I’m a Spartan. Believe that.

Spartan 2012 – Done.

Seems like yesterday I signed up for it. And it seemed like the date/race that never came. Here is the low down followed by photos.
Disclaimer: Don’t read this if you are doing the Spartan June 3rd and don’t want to spoil the obstacles you might see. 

Obstacles:

1. Jump over steaming horse poo. (did it)

2. Scale a 6ft. wall. (did it)

2. Walking through thorn infested waist deep water with a soft mud base. (did it)

3. Mud crawl under the camouflage tarp. (did it)

4. Zig zag balance beams. (chose burpees)

5. Pulled 2 ~15lb kettle bells via a pulley system about 15ft high. (did it)

6. Rope climb. (tried – couldn’t – burpees)

7. Carried a cement block ~40lbs through a circuit in the woods. (did it)

8. Climbed up/down the erect net wall about 15ft hight.(did it)

9. Carry the ~40lb sand bag around a circuit in the woods. (did it)

9. Crawl through a VERY LONG area of LOW barb wire in sloppy sticky mood. (did it)

10. Hoist the javelin at the straw object. (did it)

11. Walk on the high, slippery, uneven cement blocks. (did it)

12. Crawl thru ply wood tunnels. (did it)

13. Scale a 10ft. wall. (did it)

14. Crawl thru black hard tubing. (did it)

15. Run up a ramp into a pit of ice to crawl under camouflage mesh. (did it)

16. Pushed downhill then pulled uphill a wheelbarrow like object with almost ~100lbs of weights. (did it)

17. Crawl under electrically charged ridiculously low barbwire. (did it)

18. Using a rope scale the last largest wall ever. (did it)

19. Galdiator gauntlet. (did it)

What wasn’t so hot:

1. Got bottlenecked. At the first obstacle waiting almost 19min. for my turn.

2. There was no one really enforcing the burpees so lots were able/did only a couple and not the full 20.

3. Some pathways weren’t marked clearly.

4. Needed more tunnels/barb wire ways ‘n stuff – long waits behind people to finish.

5. Water on the course would have been nice.

6. Grabbed the wrong capris – they were 2 sizes too big … had to carry them the whole time.

7. I’d wear long sleeves to avoid the cut up arms.

8. I’d tape my knees to avoid the cut knees.

What was great:

1. I found lots of people willing to offer up a hand.

2. The organizers were very helpful.

3. Getting the chips/bracelets was smooth.

4. The medals at the end were awesome!

Would I do it again:

… I think so … but next time I would …

1. Go to the front – I’m capable and a runner. Less bottlenecking/waiting/frustrations.

2. Wear the correct clothing.

3. Take Advil before.

4. Practice running with weights on my ankles to simulate water shoes.

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