where you come from, you have the ability to achieve anything if you give it your everything.

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SPARTAN WARRIOR: ROSE MARIE JARRY

Andy: Rose Marie Jarry embodies a very different and equally necessary version of mental indomitability: she never loses her sense of humor, particularly when her goal is at stake. Having racked up a bragging-worthy record of twelve podium finishes (six wins) in sixteen starts12 Sprints, three Supers, and one Beastover a span of two years, you might expect her to focus on her numerous moments of triumph. Instead, Rose Marie savors the ridiculous, the humbling, and even the revoltingly smelly and offers those as her highlights. Rose Maries lighthearted self-awareness represents the Spartan Code in its most joyous form. Rose Marie: I am a 29-year-old entrepreneur in the all-natural sports nutrition industry,7 and Im a runner. I used to compete at the Canadian national level in track and field. I love short and quick distances such as the 400-meter or 1000-meter. The 800 meters used to be my primary event, but I discovered Spartan Races when they began two years ago, and now I am a Spartan racing fanatic. We should set up a 400-meter Spartan battle! Im definitely in!! On June 24th, 2012, I ran my sixteenth race since I discovered Spartan racing. Its a lot of fun and very different from what I was used to doing in track and field. So far I have won six races, finished six times on the podium in second or third place, and three times Ive finished fifth. Even though Im not a specialist in long distance running, Ive found I can do great at longer distances as well. One of my best memories so far was from the Malibu Sprint in December 2010. I ran ahead of all the other women throughout the whole course, which was non-stop up and down on a rocky mountain. With about 500 meters to go, the next obstacle was to walk in a pond for about 100 meters. A few steps in, suddenly it got very deep and I fell in over my head. The shock was brutal, the water was indescribably cold, and my heartbeat suddenly shot extremely high. I was short of breath and I felt like I was going to have a heart attack. I

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had a few moments of panic that I would drown and I was looking everywhere around me to see if somebody would be able to save me if things didnt turn out well. But I took a few deep breaths and got control of myself, and I managed get to the other side of the pond. My Achilles tendons felt so completely frozen, I had to walk first before I could start running again. I felt certain that if I started straining them too soon one of them would tear. I hobbled stiffly across the finish line. It wasnt a photogenic finish, but I won the race in 36 minutes. Another fun story was at the Beast in Vermont 2011. I got into that race without training much and without much mileage or any distance running, but I thought it would be cool to try anyway. I made it through (where a lot of people dropped out before the end) and even finished 4th out of all the women. The funny part was when I passed Joe Desena. There were extremely steep mountains and after the first hour of racing I managed to widen the gap I had on him. But after two and a half hours I got stuck in the mountain with a fifty-pound sandbag ripping apart and getting stuck in all the roots and the rocks that were in the way. It took me probably fifty minutes to finish that part alone. Thats where I saw Joe and the other guys catching back up to me. I was so slow that I caused a traffic jam on the tiny thin trail. Joe even started pushing me with his hand on my back to help me carry the uncooperative sand bag up the hill. What a mess! After that I told myself I was going to do some weights for more upper body strength, to avoid repeating the same irritating situation. Also, I vowed to work on leg conditioning because those steep hills caused my quads to burn for the next ten days after the race. I was walking like I needed a set of crutches. Maybe one more fun story before I stop. This one was the 2012 Miami Super Spartan. I was doing this race a second time and I even had my dad come with me to Miami to watch me run. We arrived a week in advance, but 36 hours before the race I started to get sick. I had a sore throat and I felt really tired and weak. I was so mad to have come all that way to get sick. Joe Desena told me to eat a lot of garlic to kill those germs. I come from a natural and healthy-lifestyle family on my moms side, so the concept of eating

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garlic to kill the germs was nothing too surprising to me. Ive seen worse. So I decided I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. I went to the grocery store and bought a bunch of garlic15 huge garlic headsand I started eating the cloves one by one. The garlic was unbelievably strong and so was the smell. I could feel my heartbeat changing as I ate it. I ate all 15 heads in 36 hours, took my Echinacea, and slept almost the whole day before the race. My breath was so terrible, even my dad was shy to hang out with me! Ha ha! I didnt care, I just wanted to race. Even Joe was impressed by my courage. He told me he uses this special remedy often in his family, and has even given it a nickname: FIRE BALLS!!! Believe it or not, I woke up at 5:00 a.m. on race day and finished third in the elite heat and fifth overall. After the race I still had a cough and a blocked up nose for a week, but no more sore throat or fever.

Rose Marie fending off the gladiators on her way to the finish at the 2012 Miami Super still smiling after eating more than a hundred of Joes Fire Balls!

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(Photo credit: Nuvision)

Those are the moments I remember most vividly from my races. Except for those few times I got lost in the woods at the 2011 Miami Super, because the course was not too well indicated and I missed the course markers. I ended up running about 5 kilometers more than I was supposed to and lost my podium position due to it. Ha ha! Now I dont get lost anymore. Ive learned my lesson!
1 See, for example, http://www.unbeatablemind.com and http://www.sealfit.com 2 A full exploration of this topic is beyond the scope of this writing. I founded the Unbeatable

Mind Academy to help individuals develop the full capacity of their mental capabilities. See http://www.unbeatablemind.com for more.
3 This is also beyond the scope of what I can cover here. However it is essential to do in or-

der to build a foundation for an unbeatable mind.

4

Rhabdomyolosisvery 000473.htm

bad.

See

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/

5 If you found this chapter valuable, please accept my gift of 3 free training videos that go

deeper into these concepts, as well as how to prepare mentally for success before, during and after a challenge event like an obstacle race. These free videos can be found at www.sealfit.com/spartanrace.
6 See http://flagnorfail.com/ 7 See http://www.kronobar.com/pages/Kronobar-Spartan-Challenge%21.html

Chapter 5. Train for a Spartan Sprint

Joe: To finish a race at any distance is just a matter of mindset. God forbid, if you were in a car or plane crash and had to walk to survive, you would do it. Spartan Races really are for everyone, and all sorts of people turn up on race day. I gauge an entrants fitness by their mindset and their prior accomplishments. Spartan Warrior Chris Davis1 is a role model in that regard, because he certainly isnt in physical condition to complete a 26-mile obstacle race, but he really does have the mental capability. We tell him to do something, and he does it. Sure, he complains like everyone else, but tell him to show up at 3:30 a.m. (yes, thats a.m.!) and hes there at 3:29. Tell him to go thirteen miles carrying sandbags and yeah, he complains, but he keeps going until he gets it done. If you decide to complete a Spartan Race, you can and will cross the finish line. Its really that simple. To finish any race strong, you must be in competition shape. That means you must be able to ride, run, or swim for three hours or more without being desperate for food or water. How do you reach that level of fitness? Its more about healthy eating than working out, although it definitely requires both. When Andy gets in competition shape for something, he just launches himself into it, and I do more or less the same thing. At this stage he and I are like boxers; we dont do anything2, and then, when something is on the calendar, we push to prepare. That seems like a stretch for most people, but I have the memory to know I can do it. Ive done an Ironman, and I know what that feels like, so I know I can prepare for that event in 8 weeks. When youve never done it before, you are probably out of your mind overtraining, because you just dont know what to expect. Andy and I are astonished by all the gadgets and heart monitors and training equipment and all the stuff people use to

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get in shape. Its really just not necessary. We like to just grab sandbags or rocks and go up a hill, and thats the sort of thing we do every day. Its not easy to eat healthy, but the cleaner you can eatnot a bunch of powders and special drinks, and definitely the less processed stuff is, the betterthe easier you can attain and maintain fitness. If youre out on a 100-mile run or more, its not realistic to carry a bunch of bananas; so its understandable to take with you the healthiest processed options available. But think about it: processing makes someone else money. It doesnt necessarily make you healthier; usually, it does the opposite. Instead of eating lots of processed food products and supplements to follow some commercial plan, choose your diet to feed your body: eat fresh produce as much as possible, and eat it raw to give your body the nutrients it needs in their most digestible form. Choose organic whenever you can, particularly for animal protein (meat or dairy) to avoid concentrating industrial chemicals in your system. Get rid of sodas and sports drinks. Drink water, or water with lemon, or freshly-made juices. Always eat and drink only as much as you need to satisfy your hunger, not until youre really full. A telling sign that youre in peak condition is when youre able to do a big exhausting eventa Sprint, a marathon, a triathlon, whatever that is for youand wake up the next day and do it again. Most times, youre exhausted the next day. When you can do back-to-back competition days, youre in unstoppable shape. As you become truly fit, there are little things you begin to realize about yourselfabout your body, your mind, and your emotions. Thats why I believe everybody should do a 100-mile run at some point in their lives. When you exert yourself to a point where food and water are all you care about and nothing else is important in life, you really learn a lot about your body and mind. Its an amazing experience to take yourself to that level and learn what that is like. When you reach the place where you cant go any further, where you cant take another step, you have at least eight days left. I know that from my own experience, that when I couldnt move, I still had eight days in me.

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Maybe others have even more. Its really worth having that self-awareness. But look: even if you never aspire to doing a 100-mile run, finishing your first Spartan Sprint will give you a level of self-awareness beyond anything you have experienced so far. That is definitely within your reach!

SETTING EXPECTATIONS: BASIC TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

Andy: My take on training is that the first three distancesSprint, Super, and Beastare very similar. Intensity is different, but, being a Phys Ed teacher, I advise everyone to address the five main elements of fitness covered in Chapter 3. Nutrition is vital too, but my view is that its more of a personal lifestyle choice that will make you feel better and help you meet your goals both on and off the racecourse. The Sprint race is 3+ miles with up to fifteen obstacles. This distance is good for everyone, beginner obstacle racers all the way to expert. People with a wide range of ability levels participate in the Sprint, and therefore training will vary quite a bit from person to person. A lot of people neglect strength training and calisthenicsthats a big mistake. All athletes should incorporate weight training and specifically core strengthening into their daily routines. Your main focus in preparing for a Sprint should be cardiovascular fitness and muscular strength, equally balanced for upper body, leg, and core strength. If you are starting from scratch, build your mileage slowly to be able to run 5 miles at a moderate pace before attempting to do the Sprint distance. If beyond the Sprint you aspire to enter longer races like the Ultra Beast, add more distance running. Lots more.

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TRAIN TO FINISH THE SPRINT

Jeff: The fastest times for the Spartan Sprint are under 30 minutes, the average time is around one hour, and the slowest times are two hours or more. Because the race is 3 miles long, to finish in average time you would need to be able to maintain an average speed of 3-4 miles per hour, including the obstacles. Given that the course is not flat, this is no easy task. Penalties can also substantially increase your completion time: it may take up to fifteen minutes for some to complete a set of thirty burpees. Because the fitness requirements of finish a Sprint are multidimensional, an effective training plan will incorporate each component, with particular emphasis on cardiorespiratory activity.

AEROBIC TRAINING
You should build aerobic capacity by walking/jogging/running three times a week, varying the type of aerobic training. Some of the training should include Long Slow Distance (LSD) training that is done at a lower intensity for extended periods of time. You should build LSD training to 1.5 times your predicted finishing time. You should also incorporate some training that is conducted at or near the lactate threshold (TEMPO). This is an intensity that can only be maintained for 30-45 minutes. The best way to TEMPO train is through long intervals of 10-15 minutes at the lactate threshold followed by 5 minutes of recovery, repeated 2-4 times. Finally, you should also include some high intensity interval training (HIT). HIT is done at near maximal intensities for brief periods of 2-3 minutes, followed by an equal amount of active recovery. Running hills would be a good way to satisfy this component. Also since Spartan Race is run on trails, at least 50% of the training should be on trails.

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ANAEROBIC TRAINING
In order to complete an obstacle race, you will need strength and power. Your training program should include strength-building activities that stress the muscles used in climbing, crawling, and jumping. Exercises such as pullups, push-ups, burpees, squats, lunges, and side lunges should be utilized throughout your training program. Other exercises that strengthen the chest, upper back, shoulders, hips, and core, such as dumbbell presses, lat pulldowns, seated rows, leg presses, curl-ups and back extensions can also be utilized, but since you will need to carry your body-weight over obstacles it makes sense to utilize body-weight activities as much as possible. Power can be developed in a number of ways. For the beginner, the best way to incorporate some power training is through bounding and jumping exercises. These should be incorporated slowly into your training to avoid overuse injuries.

CIRCUIT TRAINING
A good way to incorporate HIT and Strength/Power training is through circuit training. With circuit training you will select 3-4 exercises and perform them for a specified number of repetitions or time in a consecutive sequence without rest. As an example, you might perform push-ups, assisted pull-ups, squat jumps, each for one minute, followed by an all-out run for two minutes, and a 4-minute recovery; and then repeat the cycle three times. This is very intense and fatiguing. You should only attempt a workout like this after you have built a base level of fitness.

8 WEEKS TO YOUR FIRST SPARTAN SPRINT

Joe and Andy have designed the Sprint to be feasible even for people who have never competed in sports before. If you are currently sedentary, you can become strong enough in eight weeks to complete the course. If you are moderately active, you can become fit enough to attack the course and enjoy it.

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The training template here is meant to be adapted to your fitness level: follow the template to your best ability, and do more or less as appropriate to your fitness level. If you have or develop any health concerns, consult a physician.

Race Day Minus 8 Weeks

Monday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Warm-up jump rope 10 minutes Skip, high knee jog, skip side to side, skip front to back Dreamweaver with jog 50 minutes The stuff dreams are made of! .5mi run, hard 10 push-ups 5 pull-ups 15 crunches Repeat 4 times, no rest Jog 3 miles

Tuesday Cross-train Dynamic warm-up 1

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Planned duration Workout description

10 minutes Start with 5-minute general warm-up with a brisk walk, slow jog, easy cycle, or easy row. Then perform the following exercises twice, for a distance of 25 yards each: High knee walk High knee jog Butt kickers Lateral shuffle Straight leg march Skip Straight leg skip Cross-over step Carioca Duck walk Dreamweaver with jog 60 minutes Some may find this difficult to swallow: Repeat this set 5 times: 10 push-ups 10 burpees 5 pull-ups 30-second sprint 1-minute rest Then with a rock, repeat this set 4 times: 15 squats lunge walk 50 yards

Cross-train Planned duration Workout description

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10 chest passes 10 underhand toss 1 minute rest between sets

Wednesday Day off Workout description Rest day A Rest days are just as important as training days. This is the time when your body adapts to the previous days exercise. Make it an active rest day by walking to the store, taking the stairs at work, parking at the far end of the parking lot, every hour take a 1-minute break and stretch. Eat well, remembering you arent exercising and burning all those extra calories!

Thursday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Warm-up jump rope 10 minutes Skip, high knee jog, skip side to side, skip front to back Diamonds are forever! With 3-mile run. 50 minutes

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Workout description

This is a functional whole-body workout. Diamonds last forever, so will you. Rest 30 seconds between sets and exercises. Squats: Begin with feet closer together than shoulder width apart and hold both hands to your sides. Slowly squat down to 90 degrees and return to the start position. Repeat as desired. Hold dumbbells in your hands. Select a weight that you can only lift within the suggested range. Step 1: 10-12 reps, high intensity, steady tempo Step 2: repeat Barbell overhead squat: Begin with feet wider than shoulder width apart and arms fully extended overhead, barbell in hands. Select a weight that you can only lift within the suggested range. Start by using a wooden dowel if necessary. Step 1: 10-12 reps, high intensity, steady tempo Step 2: repeat Box alternating leg shuffle: Begin with one foot on the box and the other on the ground. Explode off the foot on the box and switch legs in air, landing with the opposite foot on the box. Step 1: 15 reps per leg Step 2: repeat Kettelbell or dumbbell suitcase dead lift: Begin with feet shoulder width apart with the kettelbell in the right hand. Slowly squat down to 90 degrees, until the kettelbell is close to or

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touching the ground. Repeat reps as desired. Do for both sides, using a weight you can only lift within the suggested range. Step 1: 10-12 reps. Focus on form first, before increasing weight. Step 2: repeat Box dips: Begin in a sitting position with hands facing forward on the box or bench and feet on the ground. Slowly extend your arms as far as they will go. Gently lower yourself and repeat as desired. Step 1: 10-12 reps, high intensity. Can be made easier by flexing your knees. Can be made more difficult by elevating extended legs. Can add desistance by placing a weight on your thighs. Planks: Begin by lying face down on the ground with elbows flexed. Lift your chest and hips off of the floor so that your body is supported by your elbows and feet. Brace yourself and hold as long as possible. Step 1: hold for 30-120 seconds Step 2: repeat Run 3 miles

Friday Day off Workout description Rest day B Rest days are just as important as training days. This is the time when your body adapts

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to the previous days exercise. Today train your mind. Memorize the food label on your favorite breakfast food, recall it at lunch. Do math in your head walking from your car into work: calculate how long it would take to jog or walk to work. At lunch memorize the code from your favorite beverage, recall it at dinner.

Saturday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Dynamic warm-up 1 10 minutes As above. Medusas challenge plus 80 minutes This will turn you to stone! Do the entire workout outside. Run 15 minutes. Perform 1 minute of each exercise, with 10 second rest between: push-ups curl-up inverted pull-ups planks

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squat jumps jump rope speed skaters mountain climbers flutter kicks arm curls with log 1-minute rest repeat 5 times Repeat entire sequence 3 times Run 15 minutes

Sunday Run Planned duration Workout description Unbreakable hill climbs 45 minutes Warm up indoors or outdoors. Run 10 minutes on a progressive grade: Every minute, increase the grade to challenge your pace (minute 5-10 should be difficult to maintain your pace) Walk 3 minutes to recover Repeat for a total of 3 sets

Race Day Minus 7 Weeks

Monday

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Day off Workout description

Rest day A Make it an active rest day as above.

Tuesday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Bingham 40 minutes Warm up for 10 minutes at 60% of Maximal Heart Rate (MHR). Ride 3 minutes at 85% MHR Ride 1 minute at 50% MHR Repeat 4-minute sequence 6 times Cool down 10 minutes

Wednesday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Dynamic warm-up 1 10 minutes As above. Dreamweaver with jog

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Planned duration Workout description

50 minutes the stuff dreams are made of! .5mi run, hard 10 push-ups 5 pull-ups 15 crunches Repeat 4 times, no res Jog 3 miles

Thursday Day off Workout description Rest day B Today train your mind. Memorize the first 10 ingredients, in order, in your favorite breakfast food, recall it at lunch. Do math in your head walking from your car into work: how many seconds would it take to drive 70 miles, at a speed of 55 miles per hour? At lunch memorize the number from a one-dollar bill, recall it at dinner.

Friday Cross-train Planned duration Warm-up jump rope 10 minutes

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Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description

Skip, high knee jog, skip side to side, skip front to back Kuato with bike 60 minutes Kuato lives! He sees you finishing the race in excellent form. Free your mind Perform 1 minute of each exercise, with 10 second rest between: 5 minutes jump rope 50-100 crunches 20-100 push-ups 30-50 leg-lowers pull-ups to failure (use an assistance device or machine to get at least 5 reps) 20-50 hanging leg raises 50-200 bodyweight squats, fast tempo Repeat 2 times Bike 30 minutes at 70% MHR

Saturday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Tamma Jamma 1 60 minutes Tammy cant find her way around a mall without getting lost. One day we did our usual

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trail run in the opposite direction and we had her lead. Right away she was taking wrong turns at trail intersections. We decided to do 10 burpees for each wrong turn. We are sure you wont have the same difficulty finding your way around the trails. For this workout run a 5-mile loop in the woods. Perform 15 burpees at each trail intersection or every 15 minutes, whichever is more frequent.

Sunday Run Planned duration Workout description Unbreakable intervals 60 minutes Intervals are the best way to improve your fitness and these are no exception. 10 reps: 10-second hill (sprint), 10-second rest 5 reps: 20-second hill (very high intensity), 20-second rest 3 reps: 30-second hill (high intensity), 10-second rest Do not stop until all 18 intervals are complete Walk for 5 minutes to recover and repeat for half the reps. Jog easy for 20 minutes.

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Race Day Minus 6 Weeks

Monday Day off Workout description Rest day A Make it an active rest day as above.

Tuesday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description Dynamic warm-up 1 10 minutes As above. Unbreakable strength plus run 55 minutes Repeat this 4 times: Dumbbell lunge 30 seconds each leg Split lunge jumps 30 seconds Plank walk 45 seconds Shoulder taps 45 seconds 3-minute rest between sets. Run 30 minutes at 70% MHR.

Wednesday

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Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description

Warm-up jump rope 10 minutes Skip, high knee jog, skip side to side, skip front to back Arnold 60 minutes Some may say that this isnt functional, but Arnold says, youll be back, for this change of pace! Repeat this 3 times, using a weight you can lift within the desired range: 10-15 reps each: Alternating backward barbell lunge Alternating dumbbell chest press with overhand grip Alternating incline dumbbell row with neutral grip Back extension on machine with arms across chest Cable lat pull-down with underhand grip Alternating dumbbell shoulder front raise Barbell wrist curl with arms on bench Barbell wrist extension Alternating dumbbell bicep curl with neutral grip Seated 1-arm dumbbell tricep extension Bridge and leg curl on stability ball

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Bicycle Dead bug Leg raise with flutter kick on incline bench or floor For dead bug and flutter kick, make sure the lower back stays neutral For video demonstrations of each exercise, see www.physicalfitnet.com Run Planned duration Workout description Hill sprints 30 minutes Warm up with an easy jog for 10 minutes. Find a hill that takes 30-60 seconds to run up Repeat 10 times: Sprint the hill as fast as possible, walk back to the bottom Do 10 push-ups

Thursday Day off Workout description Rest day B Today train your mind. Memorize the first 10 ingredients, in order, in your favorite breakfast food, recall it at lunch. Do math in your head walking from your car into work: count the steps until you walk past a car manufactured by Nissan, square that number, add your weight, and divide by your age. At lunch

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memorize the next 10 Spartan race sites (city and state), recall it at dinner.

Friday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Dynamic warm-up 1 10 minutes As above. Desena 40 minutes Do this outside no matter the conditions (hopefully it is cold, rainy, maybe a hurricane). Repeat this 2 times: Jump rope 10 minutes 15 walking lunges, each leg 15 push-ups 15 stone dead lifts (use your legs) Belly crawl 10 yards 10 reps stone squat chest pass (using the same stone as the lift, hold the stone at chest height; squat the stone; chest pass the stone as possible; pick it up again). Spartan bike sprints

Bike

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Planned duration Workout description

35 minutes Warm up for 10 minutes at 60% of Maximal Heart Rate (MHR). Ride 20 minutes at 70% MHR Every other minute sprint as hard as possible for 10 seconds Cool down 5 minutes easy

Saturday Run Planned duration Workout description At steady state 45 minutes Warm up well. Then run at 70% MHR on a mostly-flat course.

Sunday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Cheesy fries 90 minutes At 2500 kcals, you would have to do this entire workout twice just to burn off half a serving. Repeat this 3 times:

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Hike a short but steep hill carrying a log, weight, rock, or half-filled bucket of water. Hike back down. This should take about 15 minutes round trip. Run/jog/walk the same hill 10 burpees 15 stone dead lifts (use your legs) Hang from a low branch for 30 seconds or as long as possible, until you accumulate 3 minutes of hanging. Rest 2 minutes Jog a flat trail for 20 minutes.

Race Day Minus 5 Weeks

Monday Day off Workout description Rest day B Today train your mind. Memorize the first names of the last five British Prime Ministers, recall them at lunch. Do math in your head walking from your car into work: how many seconds would it take to drive 90 miles, at 60 miles per hour? At lunch memorize the serial number of a one dollar bill, recall it at dinner.

Tuesday Bike Spartan Bike

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Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description

40 minutes As above. Dynamic warm-up 1 10 minutes As above. Bourbon on the rocks 60 minutes As above.

Wednesday Day off Workout description Rest day A Active rest day, as above.

Thursday Cross-train Warm-up jump rope

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Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description

10 minutes Skip, high knee jog, skip side to side, skip front to back Diamonds are forever! 20 minutes As above, without the run.

Friday Day off Workout description Rest day B Train your mind. Memorize the nutrition label of your favorite breakfast food, recall it at lunch. Do math in your head walking from your car into work: how long would it take to walk or jog to your favorite vacation spot? At lunch memorize the bar code of a product of your choosing, recall it at dinner.

Saturday Cross-train Dynamic warm-up 1

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Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description

10 minutes As above Medusas challenge 60 minutes As above, without the run at the end.

Sunday Run Planned duration Workout description Unbreakable hill climbs 45 minutes As above

Race Day Minus 4 Weeks

Monday Day off Workout description Rest day A Active rest day, as above.

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Tuesday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Bingham (more) 50 minutes Warm up for 10 minutes with an easy jog. Then a 40-minute trail run, every 10 minutes find a rock or log and lift it for 10 reps each of arm curls, shoulder presses, and squats. Add 5 reps each time so that the last set is 25 reps each. Cheaper than Healthcare 50 minutes Warm up jump rope for 15 minutes. Do one minute of each: Mountain climbers Spiderman push-up Plank with Inverted pull-ups Medicine ball sit-ups Squat jumps Recover for 3 minutes Repeat for 3 sets

Cross-train Planned duration Workout description

Wednesday Run Hill sprints

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Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description

30 minutes As above Dynamic warm-up 1 10 minutes As above Dreamweaver with jog 50 minutes As above

Thursday Day off Workout description Rest day B Train your mind. Memorize the first 10 ingredients of your favorite breakfast food, recall it at lunch. Do math in your head walking from your car into work: sum the days of the month. At lunch memorize the ISBNs of three books, recall them at dinner.

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Friday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Kuato with bike 60 minutes As above Warm-up jump rope 10 minutes Skip, high knee jog, skip side to side, skip front to back

Saturday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Tamma Jamma 1 60 minutes As above

Sunday Run Unbreakable intervals

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Planned duration Workout description

60 minutes As above

Race Day Minus 3 Weeks

Monday Day off Workout description Rest day A Active rest day, as above.

Tuesday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description Dynamic warm-up 1 10 minutes As above Unbreakable strength plus run 50 minutes As above

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Wednesday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description Run Planned duration Workout description Warm-up jump rope 10 minutes Skip, high knee jog, skip side to side, skip front to back Arnold 60 minutes As above Hill sprints 30 minutes As above

Thursday Day off Workout description Rest day B Train your mind. Memorize the first 10 finishers at the Badwater Ultramarathon this year, recall them at lunch. Do math in your head walking from your car into work: divide your

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odometer reading by your waist size. At lunch memorize 8 college basketball scores, recall them at dinner.

Friday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Dynamic warm-up 1 10 minutes As above Desena 60 minutes As above, but repeat 3 times.

Saturday Bike Planned duration Workout description Spartan Bike 40 minutes As above

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Cross-train Planned duration Workout description

Delicious 60 minutes So good you will want more! This is done entirely on trails: Run 2 miles to warm up 25 push-ups 25 squats 20 mountain climbers Run mile at high intensity, but pace yourself so you dont have to walk 10 squat jumps 50-yard lunge walk 10 lunge jumps 20 flutter kicks 10 side-to-side hops Run 1 mile at high intensity, but pace yourself so you dont have to walk 25 push-ups 25 squats 20 mountain climbers Run mile at high intensity, but pace yourself so you dont have to walk 10 squat jumps 50-yard lunge walk 10 lunge jumps 20 flutter kicks 10 side-to-side hops Run 1 mile to cool down.

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Sunday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Cheesy fries 90 minutes As above

Race Day Minus 2 Weeks

Monday Day off Workout description Rest day B Train your mind. Memorize the first paragraph of Vince Lombardis What does it take to be number one?, recall it at lunch. Memorize the second paragraph at lunch, recall it at dinner.

Tuesday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Desena 2 50 minutes Do this outside no matter the conditions (hopefully it is cold and rainy). Jump rope for 10 minutes

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Repeat 5 sets: 15 walking lunges 15 push-ups 15 stone deadlifts (use your legs) 10 yards belly crawl 10 stone squat chest pass Bike Planned duration Workout description Spartan bike sprints 55 minutes Warm up for 10 minutes at 60% of Maximal Heart Rate (MHR). Ride 20 minutes at 70% MHR Every other minute sprint as hard as possible for 10 seconds Cool down 15 minutes easy

Wednesday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Medusas challenge 60 minutes As above, without the run at the end.

Thursday

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Cross-train Planned duration Workout description

Tamma Jamma 2 60 minutes As above, this time 4-mile loop, with 15 burpees at every trail intersection, or every 15 minutes, whichever is more frequent.

Friday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Warm-up jump rope 10 minutes Skip, high knee jog, skip side to side, skip front to back Diamonds are forever! 2 50 minutes As above, three sets per exercise; rest 30 seconds between sets.

Saturday Run At steady state

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Planned duration Workout description

30 minutes Warm up well. Then run at 70% MHR on a mostly-flat course.

Sunday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Cheaper than Healthcare 50 minutes Warm up jump rope for 15 minutes. Do one minute of each: Mountain climbers Spiderman push-up Plank with Inverted pull-ups Medicine ball sit-ups Squat jumps Recover for 3 minutes Repeat for 3 sets

Race Day Minus 1 Week

Monday Day off Workout description Rest day A Active rest day.

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Tuesday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Dynamic warm-up 1 10 minutes As above Bourbon (no rock) 30 minutes Repeat 5 times: 10 push-ups 10 burpees 5 pull-ups 30 second sprint 1 minute rest

Wednesday Day off Workout description Rest day A Active rest day.

Thursday

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Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description

Dynamic warm-up 1 10 minutes As above Dreamweaver 20 minutes the stuff dreams are made of! .5mi run, hard 10 push-ups 5 pull-ups 15 crunches Repeat 4 times, no rest

Friday Day off Workout description Rest day A Active rest day.

Saturday

RACE DAYYOUR FIRST SPARTAN SPRINT!

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TRAIN TO COMPETE
Jeff: In order to finish in the top 10% of racers in the Sprint, you need to complete the course in less than 40 minutes for men, and 50 minutes for women. That level of performance requires considerably greater strength and endurance than you need to finish the race. For many competitors, it also means improving agility, balance, and specific obstacle skills. You can find free workout suggestions (WOD and others) and open discussions on training tips on the Spartan Race website and Facebook page. You might want to try one-on-one Spartan Group X programscoming soon to a gym near you. Or you may wish to consult Spartan-certified coaches through www.spartancoaches.com. For intensive training, consider SealFithttp://www.sealfit.com/.

