The Summer of Spartan
The OCR (Obstacle Course Race) addiction…. Its real. Very real. So real that I signed up for the Spartan Race season pass, signed up for 11 races (4 Sprints, 4 Supers, 3 Beasts) and 2 other races (Tough Mudder, and a Savage Race) for a total of 13 OCR races this year. I had previously done ONLY 9 total in 2 years since doing my first Tough Mudder in June 2015.
Why would I race across grueling and unpredictable terrain but also climb, crawl, leap, swim, traverse my way over and past the course’s many obstacles, and get very wet and muddy in the process? Call me crazy (and many do!) but I find it fun! It’s my escape. It centers me again. The races remind me that all the struggles and obstacles that I may face in life are manageable and not the death of me. It’s the mindset, the self-talk, the attitude towards it that will crush you or allow you to rise to the top and Win The Day! There is a special bond among-st everyone participating and competing. The sweat, struggle, exhaustion, thirst, and the mental fatigue that everyone is experiencing, together. Everyone has each other’s back, always uplifting one another as we race together or pass by one another. Everything can be carried over into life. When you see someone with a Spartan shirt on or a sticker on their car, you’ll give a “AROO! AROO! AROO!” to them or you’ll hear it out of the blue when you’re not paying attention. You’ve both experienced it and it’s a community that’s great to be a part of. Everyone gets it once they experience it. It’s almost a sign of respect.
OCR’s like Spartan Race, give me a reason to work out as hard as I do. I expect my best and the only way I can do that is by preparing myself. Having so many races lined up, if I want to perform the way I do, I must stay accountable with my fitness, and more importantly, my nutrition. You know those days that you’re just not feeling it? You feel tired because of a lack of sleep due to the kids having homework trouble and you can’t seem to help them (Common Core ring a bell.. seriously…wth!?) or work stress or any number of other issues that could pop up that makes your mind not want to shut off.
Or how about the, “I’ll do it tomorrow instead,” or “I’ll start up next Monday,” but tomorrow or next Monday never seem to come? Yeah me too. I always remind myself of how much harder the race will be if I don’t train. I don’t want that to happen.
Doing the Spartan Races also gave me the opportunity to travel. I was able to do a races in Arizona, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, and South Carolina. My girlfriend also does the races so it’s a nice bonding experience with her as well and to just get away. I’ve been able to experience a lot of great adventures that I might not otherwise have done.
Over the last year, I’ve also added CrossFit into my training which was a HUGE benefit to me. My endurance and stamina have increased dramatically. As a result, I’ve been able to sustain a high effort over long time periods and distances.
My times have decreased, allowing me to consistently place in the top 5 of my age group, and going through most of the races without failing an obstacle (Darn Spear Throw).
You can catch me in the backyard with my soon to be purchased Hay Bail and Spear throw, practicing so I can eliminate that final 30 Burpees that ALWAYS seems to find me!
-Coach Adam.
Join Coach Adam for his Average to Awesome Bootcamp, Mondays at 7PM, Tuesdays at 10AM or Thursdays at 10AM!
