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[Tigel]

I didn't have the guts to do it last year, but now's the time!
The run is in one month; it's a 5 km "sprint race". I think I'm in fairly good shape as I train 3 times a week. However, it's my first time doing this kind of event so I don't really know what to expect (beyond the fact that it's going to be hard!).

So for those of you who have participated in a Spartan Race, what should I expect? Any fun stories/tips to share?

 

[agrajag]

 

[Slo]

They can be a lot of fun. Try to get a group of people to run with, as most of the fun is getting muddy together during the race and then standing around drinking beer and listening to music or whatever afterwards.

Also, unless you're planning on winning the thing, just go at a casual pace and stick with your group. If it takes you 45 minutes to complete the 5k, so what? Adventure races are more fun when you're doing it with people.

Honestly, the obstacles aren't going to be that hard. Expect to jog for like 1/2 a mile, then have to crawl under barbed wire for 50 yards. Then another half mile, then you have to climb over a rope wall. Nothing too terrifying.

Edit: Just to clarify, I haven't done the Spartan Race, but I have done other obstacle races like the Warrior Dash and I'm going to do a Tough Mudder this year.

 

[Perzival]

I didn't have the guts to do it last year, but now's the time!
The run is in one month; it's a 5 km "sprint race". I think I'm in fairly good shape as I train 3 times a week. However, it's my first time doing this kind of event so I don't really know what to expect (beyond the fact that it's going to be hard!).

So for those of you who have participated in a Spartan Race, what should I expect? Any fun stories/tips to share?

Um, lots of people in shorts? People wearing numbers on their chests and backs? Chaffed nipples? ;p

 

[Link Man]

Madness.

 

[Menelaus]

Only a 5k? You'll live.

 

[MThanded]

A broken ankle.

 

[Defuser]

5 km? LOL

 

[apesh1t]

Make sure you post about it on Facebook, A LOT. Like every other post is about you training for it, or going to it. Then take pictures of before, during and after. Put the pictures on Facebook and on your dating profile. The last reference when acknowledging this should be "I'm going to do Mad Mudder next year."

 

[kswiston]

Only a 5k? You'll live.

It's a 5k obstacle course. Not just a run. The one they have locally is hosted on a ski resort, and they make you run up the skill hill. Obviously in the summer, sans snow.

EDIT: I might be thinking of the tough mudder.

 

[Tigel]

They can be a lot of fun. Try to get a group of people to run with, as most of the fun is getting muddy together during the race and then standing around drinking beer and listening to music or whatever afterwards.

Yep like half of my training buddies already signed up. I won't be running alone. Mud, beer and music? Sunds like a winning combinaison.

Only a 5k? You'll live.

First time, so I'm starting modestly. Plus I have a bad knee and it can hurts when I run for a long period of time. However I really wanted to try this at least once, so I said screw it and signed up anyway. We'll see how it goes.

5 km? LOL

That's not like a 5km "Color Run" race or something.
(Not that a Color race isn't fun or anything, but it's much more casual)

 

[SeanR1221]

Make sure you post about it on Facebook, A LOT. Like every other post is about you training for it, or going to it. Then take pictures of before, during and after. Put the pictures on Facebook and on your dating profile. The last reference when acknowledging this should be "I'm going to do Mad Mudder next year."

You sound bitter as fuck.

 

[Slo]

Make sure you post about it on Facebook, A LOT. Like every other post is about you training for it, or going to it. Then take pictures of before, during and after. Put the pictures on Facebook and on your dating profile. The last reference when acknowledging this should be "I'm going to do Mad Mudder next year."

Salty.

 

[GamePnoy74]

Have fun...just don't trip over the fire pit, yo.

 

[Menelaus]

Make sure you post about it on Facebook, A LOT. Like every other post is about you training for it, or going to it. Then take pictures of before, during and after. Put the pictures on Facebook and on your dating profile. The last reference when acknowledging this should be "I'm going to do Mad Mudder next year."

Are you friends with my mom on FB?

 

[Slo]

It's a 5k obstacle course. Not just a run. The one they have locally is hosted on a ski resort, and they make you run up the skill hill. Obviously in the summer, sans snow.