SPARTAN WARRIOR: CHRISTOPHER RUTZ

Andy: Christopher Rutz is a consistent top-performer in the elite waves at the Spartan Races, having placed second at two Spartan Races and finishing no lower than seventh at nine Spartan Races in the first half of 2012 alone. He is a member of the juwi Solar Obstacle Racing Team and a blogger who writes about fitness. Christopher is based in Scottsdale, AZ. Christopher: So, you are getting ready for your first Spartan Race. There are lots of things to think about. What should you eat? What shoes should you wear? What are the obstacles like? How long does it take? I am sure these questions and many more will be running through your head from the moment you sign up for a race. You will have questions all the way up until the start of your wave on race day. Today, even after a dozen Spartan Races, I am still anxious before each one. Experience helps; training helps; but the

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greatest thing about the Spartan Race is that you never know the challenges that lie ahead. You really need to be prepared for any physical challenge. Here is how I would suggest you prepare, whether you are training for a Sprint, Super, Beast or Ultra Beast.3 Start by integrating CrossFit4 into your training program. While CrossFit is generally practiced indoors with standard equipment, the activities translate directly to many of the obstacles you will encounter in Spartan Racing. Obstacles with direct correlation include tire flips, rope climbs, burpees, sand bag carries, 8-foot walls, and monkey bars. CrossFit will help you build a strong upper body, which is essential to a successful obstacle race. CrossFit also often incorporates running into the workoutsintegrating other workouts with your run is a key to obstacle racing success. Here is an example: 800-meter run 50 walking lunges with a 25-pound plate overhead 800-meter run 40 burpees.

You can be successful on your own, but if you want to really improve, find a local CrossFit box to join. Most are month-to-month with no long-term commitments. But be warned; just like Spartan Racing, CrossFit is addicting. Every day is a competition. Some days you win, others you do not, but you always improve. CrossFit alone will not make you successful in Spartan Races. You need to get outside and find your own obstacle course. Get out into nature, find logs to walk and balance on, rocks to carry and throw, walls to jump over. Jump onto and off of things, and get down on the ground to practice low crawling. Most importantly, you need to run. Run from obstacle to obstacle. Run a

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mile, drop and do thirty burpees, run another mile, do thirty push-ups, run another mile, find a rock to carry for a few minutes, run another mile. Get creative: the Spartan Race course designers are making each successive race harder, so you need to be ready for anything. Spartan Races are seldom flat. I cannot tell you the last time I went out for a flat run. I am always looking for a challenging terrain. No terrain is too steep or too challenging. At a Spartan Race, dont expect the trails to be nicely groomed. I have run races where there was a flag atop a hill with no trail leading to it. The racers made their own trail to get to that flag. If you do not have access to steep terrain, try lunges or stairs. When you are out on your runs, look for things to run over and around; curbs, rocks, benches, etc. One of my favorite weekday workouts is to run up a local trail that gains 1250 feet in about a mile. I start out with some pull-ups; halfway up, some burpees; at the top, push-ups. This is a very high intensity workout. It has been a staple of my training for a number of years. Once you have the basic idea on the physical aspects of training, the even more important aspect is how you fuel yourself. Nutrition is a huge element of a successful race. I am not talking about what you eat on race day, but rather how you fuel yourself during your daily training. I am a huge proponent of Paleo nutrition. This is how I have fueled my performances for a number of years. I eat mostly meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Keep your food intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat. I tend to eat organic, grass-fed, free-range meat as well. Yes, it costs a little more, but you are worth it. Lastly, what should you show up with on race day? As little as possible. At the starting line, you will see me in a pair of running shorts, Injinji socks, and light trail or cross-country running shoes, with my contacts in and sunblock sprayed on my body. That is about it. Even if it is as cold as forty degrees you really do not need anything more.

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Christopher Rutz in action at the 2012 Northwest Sprint (personal archive)

If you follow all of the above guidelines, you will have a good platform for success in your race. It will take more, however. You need to show up at the race with an attitude that will get you through the race. You are strong; you have trained; you are ready to run this race. You are ready to call yourself a Spartan. You can repeat this to yourself on the way to the race, and during the race, too. Sign up, show up, and never give up.

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SPARTAN WARRIOR: ANDI HARDY JORY

Andy: Andi Hardy Jory is proof that you can train to win a Spartan Race even if you arent an accomplished athlete in other sports. As of June 2012, Andi is a six-time Spartan Race winner (three firsts and three seconds) because she committed herself to a daily training regimen and a change of lifestyle that catapulted her from overweight, inactive, and unhealthy to fit, happy, and self-confidentand repeatedly onto the winners podium. She took herself through a complete physical and mental transformation, driven by her internal desire to never give up. Andi: In June 2011 I was an unhappy human being. I had just given up my business, which had become a casualty of the poor economy. This meant I lost my job and colleagues, my entire savings, retirementyears of hard work and turmoil, just gone. My only child was leaving for college, my only in-state relatives had moved away, I was unhealthy and overweight, I didnt do the athletic things I once enjoyed. I was no longer the spunky, adventurous, full-of-life person I once was. I was miserable. I needed a goal, something to get me and my life back on track. I signed up for a sprint triathlon thinking I would be able to do the swim and bike, and then I could walk the run, as I had serious knee issues at the time. I started to learn a little about healthy eating and worked out three to five times per week. I completed the triathlon in October 2011 and did surprisingly well. Since it was a cold day, I decided to run the 5K, and surprisingly my knees did okay. Feeling a little rejuvenated, I responded to an ad for a 5K mud run and thought it sounded right up my alley. For two weeks I ran three miles a day and finished the mud run in first place in my age division. It was at that run that I heard word of a really good mud run called Spartan Race. I had barely got to my car before I grabbed my iPhone and typed in www.spartanrace.com. From the second that official video music started I was hooked. I couldnt wait to get home to see it on the bigger screen of my computer. I signed up right away for the race nearest me: the Georgia Sprint, March 10, 2012.

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THIS was the goal I really needed. I was on the Spartan Race website daily, studying the race, understanding the obstacles, getting to know the big names like Hobie Call. I signed up for the workouts of the day (WODs) and, though my fitness level wasnt quite ready and I sometimes had to YouTube a specific exercise to learn how to do it properly, I did parts of the WODs as best as I could. I started running further distances and steadily dropped my extra weight. I so wanted to do this Spartan Race and win my age division. My understanding was that if I won my age division I would win a free entry to a Super. Oh, and that Trifecta5 was calling my name! But to travel so far away for a race? Would I really do that? How little did I know that in six months Id be traveling the entire country and Canada, following my heart and living out not only my goals, but my dreams. Being the competitor I am, and probably having a bit of OCD, I really geared things up on December 30th, 2011 when I actually started doing each and every WOD that was emailed to me. I wouldnt go to sleep before I read over and understood my workout for the next day. I started learning about nutrition and eating cleaner. The week before the Georgia Sprint I started preparing mentally. I had done what I could physically. I was really hoping to meet Hobie. He was like a Peyton Manning or LeBron James to me. I went to the venue the evening before, just to calm the butterflies. I got my packet and stood in awe of the course being set up. I got to meet Hobie, and much to my surprise he took time to welcome me and give me a few words of encouragement. I walked to the barbed wire mud crawl and about passed out. It was nothing like the pictures; it was going to be a challenge for certain. Hobie must have noticed my fear; he gave a few pointers. The butterflies were wild in my stomach. Would I even be able to finish? This was not the mud run I did last fall. Saturday morning I stretched, warmed up, and just stared at the amazinglooking competitors in my 9:00 a.m. wave. Why did I think I could compete with these athletes? I should not have signed up for elite wave; I was just an ordinary 42-year-old who started running a few months ago. I didnt look

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like them, I wasnt of their caliber. Oh well, stretched and as ready as Id be, I was not going to give up. I found my way to the back of the pack of 250 racers, and simplified my goals: dont get hurt, dont finish last, and just have fun. I waited my turn to run through the smoke, starting almost last. Over the hills and through the woods, I passed person after person. I found myself even telling some to hurry up through the narrow creek. I was running MY race and smiling the whole way. I was SO happy that I was running through these trees and brush and muck and jumping fences and climbing ropes and carrying blocks of cement. I was sweaty and dirty and thirsty, but so happy. I was living again, and loving it. I didnt have any idea how far I had run or how far I had left. I didnt know what the next obstacle would be; I just kept running my race. Finally, I saw the gladiators and the finish line. Id made it! I jumped on the timing pad and heard the comments of spectators, look at her, shes SMILING. At that finish line I knew I had my life backI was once again the vibrant human that had been lost. I couldnt believe it when the guys placing my finishers medal around my neck told me I was second. I thought they meant second in my age group, which by that point in the day I would have been ecstatic about. No, they said. Second overall female. No way!! What? Me? 42-year-old, nonrunner, not-long-ago-down-and-out me? It was true: I did win second place female overall and the incredible sword. I slept with that thing. The next morning I was back on the Spartan site, signing up for the Trifecta!!! I had my eyes on the next possible race, the Indiana Super, one month away. Oh how I wanted to go win the helmet (for first place). A sword just couldnt go without a helmet to match. I trained even harder in that month, adding some weight training to the WOD. I was determined to win, and I did. I rocked that course with everything I had, smiling the whole race just because I was feeling good and having a blast. I met amazing people in Indiana and made tons of new Facebook friends. However, at this Founders Race the usual helmet was not the prize. I was so disappointed that for a few minutes I lost that feeling of

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winning ecstasy. I regrouped and decided, Well, then Ill just have to go somewhere else to get it. And with that I signed up for the New York/Tuxedo Ridge race. Was I crazy? Going to NY to race thousands of big-time athletes? How was this going to go? What if I totally did horrible? I decided, Why not try? Youll never know until you show up and never ever give up. (I had already signed up, after all.) So, back to training: WOD, weights, a few extra miles, a few extra burpees, cleaner eating, and constant confidence-boosting and cheerleading myself on. Thats when I came up with my, How bad do you want it? motivational talk to myself. On days when Id be sluggish about starting a workout, or feeling like cutting one short, Id ask myself, How bad do you want that helmet? How bad do you want to measure up to the athletes in New York? How bad do you want to be all that you can be? And Id pound up the hills, lunge a few extra lunges, throw down a few extra burpees as I answered myself, I want it so bad! Well, when race day came, I had the best day of my life. I met incredible people: competitors, fellow Spartans, Joe Desena, Spartan Race employees, photographers, vendors, and more. The whole venue was filled with good vibes. I was in heaven. My confidence had never been higher, my love for life soaring. Long story short, I won that helmetand first place overall women in New York. Sunday I raced again, this time faster and stronger in spite of the banged-up, bruised-up body from the day before. People screamed my name and cheered wildly for me to win again. Wow! I had never had this feeling before. I had truly found my place in life: I am a Spartan! AROO, AROO, AROO!

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Andi with her helmet at Tuxedo Ridge, 2012 (Photo credit: Nuvision)

Motivation, determination, and love for Spartan Racing gave me the power to do what I needed to change my life for the betternot only to get healthy, lose weight, and get into shape, but also to achieve my goals, fulfill my hopes, and live my desires even with the issues that could have held me back: bum knees, aches and pains, life issues, lack of confidence, age, and many excuses. When Joe Desena says that Spartan Race can change YOUR life, he is right. It changed mine. I hope it will change millions more lives like it did mine, across the world. Id like to play a part in that somehow. Id like to give back to Spartan Race what it gave to me. I have dedicated my 2012 summer to traveling the country from race to race, not only enjoying myself, but talking about Spartan Racing to everyone I meet and promoting the amazing events and encouraging wellness. Almost two million people have been inspired by Joe and Spartan Race, and when someone asks me how I do it, friends me on Facebook, or wants some advice, Im always thrilled to stop and encourage, support, and motivate. Who knows? It could just be the extra bit that changes their life, too.

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1 Check out his story in Chapter 11, and follow his progress on http://blog.spartanrace.com/

?s=chris+davis
2 Andy: by this, Joe means that he doesnt do anything beyond daily workouts with sand-

bags, rocks and logs, and his own body weight.

3 For more detailed views on training, nutrition, and/or gear, check out my website, http://liv-

ethetoughlife.com, and my page on Facebook, Tough Training.

4 See http://www.crossfit.com 5 complete a Sprint, Super, and Beast in the same calendar year

Chapter 6. Train for a Spartan Super

SETTING EXPECTATIONS: BASIC TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

Andy: The Super is 8 + miles with up to 20 obstacles. This distance isn't recommended for entry-level athletes, but it would be a good fit for a beginner obstacle course racer with some competitive background or an athlete who has been training at moderate distances. Anyone training to finish a Super should be able to run up to ten miles comfortably and should mix in strength training a few days per week. Just like for the Sprint distance, athletes at all levels should incorporate core-strengthening workouts into their daily routines. Upper-body strength will also come in handy as the Super has more obstacles, many of which require you to lift, pull, or push in some form. We also recommend you experiment with different strategies for nutrition and hydration. The race is long enough that many athletes will need to refuel during the event.

TRAIN TO FINISH THE SUPER

Jeff: Some of the principles from Sprint training will apply to training for the Super and Beast as well. The biggest difference is the distance: there is an extra five or ten miles to cover! The fastest times for the Super Spartan and Beast are under two hours, average times are around three hours, and for some it will take up to five hours to finish.

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At these longer distances the key is pacing. It is easy to get caught up in the excitement and go out hard with the front of the pack, only to bonk a short while later. The Super and Beast are about endurance. Just to finish in the average time you would need to be able to maintain an average speed of 3-4 miles per hour, uphill and down, through obstacles, and with burpees.

KEY WORD: ENDURANCE

Build up your LSD training time to 80-90% of your predicted finishing time. For many competitors there will be a lot of walking on the course, so it is okay for you to walk or slow-jog for long distances to build up your endurance. You will also want to incorporate a lot of hill training into your program. Running up hills will be helpful, but if it feels like too much, walking at a fast pace will get you to the finish just the same. LSD training will help teach you how to pace yourself properly and teach your body to rely less on carbohydrate and more on fat as a fuel. All activity, no matter how low-intensity, will rely on some carbohydrate as a fuel. The faster or harder you work, the more you rely on carbohydrate as a substrate. Athletes bonk because they deplete their stores of precious glycogen from carbohydrate. When it is gone, you are done! Pacing yourself so that there is some glycogen in the tank at the end of the race will make your event much more enjoyable. Also, carrying some food with you to eat during the event will help prevent glycogen depletionfast-digesting carbohydrates are ideal.

RUN DOWNHILL
Practice running downhill. Walk up hills, but then run down them. Undoubtedly there will be a significant amount of downhill running during the Super and Beast. Even the best athletes cant run downhill without braking. Braking requires the muscles to contract eccentrically, meaning they contract and lengthen at the same time. This causes muscle damage, especially in people who are unaccustomed to eccentric contractions. The first few times you run downhill you will notice a significant amount of muscle soreness. But after the third or fourth time it may not even be noticeable.

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Sports scientists call this the repeated bout effect: the more frequently you subject your muscles to eccentric contractions, the more resistant they become to muscle damage. Regular strength training wont have the same effect because the activity isnt specific enough. The load, rate of loading, and speed of contraction are very different during eccentric contractions while running versus strength training; and therefore the adaptations arent the same. The only way to train for downhill running is by running downhill.

BUILD STRENGTH
Keep up the strength training. If you have more than three months of consistent strength training under your belt, try to connect with a Spartan Coach or another strength coach and learn Olympic lifting techniques to build your power. On your trail runs, try to incorporate some body-weight circuits as well. For example, you might run the trail for one mile, pause to do ten pushups, ten burpees, and ten squat jumps, then resume running and repeat for the desired mileage. This will simulate the metabolic requirements of running the Super.

STAY HYDRATED
In any event lasting longer than 1.5 hours, hydration is important. During your event, make sure to take water at the aid stations or carry your own in a water pack.

12 WEEKS TO YOUR FIRST SPARTAN SUPER

Joe and Andy have designed the Super to be very challenging for people who are moderately fit. If you are currently sedentary, you can become strong enough in twelve weeks to complete the course. If you are moderately active, you can become fit enough in the same timeframe to attack the course and enjoy it.

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The training template here is meant to be adapted to your fitness level: follow the template to your best ability, and do more or less as appropriate to your fitness level. As with any new physical activity, it is always a good idea to consult a trainer, coach, or physician if you have any questions. Consult a physician if you have or develop any health concerns.

Race Day Minus 12 Weeks

Monday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Bingham 2 45 minutes 45-minute trail run; every 10 minutes find a rock or a log and lift it for 10 reps, performing arm curls, shoulder presses, and squats. Add 5 reps each time so that you finish your last set with 25 reps for each exercise.

Tuesday Run Planned duration Super Spartan Run : 2 Mile Trail Tempo Run 1 hour

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Planned distance Workout description Warm up 2 miles with heart rate in zone 2; Run 2 miles with heart rate in zone 4; Cool down 2 miles with heart rate in zone 2.

Wednesday Strength Planned duration Workout description Unbreakable Strength Plus Run 45 minutes Repeat four times: Dumbbell Lunge 30 seconds each leg Split lunch Jumps 30 seconds Plank Walk 45 seconds Shoulder taps 45 seconds 3-minute rest between sets Run 20 minutes with heart rate in zone 3

Thursday Day off Workout description Rest day A Rest days are just as important as training days. This is the time when your body adapts to the previous days exercise. Make it an active rest day by walking to the store, taking the stairs at work, parking at the far end of the

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parking lot, every hour take a 1-minute break and stretch. Eat well, remembering you arent exercising and burning all those extra calories!

Friday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Medusas Challenge 1 hour This will turn you to stone! Do the entire workout outside. Run 15 minutes. Perform 1 minute of each exercise, with 10 second rest between: push-ups curl-up inverted pull-ups planks squat jumps jump rope Repeat entire sequence 3 times

Saturday Run Planned duration Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 4 miles 1 hour

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Workout description

BT: Warm up well. On trails, run in zone 2 and the low end of zone 3.

Sunday Bike Planned duration Workout description Spartan Bike 40 minutes Warm up for 10 minutes in zone 2. Repeat 6 times: Ride 3 minutes in zone 4. Ride 1 minute in zone 2. Cool down 10 minutes.

Race Day Minus 11 Weeks

Monday Day off Workout description Rest day A Make it an active rest day as above.

Tuesday Cross-train Tamma-Jamma 1

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Planned duration Workout description

40 minutes Tammy cant find her way around a mall without getting lost. One evening we did our usual trail run in the opposite direction and we had her lead the group. Right away she was making wrong turns at trail intersections. We decided that we would do 15 burpees for each wrong turn. We are sure you wont have the same difficulty finding your way around the trails. For this workout: Run a 4 mile loop in the woods Perform 15 burpees at each trail intersection (or every 15 minutes) (If you cant do 15 continuous repetitions, do 3 sets of 5 with 30 seconds in between each set.)

Wednesday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Bourbon 2 30 minutes Some may find this workout difficult to swallow. Repeat 5 times: 20 push-ups 20 burpees

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10 pull-ups 1 minute sprint 1 minute rest Run Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 4 miles 1 hour Warm up well. On trails, run in zone 2 and the low end of zone 3.

Thursday Day off Workout description Rest day B Rest days are just as important as training days. Today, train your mind. Memorize the first 10 ingredients, in order, in your favorite breakfast food, recall it at lunch. Do math in your head walking from your car into work: how many seconds would it take to drive 70 miles, at a speed of 55 miles per hour? At lunch memorize the number from a one-dollar bill, recall it at dinner.

Friday Strength Arnold

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Planned duration Workout description

1 hour Some may say that this isnt functional, but Arnold says, youll be back, for this change of pace! Repeat this 3 times, using a weight you can lift within the desired range: 10-15 reps each: Alternating backward barbell lunge Alternating dumbbell chest press with overhand grip Alternating incline dumbbell row with neutral grip Back extension on machine with arms across chest Cable lat pull-down with underhand grip Alternating dumbbell shoulder front raise Barbell wrist curl with arms on bench Barbell wrist extension Alternating dumbbell bicep curl with neutral grip Seated 1-arm dumbbell tricep extension Bridge and leg curl on stability ball Bicycle Dead bug Leg raise with flutter kick on incline bench or floor For dead bug and flutter kick, make sure the lower back stays neutral For video demonstrations of each exercise, see www.physicalfitnet.com

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Run Planned duration Workout description

Unbreakable Intervals 40 minutes Intervals are the best way to improve your fitness and these are no exception. 10 reps: 10-second hill (sprint), 10-second rest 5 reps: 20-second hill (very high intensity), 20-second rest 3 reps: 30-second hill (high intensity), 10-second rest Do not stop until all 18 intervals are complete Walk for 5 minutes to recover, and repeat for half the reps. Jog easy for 20 minutes.

Saturday Run Planned duration Workout description Tammys Delirium 5 1 hour, 15 minutes Delirium: a disturbance in ones mental abilities. What were you thinking? Warm up for one mile in zone 2. Find a hill, about 200 feet in height (roughly a 4-minute hill)

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Run up the hill as hard as possible, but maintain a steady pace. (You should be very tired at the end.) Jog down the hill. Do 10 burpees. Repeat 5 times. Jog easy to cool down. Strength Planned duration Workout description AB 500 20 minutes 25 crunches 50 bicycles 50 back-scratchers 50 rotating crunches 25 leg-lowers 50 scissor-kicks 50 side-crunches 50 bicycles 50 back-scratchers

Sunday Run Planned duration Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 6 miles 1 hour

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Workout description

Warm up well. On trails, run in zone 2 and the low end of zone 3 for 6 miles.

Race Day Minus 10 Weeks

Monday Day off Workout description Rest day A Make it an active rest day as above.

Tuesday Run Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Run: 2 Mile Trail Tempo Run 1 hour Warm up 2 miles with heart rate in zone 2; Run 2 miles with heart rate in zone 4; Cool down 2 miles with heart rate in zone 2.

Wednesday Cross-train Planned duration Dreamweaver 2 45 minutes

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Workout description

The stuff dreams are made of! Repeat 4 times: Run 0.75 miles in zone 4. 25 push-ups 10 pull-ups 25 crunches AB 500 20 minutes As above Dynamic Warm up 1 10 minutes Start with a 5-minute general warm-up with a brisk walk, slow jog, easy cycle, or easy row. Then perform the following exercises two times for a distance of 25 yards each: High-knee walk High-knee jog Butt-kickers Lateral shuffle Straight leg march Skip Straight leg skip Cross-over step Carioca Duck walk

Strength Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description

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Thursday Day off Workout description Rest day B Train your mind: memorize the top 10 songs on Billboard.com. Do math in your head walking from your car to work. Sum the serial numbers from 5 one-dollar bills. Divide by 6. At lunch memorize the names of the top 10 goal-scorers in the NHL and recall them at dinner.

Friday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Cheaper than Health Care 50 minutes Warm up by jumping rope for 15 minutes Do each of the following for 1 minute: Mountain-climbers Spiderman push-up Plank with row Inverted pull-ups Medicine-ball sit-ups Squat-jumps Recover for 3 minutes. Repeat cycle 3 times. Spartan Bike

Bike

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Planned duration Workout description

40 minutes As above

Saturday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Kuato with Bike 1 hour, 15 minutes Kuato lives! He sees you finishing the Beast in excellent form. Free your mind Jump rope for 5 minutes 50 push-ups 40 leg-lowers Pull-ups to failure (Use an assisted device such as a band or machine to get at least 5 reps.) 40 hanging leg-raises 75 body weight squats (fast, but with good form) Repeat twice. Bike for 30 minutes in heart rate zone 3.

Sunday Run Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 6 miles

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Planned duration Workout description

1 hour, 10 minutes Warm up well. On trails, run in zone 2 and the low end of zone 3 for 6 miles.

Race Day Minus 9 Weeks

Monday Day off Workout description Rest day A Active rest day, as above

Tuesday Run Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Super Spartan Run: 2-Mile Trail Tempo Run 1 hour Warm up 2 miles with heart rate in zone 2; Run 2 miles with heart rate in zone 4; Cool down 2 miles with heart rate in zone 2. AB 500 20 minutes

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Workout description

As above.

Wednesday Strength Planned duration Workout description Unbreakable Strength Plus Run 45 minutes Repeat four times: Dumbbell Lunge 30 seconds each leg Split lunch Jumps 30 seconds Plank Walk 45 seconds Shoulder taps 45 seconds 3-minute rest between sets Run 20 minutes with heart rate in zone 3

Thursday Day off Workout description Rest Day B Train your mind: memorize the first 10 ingredients, in order, from your favorite breakfast food. Recall them at lunch. Do math in your head walking from your car to work. Count the steps you take until you walk past an automobile manufactured by Nissan, square that number, add your weight, and divide by your age. At lunch memorize the next 10 Spartan Race sites. Recall them at dinner.

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Friday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Medusa's Challenge 50 minutes As above

Saturday Run Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 4 miles 1 hour, 20 minutes On trails, run in zone 2 and the low end of zone 3 for 4 miles. AB 500 20 minutes As above

Sunday

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Bike Planned duration Workout description

Spartan Bike 40 minutes As above

Race Day Minus 8 Weeks

Monday Day off Workout description Rest day A Active rest day, as above.

Tuesday Run Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Super Spartan Run: 4-Mile Trail Tempo Run 1 hour, 30 minutes As above AB 500 20 minutes

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Workout description

As above

Wednesday Cross-Train Planned duration Workout description Cheesy Fries 1 hour, 15 minutes At 2500 kcals, you would have to do this entire workout twice just to burn off half a serving. Repeat this 3 times: Hike a short but steep hill carrying a log, weight, rock, or half- filled bucket of water. Hike back down. This should take about 15 minutes round trip. Run/jog/walk the same hill 10 burpees 15 stone dead lifts (use your legs) Hang from a low branch for 30 seconds or as long as possible, until you accumulate 3 minutes of hanging. Rest 2 minutes Jog a flat trail for 20 minutes.

Thursday Day off Rest Day B

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Workout description

Train your mind: memorize the first 10 ingredients, in order, from your favorite breakfast food. Recall them at lunch. Do math in your head walking from your car to work. Sum the days of the month. At lunch memorize the ISBN numbers of 3 books. Recall them at dinner.

Friday Strength Planned duration Workout description Greetings from Cumberland 1 hour This is a nice how do you do! Equipment needed: Spartan Boulder (different sizes available depending on individual, i.e., basketball, volleyball, and football sizes) Spartan Plank (2x6x30 inches) with sling. The sling is for carrying the plank. Warm-up: Jog slowly in place for 5 minutes. Do 200 jumping jacks. Stretch. Conditioning: Boulder-toss hold the boulder with both hands and bring it to the chest. With a great thrust (using arms and legs), push the boulder out and up as hard and fast as possible. Run to

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it and repeat. Do 3 sets of 10 with 30 seconds of recovery between sets. Boulder Up lie on back with knees bent. Hold boulder on chest just under chin. Perform 50 crunches. Balance push-up Place boulder on ground, place the center of the Spartan Plank onto the boulder. Do push-ups to failure with hands on the plank. Boulder-curls Hold the boulder with hands on the side. Squeezing the boulder so it does not drop, perform 20 bicep curls. Boulder-triceps Hold boulder above head and perform triceps extensions. Boulder transport Find a hill, carry the boulder up the hill, place the boulder, and run back down the hill. Run back up the hill, pick up boulder, and walk down. Repeat 5 times. Boulder Leap Hold the boulder at chest height. Squat down and leap forward. Repeat 10 times, then return in opposite direction. Recover for 1 minute and then repeat. Cool down with some light stretching and moving in place.

Saturday Run Planned duration Pineapple 6 1 hour, 30 minutes

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Workout description

This workout looks gnarly on the surface, but once you get into it, its sweet! Do this workout entirely on trails. Run 1 mile in zone 2 to warm up. 10 burpees 10 push-ups 5 pull-ups 10 squats with rock held at chest level Run 0.5 mile in zone 3. Repeat for prescribed distance.

Sunday Run Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 4 miles 1 hour Warm up well. On trails, run in zone 2 and the low end of zone 3 for 4 miles. AB 500 20 minutes As above

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Race Day Minus 7 Weeks

Monday Day off Workout description Rest day A Active rest day, as above.

Tuesday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Bourbon on the Rocks 1 hour Some may find this difficult to swallow. 10 push-ups 10 burpees 5 pull-ups 30-second sprint 1-minute rest Repeat 5 times Then, with a rock: 15 squats Lunge-walk 50 yards 10 chest-passes 10 underhand toss Repeat 4 times, resting for 1 minute between each circuit. AB 500

Strength

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Planned duration Workout description

20 minutes As above

Wednesday Cross-Train Planned duration Workout description Desena 40 minutes Do this outside, no matter the conditions. (Hopefully it is cold and rainy.) Jump-rope for 10 minutes. Repeat this cycle twice: 15 walking lunges on each leg 15 push-ups 15 stone deadlifts (use your legs) Belly-crawl 10 yards 10 stone squat chest-pass (Use the same stone as in the lift, hold the stone at chest height, squat the stone, then chest pass the stone as far as possible. Pick up the stone and repeat 10 times.) Super Spartan Run: 4-Mile Trail Tempo Run 1 hour, 30 minutes

Run Planned duration

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Workout description

Warm up 2 miles with heart rate in zone 2; Run 4 miles with heart rate in zone 4; Cool down 2 miles with heart rate in zone 2.

Thursday Day off Workout description Rest Day B Train your mind. Memorize the first 10 finishers at the Badwater Ultramarathon this year, recall them at lunch. Do math in your head walking from your car into work: divide your odometer reading by your waist size. At lunch memorize the serial number from a one-dollar bill. Recall it at dinner.

Friday Strength Planned duration Workout description Arnold 1 hour Some may say that this isnt functional, but Arnold says, youll be back, for this change of pace! Repeat this 3 times, using a weight you can lift within the desired range:; Spartan Boulder (different sizes available depending on individual, i.e., basketball, volleyball, and football sizes)

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10-15 reps each: Alternating backward barbell lunge Alternating dumbbell chest press with overhand grip Alternating incline dumbbell row with neutral grip Back extension on machine with arms across chest Cable lat pull-down with underhand grip Alternating dumbbell shoulder front raise Barbell wrist curl with arms on bench Barbell wrist extension Alternating dumbbell bicep curl with neutral grip Seated 1-arm dumbbell tricep extension Bridge and leg curl on stability ball Bicycle Dead bug Leg raise with flutter kick on incline bench or floor For dead bug and flutter kick, make sure the lower back stays neutral For video demonstrations of each exercise, see www.physicalfitnet.com

Saturday Run Planned duration Tammys Delirium 8 1 hour, 30 minutes

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Workout description

Delirium: a disturbance in ones mental abilities. What were you thinking? Warm up for one mile in zone 2. Find a hill, about 200 feet in height (roughly a 4-minute hill) Run up the hill as hard as possible, but maintain a steady pace. (You should be very tired at the end.) Jog down the hill. Do 10 burpees. Repeat 8 times. Jog easy to cool down.

