Spartan owww
So yesterday, Alex, Gary, Jill, Tony, and I did the Spartan race. George C., Allison, and Ariel ran too but we never got to see them. Alex had a blast when he did the warrior dash earlier in the summer so I thought I should try this stuff too and signed up for the Spartan Sprint at the same location. We all thought it would be mostly like the warrior dash, but boy were we wrong.
First, other than our group and maybe 2 other people, no one there was out of shape. They all looked like athletes or trainers. So we all looked at each other and kind of cringed.
Second, right at the start we saw it was harder as you had to go up and down the hill at least 3 times, twice carrying a bucket of rocks, and it ended with a rock wall climb across and Spartans beating you with American Gladiator clubs.
But, maybe that would be the worst of it and it would still be similar to the warrior dash.
Still wrong, so wrong.
So the race starts and Jill and I slowly stroll up the hill. I am so happy I kept a slow and steady pace through out. I decided early on to stay with Jill, as I could help her if she needed and not feel bad about keeping a slow pace.
So after the doom hill, we go down some crazy trails where there is no good place to place your feet. But we make it through and to the first obstacle which was jumping over a 4 ft wall and under some barbed wire after. I actually made it on my own, jumping over the wall and I felt great.
So we go further and we get to some steep hills but it is doable and then we get to the mud. I step in and go down to my shins and then it is up over my knees. I nearly lose my shoe but somehow get through and we continue. Up another huge hill and to the 3rd obstacle. We had to wait at this obstacle as our heat broke it, which both of us were fine with. So they fix this pulley thing where you have to lift a concrete block up about 20 ft in 20 sec. I did it, though maybe not on time as the guy did not time us, but I did it and I think I was close to time.
We then hit another hill and Jill tells me to go on without her as she is done and is planning on stopping ( though I found out later that she continued on through 2 of the hardest obstacles to come, so go Jill.)
I get to the top and see that I am at the cargo net climb, so I go up and over, slow but steady. Then slip and run down the hill to this rope/wall climb. I try and fail at getting a good hold at first, but with encouragement I get up and over the 7 ft wall and jump off the other side. So scary but the crowd cheered me on. (This obstacle was facing the start and the audience.)
We then go to doom obstacle where you fill a bucket with rocks and climb up and then down the doom hill. I stopped at least 4 times going up but I made it, and ran into Alex and Tony, Gary had gone on ahead. I meet up with Alex and we go down the other side and slip half way down dropping the bucket of rocks on my right leg. (that hurt like hell and bothered me throughout the rest of the race, and looks horrible now). But I pick it up and keep going and catch up with Alex.
Back up the hill we go, luckily sans rocks. And we get to bypass large rocks and slippery pebbles. Get to what we thought was nearly the end and find out there is more, but we find out later there is sooo much more.
Go to a log jump, where you have to jump from stump to stump. I wasn't long enough to do it so ended up doing 30 burpees. Burpees suck. But then water break. Alex is still doing his burpees and Tony just joins us so I decide to go on ahead so I don't lose my momentum. I tell Alex I will see him at the walls and go on. (Though I never really meet up with Alex again, I stopped and waited a few times but never saw him so kept going so I could finish. I am a bad wife.)
Run through even more trecherous trails and twist my ankle a few times, but make it through. I could not imagine running any of these trails. They were deadly.
And get to a water obstacle, where you have to bypass sinkholes and go under branches while being at least waist deep in water. I found all the sink holes and ended up mostly covered in water up to my chest, but it felt good. That ended with a rope climb, which I tried and tried but could not get a good hold on as it was too slippery and I just was not strong enough. So 30 more burpees.
More trails of doom and a crawl tunnel up a steep hill trail, then a wall that is way to high, some girl gives me a leg up over and I make it and then run into the monkeybars. I know I am doomed but try it anyway and get through 4 bars, so proud of myself, but I fall and have to do another 30 burpees. Then dragging or carrying a concrete block aroud a circle, I drag it which was a bad choice but I finish. Continue on and more walls which a guy helps me over and then under barbed wire and over two more walls with the help of my guy friend.
More trails and then we get to an spear throw. Of course I miss so 30 more burpees.
Then onto doom. Higher walls, I help two girls over by having them use my back as a bridge up and someone does the same for me, then rolling under barbed wire, my god the rocks, hurts so bad. Do that 2 more times with even bigger walls (and lots of falls, even though people are trying to help me, but I am so tired) and ending with the worst barbed wire crawl ever, up hill with lower wire and tons of rocks. Ended up crab crawling it but still scratched up like crazy. But I do it and meet up with Tony. See Alex but he looks like he is doing great so I continue on before I collapse.
Final rally and I am at the top of the hill, I jump over the fire and go down the hill over pipes that I can barely straddle and end at a wall that I have to jump down from. So tired of climbing and jumping. Then we have the sideways rock wall but I am so muddy from teh barbed wire and they ran out of water to spray us with so I can't get a grip and have to do 30 more burpees. I am so done now and after running through 2 gladiators I finish, eat my banana, drink some water and then realize I am covered head to toe in mud so go straight to the showers thinking everyone else will have to head that way.
