Spartan Race - Killington Beast
Sept 20, 2018 6:04:28 GMT -8
toejam, hikingtiger, and 1 more like this
Post by walkswithblackflies on Sept 20, 2018 6:04:28 GMT -8
I’ve done two Spartan races in the past 2 years. Both were winter Sprint (3+ miles) races at a ski mountain close to home. Because I had gotten 3 friends to sign up with me, Spartan sent me a free voucher for a race of my choice. I ultimately decided on the Killington Beast (12-15 miles). It was in September giving me ample time to train, it was relatively close to home, and it was the home of the original Spartan race (and former site of the Spartan World Championships).
Training basically consisted of trail running, weights at the gym, and “station” workouts (run from station to station doing various exercises). I had also constructed some “ninja warrior” obstacles in the backyard for my kids (climbing rope, Hercules hoist) which I could easily scale to accommodate an adult workout. I made a spear out of a rake handle and construction nail. A 5-gallon bucket filled with rocks replicated the Bucket Carry event. I purchased a couple of “army” duffel bags and placed a 70-lb tube of sand in each. We performed several exercises with their dead weight. They have since been nicknamed “Pain” and “Suffering”.
Due to a severe ankle sprain (rolled while trail running) and calf issues immediately upon the healing of the ankle sprain, my workouts were limited in the couple of months prior to the race. Thankfully, riding my bike to work kept me active and worked on my cardio. The times I felt healthy enough to trail run, I was setting PRs without trying, so I was doing something right.
We experienced unseasonably warm and humid temperatures throughout the summer. I don’t remember a summer where the dewpoints were so consistently over 70F. Yet another godsend that I was able to ride my bike as much as I did.
My weight was not where I wanted it to be early on. April was an absolutely miserable month, so I wasn’t able to exercise much. At the beginning of May I upped my activity level (mostly bike commuting) and began eating healthier. Weight still wasn’t coming off, so beginning on Father’s Day, I started counting calories. From then until the race, my weight s-l-o-w-l-y but steadily decreased. I was hoping to lose around 15 lbs (weigh 180) by race day. The weekend before the race I weighed in at 178.5. That same weekend I also ran long-distance on trails for the first time in a few months. I felt really good and it was a big confidence booster going into race. As expected, I gained a couple pounds during my “taper” week, and the Friday before the race I weighed in at 180.5. Sweet.
On the day before the race I drove to Vermont and checked-in / found my campsite (Coolidge State Park) with no issues. I then drove to meet a couple of high school friends for dinner. After dinner, I drove back to my camp and had a relatively good sleep.
Spartan recommended we get to the venue 1.5 – 2 hours before race time. My heat was scheduled for 11:15 so I didn’t need to rush. I got to the site on time, and parking and the shuttle bus made it easy to get to the venue. The registration process at my previous Spartan races has taken around an hour. At this venue it literally took 2 minutes.
Since I had a lot of time to kill, I checked out the festival / vendor tents, then heard an announcement that the first Elite athlete (the ones they profile on TV) was finishing. They had a series of obstacles near the festival with adjacent spectator areas, so I made my way over to one where I stretched between watching the Elites complete their obstacles.
It was already starting to get warm, and the sun was very intense. What I didn’t know was that the temperature on the mountain would rise to 82F with a 73F dewpoint. That’s ridiculous for September in Vermont.
I arrived at the start line 15 minutes early. My heat was then called, and I waited in the “corral” for another 15 minutes before our heat was off and running.
We started with an uphill run (up a ski slope). I wanted to run instead of walk, so I had to weave around people, but I didn’t feel hemmed-in like during the winter races. I soon reached the first obstacle.
Note: Images are not mine, or of me, except as noted.
1. Hurdle – Imagine a log suspended horizontally 6’ in the air between two supports. That’s a hurdle. Go up and over.
Continue uphill. At this point, I was one of a group of 3 in the lead. It was now too steep to run so we walked to the next obstacle, which I almost missed because I was looking at my feet.
2. Hay Bales – Just climb on top and over a round hay bale.
Continue walking uphill. Just before the next obstacle we caught the slower people from the previous heat.
3. 7’ Wall – Just as it implies. Go up and over.
Continue uphill at a slighter grade. I decided to run again. Slight mistake, as I was now sweating heavily as I reached the…
4. Monkey Bars – A series (30’-40’ feet) of uneven bars. Each bar was about 2-3” in diameter. Bars were at differing heights and spacing between bars also varied. Due to my sweaty hands, I almost slipped off several times.
What should have been a relatively easy obstacle for me wiped me out aerobically. So I walked to the next obstacle.
5. Slip Wall - A 12’-high plywood A-frame that you have to run up and grab the rope. A lot of people were struggling but I literally ran right up.