Sunday Run Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 6 miles 1 hour, 20 minutes BT: Warm up well. On trails, run in zone 2 and the low end of zone 3 for 8 miles. AB 500 20 minutes As above

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Race Day Minus 6 Weeks

Monday Day off Workout description Rest day A Active rest day, as above.

Tuesday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Dynamic Warm up 1 10 minutes As above Mr. Clean 20 minutes You will clean hour at your first Spartan race! Repeat three times: Swiss ball knee-tucks for 45 seconds Push-ups for 30 seconds Swiss ball triceps-dips for 45 seconds Plank for 45 seconds Super Spartan Run: 4-Mile Trail Tempo Run

Run

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Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description

1 hour, 30 minutes As above AB 500 20 minutes As above

Wednesday Cross-Train Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description Warm-up jump rope 10 minutes Skip, high knee jog, skip side to side, skip front to back Unbreakable Strength 35 minutes Repeat this 5 times: Dumbbell Lunge for 30 seconds on each leg Split-lunge Jumps for 30 seconds Plank walk for 45 seconds Shoulder taps for 45 seconds

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(Rest for 3 minutes between sets.) Bike Planned duration Workout description Spartan Bike Sprints 35 minutes Warm up for 10 minutes in zone 2 Ride for 20 minutes in zone 3 Every other minute, sprint as hard as possible for 10 seconds Cool down easy for 5 minutes.

Thursday Day off Workout description Rest Day B Train your mind. Memorize the 5 Australian states and their capitals and recall them at lunch. Do math in your head walking from your car into work. Calculate the total amount of weight lifted in your last Arnold workout. At lunch memorize the Pawtucket Pawsox starting lineup and recall it at dinner.

Friday Cross-train Planned duration Delicious 60 minutes

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Workout description

So good you will want more! This is done entirely on trails: Run 2 miles to warm up 25 push-ups 25 squats 20 mountain climbers Run mile at high intensity, but pace yourself so you dont have to walk 10 squat jumps 50-yard lunge walk 10 lunge jumps 20 flutter kicks 10 side-to-side hops Run 1 mile at high intensity, but pace yourself so you dont have to walk 25 push-ups 25 squats 20 mountain climbers Run mile at high intensity, but pace yourself so you dont have to walk 10 squat jumps 50-yard lunge walk 10 lunge jumps 20 flutter kicks 10 side-to-side hops Run 1 mile to cool down.

Saturday Run Pineapple 6

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Planned duration Planned distance Workout description

1 hour, 30 minutes 6 miles As above; repeat for prescribed distance.

Sunday Run Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 6 miles 1 hour BT: Warm up well. On trails, run in zone 2 and the low end of zone 3 for 6 miles. AB 500 20 minutes As above

Race Day Minus 5 Weeks

Monday

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Day off Workout description

Rest day A Active rest day, as above.

Tuesday Run Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Run: 6-Mile Trail Tempo Run 1 hour Warm up 2 miles with heart rate in zone 2; Run 2 miles with heart rate in zone 4; Cool down 2 miles with heart rate in zone 2.

Wednesday Cross-Train Planned duration Workout description Cross-Train Planned duration Dreamweaver 2 45 minutes As above Dynamic Warm up 1 10 minutes

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Workout description

As above

Thursday Day off Workout description Rest Day B Train your mind: memorize the 10 longest rivers in the United States and recall them at lunch. Do math in your head walking from your car into work. Sum the license plates from the first 10 cars you walk past. At lunch memorize the UTM coordinates of three of your favorite vacation spots. Recall them at dinner.

Friday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Bike Planned duration Cheaper than Health Care 1 hour As above Spartan Bike 52 minutes

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Workout description

Warm up for 10 minutes in zone 2. Ride 3 minutes in zone 4. Ride 1 minute in zone 2. Repeat 8 times. Cool down 10 minutes.

Saturday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Kuato with Bike 1 hour Kuato lives! As above.

Sunday Run Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 4 miles 50 minutes As above

Race Day Minus 4 Weeks

Monday

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Day off Workout description

Rest day A Active rest day, as above.

Tuesday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description Bourbon on the rocks 1 hour As above AB 500 20 minutes As above

Wednesday Cross-Train Planned duration Workout description Desena 30 minutes As above, rain or shine. (Preferably rain!)

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Run Planned duration Workout description

Super Spartan Run: 4 Mile Trail Tempo Run 1 hour, 30 minutes As above

Thursday Day off Workout description Rest Day B Train your mind: memorize the top 10 female finishers at the SoCal Super Spartan, recall them at lunch. Do math in your head walking from your car to work. Multiply your age by your height in inches, and then divide by your shoe size. At lunch memorize the top 10 male finishers and their times at the SoCal Super Spartan. Recall them at dinner.

Friday Strength Planned duration Workout description Arnold 1 hour As above

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Bike Planned duration Workout description

Spartan Bike 40 minutes Warm up for 10 minutes in zone 2. Repeat 6 times: Ride 3 minutes in zone 4. Ride 1 minute in zone 2. Cool down 10 minutes.

Saturday Run Planned duration Workout description Tammys Delirium 8 1 hour, 30 minutes As above

Sunday Run Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 6 miles 1 hour As above

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Strength Planned duration Workout description

AB 500 20 minutes As above

Race Day Minus 3 Weeks

Monday Day off Workout description Rest day A Active rest day, as above.

Tuesday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Cross Planned duration Dynamic Warm-up 1 10 minutes As above Mr. Clean 20 minutes

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Workout description Run Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description

As above Super Spartan Run: 4-Mile Trail Tempo Run 1 hour, 30 minutes As above AB 500 20 minutes As above

Wednesday Cross-Train Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Warm-up Jump Rope 10 minutes Skip, high-knee jog, skip side to side, skip front to back. Unbreakable Strength 35 minutes

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Workout description Bike Planned duration Workout description

As above Spartan Bike Sprints 35 minutes As above

Thursday Day off Workout description Rest Day B Train your mind! As above.

Friday Strength Workout description Rhode Islander Bucket Workout Equipment needed: 2-5 gallon buckets with lids, filled with sand, water, rockssome type of manageable weightand a 5 steel bar with hooks on both ends. Warm-up: Jog slowly in place for 1 minute. 200 jumping jacks Stretch

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Conditioning: Decline bucket push-up place your feet on the buckets and your hands on the ground. Adjusting the spacing of your hands for variation, do as many push-ups as possible. Incline bucket push-up place buckets 24 30 inches apart. Place hands on buckets and feet on ground. Do as many push-ups as possible, going between the buckets. Bucket-lunge Hand the weighted buckets from each side of the steel bar. Place bar behind your head resting on your trapezius. Lunge for 50 yards. Side-jump place buckets on ground with steel bar resting across them. Stand beside the bar, jump over the bar to the other side, and repeat 20 times. Bucket curl shoulder-press use the steel bar with weighted buckets hanging from both ends. Begin by curling the bar up to your chest and then press the bar over your head. Slowly return to the starting positions, and repeat. Bucket high-step walk hold a weighted bucket in each hand. Walk for 100 yards with high knees. Cool down with a light jog, and stretch. Bike Planned duration Spartan Bike 40 minutes

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Workout description

Warm up for 10 minutes in zone 2. Repeat 6 times: Ride 3 minutes in zone 4. Ride 1 minute in zone 2. Cool down 10 minutes.

Saturday Brick Planned duration Workout description Super Nachos 2 hours This is a popular appetizer at many restaurants. Eat the whole thing, and you ingest 2,700 kcals and 170 g of fat. You need to do this workout 3 times to burn it off. Skip the nachos and just do this once. Swim or row 1000 meters in zone 3. Swim or row 1000 meters in zone 3. 15 burpees 10 pull-ups Bike 10 miles in zone 3 15 burpees 10 push-ups 10 pull-ups Run 3 miles in zone 3 15 burpees 15 push-ups 10 pull-ups (A triathlonwith a twist!)

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Strength Planned duration Workout description

AB 500 20 minutes As above

Sunday Run Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 8 miles 1 hour, 20 minutes As above, but for 8 miles. Bourbon 30 minutes Some may find this difficult to swallow: Repeat 5 times : 10 push-ups 10 burpees 5 pull-ups 30-second sprint 1-minute rest

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Race Day Minus 2 Weeks

Monday Day off Workout description Rest day A Active rest day, as above.

Tuesday Run Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Run: 2-Mile Trail Tempo Run 1 hour As above

Wednesday Cross-Train Planned duration Workout description Strength Dreamweaver 2 45 minutes As above AB 500

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Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description

20 minutes As above Dynamic Warm-up 1 10 minutes As above

Thursday Day off Workout description Rest Day B Train your mind: memorize the 12 Greek Titans and recall them at lunch. Do math in your head walking from your car to work. Calculate the oxygen cost in ml/kg/min of your exercise from yesterday. Assume a 1 hour workout requires about 600 kcals of energy, and 5 kcals equals 1 liter of oxygen. (You will need your weight in kg.) At lunch memorize the names of the 12 Greek gods. Recall them at dinner.

Friday Cross-train Cheaper than Health Care

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Planned duration Workout description Bike Planned duration Workout description

50 minutes As above Spartan Bike 40 minutes As above

Saturday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description Kuato with Bike 1 hour, 15 minutes Free your mindas above. Spartan Bike 20 minutes As above

Sunday

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Run Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description

Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 8 miles 1 hour, 20 minutes As above, but for 8 miles. Bourbon 30 minutes As above

Race Day Minus 1 Week

Monday Day off Workout description Rest day A Active rest day, as above.

Tuesday Strength Planned duration Bingham 2 45 minutes

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Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description

As above AB 500 20 minutes As above

Wednesday Day off Workout description Rest day A Active rest day, as above.

Thursday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Medusas Challenge 40 minutes As above

Friday

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Day off Workout description

Rest day A Active rest day, as above.

Saturday

RACE DAYYour First Super

TRAIN TO COMPETE
Jeff: In order to finish in the top 10% of racers in the Super, you need to complete the course in less than 1 hour 20 minutes for men, or 1 hour and 40 minutes for women. You will need to be in excellent condition across all five elements of fitness. As with the Sprint, you can find free workout suggestions (WOD and others) and open discussions on training tips on the Spartan Race website and Facebook page. Personalized coaching can make a significant difference in your training results, particularly if you are new to racing at this distance or have set a specific performance goal.

SPARTAN WARRIOR: JASON BROWN, AKA JAY BE

Andy: Spartan Street Team Director Travis Ketcham actively recruited Jason Brown because Joe set a goal to bring more military people into the Spartan community. Jay Be was eager for an opportunity to change his life and to

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prove himself. Since joining the Spartan Street Team, Jay Be has brought hundreds of soldiers the opportunity to compete, challenge themselves, and let loose in a civilian environmentachieving that in a way that no one at Spartan HQ could have managed. Jay personally brought more than three hundred military competitors to the 2012 Malibu race alone, and he and his family are an inspiration to military families everywhere from their current posting in Guam. Jay Be is also working to bring a race to the base in Guama first for everyone involved, Spartan HQ included. Jay Be: My name is Jason Brown, but everyone knows me as Jay Be. For the last 11 years, I've been serving in the United States Air Force Security Forces, and I have eight deployments thus far, including a fifteen-month tour in Iraq. Even so, my fitness level hasnt always been competition-worthy. My Spartan Race Journey started in June 2011, when a couple friends of mine named Cole and Carlo showed me the Spartan Race Facebook page. I watched the video, and I was hooked. At that point I weighed in at 257 pounds, standing 6'7. The Malibu Sprint was just six months away. I knew that in order to take on this task I would have to step up my cardio game. I started following the Spartan Race WOD and running with my wife Rachel. I also started talking to my military buddies about Spartan Race. By November, I was down to 205 pounds, and I had built a team. We named it Dirty 30, after our military unit, 30th Security Forces Squadron. We were around 35-deep, including Rachel and my 47-year-old aunt Cindy. A few weeks prior to race day, Joe D and Tommy Mac contacted us and asked if we would like to also participate in the Hurricane Heat. Of course we agreed, not knowing at all what the Hurricane Heat was really about. On race day we were all down in the hotel lobby at 0400 getting a head count and checking our gear for the Heat. All of a sudden a guy walks up to us and says, HEY! You guys doing the Hurricane Heat? And we said, Yeah. Then he proceeded to tell us to drop down and do 100 burpees. My buddies

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were like, screw that guy, who the hell does he think he is? That's when I realized that guy" was Joe D. Without hesitation I dropped down and started knocking them out while I told my guys who he was. Of course, Joe D got down with us. Little did we know that that was just the beginning of a very long day. By time the Heat was over we had completed over four hundred burpees and 3+ miles, even crossing a freezing lake that had Joe's employees second-guessing him. After the Heat and Sprint that day, I was all in. I immediately started building a bigger team for SoCal, which was just a month away. I also joined the Street Team, to help give back and get more people of their couches. I excelled at the Street Team, at one point making the monthly newsletter for recruiting over three hundred peers across the States by using my military connections and social networking. For SoCal, Dirty 30 fielded close to 50 military members. With the help of our units leadership we were all able to get time off for the race. Once again we completed the Heat and the Super that day. SoCal was and still is the hardest course I've completed. The terrain was very unforgiving. But the SoCal race is also memorable to me for another reason: Spartan Race offered a Spartan Kids Race, which I knew my five-year-old son Nikko would love, and he really ate it up. After SoCal, Spartan Race became a true family affair for us, with our whole family training and competing together. Our next race was in Arizona, in February 2012, and again I took a group of military members and my family. We drove 12+ hours to get there. The Arizona Super was great and, once again, Nikko raced in the Spartan Kids event. Afterward he couldn't stop talking about the race and how he one day wanted to do the "BIG" race. I've never seen my son so happy before.

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Nikko Brown confronts a gladiator at the 2012 Arizona Super/Kids Race; Proud father Jay Be is behind Nikko, wearing his Spartan Race shirt and race bib

I am currently stationed in Guam and I am working hard with Spartan HQ to bring their Military Series here in 2013. My wife is also holding mini boot camps here, training other military wives for their first Spartan Race. Dirty 30 competes in Spartan Races all over the States, and we are pushing well over 200 military and family members. Cole and Carlo remain very active in my life and in the Dirty 30, and I still keep in weekly contact with everyone who signed up to make sure they continue training and pushing themselves even after their race is over. Spartan Race gave my family and me reason to stay healthy and fit and a common interest we can all share for years to come. A Spartan family that trains together stays together. We will continue to do Spartan Races together with the goal of one day competing as a family in the Death Race and Ultra Beast. Now that I have experienced another level of fitness, family, community, and competition, I just want to keep pushing myself and others.

Chapter 7. Train for a Spartan Beast

SETTING EXPECTATIONS: BASIC TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

Andy: The beauty of the Spartan Race model is that there are different distances and all athletes can participate. With up to 25 obstacles over a course distance of 12+ miles, the Beast is a race for the serious athlete. You should have a good base before starting Beast-specific trainingyou can't fake your way through the Beast. Many athletes can get through a Sprint race or even a Super with limited preparation, but the Beast really requires you to train. You should be running/hiking a minimum of three days per week and cross training and/or strength training three days per week. A mix of strength training and cardiovascular training is important for this distance. And because of the nature of the event and the time involved, you should have an effective and well-established nutrition plan that you know works for you. You will be burning quite a few calories per hour and it's important to refuel during the event.

TRAIN TO FINISH THE BEAST

Jeff: The Beast is designed to bring athletes to their breaking point at least once during the race. It is not advisable to attempt the Beast unless you are reasonably fit. All of the guidance in the previous chapters Train to Finish the Super section applies here as well, but the training requirements for the Beast are much

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greater. The fastest times for the Spartan Beast are under 3 hours, the average time is around 4-5 hours, and the slowest times are 7 hours or more. The key to finishing a Sprint is aerobic endurance. The race is 13+ miles long, and to finish in the average time you would need to be able to maintain an average speed of 3-4 miles per hour. The Beast is typically raced on a mountainside, and the slope and terrain dont count among the 25 obstacles. So the elevation gain and large number of obstacles make the Beast significantly more demanding than the Super. In order to finish the race, you will need to build the stamina to tolerate 3-5 hours (or more) of intense physical activity. Collectively, the distance, terrain, and obstacles will also demand you pay attention to your energy stores. A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO UNDERSTANDING AND MANAGING GLYCOGEN Racing at this level expends considerable amounts of glycogen. Serious competitors in the Super or Beast will compete at an intensity that is close to their lactate threshold or at about 80% of maximum, and just to complete the Beast will deplete most athletes energy stores. Even for well-trained athletes, 80% of total energy expenditure will come from carbohydrate, so the availability of this important substrate will ultimately determine your performance. Starting the race without a full tank of glycogen, or failing to replace it during the race, will result in glycogen depletion, lower power output, and declining performance.

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Contributing Factors for High Performance in a Super or Beast (The figure also applies to the Spartan Sprint, but the contributions of muscle and liver glycogen are much more important in the longer races) Here are two strategies that can be employed to combat glycogen depletion.

First, Train Low, Compete High is a strategy that has received some attention in recent years. Some athletes will train in a glycogen-depleted state, forcing the body to utilize more fat as a fuel. In other words, over time, training in a glycogen-depleted state over time results in an up-regulation of fat metabolism. Training low can be accomplished in a number of ways: 1) training on an empty stomach, 2) performing some glycogen-depleting HIT before a LSD workout, or 3) training on a chronically low carbohydrate diet. All of these strategies have been shown to up-regulate fat metabolism during exercise. The disadvantage is that in the carbohydrate-depleted state, the athlete cant work as hard, which can diminish the effectiveness of training. If you should decide to try this strategy, it is advisable to train in a glycogen-depleted state for less than 50% of your total training time. A second approach is to eat a very low carbohydrate diet in the two weeks leading up to a competition. This causes an up-regulation in the enzymes

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related to fat metabolism, and this too has been shown to improve fat metabolism during exercise. During the last three days of the two-week period, you would switch back to a high-carbohydrate diet which then will cause glycogen levels to rise 50% over normal levels. The disadvantage of this approach is that the athlete generally feels weak and lethargic during the period of low carbohydrate consumption. Although both of these approaches seem promising and have their advocates, it should be noted that the research is equivocal. Some research has shown improvements in performance and some has shown a decrease in performance. It may be that genetics plays a role in causing individual bodies to respond differently to the same stimuli, so that some athletes may respond well to either or both of these approaches, while others may not. If you decide to try either of these strategies, I recommend that you test your own results well in advance of your competition; you dont want to test a new protocol with your competition just around the corner.

15 WEEKS TO YOUR FIRST SPARTAN BEAST

Joe and Andy have designed the Beast to be, well, a beast. It is not advisable to attempt a Beast without sufficient preparatory training. If you are currently sedentary, you can become strong enough in fifteen weeks to complete the course. If you are moderately active, you can become fit enough to attack the course and enjoy it. As with the Sprint and Super training templates, the training template here is meant to be adapted to your fitness level: follow the template to your best ability, and do more or less as appropriate to your specific needs. You may find it particularly helpful to train with a partner, to keep you on track for the nearly four months of training. Stick with it! As always, consult a physician if you have or develop any health concerns.

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Race Day Minus 15 Weeks

Monday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Bingham 2 45 minutes 45-minute trail run; every 10 minutes find a rock or a log and lift it for 10 reps, performing arm curls, shoulder presses, and squats. Add 5 reps each time so that you finish your last set with 25 reps for each exercise.

Tuesday Run Planned duration Planned distance Workout description Warm up 2 miles with heart rate in zone 2; Run 2 miles with heart rate in zone 4; Cool down 2 miles with heart rate in zone 2. Super Spartan Run : 2 Mile Trail Tempo Run 1 hour

Wednesday

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Strength Planned duration Workout description

Unbreakable Strength Plus Run 45 minutes Repeat four times: Dumbbell Lunge 30 seconds each leg Split lunch Jumps 30 seconds Plank Walk 45 seconds Shoulder taps 45 seconds 3-minute rest between sets Run 20 minutes with heart rate in zone 3

Thursday Day off Workout description Rest day A Rest days are just as important as training days. This is the time when your body adapts to the previous days exercise. Make it an active rest day by walking to the store, taking the stairs at work, parking at the far end of the parking lot, every hour take a 1-minute break and stretch. Eat well, remembering you arent exercising and burning all those extra calories!

Friday Cross-train Medusas Challenge

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Planned duration Workout description

1 hour This will turn you to stone! Do the entire workout outside. Run 15 minutes. Perform 1 minute of each exercise, with 10 second rest between: push-ups curl-up inverted pull-ups planks squat jumps jump rope Repeat entire sequence 3 times

Saturday Run Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 4 miles 1 hour BT: Warm up well. On trails, run in zone 2 and the low end of zone 3.

Sunday Bike Spartan Bike

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Planned duration Workout description

40 minutes Warm up for 10 minutes in zone 2. Repeat 6 times: Ride 3 minutes in zone 4. Ride 1 minute in zone 2. Cool down 10 minutes.

Race Day Minus 14 Weeks

Monday Day off Workout description Rest day A Make it an active rest day as above.

Tuesday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Tamma-Jamma 1 40 minutes Tammy cant find her way around a mall without getting lost. One evening we did our usual trail run in the opposite direction and we had her lead the group. Right away she was making wrong turns at trail intersections. We decided that we would do 15 burpees for each wrong turn. We are sure you wont have the

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same difficulty finding your way around the trails. For this workout: Run a 4 mile loop in the woods Perform 15 burpees at each trail intersection (or every 15 minutes) (If you cant do 15 continuous repetitions, do 3 sets of 5 with 30 seconds in between each set.)

Wednesday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Bourbon 2 30 minutes Some may find this workout difficult to swallow. Repeat 5 times: 20 push-ups 20 burpees 10 pull-ups 1 minute sprint 1 minute rest Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 4 miles 1 hour

Run Planned duration

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Workout description

Warm up well. On trails, run in zone 2 and the low end of zone 3.

Thursday Day off Workout description Rest day B Rest days are just as important as training days. Today, train your mind. Memorize the first 10 ingredients, in order, in your favorite breakfast food, recall it at lunch. Do math in your head walking from your car into work: how many seconds would it take to drive 70 miles, at a speed of 55 miles per hour? At lunch memorize the number from a one-dollar bill, recall it at dinner.

Friday Strength Planned duration Workout description Arnold 1 hour Some may say that this isnt functional, but Arnold says, youll be back, for this change of pace! Repeat this 3 times, using a weight you can lift within the desired range: 10-15 reps each:

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Alternating backward barbell lunge Alternating dumbbell chest press with overhand grip Alternating incline dumbbell row with neutral grip Back extension on machine with arms across chest Cable lat pull-down with underhand grip Alternating dumbbell shoulder front raise Barbell wrist curl with arms on bench Barbell wrist extension Alternating dumbbell bicep curl with neutral grip Seated 1-arm dumbbell tricep extension Bridge and leg curl on stability ball Bicycle Dead bug Leg raise with flutter kick on incline bench or floor For dead bug and flutter kick, make sure the lower back stays neutral For video demonstrations of each exercise, see www.physicalfitnet.com Run Planned duration Workout description Unbreakable Intervals 40 minutes Intervals are the best way to improve your fitness and these are no exception. 10 reps: 10-second hill (sprint), 10-second rest

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5 reps: 20-second hill (very high intensity), 20-second rest 3 reps: 30-second hill (high intensity), 10-second rest Do not stop until all 18 intervals are complete Walk for 5 minutes to recover, and repeat for half the reps. Jog easy for 20 minutes.

Saturday Run Planned duration Workout description Tammys Delirium 5 1 hour, 15 minutes Delirium: a disturbance in ones mental abilities. What were you thinking? Warm up for one mile in zone 2. Find a hill, about 200 feet in height (roughly a 4-minute hill) Run up the hill as hard as possible, but maintain a steady pace. (You should be very tired at the end.) Jog down the hill. Do 10 burpees. Repeat 5 times. Jog easy to cool down. AB 500

Strength

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Planned duration Workout description

20 minutes 25 crunches 50 bicycles 50 back-scratchers 50 rotating crunches 25 leg-lowers 50 scissor-kicks 50 side-crunches 50 bicycles 50 back-scratchers

Sunday Run Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 6 miles 1 hour Warm up well. On trails, run in zone 2 and the low end of zone 3 for 6 miles.

Race Day Minus 13 Weeks

Monday Day off Rest day A

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Workout description

Make it an active rest day as above.

Tuesday Run Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Run: 2 Mile Trail Tempo Run 1 hour Warm up 2 miles with heart rate in zone 2; Run 2 miles with heart rate in zone 4; Cool down 2 miles with heart rate in zone 2. AB 500 20 minutes As above

Wednesday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Unbreakable Strength Plus Run 50 minutes Repeat 4 times:

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Dumbbell Lunge for 30 seconds on each leg. Split Lunge for 30 seconds Plank Walk for 45 seconds Shoulder taps for 45 seconds Rest for 3 minutes. Run for 20 minutes in zone 3.

Thursday Day off Workout description Rest day B Rest today, but train your mind (as above)!

Friday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Medusas Challenge 1 hour This will turn you into stone! Do the entire workout outside. Run 15 minutes Perform 1 minute of each exercise, with 10 seconds rest in between: push-ups curl-up inverted pull-ups planks

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squat jumps jump rope Repeat entire sequence 3 times.

Saturday Run Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 4 miles 1 hour Warm up well. On trails, run in zone 2 and the low end of zone 3. AB 500 20 minutes As above

Sunday Bike Planned duration Spartan Bike 40 minutes

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Workout description

As above

Race Day Minus 12 Weeks

Monday Day off Workout description Rest day A Active rest day, as above

Tuesday Run Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Run: 4-Mile Trail Tempo Run 1 hour, 30 minutes Warm up 2 miles with heart rate in zone 2; Run 4 miles with heart rate in zone 4; Cool down 2 miles with heart rate in zone 2. AB 500 20 minutes As above.

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Wednesday Cross-Train Planned duration Workout description Cheesy Fries 1 hour, 15 minutes At 2500 kcals, you would have to do this entire workout twice just to burn off half a serving. Repeat this 3 times: Hike a short but steep hill carrying a log, weight, rock, or half-filled bucket of water. Hike back down. This should take about 15 minutes round trip. Split lunch Jumps 30 seconds Run/jog/walk the same hill 10 burpees 15 stone dead lifts (use your legs) Hang from a low branch for 30 seconds or as long as possible, until you accumulate 3 minutes of hanging. Rest 2 minutes Jog a flat trail for 20 minutes.

Thursday Day off Workout description Rest Day B Rest well, but train your mind (as above).

Friday

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Strength Planned duration Workout description

Greetings from Cumberland 1 hour This is a nice how do you do! Equipment needed: Spartan Boulder (different sizes available depending on individual, i.e., basketball, volleyball, and football sizes) Spartan Plank (2x6x30 inches) with sling. The sling is for carrying the plank. Warm-up: Jog slowly in place for 5 minutes. Do 200 jumping jacks. Stretch. Conditioning: Boulder-toss hold the boulder with both hands and bring it to the chest. With a great thrust (using arms and legs), push the boulder out and up as hard and fast as possible. Run to it and repeat. Do 3 sets of 10 with 30 seconds of recovery between sets. Boulder Up lie on back with knees bent. Hold boulder on chest just under chin. Perform 50 crunches. Balance push-up Place boulder on ground, place the center of the Spartan Plank onto the boulder. Do push-ups to failure with hands on the plank. Boulder-curls Hold the boulder with hands on the side. Squeezing the boulder so it does not drop, perform 20 bicep curls.

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Boulder-triceps Hold boulder above head and perform triceps extensions. Boulder transport Find a hill, carry the boulder up the hill, place the boulder, and run back down the hill. Run back up the hill, pick up boulder, and walk down. Repeat 5 times. Boulder Leap Hold the boulder at chest height. Squat down and leap forward. Repeat 10 times, then return in opposite direction. Recover for 1 minute and then repeat. Cool down with some light stretching and moving in place. Run Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 8 miles 1 hour, 20 minutes On trails, run in zone 2 and the low end of zone 3 for 8 miles.

Saturday Run Planned duration Workout description Pineapple 6 1 hour, 30 minutes This workout looks gnarly on the surface, but once you get into it, its sweet! Do this workout entirely on trails.

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Run 1 mile in zone 2 to warm up. 10 burpees 10 push-ups 5 pull-ups 10 squats with rock held at chest level Run 0.5 mile in zone 3. Repeat for prescribed distance.

Sunday Run Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 6 miles 1 hour, 10 minutes Warm up well. On trails, run in zone 2 and the low end of zone 3 for 6 miles. AB 500 20 minutes As above

Race Day Minus 11 Weeks

Monday

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Day off Workout description

Rest day A Active rest day, as above.

Tuesday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Bourbon on the Rocks 1 hour Some may find this difficult to swallow. Repeat 5 times: 10 push-ups 10 burpees 5 pull-ups 30-second sprint 1-minute rest Then, with a rock, repeat 4 times: 15 squats Lunge-walk 50 yards 10 chest-passes 10 underhand toss Rest for 1 minute between each circuit. AB 500 20 minutes As above

Strength Planned duration Workout description

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Wednesday Cross-Train Planned duration Workout description Desena 40 minutes Do this outside, no matter the conditions. (Hopefully it is cold and rainy.) Jump-rope for 10 minutes. 15 walking lunges on each leg 15 push-ups 15 stone deadlifts (use your legs) Belly-crawl 10 yards 10 stone squat chest-pass (Use the same stone as in the lift, hold the stone at chest height, squat the stone, then chest pass the stone as far as possible. Pick up the stone and repeat 10 times.) Repeat this cycle twice. Super Spartan Run: 4-Mile Trail Tempo Run 1 hour, 30 minutes As above

Run Planned duration Workout description

Thursday

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Day off Workout description

Rest Day B Rest well, but train your mind (as above).

Friday Strength Planned duration Workout description Arnold 60 minutes As above

Saturday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Tammys Delirium 8 60 minutes Delirium: a disturbance in ones mental abilities. What were you thinking? Warm up for one mile in zone 2. Find a hill, about 200 feet in height (roughly a 4-minute hill) Run up the hill as hard as possible, but maintain a steady pace. (You should be very tired at the end.) Jog down the hill.