I have no idea what my time was other than over 2 1/2 hours but I finished and never want to do it again. Though I think I do want to do the warrior dash cuz how bad could it be after doing this?
First, other than our group and maybe 2 other people, no one there was out of shape. They all looked like athletes or trainers. So we all looked at each other and kind of cringed.
Second, right at the start we saw it was harder as you had to go up and down the hill at least 3 times, twice carrying a bucket of rocks, and it ended with a rock wall climb across and Spartans beating you with American Gladiator clubs.
But, maybe that would be the worst of it and it would still be similar to the warrior dash.
Still wrong, so wrong.
So the race starts and Jill and I slowly stroll up the hill. I am so happy I kept a slow and steady pace through out. I decided early on to stay with Jill, as I could help her if she needed and not feel bad about keeping a slow pace.
So after the doom hill, we go down some crazy trails where there is no good place to place your feet. But we make it through and to the first obstacle which was jumping over a 4 ft wall and under some barbed wire after. I actually made it on my own, jumping over the wall and I felt great.
So we go further and we get to some steep hills but it is doable and then we get to the mud. I step in and go down to my shins and then it is up over my knees. I nearly lose my shoe but somehow get through and we continue. Up another huge hill and to the 3rd obstacle. We had to wait at this obstacle as our heat broke it, which both of us were fine with. So they fix this pulley thing where you have to lift a concrete block up about 20 ft in 20 sec. I did it, though maybe not on time as the guy did not time us, but I did it and I think I was close to time.
We then hit another hill and Jill tells me to go on without her as she is done and is planning on stopping ( though I found out later that she continued on through 2 of the hardest obstacles to come, so go Jill.)
I get to the top and see that I am at the cargo net climb, so I go up and over, slow but steady. Then slip and run down the hill to this rope/wall climb. I try and fail at getting a good hold at first, but with encouragement I get up and over the 7 ft wall and jump off the other side. So scary but the crowd cheered me on. (This obstacle was facing the start and the audience.)
We then go to doom obstacle where you fill a bucket with rocks and climb up and then down the doom hill. I stopped at least 4 times going up but I made it, and ran into Alex and Tony, Gary had gone on ahead. I meet up with Alex and we go down the other side and slip half way down dropping the bucket of rocks on my right leg. (that hurt like hell and bothered me throughout the rest of the race, and looks horrible now). But I pick it up and keep going and catch up with Alex.
Back up the hill we go, luckily sans rocks. And we get to bypass large rocks and slippery pebbles. Get to what we thought was nearly the end and find out there is more, but we find out later there is sooo much more.
Go to a log jump, where you have to jump from stump to stump. I wasn't long enough to do it so ended up doing 30 burpees. Burpees suck. But then water break. Alex is still doing his burpees and Tony just joins us so I decide to go on ahead so I don't lose my momentum. I tell Alex I will see him at the walls and go on. (Though I never really meet up with Alex again, I stopped and waited a few times but never saw him so kept going so I could finish. I am a bad wife.)
Run through even more trecherous trails and twist my ankle a few times, but make it through. I could not imagine running any of these trails. They were deadly.
And get to a water obstacle, where you have to bypass sinkholes and go under branches while being at least waist deep in water. I found all the sink holes and ended up mostly covered in water up to my chest, but it felt good. That ended with a rope climb, which I tried and tried but could not get a good hold on as it was too slippery and I just was not strong enough. So 30 more burpees.
More trails of doom and a crawl tunnel up a steep hill trail, then a wall that is way to high, some girl gives me a leg up over and I make it and then run into the monkeybars. I know I am doomed but try it anyway and get through 4 bars, so proud of myself, but I fall and have to do another 30 burpees. Then dragging or carrying a concrete block aroud a circle, I drag it which was a bad choice but I finish. Continue on and more walls which a guy helps me over and then under barbed wire and over two more walls with the help of my guy friend.
More trails and then we get to an spear throw. Of course I miss so 30 more burpees.
Then onto doom. Higher walls, I help two girls over by having them use my back as a bridge up and someone does the same for me, then rolling under barbed wire, my god the rocks, hurts so bad. Do that 2 more times with even bigger walls (and lots of falls, even though people are trying to help me, but I am so tired) and ending with the worst barbed wire crawl ever, up hill with lower wire and tons of rocks. Ended up crab crawling it but still scratched up like crazy. But I do it and meet up with Tony. See Alex but he looks like he is doing great so I continue on before I collapse.
Final rally and I am at the top of the hill, I jump over the fire and go down the hill over pipes that I can barely straddle and end at a wall that I have to jump down from. So tired of climbing and jumping. Then we have the sideways rock wall but I am so muddy from teh barbed wire and they ran out of water to spray us with so I can't get a grip and have to do 30 more burpees. I am so done now and after running through 2 gladiators I finish, eat my banana, drink some water and then realize I am covered head to toe in mud so go straight to the showers thinking everyone else will have to head that way.
I have no idea what my time was other than over 2 1/2 hours but I finished and never want to do it again. Though I think I do want to do the warrior dash cuz how bad could it be after doing this?