Learnings of a Spartan Race Trifecta Weekend
Read this if you don’t want to end up in cow shit.
I just completed my 21st burpee and went down for number 22. As I touched the floor with my left hand, I must have moved my position because I felt how it sank into something soft. I looked down and realized that my hand is covered in cow shit.
Given the fact that I spend the previous three hours running up an Austrian mountain through mud, cold rain, and obstacles, this was a new low point, I reflected.
How did I get there?
In September, I competed in a Spartan Race. Not one, but three. On the same weekend. It is called the “Trifecta” weekend. The goal is to complete all three distances of the obstacle course in two days.
The distances are:
- Sprint: 8+ km
- Super: 14+ km
- Beast: 20–25+ km
Each race has some 20 to 40 obstacles to overcome.
The event took place in Oberndorf, a small village in the Austrian Alps — the cool thing about the location? Add roughly 3.000 meters of running uphill to the distance. Wicked.
Together with a friend, I prepared for three months, but on the race weekend, I failed. I finished the first race (Beast) in a grueling 6:45 hours but had to skip the other two events. Not because of an injury but because I blew up in the first race. Even worse? I did not enjoy the race.
The good thing is, I know why I failed. It was my fault because I did not prepare both physically and mentally.
So if you plan to do a Trifecta, read carefully, and nail the following basics — otherwise, you might be so exhausted during the race that you don’t even realize when you’re about to sink your hands in cow shit.
Training: Of course, you have to train a lot and be able to run for long distances. However, a Spartan Race is not about the distance, since a total of 50k during a weekend is manageable. But there is one thing which spices up the race: the obstacles. Although most of them are super short, the obstacles do a lot of damage to your body. Your heart rate goes up, which in turn makes you build up lactic acid quickly.
Also, it is hard to find a running rhythm. And last but not least, you should keep in mind that if you fail an obstacle, you have to do 30 burpees. Those little suckers strain your legs heavily, and you will feel the burn quite soon.
Make sure you train the combination of running and blasting your legs with other exercises.
It is very similar to competing in a triathlon. Nobody cares if you are a fantastic runner. In a Triathlon, you have to be able to run after you got your legs busted in swimming and cycling. It is entirely different than going out on a Sunday to do a half-marathon.
Some workouts I recommend (and didn’t do):
- 12x 1k with 30 burpees after each kilometer
- 10x 500m with 20 jumping lunges in between
- 150 air squats (ideally with some additional weight) 5k run, 150 air squats
- Running with a weight vest
Extra: If you plan to do an OCR (=Obstacle Course Run) in the mountains, make sure you spend some time in the mountain. It’s unlikely that you’ll run-up. Instead, focus on being able to move swiftly and continuously in the steep parts.
Pacing: If your inexperienced, like I was, you won’t do each race of the Trifecta at full speed. The goal is to get to the finish line. You need to know when you can push and when to slow down — be able to shift through gears. Over time your body will go through different phases. In a marathon, you have to push through the downs. On the Trifecta weekend, I recommend to slack off a little because you don’t exactly know when the race is going to be over. Just give your self some time to breathe and avoid the red zone.
Acclimatizing: Be prepared for whatever weather could occur. In Austria, we had 4 degrees and rain. Given the fact that you jump into a water hole after the first 50 meters, this is pretty bad. You need to be able to move your body when it is cold. Your body will lose a lot of heat and, therefore, energy.
Nutrition: This should go without saying, but I can’t stress it enough. If you are not Kilian Jornet, who can go for days without food, you need to start eating early. Most long-distance runners start to recharge right from the beginning. Guess what: I didn’t. In my stupidity, I thought that the race would be so long that it doesn’t matter when and what I eat. I took my first bite of food after two hours and had my first cramp after three hours. No surprise, I guess. Make sure you use the food stations. The race takes so long, and it doesn’t matter if you lose a minute or two at a food station.
So now we’ve covered all the basics: Training, Nutrition, Pacing, and Acclimatization.
Here comes the tricky part and the essential aspect: Mindset.
The physical preparation makes only 50%. If you’re not prepared mentally, you will not complete the Trifecta.
There are two aspects you should take into consideration: pre-race preparation and mental readiness during the race.
Pre-race preparation: Make sure that you know what you signed up for. Like in any long-distance run there will be doubts about why do that. That’s why it is even more important to know why you signed up for this. Be aware of your driving forces are. The more reasons you have, the less likely you are quitting. Write down 10–15 reasons on a sheet of paper. I did this four weeks later for my first Marathon, and it was a game-changer.
Mental readiness during the race: The fun part about the Spartan Race is the obstacles. They are cool, and most of them are known beforehand. However, from time to time, the organizers spice up the race by adding new elements. It adds variety and is part of the challenge. Just before the halfway point, you had to carry a 20 kg sandbag up the mountain for almost an hour.
Be ready for the unknown.
You need to be able to accept when things don’t work out as planned. Most likely, there will be a point when your race strategy fails you.
Be prepared for this moment. Just say that it is ok and move on. You can’t change it. Remember your reasons and make the best out of the situation. We had terrible conditions, which meant that some obstacles (especially those with climbing) were almost impossible to complete. If you fail, you have to do 30 burpees. Practice how to do burpees without wasting energy and accept it when you have to do them.
Bonus hint: If you do a Trifecta weekend, be aware of the fact that you run the same course with little variation for three times. It is mentally taxing because you know the next time how bad some parts of the race can be.
So these are my learnings of failing the Trifecta weekend. Rest assured that I will do it again. Feel free to share your experiences with OCR running!
If you made it to the end and enjoyed reading this article, please smash that clap button. Not once, but up to 50 times — you make the difference.
Don’t stop until you’re proud!