Our first descent of the day. I was feeling strong and ran the entire way down on a mix of service road and ski slope. The next obstacles were at the bottom. There was a line forming at the next obstacle, and I had to wait a couple of minutes before I could begin.
6. Z Wall – Basically a vertical rock climbing wall that has an inside and an outside bend (forming a Z when looked at from above). I had a bit of trouble at the outside bend since I couldn’t find the foothold, but I eventually found it and progressed without further difficulty.
7. Tire Flip – Flip a tractor tire twice. There were only a couple of competitors here. How could I have been waiting in line at the previous obstacle, while this one was basically empty? It was situated off to the side in a dirt parking lot… did some people not see it?
During training, I had easily flipped a 250-lb tire, so I was confident going into this obstacle. I got my fingers under and lifted. But the tire didn’t budge. Again I tried, and nothing. I stepped back, took a moment, repositioned and was able to get if off the ground with a lot of effort. I flipped it, took a moment, then completed my second flip. Come to find out there’s a big difference between a 400-lb tire and 250-lb tire.
8. Bridge – An obstacle that anyone can do. Climb up 2x4 rungs, traverse across wooden planks, then climb down another set of 2x4 rungs.
More than anything, it serves as a way for spectators to go from one side of the course to the other.
I was still exhausted from the tire flip so I walked to the next obstacle (nearby), taking time to drink some water. Hot, hot, hot. The line for the next obstacle was ridiculous. I waited in line at least 20 minutes.
9/10. Swim/Tarzan Swing – Swim out to a bridge, and ascend a rope ladder. Hanging off the bottom of the bridge are 6 short ropes. Swing from rope to rope and hit a bell at the end. Swim back.
I gave myself zero chance of making it through the ropes. You can watch 5-minute videos from previous races and not see a single competitor make it across. And my grip strength wasn’t up to snuff. The water was cold (60F). Due to the number of competitors, I had to swim out to one of the furthest stations, but it wasn’t an issue. Once at a station, I had to wait for a couple of competitors. Finally it was my turn and I ascended the rope ladder without much difficulty. I grabbed a rope and started to swing. To my amazement, I grabbed the next rope. And the next, and the next, and the next. Against all odds, I made to the final rope! Then my hopes were crushed when I looked at the bell. It had to be 5’ out and 2’ up. I swung as best I could, but I missed it by a good 1.5 feet. Upon hitting the water, I asked a couple of competitors if I was supposed to kick the bell. They said “No”, then further stated they had no idea how I would have reached the bell at my station. The bell seemed much closer on other stations. The only thing I could think of is that I should have grabbed the final rope with both hands and used my legs to generate a massive swing. The entire time I was doing the obstacle (both in an out of the water), only 2 people hit a bell.
A set of 30 burpees was my mandated penalty for failing the obstacle. I hear a walkie-talkie squawking… “Medic needed at ----.”
I walked to the beginning of the next uphill, eating some electrolyte gels and drinking some water. I noticed that Killington must have just mowed the burpee area, because I was covered in grass clippings. Funny that during my walk and the beginning of the next hill, I noticed only a couple of others had grass clippings on them. Damn burpee skippers.
More uphill. I’m in a conga line of racers walking up what is actually a pretty nice hiking trail. Well, a hiking trail with intermittent mud bogs. Nearly all the racers are walking on the side of the mud bogs because it is easier. I’m going right through them. I exclaim “Embrace the mud, Spartans!” I get some laughs but only a couple follow. Five minutes later I sink past my knees in a bog. A guy helps me out. I still have my shoes. Someone behind says I might not be the fastest Spartan today, but I’ll be the muddiest! Keep ascending. Wait in line again for the next obstacle.
11. Tyrolean Traverse – A 50’ rope suspended between two short towers. Grab onto the rope, and pull yourself across (underneath).
While waiting in line, I notice how many people started 10’ from the first tower. I’m not really competing with other racers in the Open division… it’s more of a challenge against myself. So I wonder why people are cheating themselves of the challenge. Anywho, I soon realize another mistake I made… I didn’t wear long socks. Some racer’s style was to keep their legs static while pulling with their arms. If I tried that, I’d end up with rope burns on my legs. So my style was similar to an inverted bear crawl (or sloth crawl, if you like). I didn’t have any issues, but it took longer than I thought it would.
12. Rolling Mud / Dunk Wall – Go up and over a few mud piles with water inbetween them. Easy. Then there is a wall whose bottom is even with the water level. You need to dunk under the wall to get to the other side. Again, easy, but I could see that it could be very discomforting to others.
Keep ascending in the conga line. Parts are a bit tiring, but I’m not winded. I think the course map is wrong for the order of the next few obstacles. This is how I remember it:
13. Bender – Imagine an aluminum cattle gate with 2” bars. Now tilt it back 45-degrees, and suspend it so the bottom is 7’ off the ground. Go up and over.
