Spartan Ultra

The sun hung low in the sky as we passed Pismo Beach.

San Luis Obispo was only a few more exits away.

We passed the iconic Madonna Inn and followed the 101 freeway past the terracotta-colored strip malls to the west and strawberry fields to the east.

My brother-in-law Kyle and I were going to the Spartan Ultra pre-race check-in.

Unlike the other distance Spartan races, participants check into the race the day before.

We pulled down an old dirt road that crisscrossed through a vineyard before finding the Spartan spectator area.

I picked up my packet and surveyed the lot. It was starting to fill up with vendor trucks getting ready for the ravenous racers.

The San Luis Obispo Spartan Ultra is held in the hills and valleys outside the town. The course winds through a cattle ranch and vineyard, then up steep hills overlooking California’s Central Coast.

With 32 miles of running, over 4,000 ft of elevation, and 60 obstacles, I had my work cut out for me.

The start time was 6:15 the next morning, and we were staying 45 minutes from the course. Race day would start early.

This was my first Spartan Ultra, so I made sure to find the transition point before we left to head back to the AirBnB. 

Due to the Ultra’s distance and many runners taking over 12 hours to complete the course, participants are allowed to leave a bucket full of supplies at the transition point.

The way the Ultra works is different from the shorter races. Participants complete two laps. The first lap is about 19 miles, and the second follows the Spartan Beast course – approximately 13 miles. There are water stations throughout the course, but no aid stations like you would find at a traditional ultra-marathon. That’s why you want to make sure you have everything you might need in your bucket or drop bag. 

The last thing anyone wants is to finish the first lap without any additional supplies, such as gels, water for their hydration pack, or other necessities.

For me, that meant Pedilyte, an energy drink, chips, and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, among other goodies.

After a final carb-heavy meal of pizza, I fell asleep easily, which was surprising considering I’d be completing the longest run of my life in a few hours.

Training for the Spartan Ultra

I have been training all year for this event. I set the goal of running all four distance Spartan races in one calendar year, including the Spartan Sprint, Super, Beast, and Ultra. 

If you want to read more details about my training check out part 1: Spartan Ultra Training: My First Long Distance OCR

Cardio

There’s no way around it. You must put in a lot of cardio to endure a 30-plus-mile obstacle course race across rugged terrain. For me, this meant a mix of running, hiking, and biking. Since I included a lot of cross-training in my prep for this race, I kept my running miles relatively low for an ultra marathon. I averaged around 30 miles per week for most of the year. 

I also averaged around 30 miles of cycling. This mix of training helped reduce the risk of injury that can be associated with months of long runs.

One day per week, I included a cardio option outside of running and cycling to help break up the monotony and train my body to move through a variety of dynamic ranges of motion. This included rowing, the Jacobs ladder, and the continuous rope. Not all gyms have these pieces of equipment, but if yours does, they are great alternative cardio options.

Strength

My strength training followed a traditional athletic program. 

Further out from the event, I focused on foundational strength – heavy sets of 1-5 reps for 2-3 sets. The low volume allowed me to continue my endurance work without being too sore from the strength training.

About mid-way through the year, I reduced the strength-focused workouts and focused on power and speed work. I included box squats, plyometrics, explosive pull-ups and push-ups, and sled push/pulls during this block. I attribute this training block to my ability to fly through most upper-body Spartan obstacles.

My final block of training was the most specific to the Spartan Ultra. I combined circuits of exercises with short-run intervals. This helped simulate the feeling of combining running with strength-based obstacles. For this block, I used exercises like sandbag carries, kettlebell cleans, clapping push-ups, farmer’s carries, and dead hangs. 

Grip strength is a huge component of Spartan races, so I always make sure to include exercises that challenge my grip throughout a training program.

Want a training program where the endurance and strength programming are tailored to your goal and fitness level? Check out my coaching page!

Mindset

Running long distances is a mentally challenging hobby. Adding dozens of obstacles requires some serious mental fortitude. For that aspect of my training, I did two things to ensure I entered the race with a confident mindset.

