Why try the Spartan race and how to train?
by Niki Bubeníková • Apr 18th, 2023

Want to know what a Spartan is?

Do you like sports, are you in nature and would you like to try something new? You've heard of Spartan, but you don't know what to imagine under it? What lies behind it and what awaits you? Come with me and I'll try to introduce you to the world of Spartan in a few minutes, and maybe soon we'll start together.

Spartan is an obstacle course that takes you through a beautiful environment. It is a lifestyle that can change you and show you the right direction. It is a challenge that will show you what you are physically and mentally capable of. It's a huge experience that no one will ever take away from you. But you don't need to be afraid of that, because in addition to all this, it will bring great people into your life, whom you can meet here, great experiences - which will stay with you and give you the courage to overcome what may seem unattainable at first glance.

The true strength of Spartan is that despite the fact that we are all different and unique and have different lives, we are all equal at the start. All with the same goal – to surpass themselves, to experience something new. Spartan is designed for absolutely everyone - a professional or recreational athlete, a lover of challenges, a group of friends or an enthusiast of exercise and a healthy lifestyle.

Why is Spartan still worth experiencing? The atmosphere in the festival arena is unforgettable, you'll like the energy at the start, but what will really convince you is the feeling you'll experience at the finish line - it's not for nothing that Spartan's motto is - "You'll understand at the finish line!".

Do I have your attention yet? So let's imagine Spartan.

Spartan has several levels to choose from.

Basic level – Sprint - 5 km run + 20 obstacles Intermediate level – Super – 10 km run + 25 obstacles High level - Beast - 21 km run + 30 obstacles The most difficult ULTRA level – 50 km run + 60 obstacles

After reaching the finish line, you will always receive a finisher's t-shirt and a medal that will correspond to the difficulty of the race, as well as a third medal, from which you can assemble a separate special medal called TRIFECTA (completion of Sprint, Super and Beast/Ultra courses).

Obstacles are an integral part of Spartan. These are typical Spartan obstacles such as throwing a spear, crawling under barbed wire, swimming or swimming under. There is also jumping over walls, climbing and carrying loads. Hand-held or balance obstacles are very popular. You have several attempts at some obstacles (e.g. climbing) but also some that you will only have one attempt at (e.g. climbing).

Some obstacles will be mandatory (e.g. jumping over and under the obstacle) and then there are those for which you will be punished in the form of 30 BURPEES - 30 Englishmen. At every obstacle there will be volunteers who will watch over you. 😊 You can also contact these volunteers if you are not sure how to overcome the obstacle correctly. In addition to giving you advice, they will certainly also give you excellent support, or even learn English with you. You don't have to worry about doing the punishment yourself, in the zone set aside for criminal Englishmen you will also meet experienced Spartans 😊 and not just one. During the race, in addition to the obstacles, there will be several refreshment stations on the track, where you can fill up on fluids or sugar/salt. The number of these "refreshers" varies by Spartan level.

The obstacles didn't appeal to you, but you still want to experience Spartan? I offer you the option of the Spartan Trail - which is primarily focused on running in beautiful nature, hills, and here you will not be surprised by any Spartan obstacles - only the natural ones (climbing and hills) and not even any punitive English ones. Spartan Trail also offers you several levels - 10km, 21km and 50km, where you can also make a Trailfecta from thirds (passing all three levels).

Do you like a team, can you work in it and do you have courage? Then I have Spartan Endurance for you, where Hurricane Heat belongs. It is not a classic race, but an endurance event where teams perform various tasks and challenges under the guidance of drill masters. A Gear list is announced in advance for each Hurricane Heat - a list that you must bring with you to this event. These are things - with which you will fulfill individual and team tasks. Hurricane Heat will test who you really are. How deep are your physical and mental strengths and whether you can truly sacrifice yourself for the collective. HH also has its three basic difficulty levels (drill duration) – 4 hours, 12 hours and 24 hours. After completing all 3 levels, you will also receive thirds, from which you can assemble the Endurance (Spirit) Trifecta.

I firmly believe that I have sufficiently presented the individual alternatives to Spartan and you already know that it is really a race of a different kind. You have chosen the right ones for yourself and now comes the important moment, which is registration. How can you register? You can register on the website spartanrace.onlinesystem.cz or directly at the race venue, unless the capacity is full. On the spartanrace.onlinesystem.cz website, you choose the country in which you want to run your race. First you register, fill in your data and sign a digital return (you can find the procedure here: spartanslovakia.zendesk.com and you just have to choose the right wave in which you will run. You have several waves to choose from:

ELITE wool - the best of the best run here. If you're a complete Spartan newbie, I recommend skipping this wave for a while. However, I believe that one day you will also stand at the start of the Elite wave.

Age Group wave – waves divided by age category, where you compete for placement.

STG wave – wave only for members of Spartan training groups (you can find all information about STG groups here: spartanslovakia.zendesk.com

OPEN wave – a wave for all those who are not running for the goal of placement. Suitable for a beginner. In this wave, you are allowed to help each other, you can choose to start at several times, and in this wave it is possible to walk the entire time, if you are not yet a complete friend with running.

So, now you finally have your registration, you have chosen the right wave, the size of the finisher's t-shirt, which will remind you of this great experience and all that you have achieved, and there is nothing left for you to do but start training. 😊 We already know that we need to train for running and obstacles, so I recommend running, and especially the one in the field. Hiking, walking up hills, or carrying loads in the hills are also suitable. As for running itself, you should of course start lightly and gradually increase the intensity, unless you are already an experienced runner. Try to play around with running training, vary the types of training - jogging, sprints, short runs, long runs, but also running uphill. Strength training is also very important when running - our legs get a lot of work, but also the obstacles that await us on the Spartan, mainly focused on the upper part of the body. I would recommend that you also include complex exercises such as squats, push-ups, and deadlifts. Be sure not to miss grip training. He will be the alpha omega when overcoming several obstacles. It is not important to lift heavy weights, rather focus on the correct execution of the given exercise. If you have a rope at your disposal, be sure to practice the loop. We now have fitness centers available as well as outdoor workout fields where you can try your hand at curling. Maybe it won't work for you at first, so just try to hang on and hang.

Don't forget that just as your physical side is important, we also have to think about the mental side. That's why you need to prepare your head for some discomfort that you will experience during the Spartan race. But don't worry, everything that is out of comfort is worth it. You must have found that out many times in your life.

If you made it this far, I would like to tell you that Spartan is not just a race. It is something that will change your life and I say that with certainty. Because it has already changed the lives of thousands of people. So why should you be missing among them? Come to the starting line with us and experience for yourself what it means - "you'll understand only at the finish line".

So, are you ready to become a Spartan? I look forward to seeing you at the start. If you are afraid to stand at the start alone, I bring to your attention the 13:20 wave with Spartan ambassadors (among whom I am also included), who will accompany you during the Sprint already on June 3, 2023 in Šamorín.

Spartan newbie

Niki Bubeníková - Spartan Ambassador Slovakia

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