Another wait in line. It looked much harder in person than on videos, but I got over it without too much difficulty, other than smacking my knee on a bar on the way down.
14. Stairway to Sparta – Ascend a 7’ wall. At the top is a 2x4 set of rungs at a 45-degree angle to ascend and descend.
Keep ascending / descending… mostly ascending.
15. Cliff Climb – A cargo net is laid across a 50’ cliff. I ascend with no difficulty.
Finally… downhill on ski slopes! Except the slopes are pure mud at an uncomfortable angle. The downhill offers no relief as each step needs to be planned and I’m constantly fighting gravity.
16. Sandbag Carry – The sandbags used during my previous Spartans were probably around 40 lbs. These were close to 60-70. Go up and down a steep ski slope.
The volunteer at the bottom asks someone to count how many abandoned bags are on the hill. Not a good sign. It certainly wasn't fun, but it wasn't horrible either. I keep a consistent slow pace. Many others try going up too fast and have to pull off to the side to catch their breath.
“Medic needed at ----.”
17. Twister – Another obstacle I didn’t give myself much chance of success. Picture a 4” pipe placed horizontally. You have to go down the length of the pipe using offset handles. The pipe isn’t fixed, so as you grab one handle, all the others rotate. There are two pipes to traverse.
I get past the first without much problem. I’m feeling confident. I transition to the next pipe. I’ve got this! Then at the very last second as I reach for the next handle, I change my plan and reach for a further handle. My hand goes right between the two handles and I fall. Damn.
Another set of 30 burpees. And just before the biggest climb of the day.
“Medic needed at ----.”
Death March – Although not an official obstacle, it might be the hardest part of the day. Ascend 2,000’ straight up beneath the gondola to Killington Peak.
The heat and sun make this even more horrible. I stop briefly at a stream crossing to douse my hat with water. I stop further up for a drink and some energy gu. Finally, the peak is in sight! Then, 100’ from the top, what the hell…
18. 8’ Wall – Just like the 7’ wall but 2 feet higher (the math works out for Spartan races). Sadistic bastards. Just the sight of it breaks some people. There is a lot of cussing. I have heavy legs but I’m able to grab the top of the wall on my first try. I tweak my shoulder a bit getting over. Thankfully, it doesn’t bother me the rest of the day.
Ascend to the peak on a nice service road. I contemplate running, but what’s the point?
“Medic needed at ----.”
Descend down more muddy ski slopes. Finally, we enter the woods and the trail becomes runnable. And there’s just enough room to pass the conga line. I start to feel the onset of some cramps but feel I can run through them.
19. Hercules Hoist - A sand bag attached to a pulley 25’ up. About 20 horizontal feet away, you grab a rope and begin pulling the bag into the air until it touches the pulley. It also has to be lowered under control.
During my first Spartan race, this obstacle was bear… and about half of the competitors failed. The bag was much lighter during my second Spartan race. Too light, in my opinion. Well they made up for it this year. A 135-lb beast of a bag. I struggled and this is a strong event for me. I’d estimate half of the competitors failed. The volunteer seemed gleeful every time he heard a bag slam to the ground... “BURPEES!!!”
20. Over Walls – Just up and over a couple of 5’ walls.
Continue descending on mostly runnable trails.
21. Barbed Wire Marine Crawl – Crawl beneath barbed wire for about 50 yards. Uphill.
My training involved a lot of crawling, so I was confident. But the second I started crawling, my legs cramped. I tried to blast through them but I couldn’t. So I rolled off to the side. Eventually I could crawl again for a few feet. Then I’d have to stop again. Repeat several times over the next few minutes. I wasn’t the only one cramping… most others were, too. Many decided to skip the obstacle after cramping.
“Medic needed at ----.”
22. Inverted Wall – Similar to Bender (above), but it is a plywood wall set closer to the ground with some 2x4s for footholds.
I was afraid my legs would cramp but I didn’t have any issues.
Now began the string of strength-based obstacles, Normally, that's my wheelhouse, but I had been dreading them at the end of a long day.
23. Plate Drag - A weighted “sled” with a rope attached. Using the rope, drag the sled towards you… then grabbing the sled with your hand, drag it back to the starting position.
The guy in front of me got the sled stuck behind a clump of grass. The official said it was within the rules to move the sled to get it unstuck, so I ran down and slightly moved the sled until it was on top of the clump of grass. When it was my turn I had no issues. The guy behind me got it stuck on the same clump of grass so I moved the sled on top of the clump again.
Continue downhill at a moderate grade.
24. Sandbag Carry #2 – This sandbag was longer but didn’t weigh more than the first. Maybe even slightly less. Ascend up and down. But wait, there is another hidden ascent / descent. Damn. I keep my slow but consistent pace throughout.