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Do 10 burpees. Repeat 8 times. Jog easy to cool down.

Sunday Run Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 6 miles 1 hour, 10 minutes Warm up well. On trails, run in zone 2 and the low end of zone 3 for 6 miles. AB 500 20 minutes As above

Race Day Minus 10 Weeks

Monday Day off Workout description Rest day A Active rest day, as above.

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Tuesday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Dynamic Warm up 1 10 minutes Start with a 5-minute general warm-up with a brisk walk, slow jog, easy cycle, or easy row. Then perform the following exercises two times for a distance of 25 yards each: High-knee walk High-knee jog Butt-kickers Lateral shuffle Straight leg march Skip Straight leg skip Cross-over step Carioca Duck walk Mr. Clean 20 minutes You will clean house at your first Spartan race! Repeat three times: Swiss ball knee-tucks for 45 seconds Push-ups for 30 seconds Swiss ball triceps-dips for 45 seconds

Cross-train Planned duration Workout description

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Plank for 45 seconds Run Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Run: 4-Mile Trail Tempo Run 1 hour, 30 minutes As above AB 500 20 minutes As above

Wednesday Cross-Train Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Warm-up jump rope 40 minutes Skip, high knee jog, skip side to side, skip front to back Unbreakable Strength 35 minutes

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Workout description

Repeat this 5 times: Dumbbell Lunge for 30 seconds on each leg Split-lunge Jumps for 30 seconds Plank walk for 45 seconds Shoulder taps for 45 seconds (Rest for 3 minutes between sets.) Spartan Bike Sprints 35 minutes Warm up for 10 minutes in zone 2 Ride for 20 minutes in zone 3 Every other minute, sprint as hard as possible for 10 seconds Cool down easy for 5 minutes.

Bike Planned duration Workout description

Thursday Day off Workout description Rest Day B Train your mind. Memorize the first 10 finishers at the Badwater Ultramarathon this year, recall them at lunch. Do math in your head walking from your car into work: divide your odometer reading by your waist size. At lunch memorize 8 college basketball scores, recall them at dinner.

Friday

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Cross-train Planned duration Workout description

Delicious 60 minutes So good you will want more! This is done entirely on trails: Run 2 miles to warm up 25 push-ups 25 squats 20 mountain climbers Run mile at high intensity, but pace yourself so you dont have to walk 10 squat jumps 50-yard lunge walk 10 lunge jumps 20 flutter kicks 10 side-to-side hops Run 1 mile at high intensity, but pace yourself so you dont have to walk 25 push-ups 25 squats 20 mountain climbers Run mile at high intensity, but pace yourself so you dont have to walk 10 squat jumps 50-yard lunge walk 10 lunge jumps 20 flutter kicks 10 side-to-side hops Run 1 mile to cool down.

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Saturday Run Planned duration Planned distance Workout description Pineapple 6 1 hour, 30 minutes 6 miles As above; repeat for prescribed distance.

Sunday Run Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 8 miles 1 hour, 20 minutes BT: Warm up well. On trails, run in zone 2 and the low end of zone 3 for 8 miles. AB 500 20 minutes As above

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Race Day Minus 9 Weeks

Monday Day off Workout description Rest day A Active rest day, as above.

Tuesday Run Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Run: 6-Mile Trail Tempo Run 1 hour Warm up 2 miles with heart rate in zone 2; Run 2 miles with heart rate in zone 4; Cool down 2 miles with heart rate in zone 2.

Wednesday Cross-Train Planned duration Workout description Cross-Train Dynamic Warm up 1 10 minutes As above Dreamweaver 2

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Planned duration Workout description

45 minutes The stuff dreams are made of! Repeat 4 times: Run 0.75 miles in zone 4. 25 push-ups 10 pull-ups 25 crunches AB 500 20 minutes As above

Strength Planned duration Workout description

Thursday Day off Workout description Rest Day B Rest days are just as important as the training days. This is the time period when your body adapts to the previous days exercise. Today, train your mind. Memorize the 5 Australian states and their capitals and recall them at lunch. Do math in your head walking from your car into work. Calculate the total amount of weight lifted in your last Arnold workout. At lunch memorize the Pawtucket Pawsox starting lineup and recall it at dinner.

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Friday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Cheaper than Health Care 50 minutes Warm up by jumping rope for 15 minutes Do each of the following for 1 minute: Mountain-climbers Spiderman push-up Plank with row Inverted pull-ups Medicine-ball sit-ups Squat-jumps Recover for 3 minutes. Repeat cycle 3 times. Spartan Bike 40 minutes Warm up for 10 minutes in zone 2. Repeat 6 times: Ride 3 minutes in zone 4. Ride 1 minute in zone 2. Cool down 10 minutes.

Bike Planned duration Workout description

Saturday

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Cross-train Planned duration Workout description

Kuato with Bike 1 hour, 15 minutes Kuato lives! He sees you finishing the Beast in excellent form. Free your mind Jump rope for 5 minutes 50 push-ups 40 leg-lowers Pull-ups to failure (Use an assisted device such as a band or machine to get at least 5 reps.) 40 hanging leg-raises 75 body weight squats (fast, but with good form) (Repeat twice.) Bike for 30 minutes in heart rate zone 3.

Sunday Run Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 4 miles 1 hour Warm up well. On trails, run in zone 2 and the low end of zone 3.

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Race Day Minus 8 Weeks

Monday Day off Workout description Rest day A Active rest day, as above.

Tuesday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description Bourbon on the rocks 1 hour As above AB 500 20 minutes As above

Wednesday Cross-Train Planned duration Desena 30 minutes

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Workout description Run Planned duration Workout description

As above, rain or shine. (Preferably rain!) Super Spartan Run: 4 Mile Trail Tempo Run 1 hour, 30 minutes As above

Thursday Day off Workout description Rest Day B Train your mind: memorize the 10 longest rivers in the United States and recall them at lunch. Do math in your head walking from your car into work. Sum the license plates from the first 10 cars you walk past. At lunch memorize the UTM coordinates of three of your favorite vacation spots. Recall them at dinner.

Friday Strength Planned duration Arnold 1 hour

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Workout description Bike Planned duration Workout description

We told you so: You will be back. As above. Spartan Bike 52 minutes Warm up for 10 minutes in zone 2. Repeat 8 times: Ride 3 minutes in zone 4. Ride 1 minute in zone 2. Cool down 10 minutes.

Saturday Strength Planned duration Workout description Tammys Delirium 8 1 hour, 30 minutes As above

Sunday Run Planned duration Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 8 miles 1 hour

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Workout description

As above

Race Day Minus 7 Weeks

Monday Day off Workout description Rest day A Active rest day, as above.

Tuesday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Cross Planned duration Workout description Run Dynamic Warm-up 1 10 minutes As above Mr. Clean 20 minutes As above Super Spartan Run: 4-Mile Trail Tempo Run

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Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description

1 hour, 30 minutes As above AB 500 20 minutes As above

Wednesday Cross-Train Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description Bike Warm-up Jump Rope 10 minutes Skip, high-knee jog, skip side to side, skip front to back. Unbreakable Strength 35 minutes As above Spartan Bike Sprints

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Planned duration Workout description

35 minutes As above

Thursday Day off Workout description Rest Day B Train your mind: memorize the top 10 female finishers at the SoCal Super Spartan, recall them at lunch. Do math in your head walking from your car to work. Multiply your age by your height in inches, and then divide by your shoe size. At lunch memorize the top 10 male finishers and their times at the SoCal Super Spartan. Recall them at dinner.

Friday Strength Workout description Rhode Islander Bucket Workout Equipment needed: 2-5 gallon buckets with lids, filled with sand, water, rockssome type of manageable weightand a 5 steel bar with hooks on both ends. Warm-up: Jog slowly in place for 1 minute. 200 jumping jacks

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Stretch Conditioning: Decline bucket push-up place your feet on the buckets and your hands on the ground. Adjusting the spacing of your hands for variation, do as many push-ups as possible. Incline bucket push-up place buckets 24 30 inches apart. Place hands on buckets and feet on ground. Do as many push-ups as possible, going between the buckets. Bucket-lunge Hand the weighted buckets from each side of the steel bar. Place bar behind your head resting on your trapezius. Lunge for 50 yards. Side-jump place buckets on ground with steel bar resting across them. Stand beside the bar, jump over the bar to the other side, and repeat 20 times. Bucket curl shoulder-press use the steel bar with weighted buckets hanging from both ends. Begin by curling the bar up to your chest and then press the bar over your head. Slowly return to the starting positions, and repeat. Bucket high-step walk hold a weighted bucket in each hand. Walk for 100 yards with high knees. Cool down with a light jog, and stretch. Bike Planned duration Spartan Bike 40 minutes

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Workout description

Warm up for 10 minutes in zone 2. Repeat 6 times: Ride 3 minutes in zone 4. Ride 1 minute in zone 2. Cool down 10 minutes.

Saturday Brick Planned duration Workout description Super Nachos 2 hours This is a popular appetizer at many restaurants. Eat the whole thing, and you ingest 2,700 kcals and 170 g of fat. You need to do this workout 3 times to burn it off. Skip the nachos and just do this once. Swim or row 1000 meters in zone 3. Swim or row 1000 meters in zone 3. 15 burpees 15 push-ups 10 pull-ups Bike 10 miles in zone 3 15 burpees 10 push-ups 10 pull-ups Run 3 miles in zone 3 15 burpees 15 push-ups 10 pull-ups (A triathlonwith a twist!)

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Strength Planned duration Workout description

AB 500 20 minutes As above

Sunday Run Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 9 miles 1 hour, 30 minutes As above, but for 9 miles. Bourbon 30 minutes Some may find this difficult to swallow: Repeat 5 times : 10 push-ups 10 burpees 5 pull-ups 30-second sprint 1-minute rest

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Race Day Minus 6 Weeks

Monday Day off Workout description Rest day A Active rest day, as above.

Tuesday Cross-Train Planned duration Workout description Super Run: Trail Run Dreamweaver 2 45 minutes As above

Spartan 4-Mile AB 500 Tempo

Planned duration Workout description

1 hour, 30 minutes As above

Wednesday Cross-Train Dynamic Warm-up 1

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Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description

10 minutes As above Delicious 1 hour As above AB 500 20 minutes As above

Thursday Day off Workout description Rest Day B Train your mind: memorize the 12 Greek Titans and recall them at lunch. Do math in your head walking from your car to work. Calculate the oxygen cost in ml/kg/min of your exercise from yesterday. Assume a 1 hour workout requires about 600 kcals of energy, and 5 kcals equals 1 liter of oxygen. (You will need your

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weight in kg.) At lunch memorize the names of the 12 Greek gods. Recall them at dinner.

Friday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Bike Planned duration Workout description Cheaper than Health Care 50 minutes As above Spartan Bike 40 minutes As above

Saturday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Kuato with Bike 1 hour, 15 minutes Free your mindas above. Tamma-Jamma 1

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Planned duration Workout description

40 minutes As above

Sunday Run Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 10 miles 1 hour, 30 minutes As above, but for 10 miles. Bourbon 30 minutes As above

Race Day Minus 5 Weeks

Monday Day off Workout description Rest day A Active rest day, as above.

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Tuesday Run Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Run: 6 Mile Trail Tempo Run 1 hour, 30 minutes As above

Wednesday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Cross-Train Planned duration Workout description Strength Dynamic Warm-up 1 10 minutes As above Dreamweaver 2 45 minutes As above AB 500

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Planned duration Workout description

20 minutes As above

Thursday Day off Workout description Rest Day A Active rest day, as above.

Friday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Bike Planned duration Workout description Cheaper than Health Care 50 minutes As above Spartan Bike 40 minutes As above

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Saturday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Kuato with Bike 1 hour, 15 minutes Free your mindas above. Tamma-Jamma 1 40 minutes As above

Sunday Run Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 4 miles 50 minutes As above

Race Day Minus 4 Week

Monday

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Day off Workout description

Rest day A Active rest day, as above.

Tuesday Strength Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Diamonds are Forever! 1 hour As above Bingham 2 1 hour As above

Wednesday Cross-Train Planned duration Workout description Desena 30 minutes As above, rain or shine. (Preferably rain.)

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Strength Planned duration Workout description

AB 500 20 minutes As above

Thursday Day off Workout description Rest day B Train your mind: memorize the top 10 songs on Billboard.com. Do math in your head walking from your car to work. Sum the serial numbers from 5 one-dollar bills. Divide by 6. At lunch memorize the names of the top 10 goal-scorers in the NHL and recall them at dinner.

Friday Run Planned duration Workout description Tammys Delirium 10 2 hours As above, but repeat main loop 10 times. Yes, we said 10.

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Saturday Run Planned duration Planned distance Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description Pineapple 8 2 hours 8 miles As above AB 500 20 minutes As above

Sunday Strength Planned duration Workout description Run Greetings from Cumberland 1 hour As above Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 10 miles

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Planned duration Workout description

2 hours As above, but for 10 miles.

Race Day Minus 3 Week

Monday Day off Workout description Rest day A Active rest day, as above.

Tuesday Strength Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Diamonds are Forever! 1 hour As above Bingham 2 1 hour As above

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Wednesday Cross-Train Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description Desena 30 minutes As above, rain or shine. (Preferably rain.) AB 500 20 minutes As above

Thursday Day off Workout description Rest day B Train your mind: memorize the first 10 ingredients, in order, from your favorite breakfast cereal, and recall them at lunch. Do math in your head walking from your car to work. How many seconds would it take to drive 70 miles at a speed of 55 miles per hour? At lunch memorize the serial number from a one-dollar bill. Recall it at dinner.

Friday

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Run Planned duration

Tammys Delirium 10 2 hours

Saturday Run Planned duration Planned distance Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description Pineapple 8 2 hours 8 miles As above AB 500 20 minutes As above

Sunday Run Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 10 miles

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Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description

2 hours As above Greetings from Cumberland 1 hour As above

Race Day Minus 2 Weeks

Monday Day off Workout description Rest Day A Active rest day, as above.

Tuesday Run Planned duration Planned distance Super Spartan Run: 2 Mile Trail Tempo Run 1 hour, 30 minutes

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Workout description

As above

Wednesday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Strength Planned duration Workout description Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Dynamic Warm-Up 1 10 minutes As above AB 500 20 minutes As above Dreamweaver 2 45 minutes As above

Thursday Day off Rest day A

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Workout description

Active rest day, as above.

Friday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Bike Planned duration Workout description Cheaper than Health Care 50 minutes As above Spartan Bike 40 minutes As above

Saturday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Kuato with Bike 1 hour, 15 minutes Kuato lives! As above.

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Sunday Run Planned duration Workout description Super Spartan Trail Run: Steady State 4 Miles 50 minutes As above

Race Day Minus 1 Week

Monday Day off Workout description Rest day A Active rest day, as above.

Tuesday Strength Planned duration Workout description Strength Bingham 2 45 minutes As above AB 500

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Planned duration Workout description

20 minutes As above

Wednesday Day off Workout description Rest day A Active rest day, as above.

Thursday Cross-train Planned duration Workout description Medusas Challenge 50 minutes As above

Friday Day off Workout description Rest day A Active rest day, as above.

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Saturday

RACE DAYYour First Spartan Beast

TRAIN TO COMPETE
Jeff: In order to finish in the top 10% of racers in the Beast, you will need to complete the course in less than 3 hours 15 minutes for men, and 4 hours for women, although finish times will vary depending on the course. You will need to be in peak condition across all five elements of fitness and comfortable with all of the obstacle types, as well as adept at managing your hydration, nutrition, and energy stores before and during the race. At the Beast distance, free workout suggestions (WOD and others) and open discussions on training tips are likely to offer limited value. You may find it more helpful to train with a group of accomplished obstacle racers or to undertake a personalized coaching program.

SPARTAN WARRIOR: LISA DEMETRIOU

Andy: Lisa Demetriou is no slave to pain. In her 17 years in the NYPD, Lisa suffered an injury in her right foot and damage to her lungs, but that didnt stop her from signing up for two Spartan Races. She broke her leg in the second race, but nothing can stop someone with Lisas drive. Here to tell her story is her proud husband George Demetriou, co-coach and owner of Spartan Performance/CrossFit Suffolk in Holbrook, New York. George: We both heard it, but I convinced myself that Lisa had landed on something plastic or a twig perhaps. There was a distinct snapping sound. Lisa had just slipped off the Monkey Bars at about the 6-mile mark of the

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Super Spartan, 8-mile obstacle race in Staten Island, New York, September 2011. I looked down at Lisa who was staring up at me with the unmistakable look that communicated the message, "This isn't good. I studied the ground beneath Lisa and, much to my dismay, found no evidence of plastic, a twig, or anything other than grass. Lisa's face and the lack of anything that could produce the snapping sound could only mean one thing: the snapping was Lisa's leg breaking upon her foot impacting the ground. Lisa Demetriou, in her second Spartan Race, our first was the Spartan Beast a month earlier, had traversed the monkey bars half way and slipped off. No problem. 30 burpees and she was sent on her way. Lisa couldn't just move on though. She couldn't leave this obstacle without giving it a second attempt. Up she went, at the point she had slipped off moments before, and began her monkey bar journey while I looked on. "Nooooooooo, we both thought, but had not verbalized as Lisa slipped off the bar and landed on her right footthe foot with the Reflex Sympathy Dysfunction. The foot that has no muscle padding at the bottom due to the nerve damage from injuries suffered in her previous career as a detective with the NYPD. The foot that is atrophied. The foot that had two stress fractures before she ran the Beast. The foot that she shouldn't have landed on, but did. Lisa had previously broken the tibia and fibula, the bones the lower leg. She had foot reconstructions and nerve decompression surgery. Lisa also suffers from Reactive Airway Dysfunction (RADS), something she was diagnosed with after helping with the recovery effort at the World Trade Center after September 11th, 2001. Lisa hated being told what physical activities she should and should not do. As soon as she learned of the Spartan Race, she signed us up for the Beast. It was such a great and challenging experience Lisa immediately signed us up for the Super Spartan, which was closer to our home. I thought our second Spartan Race had suddenly come to an end. Lisa was offered help from the Spartan Race personnel, but she refused, insisting that she didn't have long to go and had to finish. I was concerned, but not surprised. There was no way, not even a second of doubt, that Lisa would

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come this far to throw in the towel. I offered to carry her, but she said she had to finish on her own. Lisa never thought about what other damage she may have done. She never considered the future beyond finishing the race. She just kept going. If Lisa had to crawl the rest of the way she would have. So off we went. Lisa was in agony, but kept moving through grass, mud, sand, and water. She participated in every obstacle that remained. I tried to get her to just walk to the finish, bypassing every obstacle in her path, but she wouldn't have it. The 4'11, 45 year-old Lisa was on a mission, and quitting wasn't an option. I tried every argument I could think of to get her to stop. Lisa ignored my words like she ignored the burning pain in her leg. Like a machine that just didn't know any better, Lisa kept moving. The worst part for me was watching her drag the cinder block in the sand. The sand is thick and uneven which caused Lisa's leg to constantly shift in unpredictable directions. I had to look away. The look of pain in her face was too much for me to bear. Lisa finished this obstacle and the remaining ones, doing her burpees when she missed on the spear throw. As we crossed the finish line, Lisa had the biggest smile on her face. She sat on the ground just past the finish line, looked at me, and said, "I'll take that medical attention now." The EMTs were there instantly. "What's hurting you?" asked the EMT. "My leg is broken, responded Lisa. Lisa was so calm the EMT didn't believe her. "It's probably not broken, the EMT said. "I feel crepitus, Lisa said matter-of-factly. With those words the EMT suddenly put his game face on. "Are you a nurse? the EMT asked, surprised by the use of the word crepitus (a medical

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term to describe the grating, crackling or popping sounds and sensations experienced under the skin and joints.) "No. I was a cop and an EMT, said Lisa. The EMT looked at the other EMT's and said, "Let's get her in a chair and load her up on the ambulance."

Lisa and George at the September 2011 Super Spartan after Lisa broke her leg (Personal archive)

Lisa loves the challenge of the Spartan Race and did her third race, the Sprint in Tuxedo Park, New York, after healing up from the broken leg. We are currently training for the Spartan Beast in Vermont. While being treated in the hospital Lisa was ecstatic that she finished the race. The Spartan Race brings out the competitiveness in the participants and, for those who enjoy a challenge, it brings out the warrior spirit that the race demands. Lisa looks forward to future events and spreading the word to others so that they can share in the reward of participating in a Spartan

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Race. Lisa continues to be the greatest source of inspiration to the people she trains at our CrossFit gym. I couldn't help but admire Lisa as she sat covered in mud in the hospital. She represented the qualities I admire in all warriors: she refused to quit even though nobody would have criticized her for doing so; she displayed the type of spirit you only see from elite members of the military; and she displayed defiance by not giving in to the pain. For Lisa, as for all Spartan Racers, the finish line is the most worthy goal. Not crossing it would have been more painful than anything she suffered along the way.

SPARTAN WARRIOR: MARGARET SCHLACHTER

Andy: Ive intentionally kept this introduction brief, since Margaret Schlachter can tell her own story way better than I can queue it up for you. The essential details are these: Margaret is an elite obstacle racer and a founding member of the Spartan Chicked group,1 now 5000 members strong and growing. She is also the creator of the Dirt in Your Skirt blog,2 which was recognized as a 2012 Bloggies award winner: Best Sports Blog. Margaret: In 2010 my life changed with a simple like on Facebook. A new event/race came across my stream and I did what everyone of my generation would do: I Googled it. I had once been a two-sport varsity athlete but had shifted my focus for the past five years to coaching the next generation of athletes; and I let my own endeavors slide by the wayside. However, with that simple like and a few clicks on the website I had changed the trajectory of my life and chosen to be

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an athlete myself again: I signed up for my first Spartan Race in Burlington, Vermont. The first race would be virtually unrecognizable compared to where the sport is today. However, that race had a magical quality to it. It was new and exciting, and no one knew what obstacle racing was or what would be in store. I toed the line wearing a cotton shirt, cotton capris, and cotton underwear. This was when I learned the first lesson of obstacle racing: JUST SAY NO TO COTTON! I spent much of that race pulling up sagging clothing, each time hoping I wouldnt show the world all of me as my capris sagged. Clothing issues aside, after the race was finished I was hooked! I went home and searched out all the obstacle races I could find, entering in about a half-dozen that first season and finishing in the top 25% of all the races I did that year. It was good, but it wasnt like I was blowing everybody else out of the water. I was just having some fun. As the 2011 season approached, I decided it was time to take this all a little more seriously. The competition started to grow, and I made the choice to train and actually get back into shape. It was around this point I started my blog Dirt In Your Skirt as a way to hold myself accountable for my training. The 2011 season had many highs for me, but the ultimate highlight was the Spartan Beast in Killington, Vermont. There was an air around that race reminiscent of the first race in 2010: the distance was unknown, and the terrain was unrelenting. Unlike the first race, this time I definitely wasnt wearing cotton. A month before the race I had been invited to be a founding member of the Spartan Chicked group, and at the starting line of the Beast I was proudly wearing my new Spartan Chicked gear. As I stood in the middle of the pack with some of my friends and fellow Spartan Chicks, I had no idea how this race would turn out. I just wanted to finish. Suddenly my friend Carrie pushed me to the front of the line and told me it was time for me to run my race. I stood there with the likes of Hobie

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Call , Grace Cuomo Durfee , Rose-Marie Jarry , Alec Blenis and other athletes who dominate the sport today. I felt completely out of my league. Before long the race began, and I was off. I live in Killington, so I had the hometown advantage of knowing the terrain. As we made our first ascent of the race I settled in and relaxed into what would be almost four hours of racing. We tackled some of the steepest terrain on the mountain. In races such as this you get to talking to your competitors. Prior to ascending the mountain I passed Grace (2010 Womens Death Race Winner). As we headed off the first peak I passed Irene Call (wife of Hobie). After the first hour, I found myself in fourth place among the women. The race was long and the competition had greatly spread out. We ran up and down the mountain, through obstacles both natural to the terrain and those made by the race crew. When we got up to the top of Bear Mountain, we had a task like no other I had seen in a race so far: memorization. As I stared at this crazy group of numbers and letters I found my phrase: ALPHA603-8864. I repeated that phrase in my head for the next hour or so. We were not told when we would need it again, but I was certain that in a Spartan Race, forgetting that phrase would buy me a penalty. ALPHA603-8864 over and over as we descended down some steep bushwhacking, where I jumped from foothold to foothold. ALPHA603-8864 as I grabbed the fifty-pound bag of sand and ascended up the steepest mogul trail in the East. ALPHA603-8864 as I passed an Ironman, and guys who looked like they could eat me for dinner. ALPHA603-8864 as I grabbed my weighted sled and dragged it around the Bear Mountain parking lot. ALPHA603-8864 as I ran over the hot coals with sled in hand. ALPHA603-8864 as I dropped the sled, took a sip of Gatorade from a volunteer, ran up to the tent and was asked simply, What is your phrase? I took a deep breath and repeated ALPHA603-8864. I continued on with my race. We swam, we jumped, we climbed. Between obstacles I walked, and I ran, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. As we reached what I thought was the

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end, we entered the longest swim of the race followed by an intimidating rope traverse high above water. As I swam I cramped up and struggled to get to the rope. Once on the rope, I caught sight of the female racer in front of me. She was over on the far side of the lake doing burpees. Little did I know at that point I had taken hold of third place and was looking at the second-place finisher. By the time I dropped from the ropeunable to go onand did my burpees, she was long gone. As I navigated the end of the course and through the final obstacles, I believed I was still in fourth place. I crossed the finish line exhausted, barely able to put a sentence together. I was on the verge of a massive bonk. A friend came up to me and congratulated me on my third place finish. I told him he was lying! I had to look at the computer screen, where it read not only was I in third, but I also reached my goal of finishing in less than four hours. The rest of the day was like a dream. My sword in my living room serves as a reminder of that day each time I glance at it.

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Margaret approaching the finish line at the Tuxedo Ridge race, June 2012 (Photo credit: Nuvision)

Last year I finished in the top ten for women in all of the races I entered, and sixth in the world championships in Texas. Last April I thought a long run was 3 or 4 miles. This year I finished fifth in my first ever ultramarathon. No going back now.
1 See http://www.spartanchicked.blogspot.com/ 2 http://dirtinyourskirt.com/ 3 Still to come, in Chapter 10 4 http://blog.spartanrace.com/death-race-profile-series-grace-cuomo-durfee/

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5 Refer back to Rose Maries story in Chapter 4 6 and see Alecs in Chapter 9

Chapter 8. Train for a Spartan Ultra Beast

SETTING EXPECTATIONS: BASIC TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

Andy: The Ultra Beast is much like an ultramarathon in terms of time. Athletes will cover 26 miles, a marathon distance, while also encountering an unknown number of serious obstacles. The obstacles are every bit as challenging as the obstacles in the Sprint, Super, and Beast races, and there are more of them. Overall, setting a goal is important. I suggest all athletes set a long-term goal, such as a target finish time, with several small short-term goals along the way. Many athletes come from a running background and have to incorporate more strength training into their routine, while other athletes come from a strength training background and have to incorporate more running into their routine. A combination of the two is best. A large portion of your training should be devoted to building cardiovascular endurance so that you can cover the distance, but it's imperative to complement that endurance conditioning with serious strength training. You should be able to run 20 miles at a moderate pace before tackling the Ultra Beast. Typically this means daily mileage between 4 and 8 miles and longer runs on the weekends up to 20 miles. Core strength is also an important factor for the longer distances. In addition to focused strength training, you should practice carrying heavy objects/loaded packs during training to strengthen your core muscles and lower bodies. If you have never run with weight before, you should get comfortable doing it as a regular part of your training regimen.

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Flexibility is something that everyone can work on and improve. Training for the Ultra Beast can be a life-changing experience. Since each individual is different, the lifestyle and training regimen you choose is going to be unique to you.

TRAIN TO FINISH THE ULTRA BEAST

Jeff: Andys last statement above is so important its worth repeating: Training for the Ultra Beast can be a life-changing experience; since each individual is different, the lifestyle and training regimen you choose is going to be unique to you. For that reason, there is no training template in this chapter. Particularly if this is your first marathon-distance, you will need to be in excellent condition across all fivereally, all sixelements of fitness. To prepare your body and mind for the Ultra Beasts combination of distance and obstacles, it is advisable to run a few Supers and Beasts, and then build endurance from there. Alternatively, you could run a few marathons and add strength training. In either case, you should not attempt an Ultra Beast if you are not properly conditioned.

TRAIN TO COMPETE
Jeff: The first Ultra Beast will be held in September 2012, and top 10% finish times are not yet known. They will probably be somewhere around eight hours for men, and nine hours for women. You will need to be in unstoppable condition across all five elements of fitness, capable of finishing three backto-back Beasts.

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You should not attempt the elite wave at the Ultra Beast if you are not already fit enough to run a marathon in 3 hours, 30 minutes for men or 4 hours for women, or complete an Ironman in 14 hours for men or 15 hours for women, or run a 50-mile ultramarathon in under 12 hours for men or women, or better yet, finish in the top 10% in back-to-back Spartan Beasts.

SPARTAN WARRIORS: JEFF AND TAMMY GODIN

Andy: Youve heard from Jeff Godin in each of the past few chapters, and weve already told you about his Spartan Warrior credentials. Jeffs wife Tammy is a Spartan Warrior in her own right: coming from a multiple-sport background, Tammy was also a ballet instructor and regionally recognized aerobics and kickboxing instructor. She started racing seriously at the age of 40, and since then has racked up a laundry list of impressive finishes and podium appearances. In addition to pursuing her own intensive competition schedule, she coaches both new and accomplished athletes to new levels of achievement. Jeff and Tammy: Ernest Shackleton said, Difficulties are just things to overcome, after all. Life is full of difficulties. When we place ourselves in situations where physical difficulties present themselves in many forms, it better prepares us for life. After running a hundred miles and overcoming the difficulties of blisters, glycogen depletion, dehydration, fatigue, boredomsome of lifes difficulties seem less difficult. Spartan Race does that for people in much shorter courses.

