Quick Review: Cold. Wet. Amazing terrain. No penalties. Third place.
A little more detail....
The car said 27 degrees when we parked for the Atlanta Spartan Sprint on Saturday, March 7. By the start of the race, it had maybe hit 31. Maybe. That was probably the coldest it has been at the start of a Spartan Race for me. Dallas in 2014 was cold and windy, but it was at least above freezing.
The corral for the 8:00 a.m. elite heat was packed when I showed up, so I maybe made it to the 3rd row back by the time the race started (about 8:07 a.m.). Unfortunately, even that far back put me behind the herd by the time we reached the first few obstacles including some higher than usual walls. The herd went out fast! And I did not break from the herd until the monkey bars, which were covered in frost. Hooking the bars with my arms saved me, while I overhead the ref say "you guys are dropping like flies."
Next was the memorization board, which they had turned upside down. Well played, Spartan Race. Well played. (Kilo 289-7281)
You then entered the spectator area and hit the Herc Hoist before entering the woods for some amazing on-trail and off-trail running. The Herc Hoist had me questioning life, but a dude behind me said, "Come on, Relentless." I finally hoisted it up, but not before being passed. (Side Note: This was the first race with our Relentless shirts, which have Relentless printed on the backs.)
By this point in the race, I'm in 6th (I think) right behind another guy. I follow the other guy and work on recovering from the Herc Hoist. Once recovered, we hit the rolling mud where I almost go under after jumping out and falling back after landing. I walked the rest of them. Everyone was slow to get going after that water. Think of a diesel engine trying to start in below 0 conditions.
Once the engine warmed up again, I passed another guy and started running with another one. At this point, we were 4th and 5th. Sweet. I'm good with top 5 for the first race of the year, and the top 3 are no where in site.
We knock out the bucket carry and the sandbag carry. We hit some hills. I switch to walking part of the hills while he keeps running...but we stay the same pace. Somewhere in here the gap opened up, and I had a comfortable 4th place.
Coming back into the spectator area you end with 11 obstacles--great for spectators. Crappy if you fail any as an athlete. The new double-up was easy, but I could see how it would freak most people out. Rattled off my memorization word and numbers. "Go!" the spectator told me, so I went! Spear throw. Stuck it. And it was a this point I moved into 3rd due to a failed spear throw by the guy that was in 3rd.
Managed the rope swing. Rolled the barbwire. Froze going under the dunk wall. (I'm sure the spectators loved the look on my face.) Over a couple cargo net obstacles and the rope climb, and I cruised into the finish in 3rd.
Thanks to Vita Coco for the coconut water. I hydrated before and after the race with it.
Lessons Learned
A little more detail....
The car said 27 degrees when we parked for the Atlanta Spartan Sprint on Saturday, March 7. By the start of the race, it had maybe hit 31. Maybe. That was probably the coldest it has been at the start of a Spartan Race for me. Dallas in 2014 was cold and windy, but it was at least above freezing.
The corral for the 8:00 a.m. elite heat was packed when I showed up, so I maybe made it to the 3rd row back by the time the race started (about 8:07 a.m.). Unfortunately, even that far back put me behind the herd by the time we reached the first few obstacles including some higher than usual walls. The herd went out fast! And I did not break from the herd until the monkey bars, which were covered in frost. Hooking the bars with my arms saved me, while I overhead the ref say "you guys are dropping like flies."
Next was the memorization board, which they had turned upside down. Well played, Spartan Race. Well played. (Kilo 289-7281)
You then entered the spectator area and hit the Herc Hoist before entering the woods for some amazing on-trail and off-trail running. The Herc Hoist had me questioning life, but a dude behind me said, "Come on, Relentless." I finally hoisted it up, but not before being passed. (Side Note: This was the first race with our Relentless shirts, which have Relentless printed on the backs.)
By this point in the race, I'm in 6th (I think) right behind another guy. I follow the other guy and work on recovering from the Herc Hoist. Once recovered, we hit the rolling mud where I almost go under after jumping out and falling back after landing. I walked the rest of them. Everyone was slow to get going after that water. Think of a diesel engine trying to start in below 0 conditions.
Once the engine warmed up again, I passed another guy and started running with another one. At this point, we were 4th and 5th. Sweet. I'm good with top 5 for the first race of the year, and the top 3 are no where in site.
We knock out the bucket carry and the sandbag carry. We hit some hills. I switch to walking part of the hills while he keeps running...but we stay the same pace. Somewhere in here the gap opened up, and I had a comfortable 4th place.
Coming back into the spectator area you end with 11 obstacles--great for spectators. Crappy if you fail any as an athlete. The new double-up was easy, but I could see how it would freak most people out. Rattled off my memorization word and numbers. "Go!" the spectator told me, so I went! Spear throw. Stuck it. And it was a this point I moved into 3rd due to a failed spear throw by the guy that was in 3rd.
Managed the rope swing. Rolled the barbwire. Froze going under the dunk wall. (I'm sure the spectators loved the look on my face.) Over a couple cargo net obstacles and the rope climb, and I cruised into the finish in 3rd.
Lessons Learned
- Don't cut the warm up short. My legs felt tight for the first mile, which doesn't work when it's only 4.7 miles long.
- Keep practicing the bucket carry, pull ups, spear throw, and rope climb.
- Start on the front and be ready to go like mad until the pace calms down.