“Medic needed at ----.”
25. Rope Climb – Climb a 15’ rope.
I’d been practicing, so I was confident in this obstacle. I was even able to ascend without using my feet during training. I grabbed the rope, jumped a bit to get a head start, and CRAMP! Both calves cramped. I lowered myself to the ground and stretched out my calves. A couple minutes later I tried again, and got up the rope without an issue (other than rope-burning my shin on the way down).
26. Atlas Carry – A totally spherical rock weighing around 100 lbs. Lift up, carry 50 feet, 5 burpees, and carry back.
This obstacle was much easier in the summer than winter. No issues, although tiring.
“Medic needed at ----.”
Continue downhill at a moderate grade. I was able to run some sections.
27. Bucket Brigade – I hate this obstacle. Carry a 5-gallon bucket filled with gravel in front of you (i.e. – not on your shoulder) up a steep ski slope and back down. The bucket does not have a handle.
Photo of me (on right):
I pick up the bucket and it feels twice as heavy as any bucket I’ve carried before. I have to stop after every 20 steps, and I’m demoralized. Until I realize that’s what everyone else is doing too. I have never seen so many people so miserable. I s-l-o-w-l-y ascend. Some are so tired that they lose hold of their bucket and it goes careening down the hill. Thankfully, since the trail is set up like a wide loop, the buckets aren’t tumbling near the trail. The descent is a bit easier but still exceedingly difficult. Some guy in front of me collapsed and the medics are attending to him. I’m now within 30’ of the finish but have to stop again. Finally I finish when I hand my bucket to a competitor who is just starting. The look on his face tells me he doesn’t want it. The talk after the race is that this was the worst obstacle on the course, and possibly the worst Bucket Brigade ever.
“Medic!!!” “Medic!!!”
“Medic needed at ----.”
More downhill at a moderate grade. I walk knowing what’s ahead. And the fact that I physically couldn’t run at this point. We are now entering the spectator area.
28. Multi-Rig – A series of rings, ropes, and bars. Traverse across and ring the bell.
Photos of me:
I am totally spent at this point. I gave myself a 50% chance of making it before the race, now I don’t know if I’ll make it past the first ring/rope. I just stare at it for a couple of minutes. Mostly everyone is failing. Many can’t even hold onto the first ring. Finally I get enough courage to attempt it. Ring-rope-ring-bar-ring-(I’m doing it!!!)--rope---ring-. I’m trembling. The crowd is cheering. I reach for the bell… and miss it. Ugh.
Another set of 30 burpees.
29. Spear Throw – Grip a spear, and throw it 30 feet into a straw man. The spear must stick.
This is the obstacle that most competitors fail. Even the elite racers seem to regularly fail. I’d been practicing and felt relatively confident. I had to wait in line. That was good because I was so tired, but bad because I could also psych myself out… especially seeing all the failures. But when it was my turn, my spear flew true and it stuck. It was really a thing of beauty. A caveman couldn’t have thrown it better.
On the way to the next obstacle, one of the Elite racers said “Nice throw, dude!” I thought it was really cool that the Elite racers stuck around to cheer on us novices.
30. Olympus – A 6’ high climbing wall at a 45-degree angle. Traverse sideways 50’. There are no footholds. You can’t grab the top, and your feet can’t touch the ground. You can only use holes, rock climbing grips, and/or short chains.
I kept a steady pace. It was thoroughly exhausting but I made it.
31. A-Frame Cargo - A 20-foot A-frame over which is a cargo net. Go up and over. Another obstacle anyone can do. It’s super easy. Except my legs are trembling. I laugh at myself that even the A-frame is kicking my butt.
32. Fire Jump – This was it!!! The final obstacle. Just jump over a 2’ high line of burning logs. I had visions of cramping at takeoff and being the first Spartan competitor to burn himself alive, but my jump was true.
Finish Line – We were immediately awarded our medals, and complimentary protein bars, bananas, and PowerAid. The finish line corral brought me through two photo stations before finally exiting. This race was probably one of the hardest things I’ve done, ranking up there with my MegaTransect ultramarathons. I was so exhausted, and the relief at the finish line was so immediate, that I almost cried. Almost.
Look at this doofus who gave a thumbs-up in a black glove in front of a black shirt:
My previous two Spartan races were “perfect”… meaning I made it through all the obstacles without a penalty. This time I failed on three obstacles… but I’m proud I had a chance at all three.
I completed the race in 7 hours 15 minutes. That time puts me in the middle of the pack, but it’s hard to really compare times in the Open division due to the conga lines, waiting in line for obstacles, deteriorating conditions, etc. Plus I think a lot of people were skipping burpees and even obstacles. The course ended up being around 13.5 miles with around 6,000 feet of elevation gain.
