Spartan Report

Our Spartan race had 29 obstacles over more than 6 miles of course. I completed 17 of the 29, 3 more if you count the ones where I got a boost from nice strangers happy to help out. Apparently I'm really strong in some ways -- carrying a bucket filled with stones, hoisting a sandbag up a pulley and packing a sandbag up and down bleacher stairs wasn't very hard for me. I totally surprised myself!

On the other hand, anything requiring holding my body weight I couldn't do longer than one second. 

Three different types of monkey bars, the rope climb and wall you crossed with just hand holds were all impossible. So were the 6' and 7' walls you had to jump and press yourself up before throwing your leg over. (I need to work on jumping with one foot too!) However, anything I could get away with using sheer flexibility I excelled at, because I am still very limber!

If I were to practice to prepare for another one next year, I would definitely work on monkey bars. 

And jumping up and over a wall. And running longer distances.

And I think I will do another one... it was fun!

I loved how everyone was so supportive and helped each other if you wanted help. 

Often guys would ask, "Do you want a boost?" 

And not just the guys, Courtney and I gave a girl a boost together.

I also loved that I could just not do the burpees.

Essentially you could challenge yourself as much or as little as you wanted.

When Courtney first said she would stay with me throughout, I was uncomfortable with holding her back.

But we discovered its much more fun to race with someone. I wouldn't have tried many of the obstacles if I were on my own--I would have assumed I couldn't do it. 

But with Courtney and Lizzie -- and later Marty when we caught up to him -- cheering me on,

it was much more fun to try. And I could do a few I didn't think I could!

We caught up with Lizzie and Marty at the bucket carry. At that point, Lizzie stuck with us and Marty continued on. But Marty was committed to doing all the burpees for the obstacles he failed. But once you do a few sets of 30 burpees, your arms are pretty wasted and then you end up failing even more obstacles you could have probably done before. But Marty wanted to follow the rules -- even when he got to the second to last monkey bar before falling, he STILL did all 30 burpees. He stuck the spear throw on his second attempt, but again, did the burpees because it wasn't his first attempt. So, he legitimately completed the race with no cheating!! 

(Unlike me who did somewhere between none and twelve, depending how I felt.)

Towards the end, the four of us stuck together because it was more fun that way, and it was fun to watch everyone attempt and succeed or get close to finishing each obstacle. Courtney was able to complete a couple of the monkey bar challenges which was amazing. Lizzie has a lot of upper body strength, so she could haul herself up on the walls and get over. Courtney was flexible enough to get her leg over even if she couldn't press up. It was fun to see everyone's strengths.

Michael (and our friend, Chris,) finished first. Nick and Dan were twenty minutes behind them. The rest of us were an hour after that. Dan reported that Nick "was a beast," dragging him along faster than Dan ever expected since Nick pretty much went in cold and Dan had been training. Of the 29 obstacles, Dan missed 4, Nick 3 and Michael only 2. 

The day was so hot the water and mud challenges were refreshing. Sport Beans were a big help. Water stations were crucial. We were all totally dehydrated by the end. Dan and Marty felt it especially on the last sandbag carry up the bleachers. At one point a 20-something guy was lying on the ground and Courtney asked if he needed help. He had leg cramps and let her and Lizzie help stretch his legs out for several minutes. He was really in bad shape.

Completing was an awesome accomplishment, we took a group picture, then hosed off and dashed to the airport in just enough time to make our flight. It was a fast turnaround, but it was SO nice to get home, sit in the pool, eat Itto's and Cafe Rio outside and talk and talk and talk about the event.

To remember:

*Getting just my chin over a wall and being paralyzed because I was laughing at myself so hard. Courtney shouted, "stop laughing so you don't waste your energy and get your leg over!"

*Flexibility and childhood monkey bar skills coming in clutch getting over the "Bender." Courtney shouted, "Go Mom!" and a girl below said, "That's your mom?!"

*The girl who tried to jump the wall and smashed straight into it.

*Michael & Marty's intense blisters. Their hands were shredded.

*Gardening gloves from Home Depot.

*Me and Lizzie under the dunk wall at the same time.

*At the top of the A-Frame Cargo Wall, Lizzie saying, "I am sooo uncomfortable up this high!"

*Trying to press over the Hurdle and my legs flying under it and falling on my back.

*Bruises: on my stomach, upper arms, inner thighs, inside of forearms, and a huge gash on my shin. Basically everywhere.

*And the very first obstacle: Our plane having to turn around and land in Ogden because of an electrical failure. Then drive to Salt Lake Airport, half of us taking the last five seats on a flight to Colorado Springs and Dad, Mom and Nick flying to Denver and driving the hour to Colorado Springs and checking in at 1:00 a.m, but running into Marty, Lizzie, Courtney & Michael walking home from a late night pre-race carb load pizza run.