For many of us, coming to college meant leaving behind a competitive sport. However, leaving your sport doesn’t mean your competitive nature has to just fade away. 

Spartan Races are made for those who have a fierce drive for competition and challenge. The mission statement of the Spartan brand reads “To help you connect back to that resilient warrior within. This community will empower you to change your life for the better. We work hard, eat well, and never stop learning. We push each other to be the best version of ourselves through camaraderie and competition.” 

What is a Spartan race?

Put simply, a Spartan race is a running competition full of challenging obstacles. These races are not for the faint of heart, but athletes at any level can complete a Spartan challenge. Over eight million people have crossed a Spartan finish line, and the community continues to grow. 

Types of Spartan Races

The Stadion: 3 miles of running with 20 obstacles, indoors

The Sprint: 3 miles with 20 obstacles, outdoors

The Super: 8 miles with 25 obstacles, outdoors

The Beast: 13 miles with 30 obstacles, outdoors 

The Ultra: 30 miles with 60 obstacles, outdoors 

The Trifecta: To earn a Trifecta, a Spartan athlete must conquer The Sprint, The Super and The Beast within one year. 

Obstacles

Spartan races are full of a variety of obstacles. Some classic obstacles found in a Spartan challenge are spear throw, barbed wire crawl, monkey bars, rope climb, wall climb, bucket carry, and tire flip.

How to Train

Spartan offers different training programs to help athletes train. You can find these training plans on the Spartan website for $40. Programs include the 30-Day Race Training Plan, the Sprint Training Plan, the Obstacle Training Plan, the Get Fit Fast Plan, and the Mountain Training Plan. 

An Interview with Spartan SGX Coach, Christy Scott

Be Well: Can you share some insight on your journey with Spartan?

Christy Scott: I have been running Ultra races for many years and was looking for a new challenge. I figured that the obstacle course races would allow me to utilize both my running experience and strength that I had built in the weight room over the years. 

BW: What has been your biggest challenge during your Spartan career?

CS: The biggest challenge in these races in probably grip obstacles. I have had to work very hard on improving my grip strength.

BW: Spartan prides itself on the camaraderie and community it builds. Scott shared her experience in Spartan community:

CS: The Spartan community is the best part of the races! Everyone is super supportive of each other. We cheer each other on, even though we are technically competing against each other. We all want each other to be successful.

BW: Spartan races can seem daunting to anyone who has never done one. Scott shares her advice for beginners:

CS: Any skill level can participate. Of course, you get better the more you practice. Spartan offers different distances with their events, which allows all levels the opportunity to participate.

Whether you are a retired student athlete or just someone in need of a new challenge, Spartan challenges might be for you. 

To learn more about the story of Spartan and check out race locations, visit their website.

Be well, Auburn.

Photography: Spartan via Grace H., Deon N.