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What we identify with the most is Spartan Races mission to get people to be activegetting people back to living. We love the Spartan Code. It truly embodies values that are embraced by people worldwide and, to us anyway, represents a way of living that is good for society in general. We are currently developing a series of certifications to train personal trainers and coaches to help spread this message and to get one million people off of their coaches and outside being physically active. Most of those people probably wont run any event on par with the Ultra Beast, but we hope some of them will. Weve found obstacle races and ultra-endurance races so rewarding that we want to help bring them to as many people as we can. Jeff: Our endurance journey began in April 2002. I had just defended my dissertation, and two weeks later Tammy was struck by an automobile while out running. Her injuries were extensive and included a fractured femur, pelvis, and orbital bones. Talk about going from high to low! Tammy set a goal to recover by August and hike Mount Elbert, the highest peak in Colorado. We bagged Mt. Elbert and three other 14ers that August. It was during one of these hikes that we came across an athlete training for the Leadville 100 run. At the time we had never heard of a 100-mile run and it triggered our thirst for ultra-endurance events. We decided then that we would celebrate Tammys one-year anniversary of surviving the accident by running our first marathon. Tammy: Since our first marathon in 2003 we have run in 20+ marathons, 12+ ultra-marathons including two 100s, 3 Ironman triathlons, six adventure races, three ultra-mountain bike races, and numerous other triathlons, trail races, and epic adventures. We have also completed the Spartan Sprint and Spartan Beast,1 and were looking forward to the inaugural Ultra Beast in September 2012. We started small, went outside of our comfort zone, and, each time we were successful, we stretched our boundaries to find out something more was possible. My favorite quote is from Neal Donald Walsh: Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. We have definitely found that to be true.

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We usually race in the same events, often times staying together throughout the race. In 2010 we ran in the Hellgate 100K in Fincastle, Virginia. The race starts at midnight in early December; the temperature was in the low teens. The race has a nice five-mile prologue with some gentle hills and flowing single track. Just before the first aid station there is a river crossing, and in years past we just plowed through the water. This year the water was lower and some of the rocks were poking above the water. We decided that rock-hopping would keep our feet dry for a little while. Well, the rocks had gotten wet and were iced over.

Tammy carrying the kayak up Bloodroot Mountain at the 2012 Death Race (personal archive)

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Jeff: Tammy slipped and fell in the river, smashed her thigh on a rock, and totally soaked her clothing. Dry clothes were 20 miles away. She could barely walk from the deep thigh bruise, and she had to make a hard decision: to drop out or to keep moving. Pausing to think about it would have meant hypothermia. She decided to forge ahead. The next 20 miles included 7,000 feet of climbing and descent. By the time we got to our drop bags, Tammy was damaged goods, barely able to keep a walking pace. We started back out, but Tammy decided it would be best to stop and call it a night. I agreed and went on. When I finished some 9 hours later, I was really looking forward to seeing her at the finish line. She was not there. Tammy: Dropping out didnt sit well with me, and I had second thoughts. So I decided to continue, finishing just 2 minutes under the cutoff time. Jeff: But that is not the amazing part. On one of the last sections of the course Tammy came across a runner who was lying in the woods hypothermic. She stayed with him, wrapping her body around his to warm him up. When another runner came by, the two of them picked up the runner and physically carried him to get him moving again. The movement helped the hypothermic runner and he began to warm up. Eventually he was able to continue on his own. Tammy was exhausted from her injuries and the extra energy she had expended helping another person but somehow found the strength to finish. That year the Hellgate tagline was a quote by T.S. Eliot: Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. Tammy risked going too far and reached a new level of personal discovery when she helped save someone else in the process. She sacrificed her own goals to help another human reach his. That is what being a Spartan is really all about. Tammy: It was the right thing to do, but I was also trained to be able to do it. The Spartan way of training is 99% outdoors, no traditional exercise equipment. We carry heavy rocks or logs on mountainous trails, and do calisthenics as well. And we go for hours at a time. This approach returns us to a more ancient kind of fitness.

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Jeff after climbing through the culvert at the 2012 Death Race (personal archive)

Jeff: Physiologically, is there a difference between the Spartan approach and any modern structured workout? Its tough to say. But there is a profound difference in the experience of challenge and satisfaction. In either case, an athlete accustomed to that kind of workout would find some difficulty with the other. Recently Tammy and I hiked up a mountain and arrived at the summit at about 1:30 a.m. only to find a family huddled there. They had gotten disoriented and lost and had no idea how to find their way out. We carried the kids down the trail and assisted the adults. Im not sure if we would have been capable of doing that if we hadnt been training for a Death Race and carrying irregularly sized weights over rough terrain and elevation gains for hours on end. Tammy: Im 50, and like many readers of this book, I work 60+ hour weeks in a high-stress job, and Ill admit Im sometimes a little skeptical. Even with our training discipline, and even having completed several Spartan Races and Death Races and endurance events, I was skeptical when Jeff suggested

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we tackle an Ironman. But for me the discipline and goals have appeal in their own rightthats the same as with other sports. And particularly with Spartan Races, there are so many elements to competitive fitness that I can always be working on something challenging, and the atmosphere in the community is incredible. The people I get to meet are amazing. So the journey encompasses all kinds of different experiences across the spectrum, from painful and humbling to energizing and exhilarating. Thats a great antidote to skepticism! Now if I do a 100-mile race and dont finish well, I have the perspective to recognize that I still had great experience on the first 90 miles. Also, to be a little bit vain, while Im getting older, I dont want to look or feel old. In order to continue having this much fun, I need to stay active. The more fit you are, the more fun you have. There are no excuses, only obstacles. So get over them!

SPARTAN WARRIOR: CHRIS MITCHELL

Joe: Chris Mitchell describes in vivid, memorable images what Spartans the world over feel at the finish line: push beyond any limit you thought you hadthe rewards are life-changing. Back in 2008 we were introduced to Chris, a technology CEO from Boston, when he entered the Death Race. He was a skinny guy whom Andy and I thought would break within a few hours. Surprisingly to us, he didnt just finish: he won. We have since become great friends, biked cross-country together, and now realize why he won the Death Race: he is slow and steady and never gets rattled. Chris: I no longer desire to live a life limited by my demons of fear and insecurity, so I run. By running long distances or through obstacles I invite these demons to a feast they cannot resistmy run is the perfect bait. I begin each run with the intention to run a specific time or distance. As I run, it isnt long before the demons come and begin their mischief: I am tired, there

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is pain in my right leg, tomorrow will be a better day to run, other people are more suited for running, so they dont suffer like I do, my legs are short, etc. Basically, the demons come in any form to get as much traction as possible to stop me running. Many times the demons come paired up or grouped together in order to seem more credible. They prey mercilessly on my intention like piranha on fresh meat. I wait, I watch, I run; they come. It is a horrible little game that I know goes on every waking moment of my life. However, when I run I get to see the demons with clarity. I get access to their faces and their words. I begin to sense their smell, touch and sound. I name the ones that come often so I can identify and dismiss them quicklythey hate to be named because it takes away their power. There is very little camouflage for them to hide while running as it is only me, some clothing, shoes, water and a single intentionto run far. Reducing my life to a single purpose and simple action provides clarity that magnifies how viciously the demons attack intention. I like running hills. The steeper, the better. There is good reason for this. When I run at a high difficulty level I can manage many thoughts that run through my head, from, what happened today at work, to, did I remember to pay the electric bill? As the difficulty increases, the number of voices decreases. Some thoughts I am forced to throw out in exorcism fashion by speaking out loudleave, or, shut up, or, too crowded in here for you today, bitch. The thoughts persist, and so do I. These thoughts are not me. I begin to verbally negate what the voices are insisting upon. I am not my aching knees. I am not my burning thighs. I am not the steep hill. I am not the burning sun. I am not the dryness of my mouth. I will not let the voices divide and conquer me into parts. I do not let them separate me for I am all of these parts and morethis I know. These thoughts will not stop me. I will not give up on myself and relinquish power to them. I fight back and taunt them, Come on, is that all you brought today? and then I lay into the hill harder knowing this is all coming to them or me today. They continue to decrease until there is only one voicebreath. And then, there is not even breath. There is just sound. The sound of heart thumping in ears, the sound of breath

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pulled and pushed through nose and mouth. I become the run, the hill, the sun.

Chris after finishing of the 2008 Jay Peak 50k (personal archive)

When I run I get a return. I get back directly what I put into it, one for one. There is never a mystery or an error in accounting. It is simple, and whenever I have tried to complicate it, the run reestablishes the simplicity and sets me straight. Deep down I know that life is this way also; however, in my life I find more opportunities to complicate the accounting and try to get something for nothing or at a discount. I try to use coffee to bring me a higher energy level or replace sleep, food for emotional comfort when I am upset or as a distraction when I am bored, comfort as a substitute for peace, and many other unequal exchanges. Each time the result is the same, although

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sometimes there is a delay before the accounting catches up with the game. I run to remind myself there is no error in accounting and there is no cheating in life. There is no finish to a run. I start and I stop. I have noticed a difference between stopping, quitting and failing. Stopping is simply a conscious choice. Just before quitting, however, I find myself voicing an excuse or reason. Failure is complete silence: there is no voice when I have given 100% and can no longer move or raise myself up for the task. I ran today in Quebec City. It is a magnificently beautiful city. My run was 20 miles long and there was nothing beautiful about it. My demons came to feast and were denied. My intention was empowered. My capacity as a person expanded to something greater than when I awoke this morning, and also offered a cautionary reminder of my self-limiting ways. Fourteen miles into my run today I stopped at a pharmacy where I bought two cold bottles of Evian water and a quart of Grape Pedialyte (yes, the flavor matters). I walked out to the crowd on the sidewalk, dropped my backpack to the ground, stood straight up, and poured the first bottle of water over my head til it was empty. The cold water brought me back into the run, and demons hate cold water. I heard some people gasp and others laugh. I downed half the Pedialyte in a single head tilt and poured the remainder into my water reserve along with half of the second bottle of Evian. The remainder of the second bottle followed the path of the first over my head, removing any doubt of my insanity for the many passers-by. I shook my head and then my entire body like a dog upon leaving the water. The first food I pulled from my backpack after my run was stale pretzels from a race nearly a month agoI ate them down, dipping my wet finger into the salt at the bottom of the Ziplocpure gold nuggets. I fill the tub in my hotel room with only cold water, and here in Quebec City that means very cold. For the final time this afternoon I hesitantly set each leg in the tub, ask forgiveness and I surrender to the healing cold.

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My legs are sore, my knees ache; my spirit is peaceful, the day complete.
1 Jeff: and a few Death Races, too. We met Spartan Race founders for the first time at the

Spartan Death Race in 2010. At the time Tammy just didnt see the fun in the event. The race absolutely kicked my ass. I had the endurance to run for 24 hours, but didnt have the strength to

Chapter 9. Train for Your Life

WHAT IS A SPARTAN LIFE?

Joe: Race day only comes around so often, even for the most hardcore Spartan Warriors. But the Spartan Lifestyle finds its expression in every aspect of your daily life. Like an obstacle race, the Spartan Code is endlessly challenging and impossible to perfect, but exhilarating and rewarding to practice.

SPARTAN CODE
A Spartan pushes their mind and body to their limits. A Spartan masters their emotions. A Spartan learns continuously. A Spartan gives generously. A Spartan leads. A Spartan stands up for what they believe in, no matter the cost. A Spartan knows their flaws as well as they know their strengths. A Spartan proves themselves through actions, not words. A Spartan lives every day as if it were their last. Youll find your own interpretation of the Spartan Code if you practice it as diligently as your training regimen. This isnt religious dogma, and there is no single right answer, but there are several keys to success.

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A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
Andy: The first key to the Spartan Lifestyle is keeping the big picture. Its not healthy to get too focused on any one aspect of your life, to the detriment of others. Healthy foods, healthy attitude, healthy relationships, healthy mind, and healthy body together define a full Spartan Lifestylethe Spartan Code in action. While it may sound ironic, we have found that the easiest way to commence and maintain the Spartan Lifestyle is to register for an event. Once you sign up for an event, you have made a commitment to push yourself beyond your previously known physical, mental and emotional limits. That commitment will lead you to find a new balance in your life. See it through.

SPARTAN NUTRITION: FOOD AS FUEL

Joe: Our bodies and minds require certain basic foods to fuel healthy function. It should be common sense that as animals, we should be eating foods that grow naturally on the planet we live onmeats, fish, vegetables, seeds or fruit. If you accept that humans have been on the planet for over 900,000 years, then it becomes apparent that the reason we still exist is because we ate off this planet for almost that entire period. It wasn't Capn Crunch or Coca-Cola or any other recently invented processed food products that got us here. We have been retrained in our 21st-century Western society to eat what is sold to us, so much that we often consume very unhealthy products instead of actual food. A child today is pounded on a daily basis with sugar and highly processed foods by the companies that are selling them. There is no way for that child to know how to eat. Many adults dont have the first idea how to choose foods to fuel a healthy body and mind.

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At Spartan HQ, we have meat-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans. For the vegan perspective, heres Liz Cotter, founder and owner of Bikram Yoga Pittsfield1 and yoga instructor to Spartan HQ:

Liz: The Spartan diet is very elemental, plant-based, whole food centered. Spartans believe that maintaining excellent eating habits enables a person to achieve something truly extraordinary. Just as with training, consistency is the key. As Emerson wrote, Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny. The refinement of character begins when you make a definite decision to target your life toward a specific destination. In this case, that destination is pure health. The more researchers understand about the nutrients found in fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts, and seeds, the more impressed they are with the power of those compoundsnot only to create health and strength in the body, but also to retard many of the physical breakdown processes that result in cancer and chronic degenerative illnesses. Author and lecturer Dr. Michael Klaper has written, "There is absolutely no nutrient, no protein, no vitamin, no mineral that can't be obtained from plant based foods." Many Spartans like me choose a totally vegan, raw food diet on our path to pure health, and we find that we feel stronger, more beautiful, and more balanced as a result. So, we find, at the root of it all, that lasting vitality, strength, and well-being are tied a decision to eat real, whole, vegetable-based superfoods: physiologically, at least, you really are what you eat. Its easierand much more satisfyingthan most meat-eaters expect it to be to adopt a raw vegan diet, but you dont want to make the switch all at once.

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You wouldnt go from not exercising at all to entering a Spartan Beast; you would start by creating a daily training practice, and slowly increasing the length and intensity of your workouts until you attained total fitness. Its the same with making a commitment to your diet: you are (re)conditioning your body for improved health, so take it as a process, just like your workout regimen. Also just like your training, consult a dietician or doctor if you have any preexisting health concerns or experience any new health concerns.

Steps to becoming a raw vegan Spartan

1. Bring nutrient-rich, plant-based, whole superfoods and juices into your diet. Start slowly and begin by adding this fruit, that fruit, this vegetable, and that sprout. It is about adding foods to your diet, not about denial. Bringing nutrient-rich foods into your diet and allowing the body to shift at its own pace will allow you to reorient your palate, so that cooked, nutrient-void foods begin to lose their appeal. Phase out and break your bodys addiction to refined sugars, sodas, and foods with cooked starch such as bread, rice, pasta, chips, simple sweets, etc. Choose 'good fats: avocado, coconut, coconut oils, nuts, seeds, olives. Create balance in your body between acidic foods and alkaline foods. Choose food combinations that promote proper digestion, maximum nutrient absorption, and energy release to the body.2 Phase out dairy products. Choose the best and most assimilable sources of protein to build muscle, reduce inflammation, and offer instant energy production: spirulina, blue-green algae, chlorella, hemp seeds, olives, durian, sprouts, bee pollen, green vegetables, powdered grasses, and green superfoods. Drink pure watera lot of it.

2.

3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

8.

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Joe: Spartan Racing demands nutritional healthy eating. Ripped, lean, mean fighting machines rely on adequate quantities of naturally occurring proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and other nutrients, consumed in appropriate ratios. Even if the raw vegan diet isnt your path, many of the steps Liz suggests still apply. Most importantly, you should eliminate processed food productsstarting right nowand replace them with naturally occurring, real foods. One other note: maybe you have a career that involves a lot of travel. At Spartan HQ, we know from experience how difficult it can be to obtain healthy foods while traveling. You find a way to push through in your training regimen, so dont give up on your diet. Make it happen. Your body and mind will respond beyond anything youve ever experienced before.

ATTITUDE: SPARTANS HAVE POSITIVE ONES

Andy: Attitude in life is everythingits the foundation of all movements. With the right attitude, mountains can be moved. Can attitude be taught? At Spartan Race, we believe it can. The way to create great attitudes is to push through adversity. Once you have seen the dark side, everything looks brighter. The reason we make our courses so brutal is to put people in positions that bring them to their breaking points. This allows them to confront difficulty head-on. When people succeed where they thought they could not, positive attitudes are cultivated and strengthened. Chris Davis3 has the ultimate Spartan attitude. No matter what is asked of him, he keeps moving forward: he dropped his job, gave up his credit card, gave up his car. No retreat, no surrender. He just keeps an intense focus on his finish line: losing 500 pounds.

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Life is full of obstacles, and the clock is always ticking. Spartans commit to surmount their obstacles or do their burpees and move on. That commitment produces determination, fulfillment, and exhilaration that lead to greatness in life, not only on the racecourse. You wont win every race you enter or even surmount every obstacle you face. But each experience of success or failure presents you a unique opportunity to learn something about yourself and to become stronger, faster, and more resilient. Like Andi Hardy Jory and Rose Marie Jarry, the most successful Spartan Racers smile and laugh during their burpees and other setbacks because they arent fazed by them. They accept the lesson and keep moving. Take the Spartan attitude everywhere you go, and youll amaze yourself and everyone around you with what you accomplish.

CHARITY: GIVE GENEROUSLY

Joe: Our philosophy toward generosity is simple: we believe in helping people achieve. Spartan Race HQ aligns with various charitable organizations because all kinds of people need assistance within different situations and contexts at different times. We want to spread the Spartan good will around. We will work with any charity that is legitimate and is an inspirational pillar of the community or has a special meaning to an individual, community, or organization in the Spartan Tribe. We have worked consistently with Homes for Our Troops since our start. We have also worked with Operation Gratitude4 and Susan G Koman Chicagoland.5 And we are proud to shine a race day spotlight on Spartans racing for charity6 to raise funds and draw attention to worthwhile causes. Whether you do it in teams or on your own, on race day or in another setting, there is no greater activity on this planet than helping others. You are greater than you can imagine, powerful beyond measure.

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Put your greatness to use by helping someone else fulfill theirs.

CAMARADERIE: SPARTAN TEAMWORK

Joe: Spartans leave no one behind. It is great to push yourself alone, but it is even greater to compete along with friends and acquaintances to help bring your gameand your relationshipto a new level. When you race as a team there is a new psychological factor to consider. There will be moments when your team members are stronger or weaker than you. These dynamics will test your ability to remain rational and supportive, and to keep your focus on the benefit of the team. Total dedication to your team is every bit as important in life as it is on the course. Spartan teamwork is incredibly apparent to me when I am on a course. At the 2012 Utah Beast, I decided to do the course carrying two 40-pound sandbags. No fewer than 200 people stopped to talk to me during the event, and to ask me if I needed help carrying one or both of the sandbags. Now, on that particular day I was in the mood to suffer, so I declined; but that expression of camaraderie among participants in an all-out competition like Spartan Race is phenomenal.

FAMILY: SPARTANS KEEP CLOSE TIES

Joe: Spartan family units are the ultimate teams. A family that lives the Spartan code stays together. Bonds are strengthened after theyre stretched. That is why we host events that are family-oriented and have a place for men, women, and children to share a healthy experience of overcoming obstacles for a day: so families can take the experience home with them and live it.

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SPARTAN KIDS: AGES 4-13 APPLY

Andy: The ancient Spartans believed that a healthy person has both a healthy mind and a healthy body. We share that belief, for Spartans of all ages. There is no reason to wait until adulthood to develop mind-body fitness. Spartan has partnered with the Kids Fit Foundation7 to put on world-class obstacle racing events for Spartan Kids. This legion of young competitors will grow up in the not-too-distant future to become the Spartans of tomorrow. Remember, obstacle racing comes naturally to kids. They want to run and jump and swing and crawl and roll and throw and all the rest. Encouraging them and participating with them is a great way to set them on the path to lifelong health.

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A Texas Beast cub in training (Photo credit: Nuvision)

Joe: Jack (6 years old), Jade (10), and Charlie (4) recently did a Super Spartan. How is that possible? They are humansanimalsand as such can easily walk 10 miles, climb over walls, and yes, crawl under barbed wire. And, unlike in the savanna or the jungle, Spartan Races have food at aid stations! I took these three kids out, thinking we would do maybe a mile of the course, and they didnt stop. Jack was wearing crocs; there was no fancy gear on any of them, and yet mile by mile these three kids worked their way through and over obstacleswith my help, of courseto finally get to the finish line and receive their medals. Are these kids special? If they are, its due to the lack of conventional parenting. We are trying to keep them out of the overprotection bubble. Charlie swam a mile last week with a life jacket. Jade has done a marathon. Jack does two hours of Kung Fu a day and skis 50+ days a year. Jack and Charlie both speak fluent Mandarin. Catherine, their younger sister, has done sets of 100 burpees. We are Spartans if we choose to be. We can live a Spartan life if we want to. It simply depends on what and where you want to be in your life. These kids don't know any better; they are just acting human. Are you?

YOUR SPARTAN LIFE TRANSFORMATION

Joe: At every Spartan Race, finish times determine the winners of each competition division. Obstacle racing is a sport, first and foremost.

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But on a deeper level, each time you enter a Spartan Race, you get to test yourself on how well you have been living a Spartan Life: Have you been training? Have you been eating well? Have you been focused on the important things in life? How does one live a Spartan life? Even at Spartan HQ, we dont live the perfect Spartan life yet, though we aspire to. I dream of it every day and hopefully someday will live it to perfection. You might succeed before I do. Get started.

TRAIN
Joe: Youve heard a lot about training in Chapters 5 -8, and theres more for you in Appendix B. The perfect Spartan day starts for me at 5:00 a.m. with a glass of warm water and lemon, to help clean out my system. Our bodies operate like swimming pools with pumps and filters; its our job to run the pump and clean the filters. Warm water and lemon first thing jump-starts the cleaning. From there its a 90-minute workout until 7:00 a.m. I prefer no food or water during this workoutvery Spartanas it trains the body not to rely on food and water to get through it, and it turns on fat-burning switches. During this 90-minute workout, you must sweat. Our bodies are made to sweat, both to process wastes and to cool our systems. Skin is an organuse it. After your workout is done, do you really need a hot shower? Take a cold shower instead to shock the system and really get your blood flowing. When you are at work, don't take the elevator. Take the stairs. When you can avoid a ride, take a walk. Those little differences throughout a day can lead to

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being in great shape and burning lots of calories, as well as making you feel awake and alert and energized instead of passive and inert. Besides, why waste all that fuel and electric power when your body is so strong and capable? Finally, do yogalots of it. Make full-length yoga classes a regular part of your training regimen. Your body is meant to be pliable. Keeping your body flexible and loose increases your sense of well-being, helps you maintain a clear mind and heart, and also makes you more likely to remain injury free over your lifetime. Take several opportunities during the day to stretch and breathe. What are you doing right now? Put down this book right this moment, and stretch for 10 minutes. Really. Do it now. Ill wait. There. Much better. Now make that a habit and repeat it whenever you can.

EAT WELL
Joe: How should you eat? Youve also heard our views about that. Make conscious decisions about what and how you eat, and remember that raw natural foods are much better for you than foods that are processed or cooked. This applies to everyone, committed carnivores included: incorporate as much healthy raw food as possible into your diet. Do you need supplements? Not if you eat a lot of raw foods. How many meals per day? Meals should be eaten four hours apart, to avoid stacking new food on previously-eaten, undigested foods in your stomach. Dont eat more than you need. Whenever possible, eat at a leisurely pace, so you can actually enjoy the food that fuels your body. Better yet, eat with people you care about. Make eating well a practice you share together.

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FOCUS ON THE IMPORTANT THINGS

Joe: Less is more. Specifically, less "stuff" is more. Stuff owns you, you don't own it. Just look at Spartan Race, Inc. Its a good business. Its exciting, its staffed by awesome Spartans, and its incredibly gratifying that we are changing lives. But it is also 20-hour days, with hundreds of emails and phone calls. Is that any way to live? If you believe the American dream, owning a big house is the way to happiness. Really? Taxes, mowing, maintenance, cleaning, repairs... Believe me, it doesn't create happiness, it just makes you work more to pay the bills. Besides, everything that you see as "wrong" with the house or the things in it weighs on you. Think about how free you feel on vacationwhy? Because you don't own the hotel room or the car you rented, and youre not sweating all the other things you own back home (Are they locked up? Broken? Do they need to be cleaned?). We are on the planet for a very short time, and that is our most precious asset: our time. In light of that fact, we need to maximize our time on earth, not by worrying about all the stuff we have accumulated, but instead by staying healthy and doing great things every day. So what are the great things to do every day? Invest in the people around you. Spartan relationships are strong. Build them strong and keep them that way. Invest in developing self-awareness and self-mastery. Take advantage of opportunities to learn all the time. Discover the causes that you really care about, and find ways to support them. Act on your conscience. Lead by your actions and your character. A true Spartan Life starts with total physical fitness, but it encompasses emotional and intellectual fitness as well. Living a Spartan Life means expressing the full potential of your entire person. The Spartan Life is as simpleand as hardas applying your common sense. Throw the norm out the window. For most people in our contemporary Western culture, "normal" is whatever is easy or provides instant gratification. Fast food is normal, consuming alcohol is normal, not exercising is

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normal, cutting corners is normal, watching hours of TV every day is normal, cheating is normal... Common sense tells you that this definition of normal is unhealthy, unsatisfying, and degrading. So f normal and follow your common sense. Exercise your body, heart, and mind. Which would you rather be: normal, or a Spartan? Its your life. Choose.

SPARTAN LIFE LORE: ADITYA

Joe: My good friend Jeff Funicello8 has worked or trained with some pretty impressive people, including Olympic Gold medalists, UFC & Pride Fighting Champions, World Champion Grapplers, as well as US Special Forces and other Special Operations Commandos. When asked about the Spartan Lifeor as he calls it, SpartanismJeff describes a young man by the name of Aditya as the embodiment of the Spartan Ideal, because Aditya had the will to persevere, no matter how many setbacks he suffered. I believe this is the real Spartan spirit. Jeff F: As Joe mentioned, I am privileged to work with very tough men and women. The toughest person I have ever met was a very unassuming guy named Aditya, who was an undergraduate student from India about ten years ago. Prior to his arrival in the United States, the most aggressive thing that he had ever done was to play tennis. For whatever reason, when he came to Arizona State University, he decided to join the mixed martial arts (MMA) program where I was coaching. When I met him, Aditya was approximately 511 and 180 pounds, a tall, extremely soft skinny-fat guyonce overweight but since slimmed down, with many residual stretch markswith no muscle tone at all. He had to have been the weakest and clumsiest individual I have ever met. When he first came in, he asked me if I could show him some exercises in the weight room since he had never lifted weights before in

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his life. I showed him a few exercises and brought him to the bench press, thinking he might not hurt himself on this movement. I had to spot him as he struggled with the 45-pound bar. At first I thought he was joking around. I have seen elementary kids do more weight than this. But he was for real. I started observing Aditya in training, and noticed that he had some neurological problemsthere was some kind of short somewhere in the wiring of his system. It seemed as though his motor functions were a half a second behind his brain signals. During one warm-up game an athlete threw a taped towelball to him, and it hit him in the chest and fell to the floor; a full second later he swatted his hands together to catch the towel-ball that was by then long gone. He would frequently fall over when bumped. He was routinely beaten in sparring matches with small 100-110-pound female partners. Aditya was terrible at everything physical, but he kept coming back with a smile on his face, ready to go for every session. Although the guys in the program were very patient, kind, and ginger with him, he got beaten every practice. Because he was so weak and uncoordinated, it was a difficult task for them to let him win even an occasional match. Though 99.9% of our members are young, able-bodied collegiate athletes, we occasionally have someone with health issues in the program who really just wants to be a part of the team. At this same time we had a young guy named Trevor with severe Cerebral Palsy who was in an electric wheelchair. He could not stand for more than two seconds before falling over. He would drive himself into training by controlling his wheelchair with his joystick, and then allow himself to be lifted out of his chair and placed on the mat. We came to realize very quickly that Trevors best and only tactic was to use a lapel choke with his opponents shirt collar, as his forearms were fairly strong relative to the rest of his body. Most of the athletes in the program would work with Aditya or Trevor when resting between rounds. One day Aditya and Trevor paired up during a practice. Aditya started to circle around Trevor, who was on the floor like a fish out of water. Trevor snatched Aditya down and choked him like a crocodile drowning its prey. Aditya was so weak

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he was helpless against Trevor. This was amazing for Trevors confidence, but it truly was a pathetic moment for Aditya. Every week I encouraged Aditya to keep trying, every week expecting not to see him again. Defying my expectations, Aditya continued to come in and take his beatings every week for about two years. Throughout this period I urged him to see a doctor, a chiropractor, or a neurological specialist of some sort, and explained that he more than likely had some sort of nerve interference in his system. Aditya simply kept coming and taking his lumps without excuse or complaint. I was amazed at the mental toughness he displayed to keep coming back, again and again. Then one day, we were going live, and the team was divided into smaller teams warring against each other. Aditya got paired up with a new guy and managed to submit him. The whole team stopped in their tracks and erupted in a standing ovation. I ran out onto the mat and held Adityas hand up in victory. Aditya left his hand up in the air for an extra bit of time, savoring the moment, with tears in his eyes. It was as if he had won the Olympic Games. The entire team continued to clap and chant for him. The new guy was puzzled so I pulled him aside and explained what was happening. He was very understanding. Within about two weeks he was able to crush Aditya. However, after that, Aditya was always able to defend himself against the new guys before they were able to catch on. He would anticipate their movements, and place himself in a position where it took very little power to control his opponent. He became used to being throttled around, and dealt with it. It was absolutely astonishing to watch him. By the end of his two and a half years in the program, he was able to squeak out another 10 or 15 wins. When he moved to Florida for graduate school, Aditya continued his training at a local Brazilian jiu-jitsu school. He contacted me once and said he wanted to thank us for having him. On the contrary, I am grateful to him for coming.

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I think about Aditya often, and frequently tell his story to motivate people. Imagine being crushed for two years by young girls not much more than half your size, and being so helpless that severely disabled people owned you. Imagine not having a single victory in practice for years, all the while knowing that people are taking it easy on you. It had to have been incredibly demoralizing. However, he kept coming and always had a champion attitude. Aditya is proof that anything is possible if you have desire. Having known him, I am not very sympathetic to excuses. I hear them all the time from people with amazing gifts. If these people were one quarter as determined as Aditya, they could achieve greatness. Physical conditioning can make you strong, and practice can make you skilled. Deciding that quitting is not an option can make you truly powerful.

