Spartan Race for Beginners: My Hilariously Terrifying First Experience Spartan Race: A Terrifyingly Fun Bad Decision

I signed up for my first Spartan Race because I saw a group online trying to form a team. I figured, if goals don’t scare you, are they even good goals? So, obviously, I ignored all my instincts and signed up.

I messaged the person organizing the team—only to find out he was just trying to sell me coaching. Hard pass. Funny enough, he had never done a Spartan Race either. 🚩 I ended up registering for the 10K race, even though (fun fact) I was NOT a runner.

I asked my CrossFit coach how to prepare, and she confidently said, CrossFit is enough. So, I stuck to 4-5 days of CrossFit + a Sunday run. (Spoiler: This may have triggered the mile challenge from my other post.)

As race day got closer, I made the brilliant decision to watch Spartan Race videos online. They did NOT help. At all. By race week, I was so nervous I asked my “team” where we were meeting—only to find out none of them actually signed up. 🤡

Mind you, I had never run a 10K, nor did I have any upper body strength. The nerves? HIGH. My gear? Just my phone (with no case) and my ID taped to my body in case someone needed to identify me. Very prepared.

At check-in, I got my race packet, and in bold letters, it read:
“THERE IS A REAL POSSIBILITY YOU MAY DIE.”

Naturally, I texted my close friends and family a quick goodbye message. (Dramatic? Yes. Justified? Also yes.)

At the starting line, I spotted a woman standing alone and immediately introduced myself. She was my ticket to survival. 🫡 Turns out, she had done Spartan Races before and gave me the best advice of the day:
💡 Put your phone in a rental locker. Because the course was full of mud, water, and regret.

The race itself? Brutal. It took me 2 hours and 21 minutes, and at multiple points, I questioned if I would live to see tomorrow.

My biggest takeaway? Find a race buddy. Because that woman saved my life (probably). Would I do it again? If my friends joined, sure. Alone? Absolutely not. Maybe the 5K though. ( ps you can see my buddy that saved my life )