If I decide to do another Spartan race again, I know I need to work on grip strength, ropes/rings, and just plain overall elevation gain. I also need to figure out why I keep cramping during long races, but never during training.
ETA: There are Ultra Spartans, who do the Beast course as I did, plus an additional 2-mile loop. And they do that whole course TWICE, for a race of over 30 miles. I can't even comprehend that.
Training basically consisted of trail running, weights at the gym, and “station” workouts (run from station to station doing various exercises). I had also constructed some “ninja warrior” obstacles in the backyard for my kids (climbing rope, Hercules hoist) which I could easily scale to accommodate an adult workout. I made a spear out of a rake handle and construction nail. A 5-gallon bucket filled with rocks replicated the Bucket Carry event. I purchased a couple of “army” duffel bags and placed a 70-lb tube of sand in each. We performed several exercises with their dead weight. They have since been nicknamed “Pain” and “Suffering”.
Due to a severe ankle sprain (rolled while trail running) and calf issues immediately upon the healing of the ankle sprain, my workouts were limited in the couple of months prior to the race. Thankfully, riding my bike to work kept me active and worked on my cardio. The times I felt healthy enough to trail run, I was setting PRs without trying, so I was doing something right.
We experienced unseasonably warm and humid temperatures throughout the summer. I don’t remember a summer where the dewpoints were so consistently over 70F. Yet another godsend that I was able to ride my bike as much as I did.
My weight was not where I wanted it to be early on. April was an absolutely miserable month, so I wasn’t able to exercise much. At the beginning of May I upped my activity level (mostly bike commuting) and began eating healthier. Weight still wasn’t coming off, so beginning on Father’s Day, I started counting calories. From then until the race, my weight s-l-o-w-l-y but steadily decreased. I was hoping to lose around 15 lbs (weigh 180) by race day. The weekend before the race I weighed in at 178.5. That same weekend I also ran long-distance on trails for the first time in a few months. I felt really good and it was a big confidence booster going into race. As expected, I gained a couple pounds during my “taper” week, and the Friday before the race I weighed in at 180.5. Sweet.
On the day before the race I drove to Vermont and checked-in / found my campsite (Coolidge State Park) with no issues. I then drove to meet a couple of high school friends for dinner. After dinner, I drove back to my camp and had a relatively good sleep.
Spartan recommended we get to the venue 1.5 – 2 hours before race time. My heat was scheduled for 11:15 so I didn’t need to rush. I got to the site on time, and parking and the shuttle bus made it easy to get to the venue. The registration process at my previous Spartan races has taken around an hour. At this venue it literally took 2 minutes.
Since I had a lot of time to kill, I checked out the festival / vendor tents, then heard an announcement that the first Elite athlete (the ones they profile on TV) was finishing. They had a series of obstacles near the festival with adjacent spectator areas, so I made my way over to one where I stretched between watching the Elites complete their obstacles.
It was already starting to get warm, and the sun was very intense. What I didn’t know was that the temperature on the mountain would rise to 82F with a 73F dewpoint. That’s ridiculous for September in Vermont.
I arrived at the start line 15 minutes early. My heat was then called, and I waited in the “corral” for another 15 minutes before our heat was off and running.
We started with an uphill run (up a ski slope). I wanted to run instead of walk, so I had to weave around people, but I didn’t feel hemmed-in like during the winter races. I soon reached the first obstacle.
Note: Images are not mine, or of me, except as noted.
1. Hurdle – Imagine a log suspended horizontally 6’ in the air between two supports. That’s a hurdle. Go up and over.
Continue uphill. At this point, I was one of a group of 3 in the lead. It was now too steep to run so we walked to the next obstacle, which I almost missed because I was looking at my feet.
2. Hay Bales – Just climb on top and over a round hay bale.
Continue walking uphill. Just before the next obstacle we caught the slower people from the previous heat.
3. 7’ Wall – Just as it implies. Go up and over.
Continue uphill at a slighter grade. I decided to run again. Slight mistake, as I was now sweating heavily as I reached the…
4. Monkey Bars – A series (30’-40’ feet) of uneven bars. Each bar was about 2-3” in diameter. Bars were at differing heights and spacing between bars also varied. Due to my sweaty hands, I almost slipped off several times.
What should have been a relatively easy obstacle for me wiped me out aerobically. So I walked to the next obstacle.
5. Slip Wall - A 12’-high plywood A-frame that you have to run up and grab the rope. A lot of people were struggling but I literally ran right up.
Our first descent of the day. I was feeling strong and ran the entire way down on a mix of service road and ski slope. The next obstacles were at the bottom. There was a line forming at the next obstacle, and I had to wait a couple of minutes before I could begin.
6. Z Wall – Basically a vertical rock climbing wall that has an inside and an outside bend (forming a Z when looked at from above). I had a bit of trouble at the outside bend since I couldn’t find the foothold, but I eventually found it and progressed without further difficulty.