SPARTAN WARRIOR: CHRIS DAVIS

Andy: Chris Davis is on an epic journey to go from weighing 700 pounds and facing a foreshortened life expectancy and limited quality of life to becoming a super-fit 200-pound Spartan. In the process, hes transformed himself from an invisible guy in the shadows to a real live hero. Its a huge shift, and Chris is pursuing it with honesty, courage, and determination. At the time this was written, in June 2012, Chris has already lost more than 350 pounds and had become an inspiration to thousands of people who follow his blog.9 Chris: I first started to get active when I moved to Atlanta about a year ago. All kinds of incredible things have happened since then. I started walking by joining the Dunwoody Running group,10 and did my first 5K walk on October 1st, 2011. A number of the members came and supported me on my first walk. I did several more, and early in 2012 I set a goal of doing one per month. At these events I kept running into one of my coworkers,

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Shane. One day at the office, he called me over and told me he was entering a Spartan Race. He asked me if Id like to do it with him. I said, sure. Of course, I had no idea what it was. I thought it was some small little event in Sparta, Georgia. I went back to my desk and Googled it, and thought, Oh, no. Well, I guess thats one way to die. But I decided to go ahead and do it, figuring that if I crossed the finish line that would be all that mattered. I signed up and committed to do it. I went back to my running club and told them about it, and they were kind of stunned. I figured I would either cross the finish line or find myself on a stretcher, and either way it would be a great experience. I met up with a friend of mine to do the Atlanta Spartan race, and we were the last people to finish at something like three hours. But we finished it. I got a ride from Tom McCormick and told him about how I had lost 300 pounds and finished my first Spartan Sprint. He offered me a free ticket to enter the next year so I could measure my progress. On St. Pattys Day I was in a car crash in which my car flipped 720 degrees (two complete end-over-end flips), struck several other vehicles, and shut down all five lanes of Interstate 85 outside Atlanta. I was the most injured person and suffered only a seat belt rash across my neck and some bruising on my legsanother amazing event. The following day Joe called and invited me to train at Spartan HQ. My head was still spinning, but I jumped at the invitation and came to Vermont. Comcast gave me a leave of absence to train (so my job would be waiting for me when I returned), and I came to Vermont. Comcast as a wholeand HR specificallyhas been very supportive to help me get healthy. They worked with my insurance to cover bariatric surgery in 2010, and have been great at helping me get healthier. They also follow my progress on Facebook and on my Spartan Race blog, and send lots of encouragement by email and phone. Several people at Comcast have gotten interested in Spartan Races as a result, and I expect to involve a few people with me next year. My coworker Shane has done three or four Spartan Races now, and will come up in September to do the Beast with me. On the other hand, it will be really difficult to leave the people Ive met here in Vermont. Although Ive had some

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rough times and pretty bad lows, Ive been able to build wonderful friendships that helped me to get through them. My blog has drawn a really strong response, and Ive been amazed by the people who have responded with their own weight loss goals and achievements. I post both good and bad experiences; lately theres been more bad than good, and Ive received a lot of support from total strangers. Ive probably had more than 100 people add me as a friend of Facebook based on my blog posts. Ive never met most of them, but its really important to me to have that connection. Ive gotten emails from Canada, Australialots of placeswith encouraging words and people sharing their own stories. Its incredible. At the same time, the attention Ive received is a little unsettling, and I dont really know how to handle it. Thats something Im working on. Ive been a very quiet person my whole life before thisa programmer, working in a corner or a dark closet, coming out occasionally for a Hot Pocket. Im doing this to learn how to be healthy, and to live the rest of my life, so I dont know how to handle other peoples reactions. I appreciate their support and Im glad they feel inspired by me, but Im still figuring out how to process it. My family and friends are also very supportiveand very concerned. There have been some nutritional concerns along the way, and also some concerns about physical exertion and overdoing it. They are behind me 100% on every decision I make, but they want me to do it in a safe way. Right now Im on that knifes edge between safety and catastrophe. All it takes is one accident, one misstep, and I could be looking at a serious injury. For example, today we were carrying a log as a group. I mis-stepped and lost my balance; I was able to tuck and roll, but unfortunately I went off the trail and down the hill. Six months ago I would have suffered a broken hip or other serious injury from a fall like that. With the kung-fu, yoga, and 70-pound weight-loss since then, I only came away with a sore knee and some bruises. Ive gained the confidence and ability to roll instead of fall flat. But Im still learning those things.

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At the obstacle race in Atlanta, I had a moment when I was climbing cargo nets, and I couldnt quite believe it was me. I thought, Really? A computer guy like meI never imagined myself doing anything like this. It was astonishing. This is all really new to me. My greatest highlight of the past year was at the Spartan Super in Tuxedo Ridge, where Joe had me out working out with sandbags. The next wave was coming through, and I saw them at about the halfway point of the course. I went over to talk to them and met a woman who realized I was the guy behind the blog, and she told me she was doing the race because of me. It hit me really hard because I never looked at myself that way. Im a computer guy. I try to find technological ways to make life easier for people. But then I realized I had helped to change this womans life. It hit me incredibly hard. She was the last one to complete the course, and so I waited for her at the finish. I was really proud to give her the medal when she finished. That was profound.

Chris with Andi Hardy Jory (left) and Hobie Call (right) at the 2012 Tuxedo Sprint (personal archive)

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Im not doing this as a stunt. I want to travel, enjoy life, skydive, fly a plane. Those life experience goals motivate me. I need to be under 225 pounds to do many things, and under 250 to do others. Those aspirations keep me focused. Also the racesIm looking forward to the Ultra Beast in September 2012 here in Vermont. When I pull that off, it will be doing the impossible. That goal is just this side of ludicrous. I know were training to push the limits, but Im not 100% sure that we know what my limits really are. Joe is used to working with people who are physically fit. I am not physically fit. I depend on him to let me know when Ive pushed myself too far, because I havent ever trained before and dont know how to tell. But Im not sure he can tell for me, either. This is all new for him, too. Again, remember that I completed my first 5K walk on October 1st, 2011. So Im going from my first 5K walk to a 26-mile obstacle race in less than a year. Am I pushing my limits? Absolutely. Is it possible? I dont know. But Im going to find out.

SPARTAN WARRIOR: ALEC BLENIS

Andy: Ranging in age from 16 to 67, the Blenis family trioson Alec Blenis, father Robert Blenis, and grandfather Bob Blenisall completed the Spartan Trifecta in 2011, finishing a Sprint, Super, and Beast in one calendar year. At the time, fewer than 100 people had achieved the same feat, and Bob and Alec were respectively the oldest and youngest to do so.11 In 2012, the Blenis family will compete in the Spartan Ultra Beast, the worlds first ever marathon-distance obstacle race. They are a Spartan Family in action! Alec: This is in some sense a story about how I motivated my friends and family to get off the couch. But it is more about how they, in return, motivate me to be the best that I can be, each and every day.

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I had always been an athlete. At least, I thought I had. Growing up, I played baseball and tennis, lifted weights, ran cross-country, pole-vaulted, and more, yet it wasnt until I got involved with obstacle racing that I truly knew what it meant to be an athlete. An obstacle race like Spartan Race will teach you a lot about your bodyyour physical strengths, your physical weaknesses. Simultaneously, it reveals the magnificent spirit and the courageous heart in each of us. Fast and slow, young and old, all who compete benefit from the experience, gaining knowledge and wisdom along the way. The strength it takes to overcome obstacles on the course translates directly to life: while an ordinary person may view each circumstance as a blessing or a curse, a Spartan meets everything as a challenge, an opportunity to endure, to conquer, and to grow. There is no better place to learn these lessons than on the racecourse. More valuable still, while motivating oneself, a Spartan also motivates others. When I first discovered Spartan Race, I knew it would be a great fit for me. With a diverse athletic background, I had the perfect balance of speed, strength, and adventurousness. What I did not have, however, was someone to race with me. I never have liked racing alone, so, by a miracle, I had both of my parents sign up for the race. They, in turn, had some of their friends sign up as well. We all entered the Georgia Spartan Sprint 2011 together. As we lined up between the white columns at the starting line, I scanned the area around me and found myself surrounded by phenomenal athletes. I knew I was in good company in the competitive wave (even though I was also the youngest at 16 years old) but began to worry about my friends and family who would race thirty minutes later. With a loud, Aroo! we were off and onto the course. Within a minute, I was soaked in water, my shoes caked in mud, and my heart pounding. I loved it. I finished third overall out of a few thousand athletes that day. As I crossed the finish line, I thought of my family again, wondering if they would be upset

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that I signed them up for such a hard race or if they would love it as much as I did. Luckily, they loved it too. My workaholic dad, who never exercised and put in 20-hour days at times, started working out with me and inquiring about future races. It was great to see him making positive changes to his lifestyle while he was juggling his demanding job. He still ate junk food, but this was a major step in the right direction. He even wanted to do another Spartan Race a few months later for his birthday. Further, he invited his own father to our next Spartan Racea Super in South Carolina, June 2011. Not only would our next Spartan Race be twice as difficult as our previous one, granddad was 67 years old, making him the oldest competitor and me the youngest. Our friends who had run in Georgia travelled with us to Carolina. We were three generations of family and friends, all hooked on obstacle racing! It was inspiring to watch my grandfather tackle the challenging Super Spartan course (more inspiring was the fact that he competed with a bad ear infection that made the course even more grueling). Nothing could stop him. He fought through and, yes, even won his age group. I got second place overall. My dad finished fairly well too, improving significantly over his race two months prior. In a way, I felt like they were working harder than I was. I was the athletethis stuff should be easy for me. They werent athletes, and what they were doing was very hard. Watching the hard work that they put into these races motivated me to become more diligent with my own training. Another two months later, we were registered to run Spartan Races toughest event, the Beast,12 in Killington, Vermont. This would be the hardest physical challenge that any of us had ever completed. Before, the Spartan Races had been hard only for them; this time, the race would be a test for all of us. The Beast involved repeated hikes up Killingtons ski slopes, including once with a sandbag, and thirteen miles of the most brutal terrain we had ever seen. The race took me three hours, my dad and granddad roughly six. Upon completion, we were changed men. We truly felt we were now Spartans. The transformation that had begun months earlier was now complete. On our

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return from the race, the rest of the family noticed a change in our attitudes and personalities for the better, and asked us, What happened to yall?

From left to right, Bob Blenis, Alec Blenis, and Robert Blenis, after finishing the June 2011 South Carolina Super. (Photo credit: Nuvision)

Since the Spartan Beast in August 2011, we have run multiple marathons and ultra-marathons, four more Spartan Races (with more to come), and countless other trail races and adventure runs. Our friends have started racing with us and coordinating group workouts. What started as just one person entering a Spartan Race has turned into a tightly bonded group of nearly twenty family and friends all supporting one another in fitness, nutrition, and a healthy lifestyle. While I am still the only competitive athlete in our group, I am personally motivated by everyone else, all of whom are training and competing later in life and balancing more responsibilities than I have at 17 years old. As I begin my college career, I have a big future ahead of me. Thanks to Spartan Race, I see everythingwhether easy, hard, or uncertainin terms of possibilities. Consumed by responsibility, my dad has found an outlet from the everyday pressures of running a business. The value of this cannot be

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overstated: my dad has realized that his health is as important to his family as his work. My grandfather decided at an early age that he would always stay active. Through obstacle racing, he can stay true to his word while spending time with family. He knows that age is just a number. I once heard that hard things are put in our way not to stop us, but to call out our strength and courage. To that, my granddad, dad, and I would add, Aroo!
1 See http://www.bikramyogapittsfield.com/studio.php 2 See, for example, http://www.shape.com/latest-news-trends/healthy-food-combinations-

better-nutrition
3 Coming up at the end of this chapter 4 See www.operationgratitude.com 5 See www.komenchicago.org 6 See, for example, http://spartanrace.tv/?v=carolinas 7 Check out http://kidsfitfoundation.org/ or http://www.Facebook.com/KidsFitFoundation 8 http://americanpankration.net/ 9 See http://blog.spartanrace.com/?s=chris+davis 10 See http://www.meetup.com/DunRun/ 11 As of July 2012, Bob Blenis is still the oldest Spartan to complete the Trifecta. A 14-year-

old Spartan completed the Trifecta in 2012, surpassing Alec as the youngest to do so.
12 About to become the second-toughest, following the inaugural Ultra Beast in September

2012

Chapter 10. Make the Future

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? ENTER A RACE!

Andy: Come join the sport! Become an obstacle racer! Spartan Race really is for everyone. Since youve read this far, you know that, because its a timed event, it appeals to people who like competitionwhether it be competition with themselves or against the field. They want to see what they can do and to race other people. You also know that other people enter because theyve set goals to lose weight or to accomplish something theyve never done before. Anyone can get off the couch and have a great race experience. Whichever category applies to you, Spartan-sanctioned obstacle races are for you. People often show up to do a Spartan Race when its their first race of any kindever. They start off nervous because they have no idea what theyve gotten themselves into, but they always walk away with a smile. Then you also see stud athletes show up all swagger and bravado, only to walk away with their tails between their legs. Spartan Races really get under peoples skin. The June 2012 race in Tuxedo Ridge had about 12,000 entrants, and each race is bigger than the last. Everywhere I go in the athletic community, people are talking about it. On one end of the spectrum, so many people are accustomed to their sedentary habits and dont really try new things. On the other end, accomplished racers can also get bored and soft with their routine. Obstacle racing gives both groups a great way to experience something new. At the finish line of a Spartan Race, people really feel like theyve done

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somethingand theres a distance for everybody, even the most hardcore competitors. Weve had Olympians, Division 1 athletes, Marines, SEALs, and lots of other serious athletes; they all get something rewarding out of it. As youve read again and again in the stories in this book, for many people its a life-changing experience. Two-time Olympian and gold medalist swimmer Steve Lundquist1 said that every time he stepped on the blocks he truly believed he was going to win. Whether he was right or not, his belief proved correct. There are lots of versions of this maxim, and theyre all true. Theyre all core to the Spartan Race experience. That maxim holds true for you, too: if you set your mind to complete a raceor win oneyou will prevail. So start now: decide you can do your first obstacle race, and go crush it!

RINSE AND REPEAT

Andy: Once youve set your sights on a Spartan Race, trained, and crossed the finish line, youre bound to want more. If you ask people about their race experiences, theyll say that theyve done all sorts of things but Spartan Race is really the top event. In just a few years the Spartan model of obstacle racing has grown unbelievably quickly. People are just insanely excited. More and more people are also going to mud events for a day of getting stoked up, and thats great for people who are looking for more of a party atmosphere. The average person who shows up at a Spartan Race is more driven, someone who wants to really compete against themselves and against

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other athletes. We are ecstatic that more and more people are taking it seriously, and that motivates us to expand Spartan Race even faster. As of July 2012, we have more than 1.7 million people following Spartan Race on Facebook, and over 135,000 subscribers to our Workout of the Day (WOD) feed. They talk about it, travel to races, and tell their friends. You will, too.

THE FUTURE OF OBSTACLE RACING STARTS NOW

Andy: We intentionally approached obstacle racing as a sport from the very beginning and designed our events to be as serious as they are fun. Joe: Right now Spartan Race, Inc. is the de facto governing body. We purposely wrote our rulebook as The Spartan International Obstacle Race Rulebook (see Appendix E), because we aim to build an internationally sanctioned sport in the next few years. As of June 2012, we hold races in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Slovakia, and Australia, and in 2013 we will inaugurate events in more countries (to be announced).2 Thats how Spartan Race has grown so far, and thats how we are going to see you at the Olympics!

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SPARTAN RACE LORE: FIRST OLYMPIC OBSTACLE RACE

Andy: We believe in the inevitability of obstacle racing as a 21st century Olympic sport, and we want to share that vision with you. To help you feel the inevitability with us, heres a brief glimpse into the future, contributed by Spartan Warrior Jason Jaksetic. OPENING CEREMONIES: BUENOS STADIUM, 2032 SUMMER GAMES AIRES OLYMPIC

Jack Charles squinted through the dim light of the stadium tunnel towards the US Olympic Wrestling Team, who were waiting along with all the other American athletes to march onto the field in what promised to be a visual and sonic explosion, broadcast to more than three billion people and every time zone. Judging by the ceremony holograph just below the hallway ceiling, Jack and his countrymen and countrywomen were due to enter the global spotlight in about seven minutes. Among the wrestlers, Jack spotted his former training partner, Kingston Jordan, a favorite for a medal in Greco-Roman wrestling. At the Olympic training facility in Colorado, Jack and Kingston had turned long, mountainous runs into a good-natured two-man grudge contest in the early season. They had subsequently become friends as they prepared for this daytheir Olympic debut. Jack threw Kingston a wave but was unable to get his attention. Not just Jack and Kingston, but everyone seemed consumed by a fury of anticipation, nerves, and sheer awe at the immensity of the moment. Its not every day you participate in the Opening Ceremony for the Olympic Games. Jack had once dreamed of being an Olympic wrestler like Kingston. That was before he left his high school coach speechless, when he left wrestling to pursue obstacle racinga fringe sport that was supposed to be his off-season

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training event. The coachs shock was understandable, considering this was back in the early 2020s and obstacle racing was just approaching NCAA adoption. At that point, collegiate competition was limited to a few dozen extramural racing clubs who showed up to compete at the Spartan Racesponsored Obstacle Racing World Championships. No one believed then that obstacle racers had a shot at Olympic glory. But Jack had learned that setting boundaries on possibility was a futile and dumb thing to do. He knew that people often achieve the impossible. The present moment was a demonstration of this fact. Despite all the people who said it would never happen, that he was crazy and out of his mind, here he was, one of six men and women who won the right to represent the United States on the 2032 Olympic Obstacle Racing Team. The tri-guys understood. Jack looked for the triathletes but couldnt see them over the basketball players to his left. They only came to the Olympics in 2000, a sport born from grass roots enthusiasmsome fitness-nuts who began experimenting with endurance sports in the 1970s. They were now Olympic veterans with a rich event legacy. What was once novelty is now the norm. Jack imagined walking onto the field in the coming minutes, looking up to section 213 where he knew his family would be sitting. His father and stepmother had met at a Spartan Race back in 2015, back when obstacle racing was new. What must it be like for them to be here, among the families of some of the worlds finest athletes? The wrestling coach might have been dismayed by Jacks defection to Obstacle Racing, but his father and step-mother had never been prouder. They encouraged him. Jack could still remember how his father had marveled at the depth of the international field in 2022, when Jack won his first Spartan Junior World Championship. Even then his father warned that the Australians were asserting dominance. Jack should have listened. But he

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just wrote it off as one of his fathers rants about the good old days of obstacle racing, when it was underground. Casting a quick glance back to the ceremony display above him, Jack saw Max Morrison step onto the 400-meter track for his ceremonial lap with the Australian delegation. Jack again reran the words his coach had been pounding into his head continuously for the last 6 months: Do not let Max open a gap on you on the rope climb! Remember what he did with a 1-meter lead on you in Toronto? Luckily, the rope climb was early in the Olympic course, and Jack knew he could keep up. The Olympic Committee had only just unveiled the finalized obstacle design and course layout three weeks agonot much time to encode the rhythm of running and lifting and crawling and jumping that would be needed to navigate the course. When Jack complained about this to his father, his father only laughed, launching into some well-worn stories about how when Spartan Race started, the officials didnt release the course maps til race morning (if they released anything at all). Thats the whole point, Jack, his father said, for easily the hundredth time. You need to be able to handle anything as an obstacle racer. Here in Buenos Aires, the Olympic Committee had done an exquisite job melding the new Freestyle Moto-Cross course into the finishing section for the inaugural Olympic Obstacle Course. It would be quite a show for the spectators. This was a far cry from the Steeplechase, the great grandfather of obstacle racing. Obstacle racings Olympic debut course was set to include 30 obstacles over 10 kilometers. The racers would cover the first 8.5 kilometers over outdoor terrain before battling it out inside the deafening stadium. On the approach into the stadium there was a fierce paved rise for the sandbag carry, reaching its apex right at the stadium doors. Then the stadium crowd would be able to switch their attention from the hi-res holographics above them to the course below. The spear throw, the balance beams, the walls, the hurdlesany of these could

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bring a competitor to his breaking point, providing heart-stopping drama for the spectators, and presenting the competitors plenty of opportunities for the lead to change. Jack knew from the trials that even on such a grueling course, the race could easily come down to the final hundred-meter sprint to the finishing line. He visualized extending his stride, accelerating to the finish, Max somewhere behind his right shoulder. He was pure breath and speed, leaning forward to break the timing plane A hand on his shoulder brought Jack back to the present. It was Kingston. You ready for this, man? he asked. Japan just took the field. Were next. Before Jack could reply, there was movement in the ranks of athletes. A new surge of energy mounted as the US team came to attention and started to move forward in unison, building themselves into a focused wave of athletes and spilling out onto the field and into history.

SPARTAN WARRIOR: HOBIE CALL

Andy: Hobie Call entered his first Spartan Race in 2011, at the SoCal Super, and just totally dominated the field. It was Hobie and then everyone else. We were all blown away by his performance because we had never seen someone come out and crush the field that way. What has really amazed us since then is that in every single race he is consistently phenomenal. Its almost as though he was made for obstacle racing. Now when Hobie enters a Spartan Race, all of the elite competitors get fired up to beat him. Some people specifically travel to races where he is registered because they dont just want to win a Spartan Race; they specifically want to best Hobie in head-to-head competition. Hobie goes out of his way to encourage new racers and spends a significant amount of time at events and between events sharing his

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infectious enthusiasm with people who are new to obstacle racing. By being such an electrifying force on the course and a great ambassador for obstacle racing, Hobie is creating great buzz for the sport. Hobie: I first heard about Spartan Race through Facebook; someone mentioned it to my wife.3 She said she thought I would like it, and showed it to me. I saw a picture of a girl crawling under barbed wire in mud and thought, Nah. Thats not for me. But my wife kept bugging me so I said, Well, well see. That was pretty much that in my mind. For some reason I later decided to look into it. Joe did a one-time publicity stunt ($100k to anyone who could win all of his US races in 2011), that wasnt even publicized all that much. It was just in one news story I saw. I thought, Really. Maybe mud aint so bad. Im a decent runner but I also have decent upper-body strength, so I thought I might have a chance. I called to see if it was for real and they said yes. So I showed up in California and said, Im here to sweep the season. Joe sort of smiled, but they were pretty skeptical. That first race was a Spartan Super. I didnt really know what to expect, but my first reaction on the course was, Holy cow, this is so much fun! Im scaling an eight-foot wall and I dont know if I ever did that before, except maybe at a neighbors house as a kid. I felt like a kid again for the first time in I dont know how many years. Winning was just a bonus at the end. Road races themselves arent actually fun. Ive run all kinds of great races in interesting places, but none of them were this much fun. I was hooked after that first race, as most people are. Thats why these races are getting so popular. I think the Spartan Races are so addicting because of that childlike sense of play, but theyre also extremely well designed events. Each event is in a great setting. You have a unique trail run in a beautiful place, and you have really cool obstacles. The combination is great. You have no idea what youre going to run into around the next corner, it could be anythinga wall, a Rubiks cube, a spear throw, who knows. Youre going to hit an obstacle you

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never hit before, and you dont know how youre going to do it. The other thing is that every single race is unique. A half-marathon is a half-marathon. But these are all different. The course is different and the obstacles are in different places, in different combinations. Even the races Ive done on the same courses are still different. They stay exciting and interesting. I personally like the Sprints the most, because I like obstacles, and theyre the most obstacle-intense. You get a lot more per mile. Weve only had one Beast, and it was above and beyond: tons of miles, tons of obstacles, tons of hills. It was just brutal. Training for obstacle races is also more demanding and more fun. Basically there are three factors in fitness (speed, strength, endurance). In most road or cross-country races, strength really isnt a factor at allits some combination of speed and endurance. In obstacle races, its more strength and endurance. I wear a weight vest when I run, and I do a lot of lunges to build strength. For upper body, I always maintain a minimum level of strength, but more importantly for obstacle races you have to work high-intensity aerobic strength. There are all of these well-defined fitness buffs who anyone can see are obviously stronger than Hobie, but they get worn out because theyre not accustomed to working their muscles at high intensity. Oh, goodness, kids are going to love it. Spartan Race already offers kids races, and has to run two or three waves of kids because they love it. Its boring just to run, but kids love obstacles. Its like recess. No one is going to run around an oval, but give kids a playground, and theyll have a blast. They dont know theyre working out; theyre just playing and having a great time. There will be a professional obstacle racing sport, and its going to be very competitive because the kids who are racing in the next few years are going to become really fit and they will have a great time competing. Theyll also be incredibly fun for spectators to watch.

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Hobie hauling a sandbag in the 2012 Palmerton, PA Sprint (Photo credit: Nuvision)

I really believe that obstacle racing has a future as an organized sport in the form of team racing, like cross-country racing. Ten or twelve races per year would pit teams against each other again and again, and develop rivalries. The season would culminate with the top teams going head-to head, like the SuperBowl of obstacle racing. It would be perfect for ESPN. My biggest goal as a competitor now is just to inspire other people to live healthier and not give up on their dreams. I was 34 years old when I encountered these obstacle racing events. Before that I had a hundred opportunities to give up on my dreams: year after year of mediocre race results,

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and nothing to show for it. It was almost like magic that these races popped up and it was almost like they were just for me. I dont race to win, I need to win to inspire others and influence the way the sport develops. When I meet people who say, Im here at this race because of you, thats far more important than any wins. My other goal is to get beer out of the races, because I really want to focus peoples attention on healthy living, and I want to see kids get more involved. Schools wont get involved, for example, if theres a lot of promotion around beer. Its good to bring your kids to races, but I dont really want my kids to be associating obstacle racing with beer. I realize that for obstacle racing to become a professional sport, theres definitely a sponsorship issue there, but I really want to inspire people to have healthy lives. Healthy living encompasses everything. In terms of physical fitness, dont be crazy and obsess on it like meI train all the time. But be healthy enough to go outside and enjoy life, go to the park and have a good time, fit enough to do the things you want to do. Eat healthier so you have energy throughout the day and dont have to be at the doctor all the time. There are lots of diseases that you cant control, but most of the common diseases among Americans are preventable. Eat healthy and get good exercise (come out and run obstacle races!) and live a good life.

SPARTAN WARRIORS: JOHANNE AND LEYLA DI CORI

Andy: Leyla di Cori is a frequent Spartan Racer and Spartan Chick who originally posted a version of this story on the Spartan Race blog. It was such a great story we just had to give Johanne and Leyla the anchor position in this book. Everything we aimed to convey, starting with the first word of the Preface, is summed up in their narrative. The future of obstacle racing belongs to

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people like Johanne and Leyla, and like youready for a new challenge at any age. Aroo! Johanne: The adventure I took part in with my daughter Leyla happened on Sunday, June 10th, 2012 at Mont-Tremblant. I made my decision to run the Spartan Sprint with my daughter on our drive back home on Saturday the 9th after spending a good part of the day on the race site. This was the second time I accompanied Leyla to a Spartan event. The first time I witnessed what I call Spartan Fever was when my daughter raced in a Spartan Hurricane Heat in Staten Island the year before. I was astonished by the crowd and the vibe of the whole thing. My daughter had tried to convince me a few times to race with her, but I simply didn't feel like I could; and I expected that I may look silly more than anything. That all changed on that Saturday at Mont Tremblant. Seeing all the people racing on that sunny afternoon gave me the urge to race as well. I caught Spartan Fever! I absolutely wanted to give it my best shot and prove to myself that, despite my age, I could complete the racecourse and all its challenges. I thought, After all, age is just a number! If a person feels they are capable, that they have the strength, the endurance, and the will, why not just go for it? Leyla: After racing the 2012 Tuxedo Sprint with my boyfriend Kevin Laplatney4 and spending a week in Long Island, I made the trek back to my hometown of Montreal to take part in the Super on Saturday and the Sprint on Sunday. My mother was sweet enough to drive me to my race on Saturday morning. The drive was a good hour and a half. On our way there, my mother and I

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had some mother-daughter bonding time. My mother Johanne has always questioned my Spartan way of life: the back-to-back races, the intense training, the so-called battle wounds and scars.... But she was also amazingly supportive. On Saturday, I took part in the competitive heat of the Super at 10:00 a.m. Finishing in the top eight, I was pleased with myself, and my mom was pretty proud of me. As we posed together at the picture both, my mother looked at me and said: I want to race with you tomorrow. I looked at her in shock. I had tried to convince her in the past to try a Spartan Sprint, but she refused. And there she was, my 72-year-old mother, saying she wanted to race! I was thrilled. We started preparing that night: I decked my mom out in my thigh high socks, my race shorts, my trusty Salomon Speedcross 3s, and a Spartan Tech T-shirt. If she was going to race, she was going to look the part too! Sunday morning arrived. Believe it or not, my mother only told my father that very morning she would race. He was stunned, and, by the look on his face, a bit worried. You have to understand: my mother had not been training for a Spartan race. Despite her age (and trust me, youd never think she was 72 if you looked at her!), she is quite active; she bikes, walks to the grocery store and back with bags, gardens, and doesnt mind to get dirty! But that is a far stretch from being ready for a Spartan Race. My biggest concern was that my mother suffers from asthmaa very serious challenge! I vowed to not leave her side. I was going to stand by my mother no matter how long it took. We were in this together! Came 10:15 a.m., arm-in-arm with my mother, I led her to the front of the start line. The siren sounded, and off we ran! The smoke affected my moms breathing from the very beginning, but she managed to run the first kilometer. Racers were not noticing a 72-year-old was racing with them. She was shoved and pushed like any other racer, but that did not stop her. As the hills grew higher, we slowed down and power-walked through the mountain. The forest was hilly and muddy. It certainly was tough terrain for her but she was

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doing awesome. Funny enough, two men, probably in their late forties, were walking the trail as well. I am glad to say we Chicked them! Johanne: The experience was the utmost memorable. Yes, it was difficult at some moments, but the support my daughter gave me throughout the race, her unstoppable encouragement with every step I took, made me complete my very first Spartan Sprint at the age of 72. Leyla: We did all the obstacles: the sandbag carry, the rope ladder, and so many others. My mom was amazing, strong, and determined not to give up. The only thing that worried her was the 220-yard barbed wire crawl. The mud was incredibly deep and she even got stuck in it. She was in knee-high and the suction was so strong she couldnt get out. Her legs cramped up and she couldnt move for a good minute. Fellow Spartans helped her out. So many racers encouraged her and were in awe. With every step we took, I couldnt help but feel incredibly proud. I kept telling her how remarkable she was for doing this. She is a grandmother, after all! My mom was determined to finish and kept a smile the entire time. She even joked with me that giving birth was easier than a Spartan Race (what a sigh of relief I had after hearing her say that!). As we continued racing, the bonding we had was probably the best thing. It certainly brought us closer than ever. She finally understood what I call mud fever and what it feels like to go beyond your limits. There is nothing quite like the feeling of being powerful beyond measure, and she was certainly in that state of mind. Less than a mile away from the finish line, there was a series of obstacles. The only one my mother missed was the spear throw. I did the burpees for her. She climbed up the eight-foot wall like a cat! She went through the tunnels. She made her way to the electric barbed wire. She went up the cargo nets with great agility. She ran the inclined platforms. Then came the final obstacle before facing the gladiators: the inclined slippery wall with rope. I guided my mother, telling her how to position her body. We were side by side. She barely had any strength left in her arms. She said she couldnt take

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another step. I said to her: Mom! This is the last one!!! Now give it all that youve got! And I know you have it! Now pull! PULL!! YOU CAN DO IT! Take baby steps and pull yourself up there!!! Another Spartan Chick was at the bottom and helped me by guiding my mother as I was extending my hand from the top of the ramp. The crowd was going wild seeing my mom. She was near the top and said she couldnt get over. I remember yelling, YOU GOT THIS, MOM!!! DO IT!!!!! DO IT!!!!! And she did! The crowd roared!!! It was a magical moment. I think my heart stopped when I saw her legs make it over. A few yards ahead, the gladiators were waitingour final obstacle before the finish line. I had promised my mother I wouldnt let any gladiator tackle her. She was going to stay at my side and I was going to shove anyone who dared to approach her. As we advanced, I eyed the gladiators cautiously. The most amazing thing happened: all four gladiators bowed down in front of us! They all applauded my mom. Everyone around the finishing area was applauding and cheering. Arm in arm, we crossed the finish line with tears in our eyes. My mom had made it! Johanne: What a surprise to see the gladiators bow down to my daughter and me at the finish line. The crowd was roaring. It was exhilarating! I cannot thank the Spartan organization enough for letting me race. I will never forget this amazing experience. I must thank my daughter for being by my side the entire time. She helped me go beyond my limits. Leyla: My father was waiting for us at the finish line. His face said it all. He hugged both of us and then held my mom in his arms. Clearly you could tell how emotional he was to see his muddy wife finish a Spartan Race, despite not having trained for it and suffering from asthma.