1. I wrote three affirmations that I repeated night and day for the month leading up to the race.

“I crush the Spartan Ultra in under 12 hours.”

“I’m strong and in the best shape of my life.”

“I run fast and have crazy endurance.”

According to renowned sports psychologist Dr. Nate Zinnser, the trick is to state the affirmations in the present tense as if they are already true. Whenever I had a bad workout or was questioning my sanity in signing up for such a challenge, I would repeat those sentences a few times until my confidence resurfaced.

2. I focused on preventing negative thoughts from spiraling after a bad training day. The idea here is to isolate the incident to a single time and place.

Saying to yourself, “I’m a horrible runner,” after a bad run becomes, “Today wasn’t great, but I’ve had countless good runs, and I will again tomorrow.”

Re-framing helps keep the mind in a positive state when you’re training for something challenging.

The Starting Line

The nice thing about the Spartan Ultra is how few people do it compared to the other distances. My heat only had six or seven other runners in it. I asked another runner if this was his first Ultra. 

“No, I did one four years ago.”

“Was it this course?” I asked.

“No, but I heard this course is really flat, so it shouldn’t be too bad.”

That made me feel better as we scooted toward the start line.

The announcer sent us off with his usual enthusiasm.

With three calls of “Aroo!” We were out of there.

Like most Spartan races, the first few miles included walls of various heights. Unlike most races, it was still pitch black out. I clicked on my headlamp.

Mile three included an uphill sandbag carry, followed shortly by the bucket carry. These are some of the more challenging obstacles, so I was happy to get them out of the way early in the course. However, I didn’t consider that I would be facing them again on the second lap. 

Within a few miles, the racers had dispersed, and I had the golden fields to myself for a while.

The Elevation

I quickly realized that the guy I talked to at the start line had either been misinformed or was pulling my leg. The elevation gain throughout the course was brutal. There were several points where the hills were so steep I was bear-crawling to the top. I’m glad I spent all those hours on Jacob’s ladder at the gym!

The trade-off was the amazing views of the valley below from the top of each climb. Cows and pockets of oak trees dotted the landscape below. A welcomed drizzle set in keeping the heat of the California sun at bay.

The obstacles were often spread apart by miles of serene trails.

All the usual suspects were there. The spear throw, Atlas carry, Hercules hoist, rope climb, barbed wire crawl, and others. I was thankful to see there was no dunk wall or mud pit in this race.

The Transition

I swung across the rings, tapping the bell just before landing on the hard dirt below. From here, I walked into the transition area. Other racers were talking to friends and family. Kyle was still exhausted from the drive and early morning and was passed out in the car.

I can’t say I blame him. Spending an entire day in a Spartan spectator area can get boring. 

The transition area is a blessing and a curse.

As you near the end of the first lap, the idea of calling it quits becomes alluring. You’re back at the start line. Grabbing your bucket and heading to the car wouldn’t take much. 

I saw other racers leaving the transition area and heading toward the exit. The promise of a cold drink and a hot shower was too much.

I decided not to sit down during the transition. I was afraid that if I did, I might not get back up.

I downed a few ibuprofen and my energy drink. I refilled my water bladder, grabbed my sandwich, and headed out for round two. 

Lap Two

Starting the second lap, knowing I still had a half marathon worth of obstacles left, was mentally challenging. But I had invested so much time and effort into this race that the only option was to finish with a medal around my neck.

I took it one mile at a time. The uphill sandbag carry almost crushed me. But I refused to drop it. I knew if I did, I might not be able to pick it back up. 

There were at least four high walls on the course. I had made it over them easily during the first lap. But this time, I felt my leg start to cramp as I attempted to swing it over the top. I’d have to quickly get my leg up and over on the remaining walls before a cramp could set in.

About six miles in, I crested the top of a peak overlooking the valley. I was so out of it by this point I didn’t notice the young guy who had been just behind me on the way up. 

