This was my not my first Spartan Race, I have previously run them on my own, but this one I ran as a team with my two sons, one 29 years old, the other 15, both fit – and me, 60 years old, quite fit and not quite ready to take things easy!
Why run one? Well, if you’re looking for a challenge that pushes your body and mind, few events compare to a Spartan Race. Combining trail running, functional fitness and obstacle course racing, Spartan events have become one of the fastest-growing fitness challenges in the World. The atmosphere and camaraderie is also fantastic. A beer and a burger at the end feel thoroughly well deserved.
Whether you’re aiming to improve your fitness, build resilience, lose weight or simply do something outside your comfort zone, the benefits of running a Spartan Race extend far beyond crossing the finish line.
Here’s why thousands of people sign up every year – and why you might consider joining them.
Improve Your Overall Physical Fitness – unlike a traditional road race, a Spartan Race tests your body in multiple ways. You’ll run across varied terrain while climbing ropes, carrying heavy objects, crawling under obstacles, jumping walls and tackling some pretty steep hills. Training for the race helps you develop your cardiovascular endurance, functional strength, muscular endurance, balance and coordination, agility and mobility, and seriously builds your grip strength.
Because every obstacle challenges different muscle groups and skills, your training has to become more varied and interesting than simply running on a treadmill or lifting weights. If you train properly for the race you will, by race day, have developed a level of all-round fitness that will benefit your life way beyond the race itself.
Build Your Mental Toughness and Confidence – one of the greatest benefits of obstacle course racing is the impact it has on your mindset. Every Spartan Race presents moments where you will question yourself. Whether its continuing to run a steep hill, facing an intimidating obstacle or overcoming simple fatigue, success comes from the grit of keeping going.
Every obstacle helps you develop: greater self-confidence, improved focus, better decision-making when fatigued and under pressure, a stronger growth mindset and a belief that you can achieve more than you thought possible.
Develop Resilience That Lasts Beyond Race Day – Life rarely goes exactly to plan – and neither does a Spartan Race! You might need several attempts or even fail an obstacle – that brings a demanding penalty which adds to the build-up of fatigue. It’s not about perfection, it’s about persistence. And here’s the thing, resilience isn’t about never failing, it’s about falling down, refusing to give up, getting up and keeping going. Every setback on course becomes an opportunity to learn, adapt, overcome and improve.
This resilience becomes one of the most valuable rewards long after you’ve collected your medal.
Experience the Power of Teamwork – although many people run Spartan races as individuals, and that is my previous experience, racing as part of a team creates an entirely different experience.
Teammates encourage one another over difficult obstacles and terrain; they celebrate their successes together when energy levels fade. The result is way more than just completing a race. You build: trust, communication, accountability, the sense of shared experience and achievement, and build and cement friendships.
I ran this race with my two sons – it wasn’t me leading anymore – it was wonderful to run with them, to conquer obstacles together, to watch them both – proud and lucky Dad I am.
Step Outside Your Comfort Zone – Growth rarely happens when life feels easy. Spartan racing offers a a goal that encourages consistent and varied training, healthier habits, greater self-discipline and a great vehicle for building resilience and grit.
The race itself is awesome, but there are many benefits of preparing for as well as running a Spartan Race. As discussed above, there is also the consistency of training that builds your physical fitness, mental toughness and confidence to take on a challenge that might have appeared daunting at first. Resilience is built in training and on the race itself. Running with others is a great opportunity to build friendships and develop teamwork – and stepping outside our comfort zone is the only way to grow.
What About You? – It doesn’t have to be a Spartan Race; what do you do that pushes you beyond your current boundaries? That provides you with the challenge to grow and become a better version of yourself? Who could you do that with?