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I can tell you my mom was a Spartan Super Star! She was stopped by strangers left and right and everyone wanted their pictures taken with her. The MC even made an announcement about Johanne Di Cori, the 72-yearold Spartan Chick/grandmother who just finished the course. Words couldnt and still cant express how proud I am of my mother. I am so blessed to be her daughter. My mother is such a down-to-earth person. She doesnt realize her achievement. For her it was a race she completed, a challenge she wanted to try. More than that, she has become an inspiration for many people who were there to witness her finish the race, and many more who have read her story. The best part for me is that she plans to race with me again!

Leyla and Johanne with their medals, after completing the 2012 Mont Tremblant Sprint (personal archive)

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Johanne: Leyla has told me the reaction that my race (our race) caused in the Spartan world. I never expected to have such an impact on people! I took up the challenge as a personal goal. I never thought people would care much for a 72-year-old woman completing an obstacle course. I'm happy if I have convinced people to go out there and just do it! As Pierre de Coubertin, innovator of the modern Olympic Games said, " Toujours plus haut. Toujours plus fort." [Always higher. Always stronger.]
1 See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Lundquist 2 If you dont see an upcoming Spartan-sanctioned obstacle race in your area, demand one!

Heres how: first, on the Spartan Race websitewww.spartanrace.comdouble-check our Event pagehttp://www1.spartanrace.com/spartan-obstacle-racing-events.php to see if there are any races coming. If you are in the US, mouse over your state. If there is no race there, you will see our "Click To Demand It" pop-up, which you can click to provide us your email. We will keep track of emails in your state and, if the demand is high enough, we will add that state to our Possible Locations page. If you are outside the US, email us to demand a race in your country. We track those requests as well. In other words, more demand equals greater probability of a new event location, so get your friends, teammates, workout buddies, family members, teachers, coaches, principal, and everyone else to make their voices heard, too.
3 Hobies wife Irene has become a frequent visitor to the podium as well! 4 See Kevins reviews of mud and obstacle races at http://mudmanreport.blogspot.ca/

Afterword
As long as humans have been competing, we have been tackling and overcoming obstacles. In the golden era of Antarctic exploration, Robert Falcon Scott, Ernest Shackleton, and Roald Amundsen raced across countless barriers to reach the South Pole. Their treks across the icy expanses of the Antarctic glaciers, mountain ranges, and sea ice were, for all intents and purposes, races through innumerable obstacles to the finish. Around the time Amundsen was returning to a heros welcome in Norway, small groups of mildly inebriated enthusiasts were making late-night bar bets that they would be the first to reach the top of this mountain or be first to paddle down that river. These bets were occasionally enacted, despite the clarity brought on by bright sunshine and the reality of a sharp hangover. One noteworthy example is the Texas Water Safari, a 262-mile jaunt from San Marcos in the hill country of Texas to Seadrift on the Gulf Coast, first run in 1963. Frank Brown started the race after he and Big Willie George paddled, waded, dragged and sailed 500 miles (actually 330 miles) from San Marcos to Corpus Christi in a little over 20 days. 126 men and one woman started the inaugural race, and the winners finished in 110 hours and 35 minutes. The current record is 26 hours 46 minutes, set by a six-man canoe/kayak in 1997no adult beverages required. Modern-day obstacle racing hearkens partly to these impromptu challenges, and partly to formalized events like the Devizes-to-Westminster International Canoe Race (started in 1948 in the UK), which covers a variety of watery terrain and requires teams of two to cross 77 locks, the Modern Pentathlon, steeple chase, and military obstacle courses.

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In any case, these competitions continue to hold as much allure for spectators as they do for competitorsperhaps even more so. One of the earliest televised competitions that had the look and feel of todays short-format races was the series Survival of the Fittest. Director Barry Frank and colleagues (who may or may not have been under the influence of adult beveragesFrank claims to have been driving home from playing golf when he devised the show) dreamed up the show in the 1970s and produced it until the late 1990s. This was a multi-part, multi-sport competition that included rock climbing, descending, hill running (both up and down), extreme downhill mountain biking, gladiator style combat, ropes courses, white water skills (on and in the water) and a variety of specially devised tests. Champion athletes from all sports were invited to see who was the best, and the event was inevitably won by Nordic skiers, rock climbers or multi-sport athletes. In a similar vein, television programs American Gladiators (1989-96) and Worlds Strongest Man (1978-present) drew large followings but restricted the competitors to the super elite. Adventure Racing ushered in the modern age of mass participation in the 1980s, starting as an ultra-distance multisport and evolving to much shorter races requiring less equipment and featuring more obstacles. The Hi-Tec Adventure Races (later Balance Bar, 1997-2007) involved running, mountain biking, and canoe paddling with a host of obstacles on a relatively short (2-4 hour) course that catered to large athlete fields in relatively small venues such as state parks. Today competitors and spectators alike can experience the challenge, excitement and ethereal runners high in a few hours in shorter, more intense obstacle races such as the Spartan Race, Muddy Buddy and Tough Mudder. These events allow our inner warrior to escape the humdrum life of the office and the burbs in the relatively controlled safety of a structured event. As you have read here, and possibly already experienced for yourself, obstacle racing is growing at a furious pace, drawing in more competitors and spectators with every event.

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What will be the future of obstacle racing? Who will become the great champions, the legendary coaches, the famous course designers, the first commissioner, the expert reporters and commentators, the devoted season ticketholders and the high-profile fans? That future is not yet decided, and you have the opportunity to help shape it. Ian Adamson, seven-time Adventure Race World Champion and threetime Guinness World Record Holder, endurance kayak

Ian in action in action near Vail, Colorado (Photo credit: Dan Campbell)

Appendix A: Top Ten Tips for Conquering a Spartan Race and Reclaiming Your Life
(Courtesy of Spartan Chicked1 founder Carrie Adams and WOD editor Jason Jaksetic) 1. BITE OFF MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW WHEN TRAINING. Training isnt meant to be comfortable. You dont find out how far you can go until you push yourself past where youve been. 2. GET LOST. IT MAKES FOR BETTER TRAINING. Routine has it place, but predictability brings its own limits. Break it up by striking out somewhere youve never been before. 3. WAKE UP EARLY. AVERAGE PEOPLE DON'T. Get up, get out, get movingthe earlier, the better. 4. CARRY WEIGHT. IT WILL MAKE YOUR OTHER PROBLEMS INSIGNIFICANT. Training with weight grants perspective. Its easier to run without a 40-pound backpack, but its easier to run with a 40-pound backpack than with a 70-pound rock. All three have their place in your training. 5. EVERYONE WANTS IT TO BE EASY. IT WON'T BE. The moment things become challenging is when you should lean in and NOT ease up. Easy and hard are relative terms. Its you who gets to decide. 6. PUSH HARDER! YOU WON'T DIE. AND IF YOU DO, WHO CARES: YOU'LL BE DEAD. Fact.2

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7. IF YOURE NOT HUNGRY, YOURE EATING TOO MUCH. IF YOURE NOT COLD, YOURE WEARING TOO MUCH. IF YOURE NOT SWEATING, YOURE THINKING TOO MUCH. Learn to thrive with less than you think you need to survive. Its amazing how little that actually is, and its even more amazing how much youll actually enjoy how that feels. 8. NOTHING BEATS HARD WORK AND PERSISTENCE. You cant get something for nothing. Most things in life worth having dont come without struggle, sacrifice, and commitment. Make friends with these actions and see how far you can go. 9. WANT SPEED? RUN FASTER. WANT STRENGTH? LIFT HEAVIER. WANT AGILITY? CLIMB HIGHER. Go back to your primal roots as a human being. We are born to run, we are born to move, lift, crawl, climb, and carry. We are born of this Earth, so go outside and explore what it has to offer. 10. IF YOU WANT TO BE BETTER AT SOMETHING, CRUSH YOURSELF DOING IT. Never be satisfied. Keep pushing. Never believe youve arrived or that you have reached the end. Thats actually just the beginning.

1 See http://www.spartanchicked.blogspot.com/ 2 For those who really want to test how far they can push themselves, we also organize the

Death Race, www.youmaydie.com. Unlike Spartan Race, Death Race is really not for everyone. Fair warning.

Appendix B: Notes on Training Guidelines in Chapters 5 through 7

(Courtesy of Spartan Warrior Jeff Godin, Department Chair, Exercise and Sport Science at Fitchburg State University; ultra-endurance racer; and Director of Certification for Spartan Race Coaching) Welcome to the Spartan Race training program! You are about to undertake a journey that will challenge you physically and mentally. Spartan-sanctioned obstacle races are hard. They are not your average 10K or half-marathon. At every distance a Spartan Race requires stamina, strength, muscle endurance, agility, balance, and powerone needs to have good levels of fitness across all dimensions in order to be successful in the event. The programs presented in Chapters 5 through 8 are designed to balance all five elements of fitness covered in Chapter 3 so that you will develop total fitness and be physically prepared to complete the race you have entered. If you follow the plan, train consistently, and have fun, you will finish your Spartan Race. All of the hard work that you put in will pay off in the end, and you will gain a new level of mental indomitability. As the founders say, Youll know at the finish line. As you read the training programs, you may be surprised by how different they are from mainstream training. We do not simply suggest you go out and run or bike a certain number of miles at a steady pace for set time period; Spartans train outside of the norm and like to do things differently. These training programs call for a great deal of body weight exercises. During your obstacle race you will be pulling and pushing your body over and under obstacles. You will see that the majority of your exercise will focus on these movements; exercises such as pull-ups and push-ups are used quite often.

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Your goal for the first week of training should be to exercise every day of a scheduled workout. Maybe you wont be able to complete the workout, or perform the recommended repetitions, or perform it at the recommended intensity, but your goal is to show up every day and to make a solid attempt. You will become better at training as a result. Within a couple of weeks you should start feeling stronger and be able to tolerate longer and more intense exercise. You will find you can complete more repetitions and begin to exercise a little harder. Pay attention to how you feel, and work within your limits. If you feel lightheaded, nauseous, or have any unusual pain, you need to stop exercising immediately and see your doctor. You should work hard, test you limits, and stretch your boundaries, but you dont need to be incapacitated for the rest of the day from your workout. Work hard, but dont overwork. If you want a full glass of water, you stop pouring when the water reaches the rim. If you continued to pour after the glass was full, the water would spill, be wasted, and create a mess. Exercise is the same way. You just need to do enoughmore than enough isnt better. Conversely, if you are feeling strong and think that the dosage of exercise suggested is insufficient for your needs, then feel free to add sets, increase time, or even do multiple sessions per day. You could also add extra steadystate exercise such as running, cycling, or swimming into the mix. You may also add yoga or other group exercise practice.

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EXERCISES REFERENCED THROUGHOUT CHAPTERS 5-7

BURPEES
Start by standing with your feet about shoulder-width apart and your hands by your side. Quickly drop down to a squat position and place your hands on the floor, two feet in front of you. Explode your feet back so that your body is in a push-up position, lower your chest to the floor, and in one smooth, quick motion push upwards and flex your hips rapidly so that your feet are back underneath your hips and you are in the squat position. Jump up as high as possible and repeat. The complete repetition should be done in a fluid motion, not discrete steps as it is described. They should be done as fast as possible, while maintaining good form. Good form: maintain a neutral spine; avoid hyperextension or a great deal of flexion in your spine while transitioning from squat to push-up (and vice versa).

PLANK
Lie face down on a mat. Rest on your forearms with your palms flat on the floor. Push off the floor, raising up onto your toes and resting on your elbows. Keep your back flat and in a straight line from head to heels. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air or sagging in the middle. Hold for the desired amount of time.

PLANK WITH ROW

Similar to above. Grasp a moderate-weight dumbbell in each hand. Start in the push-up position with your legs straight and your arms fully extended. Keep your back flatin a straight line from head to heels. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear-end from sticking up in the air or sagging in the middle. Hold the plank position and alternate rowing the

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dumbbell to the side. Try not to rotate your hips to compensate for the rowing motion.

MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS
Place your hands on the floor slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Your hips should be higher than your shoulders (pike position). Position one leg forward, bent under your body, and extend the other leg back. Hold your upper body in place, and alternate leg positions by pushing hips up while immediately extending forward leg back and pulling rear leg forward under body, landing on the forefoot of both feet simultaneously. Repeat the sequence quickly.

SPIDERMAN PUSH-UP
Start in the standard push-up position with your hands under your shoulders and your body in a straight line. As you lower your torso towards the floor, bend your elbows out to the side and at the same time, lift one foot off the floor, flex the knee and hip on one leg, bringing the knee to hip level. Push back up and extend the hip and knee back to their original starting position. Repeat the action on the opposite leg.

INVERTED PULL-UP
Set up a bar on the squat rack or between two benches. The bar should be set at a height so that you can just reach the bar with your fingertips while lying on the floor with arms fully extended. Lie underneath the bar with your legs extended. Grasp the bar and pull your chest up until it touches the bar. Keep your heels in contact with the floor to act as an axis of rotation for the body. Your hips should stay high and your torso rigid and plank-like. Dont bend at the waist or hips throughout the exercise. Return to the start position and repeat. The exercise is performed with the shoulders and elbowsdont thrust your hips. To increase the difficulty, elevate your feet off of the floor by placing them on a bench.

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SQUAT JUMP
Stand with feet about shoulder-width apart. Quickly drop into a quarter-squat position and jump as high as possible.

LUNGE JUMP
Stand with one leg forward and the other back (lunge position). Flex the forward and back knee and hip quickly, and jump as high as possible. Cycle your legs in midair so that the position is reversed upon landing. This exercise can be modified so that the jump is straight up without the cycling.

SCISSOR KICKS
Lie in the supine position with legs extended and arms straight by your side. Raise your legs so that your feet are about 12 inches off of the floor. Alternate flexing and extending your hip in a kicking motion (like swimming). The key is to maintain a neutral lower spine during the exercise. Brace the stomach muscles as if someone were going to punch you in the gut, and keep your back from arching. This exercise is most difficult with legs fully extended; bending your knees will reduce the intensity.

EXERCISES REFERENCED UNDER AB 500

CRUNCHES
Lie in the supine position with knees bent at 90 degrees and feet flat on the floor. Interlace your hands behind your neck and point your elbows out. Slowly curl your torso upwards, until your shoulder blades are an inch or two off of the floor. Slowly return to the start position. Dont pull on your neck while doing this exercise; keep your elbows back and your head and neck in a neutral position.

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BICYCLES
Lie in the supine position with legs extended and hands interlaced behind your neck. Crunch up slightly and hold. While holding the crunch position, flex your right hip and knee and rotate your torso so that your left elbow moves towards your right knee. Staying in crunch position, bring your left knee to right elbow. Continue for the desired repetitions.

BACK SCRATCHERS
Lie in the supine position with knees bent at 90 degrees, feet flat on the floor, and arms straight by your side. Curl up so that your shoulder blades are just off of the floor, and tuck your chin in to take stress off of your neck. Laterally flex your spine from side to side, first touching one heel and then the other.

ROTATING CRUNCH
Lie in the supine position with knees bent at 90 degrees and feet flat on the floor. Flex your right hip and place your right foot on your left knee with your right knee pointing outward. Keep your right arm straight by your side. Place your left hand behind your head and point your left elbow to the side. Curl up and rotate towards your right knee. Keep your elbow out and think about bringing your left shoulder toward your right knee. Perform the desired number of repetitions and then switch to the other side.

LEG LOWERS
Lie in the supine position with legs extended, and arms straight by your side. Begin by flexing your knees and hips moving your knees towards your chest. Once your hips are fully flexed, extend your knees and slowly lower your straightened legs to the floor. When your feet are about six inches from the floor repeat the sequence. The key to this exercise is to maintain a neutral lower spine throughout the movement. Brace your stomach muscles as if someone were going to punch you in the gut. Keep your back from arching.

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SCISSOR KICKS
Lie in the supine position with legs extended and arms straight by your side. Raise your legs so that your feet are about 12 inches off of the floor. Alternate flexing and extending your hip in a kicking motion (like swimming). The key is to maintain a neutral lower spine during the exercise. Brace the stomach muscles as if someone were going to punch you in the gut, and keep your back from arching. This exercise is most difficult with legs fully extended; bending your knees will reduce the intensity.

SIDE CRUNCH
Lie in the supine position with knees bent at 90 degrees and feet flat on the floor. Roll your hips to one side, but keep both shoulders flat on the floor. Crunch up by lifting your shoulders off the floor. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions and then repeat on the other side.

VERTICAL TOE-TOUCHES
Lie in the supine position with your knees straight and your legs flexed at the hip so they form a 90-degree angle to the floor. Your feet should be pointed towards the ceiling. Crunch up and touch your toes. Your shoulder blades should come off the floor by about six inches. Perform the repetitions under control. Tuck your chin to prevent straining your neck.

A FEW NOTES ON TARGET HEART RATE

Maximal heart rate (MHR) is the fastest possible rate at which your heart can beat per minute (bpm). MHR is variable among individuals and depends mostly on age. You can estimate your MHR with the following formula: 207 (.67 * age)

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Aerobic exercise intensity is frequently measured as a percentage of MHR. In the plans in Chapters 5 through 8, we refer to both percentages and heart zones. In some cases we suggest you exercise at a percentage of your maximal heart rate (for example, 65% of MHR). In this case, just multiply your maximum heart rate by that percentage (for example, 191*.65 = 124). To determine your heart rate while exercising, find your pulse on your wrist (just below your thumb) and count the number of pulses you feel in 10 seconds. Multiply by 6 to get beats per minute. Your objective is to reach that intensity within 5 beats. In other cases we refer to heart rate zones. Use the spreadsheet below to calculate your heart rate zones. You will need your resting heart rate in addition to your maximal heart rate. It is best to take your resting heart rate first thing in the morning, before you rise. Find your pulse on your wrist or neck and count the pulses for 30 seconds then multiply by two. Heart Rate Zone Zone 1 (Z1) Recovery Zone 2 (Z2) Extensive Endurance Zone 3 (Z3) Intensive Endurance Zone 4 (Z4) Threshold/Temp Zone 5 (Z5) Max VO2 % of MHR 50 59 60 69 70 79 80 89 90 100

Here are the example zones for a 30-year-old: MHR = 207 (.67 * 30), or 187 bpm. Z1 = 94-110

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Z2 = 111 129 Z3 = 130 147 Z4 = 148 166 Z5 = 167 - 187

Appendix C: Fitness Testing Protocols

(Again, courtesy of Spartan Warrior Jeff Godin) As referenced in Chapter 3, these are standard protocols that you can use to assess your own fitness. Before conducting any tests, it is advisable that you warm up thoroughly beforehand. Five to ten minutes of steady state aerobic activity followed by dynamic full range of motion movement is recommended. Please note that you will need assistance to perform this assessmentdo not attempt to do these tests on your own.

1.5-MILE RUN
Equipment: stopwatch, quarter-mile track. Procedure: Complete the timed 1.5-mile run (6 laps) as quickly as possible, at a pace that can be maintained for the entire distance. Try to avoid starting out too fast or too slow. You should finish the distance with very little left in the proverbial tank.

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1-REPETITION MAXIMUM (RM) BACK SQUAT

1-Repetition Maximum means the greatest amount of weight you can lift one time. Equipment: squat rack, spotter, barbell, and weight plates, safety collars Procedure: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Start with a warm-up set that you can easily lift for 5-10 repetitions. Recover for one minute Estimate a load that you can complete for 3-5 repetitions (an additional 10-20% from the warm-up workload) Recover for 2 minutes Estimate a conservative yet near maximal load that you can lift 2 times (an additional 10 20%) Recover for 2-4 minutes Attempt a maximal lift with an additional 10-20%. If successful, repeat the previous step after recovering for 2-4 minutes If unsuccessful, reduce the weight by 5-10% and attempt maximal lift.

Note: proper squatting technique is imperative. Do not attempt this without at least one spotter, preferably two. Alternately, you can estimate 1RM Back Squat by following first three steps of the procedure above to find a weight that you can only lift 5 times. Divide that weight by 87% (or multiply by 1.15same thing).

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PUSH-UP
Equipment: floor mat (optional). Procedure: 1. 2. 3. Assume the standard push-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart, your elbows fully extended, and your torso rigid and straight. Lower your body until your upper arm is parallel to the ground. Return to the start position

Note: the normative range for women is based on of the modified position, in which the knees are in contact with the ground.

SIDE-PLANK
Equipment: floor mat, stopwatch. Procedure: 1. 2. 3. 4. Lie on your side on the mat with your legs extended. Place your top foot in front of your bottom foot on the floor for support. Lift your hips so that you are supporting yourself on one elbow and your feet. Hold the position as long as possible.

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5.

ONE-MINUTE TIMED SIT-UP

Equipment: floor mat, stopwatch, partner Procedure: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Lie in the prone position with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent at a ninety-degree angle. Cross the arms on the chest with the elbows held high. Have a partner hold your feet firmly to the ground. Sit up until your elbows touch the top of the knees. Return to the starting position so that the shoulders come in contact with the mat. Complete as many repetitions as possible in one minute.

Note: Perform the repetitions under control. Do not do this exercise if you have a history of lower back pain.

SIT AND REACH

Equipment: yardstick, ruler, or measuring tape; tape Procedure: 1. Tape the yardstick or measuring tape to the floor.

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2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Place a second strip of tape about 24 inches long at a right angle on the 15-inch mark on the ruler. Sit with legs extended and heels touching the tape at the 15-inch mark. Slowly bend forward at the hips, keeping your legs straight, and reach as forward along the ruler as possible. Repeat for a total of 3 reaches. Record the furthest distance reached.

BODY COMPOSITION
There is no good way to test this yourself. It is best to have your body composition measured by your coach or fitness professional. Another option is to use a bioelectrical impedance scale or handheld bioelectrical impedance device.

40-YARD SPRINT
Equipment: stopwatch, flat running surface of at least 60 yards, partner Procedure: 1. 2. 3. Conduct at least two trial runs at submaximal speed. Start in a three-point stance. On an auditory signal from your partner, sprint 40 yards at maximal speed.

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4. 5. 6.

Your partner starts the stopwatch on his or her signal, and stops the timer when your body has crossed the 40-yard mark. Repeat. Record the average time of the two trials to the nearest tenth of a second.

VERTICAL JUMP
Equipment: chalk, wall with a high ceiling, measuring stick or tape Procedure: 1. 2. Stand with your preferred arm to the wall. Reach as high as possible and make a mark with the chalk. Without a preparatory step, quickly flex the knees and hips, swing the arms backwards, and jump as high as possible to make a second mark on the wall at your peak height. Repeat the jump twice. Record the best of the three trials.

3. 4.

STANDING LONG JUMP

Equipment: flat jumping area about 20 feet in length, tape measure, duct tape Procedure:

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Place a three-foot strip of tape on the floor to serve as the starting line. Stand with your toes behind the line. Using the same counter movement as that in the vertical jump, jump as far forward as possible. You must land on your feet for the score to be counted. Place a marker at your heels and measure the distance from the starting line to the tape. Repeat the jump twice. Record the best of three trials.

300-YARD SHUTTLE RUN

Equipment: stopwatch, two parallel lines 25 yards apart on a flat surface, partner. Procedure: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Start behind one line. At your partners signal, run to the second line 25 yards away. On making contact with the second line turn around and run back to the start. Repeat this for a total of 6 times as fast as possible without stopping. Record the time. Recover for exactly 5 minutes and repeat.

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7.

Record the average of the two trials to the nearest tenth of a second.

HEXAGON
Equipment: colored adhesive tape, measuring stick, stop watch, flat floor with good traction, goniometer or protractor, partner Procedure: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Using the adhesive tape, create a hexagon on the floor with 24-inch sides and 120 angles. Start in the middle of the hexagon. On your partners signal, hop from the center over one side and back to the center. Jump in a clockwise pattern until all six sides have been covered 3 times. Recover for two minutes and repeat. Recover for two minutes and repeat again. Record the best of three trials, to the nearest tenth of a second.

T-TEST
Equipment: four cones about 6 inches high, tape measure, stopwatch, flat surface with good traction, partner

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Procedure: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Arrange the cones to form a T. (see figure) On your partners signal, run from cone A to cone B. Facing forward, side shuffle to the left of cone C. Then side shuffle to the far right cone. Side shuffle back to the center cone B. Run backwards to the finish (cone A). Recover for two minutes and repeat. Record the better of the two trials to the nearest tenth of a second.

Appendix D: Brett Blanchards Letter to Educators

Andy: Joe and I and everyone at Spartan Race feel very strongly about preparing children and young adults to pursue lifelong health and fitness. Thats why we have Spartan Kids races, schedule age-group waves for school-age competitors, and encourage athletes as young as 14 to enter the adult waves. We aim to see obstacle racing become a recognized sport for kids from 4-18 and become a sanctioned high school varsity and NCAA collegiate sport. Spartan Warrior Brett Blanchard (Principal of Fair Haven Union High School in Fairhaven, Vermont, and featured in Chapter 2) graciously shared the letter and attachment he sent to educators all over the Northeast United States in May 2012, encouraging them to incorporate obstacle racing into their physical education curricula. If youre interested in convincing your local school district or college to start an obstacle racing program, show them Bretts letter, or use it as a template to draft your own.

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May 4, 2012 Dear Fellow Educators; As educators, all the countless studies that have been published have come to support what we knew by observation: students who engage in regular physical activity, especially as a member of a team, are more successful academically and more productive overall. Students who engage in meaningful physical fitness while participating in school activities have better attendance, positive peer relationships and higher self esteem. Unfortunately, it has also been made clear the consequences for students who do not exercise and who are not involved in school activities. While the obesity rate and diabetes for school-age kids has tripled in the past two decades, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, less than 20% of our schools require daily physical education and even fewer of our students leave our educational system prepared for life-long fitness. With life-long fitness as a goal for everyone involved in our schools, a new and exciting opportunity is being made available to all our students and staff. This September at Killington Mountain Resort, the first Vermont Spartan High School Obstacle Race Challenge has been created. Already hundreds of our students have formed obstacle racing teams with over a thousand participants anticipated. While the Vermont Principals Association sent out a brief announcement of support last month, details and official registration

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may be found at http://hub.spartanrace.com/2012-spartan-race-high-schoolchallenge-vt Included with this letter are some benefits of getting our students involved with this new life-long fitness opportunity, as well as a high visibility poster that directs students to more information. Castleton State College graduate and Spartan Race High School Challenge coordinator Jennifer Macari is available to assist with any questions you may have. She may be contacted at jenniferm@spartanrace.com. Sincerely,

Brett C. Blanchard, Principal

Why start obstacle racing?

We need to prepare our students for life-long fitness. Participating in obstacle racing (OR) helps our students meet that goal in a variety of ways. Time flexibility with training is mandatory. Currently all high school sports take place in a set time at a set place. With obstacle racing teams both the time and place of practice become flexible. Personal motivation is built. Motivation entails setting an attainable but difficult goal, having others support your effort and the knowledge that YOU actually directly control your accomplishments. OR allows student-athletes to be an active member of a team while directly being responsible for her/his results. Hard work will, for certain, earn student success in OR. Students also can have a direct voice in how training is accomplished. Every athlete on an obstacle racing team participates equally, fully and completely. No one is left sitting, watching or waiting to join in.

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Completing the course earns meaningful self worth. A sense of belonging and pride comes with being part of a team. In obstacle course racing, values that are learned go beyond the sport. OR directly affects how one handles discomfort, abnormal circumstances, personal doubt and fears all in a safe and encouraging environment. The challenges occur with others who are experiencing the same feelings at the same time. OR racers truly develop a feeling of personal empowerment individually and share it with others. The Spartan Race Youll know at the Finish Line. OR is a sport of true fitness. It hits every aspect of health. OR develops both physical and mental strength and endurance. Students will experience personal growth. Each chooses their starting level of intensity but advance in skill as opting out becomes less of an option. Participants will develop muscular improvement, mental strength, and a sense of fearlessness for challenges. There is minimal cost to starting an OR team or participating on one. What do you need? Shoes, shorts, shirt and motivation. No special equipment is needed. This remains true forever! Top quality Workout of the Day (WOD) will be available to all participants. These workouts are created and administered by certified Spartan trainers as well as other fitness professionals. Spartan trainers are of true professional grade holding a current certification from major organizations in the field and/or Bachelors or higher in Exercise Science. They are not just fitness specialists but live the lifestyle of life-long health.

