Tag Archives: Spartan Race

Usually when something stupid happens I ask a simple question "Is it me?" Most of the time I come back with, "It might be me..." This time it isn't me. Truthfully, there has been a meaningful period of time where I haven't been particularly active on the Spartan Facebook pages. There was a time when I/We were extremely active in the Spartan community, and in the OCR community in general. However, I can remember when it all changed and I remember my frustration when they started moderating content, any and all content. I feel like they have gone too far now, and it is at a point where it is just flat out dumb.

I think it needs to be said that Spartan Race has finally figured it out. In years past, Spartan races have been widely inconsistent, but these last two years have seen some changes that have given us a more consistent race experience from one of the most recognizable names in Obstacle Course Racing.

So, you want to do an Ultra Beast?  If you are going to your social media accounts posting…”Should I do an Ultra Beast?”….then you are probably not ready.

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.

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.

Before I begin talking about the physical and mental romance story of my Spartan Ultra beast experience, I want to address a few things. First off, I am not someone who wakes up every weekend and runs a different OCR, marathon, or your favorite mud run. I am a full-time college student studying pharmaceuticals (which means that I devote a fair amount of time to my school work). I stay active through pick-up basketball and lifting a few days a week. Fitness is important to me and I make sure to fit it in between my school work and various other activities. I write, because like many of you who may be reading this, pondering the feasibility of completing a Spartan Ultra Beast, I too was immersing myself with as much knowledge about the Ultra Beast as I could. I found that most extensive articles were written by people who eat, sleep and breath OCR (ironically enough this is featured on OCRaddict). I wanted to give a fresh perspective from someone who wasn’t training year-round to run 10+ mile obstacles races. I was someone who enjoys a beer with dinner, French fries, and skips days at the gym (guess I’m busted now…). Don’t get me wrong I love OCR but it is far from what I spend most of my time doing. Now that all of this is out of the way, the real story begins…

This is a deeply personal piece for everyone, but we have been getting a lot of requests for this as we approach our next Ultra Beast in the great Garden State (NJ). In this, I will cover my race day usages and recommendations as a baseline. It is up to you on how you would like to tinker with the specifics, or what you use.

2017 will mark the beginning of many firsts for many people. It is the start of a new year, and each new year we make resolutions and vow to do things we either planned on doing the year before and didn’t, or doing things we haven’t done at all. This …