Tag Archives: Race Reviews

The leaves changing color, cooler temperatures, pool closings, back to school; all signs that Fall is approaching, right? Nope! It means it’s time for the Spartan Ultra in Killington!

What initially started as an idea from listening to the OCR community, turned into OCR research. That research led to conversations with Joe DeSena and team. Almost 2 years later, those conversations turned into the new Ultra Beasts of 2017. The location that was the genesis of these new races was Rough Creek Lodge in Glen Rose, Texas. On October 28th, the Ultra Beast arrived in Texas with the weather flare we have all become accustomed to. 

I have been around the block this year. I have gone through a number of injuries that have inhibited or limited my participation in almost all of my events this year. When Killington started rolling around, I was nervous about running the Ultra Beast on this mountain again. Last year, the mountain almost took me out when my knee decided to make everything past mile 11 grueling. This year had its own set of challenges and again, conventional wisdom would suggest that I take the safe route and just run the beast.

Since the dawn of time, man has been looking for... wait, what? This is OCR, not a history lesson or a PBS documentary... nevermind. Since I broadened my OCR horizons a few years back, one event I look forward to, almost as much as Killington, is Savage Race in Albrightsville, PA. Not because it's Albrightsville, PA, but because it is Savage Race, and it is close by. If you hadn't guessed it, I am a fan of the Savage Series, but there just aren't enough of their races to go around. However, when it does come around, you should get your butt out there and get Savage.

After two years of torture; from God sending downpours to the Lone Star State, a memorable fire ant mud fest in Houston, a dry weekend finally aligned with the Spartan Race calendar. The Glen Rose/Dallas race is always a special weekend on the Calendar for two reasons; it is the Team Championship Beast and the Kyle Littlefield Memorial Run. If you do not know about the Memorial, head to Google and check out the foundation along with the significance of Rough Creek Lodge. In light of this, I decided to make it a team themed weekend. My bright idea was this, Team Beast, Volunteer, Kyle Littlefield 12-Hour and then Volunteer some more. I would not succeed unless my team succeeded.

It seems like each year we are up in the air as to whether or not Spartan is going to have their race in Tuxedo, NY. The venue has been battling some legal issues after some issues with a nearby casino project. Either way, this race has been one of the Spartan staples for years (7 to be exact) and each year we wonder if it is going to be the last time we race here. For many of us, when that day comes, it will be a bitter farewell as each year we flock here like moths to a light to run up and down this mountain.

A trip around Circuit of America’s Grand Prix race course - how bad could it be? Seems simple enough. Bonefrog was kind enough to find a centrally located site to the Texas Metro areas. Some hills but nothing that comes off as too drastic. Oh, they now have that #EffNorm charm? There’s no mountain so he’ll be neutralized. It is April so it will be comfortable. Oh, wait, it is going to 90+ degrees with 80%+ humidity? Okay, this will be an interesting 12 miles or so.

This year was supposed to be different, and it really is different. Having dealt with some serious injuries, I hadn't much considered participating in this year's Tri-State New Jersey Ultra Beast. As time drew nearer, I found myself feeling less like myself and more like a "never will". The decision came to run the race somewhere in the March time frame, and those that advised against it quickly realized that there would be little standing in my way. Last year's NJ UB was challenging, but I knew with all that I had been challenged with physically this year, my best bet of completion was here, not Killington.

The Green Beret Challenge, the time had come once again for me to take on a different iteration of this challenge. This time I would toeing the line with a Spartan World Champion who we also know as a Green Beret. Having tackled the Commando and 24 Hour Versions of Mark Ballas’ concoctions I knew that whatever laid before me, ‘easy’ was not going to be the term used to describe it.

Reveille Peak Ranch has been a very popular destination. From various OCR races series to other popular trail running series. Who can blame them though? Being less than an hour from the nearest airport, it opens you to the Hill Country with some magnificent views full of potential. This year though the interest came from the buzz about what Spartan had cooking course wise. Spartan looked to reinvent this Spartan classic venue. The addition of the Time Trails Friday rejuvenated the weekend.