Appendix E: Spartan International Obstacle Race Rulebook

The Spartan International Obstacle Race Rules serve as racers and Race Directors common reference and guide. These standards for racer behavior shall apply before, during and after all Spartan-sanctioned events, in any country or territory.

By the very nature of Spartan Race obstacle racing and because of the wide variety of terrain and venues worldwide, Spartan Races vary from one race to the next. In a world overrun with dull, outdated pavement-pounding parades, this variety is a primary source of the challenge and thrill of Spartan Race obstacle racing.

Embracing the unknown regarding the courses, this guide is meant to make expectations of racers on those courses (and at the venues in general) universally understood. The physical and mental tests of a Spartan Race in the Alps and at another in the Nevada desert obviously vary. The quality of the experience, from zero tolerance for unsportsmanlike behavior to enforcement of obstacle rules, shall be universal.

Aroo!

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Joe Desena Founder and CEO Spartan International Obstacle Racing June 2012

INTRODUCTION
Almost all other modern sports cater to our need for certainty and predictability a 100-yard football field, a marathon thats always 26.22 miles, spectators and support crews, water and rest stations. But is that the real world? And dont those confines, well confine us? Spartan International Obstacle Racing (IOR) provides the joy and challenge we knew as innocent kids. Remember when just running and jumping over something was its own reward? It felt so good because that part of childhood was primal were wired to do it. Not all that long ago in our past running over and under whatever got in our way is how we avoided becoming someone elses lunch. Or caught our own. Fast-forward to today, and its how well avoid a whole raft of modern dangers, from choosing to sit still instead of moving to quitting because that confined activity got a little too predictable. They dont call it a treadmill for nothing.

The rules herein create global consistency in Spartan International Obstacle Race racer experience and race management. Yes, its ironic; a rulebook for a sport born of an urge to bust out and run the way we were meant to. As a concession to modern civilization we do it. And because the original urge to

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break free and run for ourselves is so deep, we have tried to keep it short and simple. Our modern attorneys have asked us to note: These rules should not be considered an assurance or suggestion of racer, spectator, race staff, race volunteer, venue staff, or vendor safety. Spartan Race, Inc. makes no such assurance or suggestion.

MEMBERSHIP OR SINGLE-EVENT PASS REQUIREMENTS

To enter a Spartan Race, a racer must either be a Spartan International Obstacle Racing Association member in good standing or include in their race registration and payment a one-day temporary membership. Cards for each may be used for discounts at the race venue and in some cases online. These are not guaranteed and vary widely.

Membership Categories
Elite Memberships
Elite Annual Memberships are by application only, for highly competitive athletes with elite race credentials. To apply, contact www.obstacleracing.com. Not all who apply shall be granted Elite Membership. There are two Elite Membership types: Elite Adult Elite Adult Members are eligible to receive prize money related to top finishes at individual races, when such prizes are offered, as well as prize money related to season-long competitions, when offered. Minimum age is 18 at the time of application.

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Elite Collegiate All criteria above apply for application. Elite Collegiate Members may not receive prize money. Members 14 through college are not eligible for prize money unless submitting a specific application proving they qualify.

Elite Members comprise a competition category of their own and may not compete as Standard Members of their age group. At race registration, Elite Members must declare their elite status and run the race as members of that competition category. Violations will result in a minimum one-year suspension of any category of Spartan IOR membership.

Standard Memberships
Standard Adult Must be 18 years or older at time of application. Standard Youth Must be 17 years or younger at time of application. Standard Senior Must be 55 years or older at time of application.

Special Access Memberships

Racers with disabilities may apply for Special Access Membership at www.obstacleracing.com and are required to submit a medical description of physical disability from primary care physician. Lower Extremity - This includes single below-the-knee amputees Upper Extremity - This is an athlete who has one arm amputated above or below the elbow Visually Impaired - This is for athletes who are legally blind, 20/200 with best-corrected vision, requiring a guide throughout the race. If a guide is needed, they may be tethered during the race.

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Upon review of information received, all eligible athletes will be registered for the physically challenged heat. Any application received with incomplete information will not be processed. Any decision on whether or not an athlete meets the criteria for a specific division is at Spartan Race Inc. sole discretion.

REGISTRATION AND QUALIFICATION

Racers competing for cash prizes must register for the Competitive Wave. All team members must register to run in the same wave. A teams race time is derived as the average of the teams top 4 finishers times. Racers wishing to change from their assigned wave to a different wave must request the change through the Spartan Race website registration tab titled Wave Change Request. This request must be submitted no later than 14 days before the race.

PRIZES & AWARDS

Some awards may relate to national or international Spartan Challenges, whether single-day or ongoing. Others are wholly at the discretion of the Race Director. Examples include the following: Finishers Medal: Every finisher of a Spartan Race shall receive, at the Finish Line, a Spartan Medal. Merchandise Cash

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Special Recognition Sponsor-Supported Awards Charity-Supported Awards

BIB & CHIP RULES

Chips must be properly secured to wrist. Racers are responsible for checking to see that his/her chip is functioning properly. Bibs must be worn from Start to Finish.

WAVE PARTICIPATION & START RULES

Racers must start in the Wave to which they have been assigned. Racers must report to the start corral 10 minutes before their Wave start time. Racers must not leave the starting mat until their Wave is released.

CLOTHING AND GEAR

Common sense prevails, but rules do, too: Clothing must be socially acceptable by local norms Clothing must not be used any way to assist a racers efforts (for example, it may not be used as a rope when climbing, or as a sail when swimming) No glass of any kind on the course No weapons No highly flammable or explosive substances

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Fluids and food carried on course may not contain alcohol or other mind-altering substances. Carry-in, Carry-out, leaving nothing behind. Infractions will be penalized at Race Officials discretion, minimum 30 burpees.

COURSE RULES
KNOWLEDGE OF COURSE
The unknown is a signature feature of Spartan Racing. Distances, obstacles and their placements, elevation changes all of these are to be seen and experienced for the first time when running the race. Racers may not Preview the course Seek information about the course from finishers Offer information about the course to racers who have not yet run.

STAYING ON COURSE
Racers must follow all course markings. Off-course racers shall be subject to disqualification. For exceptions, see section below titled, If You Need To Leave The Course.

IF YOU NEED TO LEAVE THE COURSE

It happens. Nature calls. But race officials will view a racer returning to the beaten path as having failed to stay within bounds, which would result in

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disqualification. If you need to leave the course, find a race official, who will take your bib number. Return to the course at the same place and check-in with the same official before resuming your race.

OBSTACLE RULES
Each obstacle will have a minimum of 3 race officials monitoring racers progress and completion of the task(s). Cameras may be stationed at obstacles to provide additional accuracy as to judging. Racers competing for anything other than a finishers medal must navigate every obstacle (see Obstacle Success, below), to the attending race officials satisfaction. All other racers may advance beyond each obstacle by either: Obstacle success: Navigating the obstacle to the satisfaction of attending race officials. Obstacle penalty: After trying at least twice and failing to navigate an obstacle, a racer must move to the marked penalty zone and complete 30 burpees. Both the failed obstacle attempt and the 30 burpees must be approved by attending race officials. Obstacle-specific directions: Every obstacle has a set of rules posted at the obstacles approach area. Avoid penalties by understanding the obstacle.

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GENERAL CONDUCT
The Spartan ethic should be evident from initial online entry and throughout the experience, from the parking lot through registration, around the venue and, obviously, on the course. Racers are expected to remember they are part of a community of racer-athletes. They are therefore to behave such that no one at the venue, on the course, or online shall be offended, hurt, discouraged or hindered in any way from running the race to the best of their ability. The same shall apply regarding consideration of everyones enjoyment of the broader events atmosphere of fun, challenge, spirited competition, and mutual support.

CONDUCT TOWARDS RACE OFFICIALS

Its very simple: Respect and obey them.

CONDUCT TOWARDS OTHER COMPETITORS

Single Track rules
Slower and faster racers must demonstrate mutual respect, especially in single-track situations. On single tracks: Faster racers must pass on the left, doing nothing to interfere with the slower racers progress. A good pass is often begun with fair warning by calling On your left! Slower racers may remain on the single track but must use sportsmanlike common sense in making the faster racers pass possible. Absolutely no blocking or hindering. An unsportsmanlike block, hindrance, or pass is subject to a penalty.

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Behavior in Bottlenecks/Lines
Common sense and good sportsmanship are racers guides. A racer causing a bottleneck is expected to yield immediately to end the clog. Passers must respect the racer who has yielded by causing him/her no undue delay or any harm.

Hindering/Obstructing fellow racers

Physical contact with other racers is inevitable, but it is every racers responsibility to ensure that contact does nothing to interfere with another racers efforts. Even accidental interference may result in a penalty. Racers cannot help fellow racers unless someone is injured and in need of assistance.

Hazing/Mocking/Intimidating
Spartan Races have a zero-tolerance hazing policy. Race officials possess the authority to penalize and even expel racers for such behavior. If the racer is more than a Spartan Race Day-Member, expulsions will trigger a review of and possible revocation of membership. Race officials will act as final judges and have the authority to disqualify for hazing, mocking or intimidating.

INFRACTIONS
Race officials alone may identify infractions, at their discretion.

Standard Infractions
The most common Standard Infraction is failure to navigate an obstacle. Standard Infractions may also include minor course misconduct or mistakes. All are at the sole discretion of race officials.

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Technical Infractions
These are more serious mistakes and offenses that may result in harm to self, others or environment, or blatant unfair advantage.

PENALTIES
The standard penalty denomination is a set of 30 burpees, executed to a race officials satisfaction. The penalty for a technical infraction is disqualification/expulsion from the event/revocation of Spartan IOR Membership.

Time Penalties
There are none. But penalty burpees can seriously affect a racers time.

Burpees
Whats a Burpee, Anyway? Stand. Squat, hands on ground. Thrust legs back in a single motion, placing body in plank position. Do a push-up. Draw legs back to squat position in a single motion Jump straight up.

Thats 1 burpee. As noted above, burpees may play a significant role for racers unable to navigate an obstacle, or who commit other Standard Infractions. At obstacles, racers will complete burpees in the marked penalty area unless otherwise directed by race officials.

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At non-obstacle locations, a race official will direct you.

Approval Race officials alone have the discretion to approve or deny the successful execution of burpees. Make sure you are observed by a race official. Failure to advance in the race without a race officials approval may result in disqualification.

APPEALS
Racers assessed a Standard Infraction penalty who wish to appeal must: Perform the Penalty Task. Tell the race official who imposed the penalty that he/she plans to appeal the penalty. Provide the race official his/her bib number. (The Race official will radio the racers bib number to the Finish area so that officials there will expect the racer to appear) Take the race officials ID number. Continue racing. After finishing, inform race officials in the finish area that he/she wishes to make an appeal to the Race Director.

Racers assessed a Technical Infraction Penalty who wish to appeal must: Tell the race official who imposed the penalty that he/she plans to appeal the penalty. Provide the race official his/her bib number Take the race officials ID number.

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Disengage from the race and walk along the edge of the course to the Finish area. In the Finish area, inform race officials that you wish to make an appeal to the Race Director.

Appeals Decisions shall be made exclusively by the Race Director on-site. The Race Directors decisions are final.

REPORTING MEDICAL EVENTS

Racers must report to the nearest race official any racers medical emergency. Racers must report to the nearest race official any racers safety emergency (someone struggling unsafely in the water, for example) In medical and safety emergencies racers are expected to use their best judgment about staying to assist a person or people in trouble, or running to the nearest official for help. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE RACERS WHO HAVE WITNESSED AN UNATTENDED MEDICAL OR SAFETY EMERGENCY TO CONTINUE RACING UNTIL A RACE OFFICIAL HAS ARRIVED. FAILURE TO ASSIST A RACER IN SIGNIFICANT DANGER OR DISTRESS IS WRONG, UN-SPARTAN AND SUBJECT TO DISQUALIFICATION. Racers who lose significant race time assisting someone are entitled to re-run the race in a different Wave. After the emergency has passed they may speak to the race official present about a new start time.

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THE RACE CATEGORIES

SPARTAN RACE OBSTACLE MINIMUMS
All Spartan IOR racecourses, whether Sprint, Super or Beast, must include at least these obstacles: Balance Beam Barbed Wire Crawl Fire Jump (venue/weather dependent, replaced with alternative if necessary) Kettle Bell Pull Over/Under/Through Rope Climb Sand Bag Carry Gladiator Pit Traverse Wall Water Crossing (venue/weather dependent, replaced with alternative if necessary)

Additional obstacles required in Spartan Super races and Spartan Beast races are noted in the Race Categories section. See also the Obstacle Descriptions Addendum.

SPARTAN SPRINT
Length A minimum of 3 miles and a maximum of 4 miles in length.

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Obstacles A minimum of 15 obstacles, which must include Slippery wall 8-foot wall Spear throw Rope climb Traverse wall Barbed wire crawl Weight carry Tractor pull

Terrain Varies by region and venue. Expect it to be a factor.

SPARTAN SUPER
Length A minimum of 8 miles and a maximum of 9 miles in length. Obstacles A minimum of 20 obstacles, which must include Slippery wall 8-foot wall Spear throw Rope climb Traverse wall Barbed wire crawl Weight carry

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Tractor pull

Terrain Varies by region and venue. Expect it to be a moderately significant factor.

SPARTAN BEAST
Length A minimum of 10 miles and a maximum of 12 miles in length. Obstacles A minimum of 25 obstacles, which must include Slippery wall 8-foot wall Spear throw Rope climb Traverse wall Barbed wire crawl Weight carry Tractor pull

Terrain Varies by region and venue. Expect it to be a major factor.

SPARTAN ULTRA BEAST

Length Full marathon length (around 26 miles)twice around the main Beast course Obstacles All the obstacles of the Beasttwice! Terrain Varies by region and venue. Expect it to be a huge factor.

Appendix F: A Few Parting Words from the Founding Few

A FEW WORDS WITH MIKE MORRIS

What does obstacle racing mean to you? It is a novel concept in the world of endurance racing, introducing challenges never seen before in sport; an opportunity to develop something amazing that provides a medium for millions of people to find the motivation and inspiration to change their lives who otherwise would not have. Why do people love it? Its new, challenging, and, given how intense and hard it is has proven to be, very rewarding for many people. Its like being a kid again. Getting muddy, playing in the woods. Where is obstacle racing going? Its still too early to tell, but I think obstacle racing will stay and mud runs and 13-mile obstacle playgrounds will become a fad. Racing creates a following and makes it more challenging. It tugs on many primal components of the human spirit. Why it is taking the world by storm? Because Joe doesnt give up. And obstacle racing attracts competitors who dont, either. Why could obstacle racing become an Olympic sport?

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The ability to watch top athletes traverse obstacles against one another under the added pressure of a race, and potentially in a team-based event, is incredibly fascinating for most people. Why do Sprint, Super, Beast, and Ultra Beast distances make sense? The distinct distances provide natural progression for an athlete or average Joe looking to continually test themselves and add challenge. What training do you recommended to succeed in obstacle racing? Trail runs over constantly changing (hilly) terrain, full body high intensity strength circuits, and burpees. Lots of them. What sport did you come from and how do you approach obstacle racing, coming from that sport? My background is adventure racing and the sports that accompany that (mountain biking, trail running, orienteering, kayaking). Ive learned to expect the unexpected and adapt to the situation at hand as best as possible.

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Mike and his mountain bike in a swamp in the Adirondacks, during a 12-hour endurance race circa 2008 (personal archive)

What are your 3 favorite quotes? You cant prepare yourself for a kick in the balls.a wise man It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst,

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if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.Teddy Roosevelt, 4/23/1910 A true test of character is what you do and how you act when nobody is looking.wise person Who are your 3 most influential people? My father, my mother, and my brother.

A FEW WORDS WITH NOEL HANNA

Where did you come from, and how did you get involved in obstacle racing? I was born in 1967 in Northern Ireland. I played soccer/Gaelic from the age of 6. I joined the police force (RUC) in 1987 and served in anti-terrorist unit and canine unit in Belfast. In 1997, at the age of 30, I decided to get into more extreme running and entered the Himalayan 100-mile stage race. This was my first multi-day running race, and I was hooked. I won the race. During the race you could see 3-4 of the worlds highest mountainsthis is when I thought to myself, Someday, I will be on top of them. I went on to compete in numerous running events (Los Angeles crest 100-miler/Vermont 100-miler/Badwater 135-miler/Marathon Des Sables - paced 1st USA female to name a few). In 1999, I decided to enter an Irish (2 from the North, 2 from the South) team into the famous ECO-challenge race in Patagonia (then classed as the toughest race on the planet). All our team were adventure race virgins, never having done a multi-sport adventure race before. I never looked back. After

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racing all over the world with numerous teams for 2-3 years, I met and raced along with Joe Desena from New York. By 2002, I resigned from the RUC because I was getting my adrenaline from a different source now and did not get enough holidays to allow me to fulfill my dreams. In 2004, Joe and I decided that we would set ourselves a new challenge: to climb to the highest point on each of the 7 continents (known as the 7 summits). I said to Joe, Why not make it harder? When we reach the summit, we should travel all the way to the sea by human powerwalk/run/ski/bike? This had never been done before. I started this ultra-challenge in January 2005 but, due to work commitments, Joe was unable to accompany me on the first one in South America. In 2010, I completed the challenge in Antarctica by climbing to the summit of Vinson, then skiing to Hercules inlet.1 After South America I met with Joe and, along with a few others (all of us having raced and competed worldwide for numerous years), we all decided to help Joe plan a race to challenge the strongest, hardest, and fittest of athletes. The Death Race was started. Eventually the Spartan Race took shape and became as it is todaythe world leader in obstacle racing for all. Why do you see Spartan as the world leader in obstacle racing? I feel that Spartan is the leader in obstacle racing because all the founders have a background of competing in the worlds toughest adventure races and the longest endurance running races (and we all know what Joe Bloggs wants in a race). We also have races of different lengths to suit all abilities so that the whole family can compete.

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Noel on the summit of Everest, May 2012 (Personal archive)

What are your most recent accomplishments? May, 2011 Climbed to the summit of Mt. Everest July-August, 2011 Climbed to the summit of Mt. Blanc three times October-November, 2011 Completed advanced bodyguard course in South Africa. May, 2012 Climbed to the summit of Mt. Everest. 20th May, 2012 Stood on the top of Everest for the 5th time. My adventure continues, and so can yours.2 What is your favorite quote? Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today.James Dean

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A FEW WORDS WITH SELICA SEVIGNY AND RICHARD LEE

What does obstacle racing mean to you? Selica: It means everything, we have given all our personal and professional time, blood, sweat and tears to provide these events to the public. There is so much hard work and passion that goes into this...its not about profit...we are motivated by our mission to get people off the couch and build a healthy legacy for our community and the world. We joined the team Joe had assembled reluctantly, as he really did not want to start another business. The team was Brian, Andy, Noel, Sean, Mike, and we came in shortly after they started. At the beginning, Richard and I spent endless hours marketing, proposing branding ideas, but our sights were set on licensing Canada and the UK, and we did all the initial work with Joe to launch those communities. This is a dream come true. When I was young, I didn't quite know what I wanted to do. I was asked to do a time capsule: write myself a letter, put it away, and open in it in 10 years. The 10-year anniversary just happened, and when I opened the letter I was amazed to read, it said I didn't quite know what job I would be doing but I would be inspiring great change in peoples lives and fundraising through my talents...and voila! Here I am today doing exactly that! Richard: I come from a military background, and a big contingent of what they call all-around fitness is obstacle racing. I see value in obstacle races because theyre a good determiner of that. Youve got to have good core strength, upper-body strength, cardio, balance, and agility. In other sports, training goes towards one particular aspect of fitness, but obstacle racing trains the whole body. Its the perfect sport.

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Where is obstacle racing going, and why is it taking the world by storm? Selica: International championships. Acceptance as a proper sport. It will become bigger than Ironman. People are bored with their lives. They are seeking adventure, fun, and more health-conscious activity. Obstacle racing is fun, unpredictable, affordableand its good for you. Obstacle racing allows people to feel confident, overcome challenges, and realize they are capable of doing anything they set their mind to. Its inspiring to see and meet so many different people and yet feel connected to one another almost instantly during and after the race. Its a return to our ancient roots. Trail running is in our DNA as hunters and gatherers. Humans were meant to be outdoors, not in houses and on couches. Our events trigger something very deep that has been dormant. Its an exciting day, and its a day where anything can happen! Richard: I think, in part, its because of its accessibility. We have a race for everyone, something that appeals to everyone. The message of obstacle racing is very different from that of other sports in that youre not expected to have experience or to have significant training. Most people would never just try a marathon, but obstacle races are something you might actually, say, convince your friend to do with you over the weekend. Obstacle races are a lot more welcoming than, for instance, triathlons. And whats really interesting about this sport is that some people come out who you never would have thought would win the race. In a marathon or a triathlon, you can predict the winner on paper, and its usually very accurate; with obstacle racing, its very different. In a recent Beast, an Olympic biathlete and gold-medalist was defeated at the last minute by a seventeen-year-old construction worker who at the time had no prior experience in competitive running. Obstacle races are unpredictable, and thats one reason I love them.

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Why should it be an Olympic sport? Selica: Its an intense full body workout, its entertaining to watch, its very much returning to the roots of the ancient Olympics. Richard: I think, ultimately, where its got to goif we want to gain credibility for the sportis to have a governing body that regulates the difficulty levels and point schemes. Not only that, but I think that, with the competitive nature of the sport, were going to start to draw in the more serious athletes. In the future, I think that people will differentiate more between, say, mud runs and serious obstacle races. I think its very apparent that were the only player in the sport right now that takes things seriously in terms of the racing element. Obstacle racing is very much like the triathlon. Forty years ago, the triathlon wasnt a serious sport, but now its the benchmark for toughness. I dont see why obstacle racing wouldnt become an Olympic sport. With the current volume of participants, it could take a while; but anything is possible.

Why do Sprint, Super, Beast, and Ultra Beast distances make sense? Selica: Its a natural progression of challenge and people can either remain at the same level or work their way up to becoming a different style of athlete. Richard: Its a progression. The Super, for instance, serves as a middle ground between a real test of endurance and a short, sprinty race anyone can do. Youve got to have achievable goals, and if the race doesnt seem possible, nobody will do it.

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What sport do you come from and how do you approach obstacle racing, coming from that sport? What training do you recommend to succeed at obstacle racing? Selica: I had never done a race before doing the Death Race in 2009this was my introduction into the world of racing. I loved the sense of accomplishment when I finished it and placed 3rd. I was always into playing team sports beforehand. I recommend cross training, not just running. Having excellent upper body will help...no need to be bulky and very muscular. Richard: A huge part of training in the Marines was built around physical fitness, and we would often use obstacle courses in our training. As a Marine I encountered hundreds of obstacle courses all over the world. When I was younger I did a lot of cross-country running and fell [mountain] running, and Ive also done triathlons.

Selica and Richard clearing the fire at the 2011 Tuxedo Sprint

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(Photo credit: Nuvision)

What is your favorite quote? Selica: "If you can dream it, you can do it."Walt Disney "If its not fun, why do it?"Ben and Jerry's "Everyone quits at something one day and that is why we (Spartan Race) are so enamored with people that are unwavering. Unwavering resolve in the face of all odds is something amazing and should be cultivated! If you do NOTHING else in life, just don't quit what you are doingmake a commitment and follow it through to the end. You might just inspire the world with that unwavering commitment!"Joe Desena "Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right." Henry Ford "Just do it"- Nike Richard: I do enjoy reading the quotes of the day on Spartan Race, but other than that, I cant think of anything.

Who are your three most influential people? Selica: My mother who has taught me everything about integrity, hard work, and the importance of not giving up. Richard Branson: he is always pushing the boundaries and doing it with a smile. You can tell he loves what he does! Richard: For me it was my platoon in the Marines and the core values that were instilled in me, the value systemthat you can achieve anything, that youre unbreakable. The platoon is such a tight-knit community. You grow as

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a platoon. Its almost two years of training, and your platoon becomes your family, in a way. You see the progression from day one to finishing training, and its just incredibleall the accomplishments, things you never thought you could achieve.

A FEW WORDS WITH BRIAN DUNCANSON

I started my career as an adventure racer after watching Eco Challenge on TV. I quickly enrolled in a camp in West Virginia to learn how to navigate, mountain bike, paddle, and race for days on end. This led me to starting my own company, Genesis Adventures.3 I started running my own camps and events in 2002 all over the Northeast. At one of my events a friend of mine, Mike Halovatch, rolled in with a friend of hisJoe Desena. They were somewhat comical as they were out for an all-night bike ride and showed up at the adventure race with hardly any equipment and even less of a clue about how to get through a course. However, they made it to the finish line. A few months later Joe contacted me about staging a private race for a bunch of his clients out in the Hamptons of Long Island. What was supposed to be 20-30 people turned out to be over 80, and the event was almost shut down by the local park police. It was a great event that included paddling, mountain biking, a climb up the lighthouse, and a long beach run to the finish. Everything went great until a team went missing on us right near the end of the event. They passed the previous checkpoint at the start of the beach run, and all they had to do was run straight on the beach to the finishpretty hard to get lost. The rest of the field was waiting at the finish line and finally the last team showed up. Turns out they had stopped off at a bar along the beach! First adventure racing team I've ever seen walking across the finish line smoking cigarettes and drinking margaritas.

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Brian on Cape Cod, July 2012 (Personal archive)

Less than five months after the first group meeting to organize Spartan Races, we had our first race in Vermont with 500 people attending. I think it was Richard's idea to have someone dressed like a gladiator, and we purchased our first pugel stick. Anthony was a huge kid and we hid him in the woods. Racers had to go through a tight section of evergreen trees and they burst out into an opening when they met our first gladiator. The feedback was priceless. Spectators, who were all over the course, quickly migrated to the spot in the woods where all of the screams were coming from to watch people get lit up. We decided right there that the gladiators would always be located right at the finish line so that everyone could watch.

A FEW WORDS WITH SHAUN BAIN

I started ultra-marathon canoe racing while I was still in college. The Texas Water Safari, a 260-mile, unsupported, non-stop canoe race dubbed, The Worlds Toughest Canoe Race was my relief from finals and a good way to

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keep me in shape mentally and physically. Water and sleep deprivation (probably not the best company to keep) provide some of the best hallucinations endurance racing has to offer. The race would tear you down and you swore you would never do it again but as sure as the feeling started to come back in your extremities the thought of doing it faster and better the next time would win overthis process repeated itself many times. Growing up, soccer was king and a great sport to develop a strong balance of speed, endurance, and strength. But when we were not playing organized sports we made up our own challengesof course the common variations on football and baseball, but we also always had an obstacle course. When family got together this was our form of sport that consisted of no touch sections and climbing up and down anything that was available while running the stopwatch to see how much faster you could run it each successive time. Looking back, it was not so much about the time as it was about the experience and laughing as everyone took their turn trying to go as fast as possible. Racing and pushing oneself to the limits brings many things into perspective. A change of perspective/mindset can make the pain start to fade. Three hundred miles into a race and your feet are just begging for mercy. I think about what people do with chronic pain. They make it through every day; they learn to adapt. When the foot strikes and the brain is told that there is pain, mentally you have the ability to rewire your perception of that pain. Going the extra mile, pushing through the pain, trying harder than you ever have before in your life, we find a sense of belonging and solidarity with those with whom we share the pain. What we do as a race team is not all about play and funwe grow as people. Our races pack a lot of life experiences and emotion in a short amount of time. We enjoy the challenge and dynamics involved in making the team and teammates the best that we can be, and the challenges we face give us a huge boost in self-confidence that helps us handle whatever life throws our way. Our experiences make us better people, and we become stronger. The reward

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through the process of pushing to the limit and beyond is you find yourself working harder, living fuller, and loving stronger!

Shaun, looking dapper as usual (Personal archive)

Where is obstacle racing going, and why is it taking the world by storm? Obstacle racing will not fade because it is woven into our genetic makeup. Spartan Races are just bringing an organized format to the masses! What is your favorite quote? The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible.Arthur C. Clarke

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A FEW (MORE) WORDS WITH JOE DESENA AND ANDY WEINBERG

What are your personal highlights from your adventure and competition experience so far? Joe: There is no greater experience than being "crushed" physically and mentally for hours, days or weeks, only to arrive back in our cushy lives and really being able to then appreciate all that we have. Doing the Iditarod by foot in 30-below weather really put everything in its proper perspective. Andy: I don't do triple Ironmans because they are fun; I do them becausewhat kind of coach would I be if I didn't suffer like I ask my team?

What are your personal highlights from Spartan racing/obstacle racing to date? Joe: The hands-down, number-one personal highlight is when someone turns to me and says, Thank you for putting on the Spartan race series, you changed my life. That happens ten times a day, so it is a pretty rewarding existence. Andy: I love coaching, as I have been coached or coached for my whole life. Imagine being able to coach 500,000 people! People all over the US and other countries are changing their lives and thanking us for it.

What are your personal short-term and long-term aspirations for obstacle racing as a sport?

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Joe: Near-term, we just need to satisfy the worlds hunger for it and get races in all of the countries demanding it. Longer-term, this is an Olympic sport and a lifestyle that will change the world. Andy: My long-term goal is to get the message out to the youth of America and to their public school administrators: your health and fitness are important. We have full control of our health and fitness and it's time that we take responsibility for that. I also really enjoy getting out with the participants and having fun with them. I also want to raise a happy and healthy family.

What are your personal aspirations as an athlete and competitorwhat do you aim to achieve that you havent accomplished yet? Joe: I just need to stay fit for as long as Jack La Lane did, that's all I need. Andy: I need to swim the English channel and bike to Siberia.

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Joe (left) and Andy (right), all cleaned up (Photo credit: Cronin Hill Photography)

What are your favorite quotes? Joe: Great minds discuss ideas; mediocre minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.Eleanor Roosevelt Andy: "You can talk about it or you can do it.Unknown

Who inspires you? Joe: Chris Davis

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Andy: Frank Weinberg and all athletes who are willing to step outside their comfort zone and push themselves beyond their limits.

What one thing should readers take away from this book? Joe: You can change your life in an instant Andy: You get one body to live in, make the most of it.
1 If youre interested, find more here: www.7summits2sealevel.com. 2 See www.bucketlistadventures.co.uk 3 See http://www.genesisadventures.com or http://www.Facebook.com/GenesisAdventures

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