7. Tire Flip – Flip a tractor tire twice. There were only a couple of competitors here. How could I have been waiting in line at the previous obstacle, while this one was basically empty? It was situated off to the side in a dirt parking lot… did some people not see it?
During training, I had easily flipped a 250-lb tire, so I was confident going into this obstacle. I got my fingers under and lifted. But the tire didn’t budge. Again I tried, and nothing. I stepped back, took a moment, repositioned and was able to get if off the ground with a lot of effort. I flipped it, took a moment, then completed my second flip. Come to find out there’s a big difference between a 400-lb tire and 250-lb tire.
8. Bridge – An obstacle that anyone can do. Climb up 2x4 rungs, traverse across wooden planks, then climb down another set of 2x4 rungs.
More than anything, it serves as a way for spectators to go from one side of the course to the other.
I was still exhausted from the tire flip so I walked to the next obstacle (nearby), taking time to drink some water. Hot, hot, hot. The line for the next obstacle was ridiculous. I waited in line at least 20 minutes.
9/10. Swim/Tarzan Swing – Swim out to a bridge, and ascend a rope ladder. Hanging off the bottom of the bridge are 6 short ropes. Swing from rope to rope and hit a bell at the end. Swim back.
I gave myself zero chance of making it through the ropes. You can watch 5-minute videos from previous races and not see a single competitor make it across. And my grip strength wasn’t up to snuff. The water was cold (60F). Due to the number of competitors, I had to swim out to one of the furthest stations, but it wasn’t an issue. Once at a station, I had to wait for a couple of competitors. Finally it was my turn and I ascended the rope ladder without much difficulty. I grabbed a rope and started to swing. To my amazement, I grabbed the next rope. And the next, and the next, and the next. Against all odds, I made to the final rope! Then my hopes were crushed when I looked at the bell. It had to be 5’ out and 2’ up. I swung as best I could, but I missed it by a good 1.5 feet. Upon hitting the water, I asked a couple of competitors if I was supposed to kick the bell. They said “No”, then further stated they had no idea how I would have reached the bell at my station. The bell seemed much closer on other stations. The only thing I could think of is that I should have grabbed the final rope with both hands and used my legs to generate a massive swing. The entire time I was doing the obstacle (both in an out of the water), only 2 people hit a bell.
A set of 30 burpees was my mandated penalty for failing the obstacle. I hear a walkie-talkie squawking… “Medic needed at ----.”
I walked to the beginning of the next uphill, eating some electrolyte gels and drinking some water. I noticed that Killington must have just mowed the burpee area, because I was covered in grass clippings. Funny that during my walk and the beginning of the next hill, I noticed only a couple of others had grass clippings on them. Damn burpee skippers.
More uphill. I’m in a conga line of racers walking up what is actually a pretty nice hiking trail. Well, a hiking trail with intermittent mud bogs. Nearly all the racers are walking on the side of the mud bogs because it is easier. I’m going right through them. I exclaim “Embrace the mud, Spartans!” I get some laughs but only a couple follow. Five minutes later I sink past my knees in a bog. A guy helps me out. I still have my shoes. Someone behind says I might not be the fastest Spartan today, but I’ll be the muddiest! Keep ascending. Wait in line again for the next obstacle.
11. Tyrolean Traverse – A 50’ rope suspended between two short towers. Grab onto the rope, and pull yourself across (underneath).
While waiting in line, I notice how many people started 10’ from the first tower. I’m not really competing with other racers in the Open division… it’s more of a challenge against myself. So I wonder why people are cheating themselves of the challenge. Anywho, I soon realize another mistake I made… I didn’t wear long socks. Some racer’s style was to keep their legs static while pulling with their arms. If I tried that, I’d end up with rope burns on my legs. So my style was similar to an inverted bear crawl (or sloth crawl, if you like). I didn’t have any issues, but it took longer than I thought it would.
12. Rolling Mud / Dunk Wall – Go up and over a few mud piles with water inbetween them. Easy. Then there is a wall whose bottom is even with the water level. You need to dunk under the wall to get to the other side. Again, easy, but I could see that it could be very discomforting to others.
Keep ascending in the conga line. Parts are a bit tiring, but I’m not winded. I think the course map is wrong for the order of the next few obstacles. This is how I remember it:
13. Bender – Imagine an aluminum cattle gate with 2” bars. Now tilt it back 45-degrees, and suspend it so the bottom is 7’ off the ground. Go up and over.
Another wait in line. It looked much harder in person than on videos, but I got over it without too much difficulty, other than smacking my knee on a bar on the way down.
14. Stairway to Sparta – Ascend a 7’ wall. At the top is a 2x4 set of rungs at a 45-degree angle to ascend and descend.
Keep ascending / descending… mostly ascending.