EDIT: I might be thinking of the tough mudder.

The Tough Mudder is the big boy version. It's 12 miles and the obstacles are serious business.

 

[Tapiozona]

I don't know about Spartan Race but Tough Mudder is an extended walk/jog followed by a 20 minute wait to use each obstacle. Expect to realize how stupid it is when you see hundreds upon hundreds of fat people completing the course with relative ease (though they'll skip the tough obstacles (monkey bars) which are barely obstacles in the first place)

I went in expecting a grueling test of man vs the environment and left sorely disappointed mainly because it felt like cattle being herded, especially around the obstacles.

 

[Slevin]

Whoa, very cool! I'm doing the Spartan race for the first time too. Going to the one in Montana next weekend. I can't really tell you what to expect but there are a lot of go-pro videos of it on youtube you can watch. Also, there are technically 4 different types of Spartan races so the Spartan Sprint for instance has less crazy obstacles and focuses more on the running. Good luck!

 

[Tigel]

Make sure you post about it on Facebook, A LOT. Like every other post is about you training for it, or going to it. Then take pictures of before, during and after. Put the pictures on Facebook and on your dating profile. The last reference when acknowledging this should be "I'm going to do Mad Mudder next year."

Wow.

Have fun...just don't trip over the fire pit, yo.

There's a fire pit? :O

 

[jason10mm]

Work your upper body, especially pull-ups. There will be sandbag carries, tire flips, concrete bucket lifts, and lots of walls to scale, as well as at least one rope climb. Practice burpees as they are the penalty for failing an obstacle. Depending where it is, they will find EVERY hill for you to run, twice.

When going under wire, turn parallel to the course and roll (if you are thin enough to do this). Much faster than trying to crawl under the wire. Remember that you can go over a wall and then come back and help someone else. They are lots of fun. Hydrate before you start!

 

[Tigel]

Whoa, very cool! I'm doing the Spartan race for the first time too. Going to the one in Montana next weekend. I can't really tell you what to expect but there are a lot of go-pro videos of it on youtube you can watch. Also, there are technically 4 different types of Spartan races so the Spartan Sprint for instance has less crazy obstacles and focuses more on the running. Good luck!

Cool! I'll be very interested on hearing how it went. Good luck!

Work your upper body, especially pull-ups. There will be sandbag carries, tire flips, concrete bucket lifts, and lots of walls to scale, as well as at least one rope climb. Practice burpees as they are the penalty for failing an obstacle. Depending where it is, they will find EVERY hill for you to run, twice.

When going under wire, turn parallel to the course and roll (if you are thin enough to do this). Much faster than trying to crawl under the wire. Remember that you can go over a wall and then come back and help someone else. They are lots of fun. Hydrate before you start!

I hate burpees with a passion. Great advices, thanks!

 

[Dash27]

I didn't have the guts to do it last year, but now's the time!
The run is in one month; it's a 5 km "sprint race". I think I'm in fairly good shape as I train 3 times a week. However, it's my first time doing this kind of event so I don't really know what to expect (beyond the fact that it's going to be hard!).

So for those of you who have participated in a Spartan Race, what should I expect? Any fun stories/tips to share?

It's as easy or difficult as you want to make it. You can skip the obstacles if you want to, walk instead of run etc. I had fun doing it.

Running uphill is tough. They had us haul a heavy sandbag up a steep hill, that one sucked. Jump some tall walls, climb a rope, flip tires throw a spear at a wooden dummy, jump over a fire, slide down a water slide made out of a tarp... just fun things imo. The one that was just dumb to me was crawling under barbed wire. I'd do a big skip on that one if I did it again.

 

[nateeasy]

It wont be hard at all.

 

[Steelrain]

Sounds pretty easy.

 

[vidcons]

seems pretty stupid for competition purposes but it'ls probably fun to go out and get dirty and goof off

 

[Slevin]

Finished the Kalispell race today. I think my friend in I were on the slower side and completed in 2 hours and 23 minutes. I didn't mind though, it was a blast. I was a able to complete all of the 20 or so obstacles except for the spear throw. I wil definitely be doing more of these races