Yesterday I took my first step in becoming a spartan. Even with all the research and YouTube videos I still didn't feel it had prepared me enough but I survived and woke up this morning feeling amazing. (Mainly because to my surprise I wasn't aching from the race)
So of course I have to blog about the race I mean, come on I earned some bragging rights, right?
So since I researched and read so many other blogs I wanted to give some tips that I hadn't seen. Maybe because each race is different, but it's better to prepared for anything right?
•Go with a Group
When I saw the Spartan race was headed to our parts I was so excited and called my husband at work and told him we had to do it. Still new to the area I didn't know if we could get a group together but we did! And talk about a bonding experience I love our before and after pictures.
It was so awesome having met some of the group only once before, now I know it's possible to find people just as crazy as us.
•Arrive Early
We arrived about an hour and half early and because of the next tip I would say arrive about 2 hours earlier. By the time you get your packet and ect the time goes by super fast and before you know it you are jumping over a wall preparing for an amazing race.
•Parking
Once we arrived we parked at the first parking lot we could find. As we walked to the race there where people charging half the price to let people park in their yards and not to mention they where closer to the race than where we parked. So if you can, drive around and see if there is cheaper parking maybe you'll even get closer to the race.
•Packet
In the packet you are given a timer for the race. I hate having things on my wrists so instead of tying it to my wrist, I tied it in my shoelace. Worked like a charm.
•Bring extra cash
Unless we don't know how to read we couldn't find on the Spartan website if baggage claim had a fee so only one of us had some cash on him. When we went to baggage claim they told us the fee was 5 dollars per bag. Thank God Mac had cash because we would have missed our race otherwise!
•Research
Joe made so much fun of me for doing lots of research and youtube techniques for different obstacles but when it came to do those obstacles especially the spear throw I had better form. Still didn't make it due to twisting my body to far to the left. But it was so close! And not to mention I threw it better than Joe :)
•Be a good Spartan
If you are going to walk through parts which I think at some point we all needed a breather, be courteous and move over for those still running or move off the path so you don't mess up someone's pace.
And when someone moves over for you thank them. Let's all be good Spartans.
•Encourage
There where so many hills! I fell behind the group and wanted to walk so bad feeling all my energy leave my being. Someone behind me saw my struggle and encouraged me not to put my head down. She helped me get up that horrible hill and back to my group. That stranger was my strength when I needed it most. Thank you!
•Use your flirting skills
Joe don't read this one! Haha.
The trail came to a fork you could either go up a hill which everyone could see was a killer or go down a trail of unknowns. Majority of everyone went up. But not my group! Some of us circled the volunteer who looked scared to death by the muddy creatures we became. I tried my flirting skills and even though he didn't say much his body language seemed to say the other way may be more fun. But he probably just wanted our drenching in chicken poop and mud bodies to take a bath. And a bath we gladly took as we ran through the freezing creek.
•Enjoy that free beer
Enjoy that beer because the next one will cost an arm and a leg if you dare!
• Appearal
I was glad to take the advise of another blogger wearing tight fitting clothes and less is best for this race! Make sure your shoes are tight and triple knotted.
I am proud to say that this race challenaged me both mentally and physically and like a Spartan I grabbed that challenage and tossed it to the side. The sprint was a great place to start and now I am just as nervous as I was a week ago before this race now as we prepare to run the beast. Skipping the super may not be the best idea but when married to a marine you learn to go hard or go home.
So go hard , survive and thrive in the Spartan Race!
-kristina
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