15. Cliff Climb – A cargo net is laid across a 50’ cliff. I ascend with no difficulty.
Finally… downhill on ski slopes! Except the slopes are pure mud at an uncomfortable angle. The downhill offers no relief as each step needs to be planned and I’m constantly fighting gravity.
16. Sandbag Carry – The sandbags used during my previous Spartans were probably around 40 lbs. These were close to 60-70. Go up and down a steep ski slope.
The volunteer at the bottom asks someone to count how many abandoned bags are on the hill. Not a good sign. It certainly wasn't fun, but it wasn't horrible either. I keep a consistent slow pace. Many others try going up too fast and have to pull off to the side to catch their breath.
“Medic needed at ----.”
17. Twister – Another obstacle I didn’t give myself much chance of success. Picture a 4” pipe placed horizontally. You have to go down the length of the pipe using offset handles. The pipe isn’t fixed, so as you grab one handle, all the others rotate. There are two pipes to traverse.
I get past the first without much problem. I’m feeling confident. I transition to the next pipe. I’ve got this! Then at the very last second as I reach for the next handle, I change my plan and reach for a further handle. My hand goes right between the two handles and I fall. Damn.
Another set of 30 burpees. And just before the biggest climb of the day.
“Medic needed at ----.”
Death March – Although not an official obstacle, it might be the hardest part of the day. Ascend 2,000’ straight up beneath the gondola to Killington Peak.
The heat and sun make this even more horrible. I stop briefly at a stream crossing to douse my hat with water. I stop further up for a drink and some energy gu. Finally, the peak is in sight! Then, 100’ from the top, what the hell…
18. 8’ Wall – Just like the 7’ wall but 2 feet higher (the math works out for Spartan races). Sadistic bastards. Just the sight of it breaks some people. There is a lot of cussing. I have heavy legs but I’m able to grab the top of the wall on my first try. I tweak my shoulder a bit getting over. Thankfully, it doesn’t bother me the rest of the day.
Ascend to the peak on a nice service road. I contemplate running, but what’s the point?
“Medic needed at ----.”
Descend down more muddy ski slopes. Finally, we enter the woods and the trail becomes runnable. And there’s just enough room to pass the conga line. I start to feel the onset of some cramps but feel I can run through them.
19. Hercules Hoist - A sand bag attached to a pulley 25’ up. About 20 horizontal feet away, you grab a rope and begin pulling the bag into the air until it touches the pulley. It also has to be lowered under control.
During my first Spartan race, this obstacle was bear… and about half of the competitors failed. The bag was much lighter during my second Spartan race. Too light, in my opinion. Well they made up for it this year. A 135-lb beast of a bag. I struggled and this is a strong event for me. I’d estimate half of the competitors failed. The volunteer seemed gleeful every time he heard a bag slam to the ground... “BURPEES!!!”
20. Over Walls – Just up and over a couple of 5’ walls.
Continue descending on mostly runnable trails.
21. Barbed Wire Marine Crawl – Crawl beneath barbed wire for about 50 yards. Uphill.
My training involved a lot of crawling, so I was confident. But the second I started crawling, my legs cramped. I tried to blast through them but I couldn’t. So I rolled off to the side. Eventually I could crawl again for a few feet. Then I’d have to stop again. Repeat several times over the next few minutes. I wasn’t the only one cramping… most others were, too. Many decided to skip the obstacle after cramping.
“Medic needed at ----.”
22. Inverted Wall – Similar to Bender (above), but it is a plywood wall set closer to the ground with some 2x4s for footholds.
I was afraid my legs would cramp but I didn’t have any issues.
Now began the string of strength-based obstacles, Normally, that's my wheelhouse, but I had been dreading them at the end of a long day.
23. Plate Drag - A weighted “sled” with a rope attached. Using the rope, drag the sled towards you… then grabbing the sled with your hand, drag it back to the starting position.
The guy in front of me got the sled stuck behind a clump of grass. The official said it was within the rules to move the sled to get it unstuck, so I ran down and slightly moved the sled until it was on top of the clump of grass. When it was my turn I had no issues. The guy behind me got it stuck on the same clump of grass so I moved the sled on top of the clump again.
Continue downhill at a moderate grade.
24. Sandbag Carry #2 – This sandbag was longer but didn’t weigh more than the first. Maybe even slightly less. Ascend up and down. But wait, there is another hidden ascent / descent. Damn. I keep my slow but consistent pace throughout.
“Medic needed at ----.”
25. Rope Climb – Climb a 15’ rope.
I’d been practicing, so I was confident in this obstacle. I was even able to ascend without using my feet during training. I grabbed the rope, jumped a bit to get a head start, and CRAMP! Both calves cramped. I lowered myself to the ground and stretched out my calves. A couple minutes later I tried again, and got up the rope without an issue (other than rope-burning my shin on the way down).
