It’s the day after Thanksgiving and I’m feeling stuffed to the brim … yet I’m still hungry, hungry for more Spartan Races! Ugh, even reading that makes me want to vomit from how stupid I sound. But seriously, it’s been a hell of a ride this 2018 with getting into the world of OCR.
For me it’s been a blessing, although my friends and girlfriend may say it’s also a bit of a curse since now it’s essentially all I talk about and train for in my free time. Over the last several years, I’ve oscillated between getting back in good shape, then slowing down on my regimen and putting a few pounds back on. It’s never been horrific or a major health issue, but I don’t hide weight well, so if I gain 5 pounds, you can see it – which fortunately works the other way, that if I lose 5 lbs or put on any muscle, it also shows. But the problem has always been two-fold. Never having anything other than vanity as a reason to lose weight to be in shape, and never having a reason personally to do much weight lifting since I focused on running to lose any weight. Being introduced to the world of Spartan this past year has given me something to address both pitfalls. I have something specific to train for and look forward to, and I’ve incorporated weight training into a cardio regiment – a much healthier way to go about leading a healthier life.
So, what’s next? I’ve accomplished a lot this past year having obtained a double Trifecta. Well, I’ve turned my sights towards the next level of OCR racing, which in my opinion, is completing the Spartan Ultra. The Spartan Beasts are approximately 13-15 miles of obstacle course racing through rugged terrain and 30+ obstacles, while the Spartan Ultra’s are 30+ miles and 60+ obstacles and considered to be some of the hardest OCR races in existence. It gets better though. My goal isn’t to settle for any Ultra, it’s to conquer the hardest of the hard in 2019 – the Ultra Mountain Races, which as you have probable guessed, are Ultra format races up and down mountain peaks. I’ve signed up for 4 of them already, and training started this pat Monday.
· Lake Tahoe
· Colorado Rockies
· Killington
· Iceland
The completion rate of these races is typically in the mere teens, making them both the most difficult and most prestigious if you can complete them in the allotted time frame. Many participants are cut because they give up, but many more end up disqualified for not making the various time cuts.
So, am I crazy? Maybe a little. The races will reveal a lot about myself – both mentally and physically, as the body will follow where the mind tells it to go. I’m not sure if I’ll finish, but at the very least I’ll learn about what I must work on. So, get ready 2019 Ultra’s, I’m coming for you.
-Alex