He asked, “How’s your race going?”

​”One step at a time,” I replied.

We chatted, alternating between walking, hiking, and jogging over the next three miles. The conversation distracted me from how badly my feet were starting to hurt.

Then, he excused himself to use one of the trail-side portable bathrooms. 

I kept going. I didn’t see him again.

I managed to jog across the valley and passed several other runners. I sped through the rope traverse, which involves climbing upside down along a horizontal rope for about 15 yards. With about three miles left, I had reached the most challenging part of the course. I looked up at a series of hills, each one taller than the last. 

I began to speed hike, not wanting to be caught by the racers I just passed.

On the third hill, I passed another runner. With each racer I passed, I felt a little jolt of motivation. Combined with wanting nothing more than to wrap this up, I continued to jog my way to the final mile.

The last mile or two of any Spartan race is loaded with obstacles. I assume this is because it’s easier to put them near the finish line than to drag them 10 miles out on the trail. It also makes every race a grueling path to the finish.

I knew there would be two I would have to take the penalty on, but I felt confident about the others.

I watched other racers walk right past the Atlas carry. Most didn’t even bother to take the penalty.

I hoisted the rock above my knees. Then, I shuffled the 10 yards to the flag, looped around it, and came back, dropping the rock in the dirt.

I crawled through the dirt under several yards of barbed wire.

​My motivation was starting to fade. 

I felt like I could pass out right there in the dirt.

I kept my head low and dragged my beaten body to the other side.

I was dizzy when I stood up. One of the volunteers shouted,

“If you’re going to puke, walk away from the obstacle!”

It was clearly not the first time he had to direct someone where to vomit.

I steadied myself and kept pushing forward.

No vomit. Not this time.

A high wall. Then, an inverted wall. Then, a few more short walls.

I was struggling to keep my body upright, so I gladly took the penalty at the Z-Wall. I didn’t see a single racer complete that obstacle. Even if you do complete it, you’re likely to be very gassed afterward, so it’s important to weigh the risk vs. reward with that obstacle.

I made my way up the rope climb but took the penalty on the Hercules hoist. I was completely gassed. There was no way I was getting that 100-lb bag 20 feet in the air.

As I rounded one of the final corners, I saw Kyle sitting off the side of the trail. He snapped a few photos of me and shouted,

“Only three more obstacles left!”

The Finish Line

I saw the slip wall a few yards ahead of me.

I took my time pulling myself up by the rope. I slowly lowered myself down to the other side. My grip had nothing left. I didn’t want to lose my grip and bust an ankle.

​I got on the stool and grabbed the first ring of the multi-ring swing. I swung from one ring to the next, transitioning to the straight bar in the middle. A few more rings, and I was home free.

I rang the bell and climbed over the cargo net, passing one more racer.

I jogged across the finish line, where a volunteer handed me my special ultra-branded finisher shirt.

I waddled to the tent to pick up my medal and waited in line with the other successful finishers. For the Ultra, you have to give the volunteer your name to claim your medal, whereas, in all the other races, they hand it to you right after you finish.

I immediately put the medal/belt buckle around my neck.

I stood on wobbly legs, my whole lower body seemingly begging me to finally sit down. Kyle snapped a few photos, and we made our way back to the lot, over a mile from the finish line.

It was slow going, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t believe I just did that. 

All my hard work paid off. There’s no better feeling than that.

When we finally got in the car, Kyle asked me,

“How are you going to top this?”

“You’ll see,” I said.

Obstacle course racing will always have a special place in my heart, but I was excited about my next big athletic challenge.

The 140.6-mile Ironman triathlon. 

Swim. Bike. Run

Looking for more Spartan content? Don’t forget to check out these articles:

I Ran the Spartan Beast: Here’s How it Went

What Is a Spartan Race? Everything You Need to Know

How to Prepare for Your First Sprint Spartan Race

How to Do the Spartan Race Atlas Carry Obstacle

I Tried Spartan’s Deka Mile: Here’s How it Went

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