26. Atlas Carry – A totally spherical rock weighing around 100 lbs. Lift up, carry 50 feet, 5 burpees, and carry back.
This obstacle was much easier in the summer than winter. No issues, although tiring.
“Medic needed at ----.”
Continue downhill at a moderate grade. I was able to run some sections.
27. Bucket Brigade – I hate this obstacle. Carry a 5-gallon bucket filled with gravel in front of you (i.e. – not on your shoulder) up a steep ski slope and back down. The bucket does not have a handle.
Photo of me (on right):
I pick up the bucket and it feels twice as heavy as any bucket I’ve carried before. I have to stop after every 20 steps, and I’m demoralized. Until I realize that’s what everyone else is doing too. I have never seen so many people so miserable. I s-l-o-w-l-y ascend. Some are so tired that they lose hold of their bucket and it goes careening down the hill. Thankfully, since the trail is set up like a wide loop, the buckets aren’t tumbling near the trail. The descent is a bit easier but still exceedingly difficult. Some guy in front of me collapsed and the medics are attending to him. I’m now within 30’ of the finish but have to stop again. Finally I finish when I hand my bucket to a competitor who is just starting. The look on his face tells me he doesn’t want it. The talk after the race is that this was the worst obstacle on the course, and possibly the worst Bucket Brigade ever.
“Medic!!!” “Medic!!!”
“Medic needed at ----.”
More downhill at a moderate grade. I walk knowing what’s ahead. And the fact that I physically couldn’t run at this point. We are now entering the spectator area.
28. Multi-Rig – A series of rings, ropes, and bars. Traverse across and ring the bell.
Photos of me:
I am totally spent at this point. I gave myself a 50% chance of making it before the race, now I don’t know if I’ll make it past the first ring/rope. I just stare at it for a couple of minutes. Mostly everyone is failing. Many can’t even hold onto the first ring. Finally I get enough courage to attempt it. Ring-rope-ring-bar-ring-(I’m doing it!!!)--rope---ring-. I’m trembling. The crowd is cheering. I reach for the bell… and miss it. Ugh.
Another set of 30 burpees.
29. Spear Throw – Grip a spear, and throw it 30 feet into a straw man. The spear must stick.
This is the obstacle that most competitors fail. Even the elite racers seem to regularly fail. I’d been practicing and felt relatively confident. I had to wait in line. That was good because I was so tired, but bad because I could also psych myself out… especially seeing all the failures. But when it was my turn, my spear flew true and it stuck. It was really a thing of beauty. A caveman couldn’t have thrown it better.
On the way to the next obstacle, one of the Elite racers said “Nice throw, dude!” I thought it was really cool that the Elite racers stuck around to cheer on us novices.
30. Olympus – A 6’ high climbing wall at a 45-degree angle. Traverse sideways 50’. There are no footholds. You can’t grab the top, and your feet can’t touch the ground. You can only use holes, rock climbing grips, and/or short chains.
I kept a steady pace. It was thoroughly exhausting but I made it.
31. A-Frame Cargo - A 20-foot A-frame over which is a cargo net. Go up and over. Another obstacle anyone can do. It’s super easy. Except my legs are trembling. I laugh at myself that even the A-frame is kicking my butt.
32. Fire Jump – This was it!!! The final obstacle. Just jump over a 2’ high line of burning logs. I had visions of cramping at takeoff and being the first Spartan competitor to burn himself alive, but my jump was true.
Finish Line – We were immediately awarded our medals, and complimentary protein bars, bananas, and PowerAid. The finish line corral brought me through two photo stations before finally exiting. This race was probably one of the hardest things I’ve done, ranking up there with my MegaTransect ultramarathons. I was so exhausted, and the relief at the finish line was so immediate, that I almost cried. Almost.
Look at this doofus who gave a thumbs-up in a black glove in front of a black shirt:
My previous two Spartan races were “perfect”… meaning I made it through all the obstacles without a penalty. This time I failed on three obstacles… but I’m proud I had a chance at all three.
I completed the race in 7 hours 15 minutes. That time puts me in the middle of the pack, but it’s hard to really compare times in the Open division due to the conga lines, waiting in line for obstacles, deteriorating conditions, etc. Plus I think a lot of people were skipping burpees and even obstacles. The course ended up being around 13.5 miles with around 6,000 feet of elevation gain.
If I decide to do another Spartan race again, I know I need to work on grip strength, ropes/rings, and just plain overall elevation gain. I also need to figure out why I keep cramping during long races, but never during training.
ETA: There are Ultra Spartans, who do the Beast course as I did, plus an additional 2-mile loop. And they do that whole course TWICE, for a race of over 30 miles. I can't even comprehend that.
