Spartan Ultra Training

I cleaned the sandbag up to my shoulder for the second 100-foot lap.

I was starting to get lightheaded, which happens to me when I combine cardio and strength movements.

Only a two-mile run left and a 100-foot bear crawl, and I was done for the day.

After struggling through Spartan’s Deka Mile a few months ago, I began including one workout designed to push me to my brink. Deka Mile is part of a series of events, including Deka Fit and Deka Strong. Spartan owns Deka, which revolves around ten functional training zones. The Deka mile consists of ten zones plus a mile of total running distance.

You can read about my training and experience for the Deka Mile here.

Including one workout per week that mimics a Deka Mile is a great way to train for the 31-mile Spartan Ultra obstacle course race.

What is the Interference Effect?

Most strength and conditioning programs separate strength training and cardio, which is the basis for almost any kind of athletics. Separating the two training modes, either by time or by period, decreases the chance of experiencing the interference effect.

The interference effect in strength and conditioning refers to how training for both aerobic (endurance) and resistance (strength) exercises can blunt or reduce adaptation in one or both modalities compared to training each independently. 

Some studies suggest that the molecular signaling pathways that regulate adaptations to endurance and resistance training can interfere with each other, limiting the full expression of adaptations in one or both modalities [1].

Endurance and resistance training can compete for the body’s resources, such as energy substrates (carbs, fat, and protein) and recovery capacity, potentially compromising the effectiveness of both types of training. Some research has shown that the interference effect on recovery is stronger when strength and endurance are performed in the same session [2].

Concurrent training may involve conflicting neuromuscular adaptations. For example, endurance training may lead to changes that enhance endurance but interfere with muscle strength and power development. [3]

But if your sport combines cardio like running with strength movements like lifting a sandbag (aka all the Spartan events) then at least some part of your training should practice this combination.

That’s why I limit this type of training to one” event practice” day per training week. Anything more than that, and I would likely experience diminishing returns. More on these event practice-type workouts below.

The Importance of Event Practice

I started including “event practice” back in my twenties when I was preparing to join the military. There were specific fitness standards for the job I wanted to do. Despite being relatively strong, the fitness test combined strength with cardio, which I struggled with…a lot. So, I hired a coach to help me prepare.

He asked me how many times I had practiced the test. “Well, none. But I strength train several times a week and I run a lot.”

He explained how this was a good foundation, but I needed to prepare my body for the combination of the two, as the test would be administered.

So, at the end of each week, he would have me perform the test from beginning to end. I would log my score.

Then, we would work on the parts of the test where I was the weakest.

Then, we would retest a few weeks later to see if the training made the intended improvements.

Within a few months, I went from failing the test the first time I practiced it to maxing out the score.

Event practice is necessary. 

Though I couldn’t replicate an entire Spartan course in my neighborhood, I could use the tools I had at my disposal to get close. Also, event practice doesn’t have to be the exact event in every scenario. I wasn’t going to run a 31-mile mock Spartan race every week. That would beat me up so badly that I wouldn’t be able to recover and again would hit diminishing returns.

But I could do a 10-—to 15-mile course every few weeks to assess my progress.

My method for this mock course was simple. Every other mile, I would include a workout station that resembled a common Spartan obstacle. It would look something like the below.

Sample 10 Mile Event Practice

At the end of every other mile, perform the prescribed exercise.

Mile 2: 15 Pull Ups

Mile 4: 200 ft Farmer Carries

Mile 6: 25 Push Ups

Mile 8: 100 ft Bear Crawl

Mile 10: Sandbag Carries

Though these event practice sessions are great for preparing the body and building mental strength for Spartan’s Ultra Beast, they do not make up most of my training. I do these workouts sparingly because of the toll they take on my body.

Remember the purpose of training is gradually improve over time. You can’t do that if you are so beat up from your workouts that you can’t follow the training plan.

My Spartan Ultra training is not sexy. Most of my workouts focus on the basics, with some accessory work specific to Spartan obstacles. My cardio training is primarily long, slow runs done in “Zone 2,” or a low heart rate zone.

I also put a lot of miles on the bike to give my joints a break from all the running.

Strength Training

The main focus of my strength training is heavy lifting. Many runners who try a Spartan race for the first time quickly find out how much strength is needed to complete obstacles like the Atlas Stone Carry or Hercules Hoist. I showed up to my first Spartan Super vastly underprepared, having yet to learn how much an obstacle race differed from a regular road race or trail run.

This is where strength training for traditional road running races and obstacle course races differ. If you buy a marathon prep book there will likely be a some light dumbbell or bodyweight work included as part of a plan. This is because the author’s want to avoid the interference effect above where running well is the only objective.

This is why if you’re going to train for a Spartan race you need to follow a plan specific to OCR. Light dumbbell work is not going to be enough to prepare you for carrying a 60 lbs sandbag a quarter mile or to pick up a 100 lbs stone ball…and then walk with it for 20 feet.

That means lots of squats, lunges, hinge movements, and presses. Due to the intense nature of a Spartan Ultra race, I have completed three separate training cycles up to this point. Each cycle is built upon the former, allowing me to progressively increase my strength, endurance, and work capacity.

Training Cycles

I am in my final training cycle before the event, which is the most intense and highest volume. The first cycle involved a three-day-per-week full-body routine. The second and third cycles increased to a four-day upper-lower split.

Keep in mind my workouts are short and to the point. Most take 35 minutes to complete. My training includes two upper body strength days (one heavy, one moderate), two lower body strength days (one heavy, one moderate)

Every other week I include a power-focused workout.

One a month I include an event practice workout.

It’s a lot, but the Ultra is a lot of work. Even Spartan’s shorter distances are challenging, which is why I’ve put so much time and effort into this training.

I try not to do specific workouts on specific days. This makes the plan too challenging to stick to. Sometimes, I can work out four days in a row and be fine. Sometimes, I have a tough workout and need a recovery day earlier in the training week.

Since I don’t schedule where I take the recovery day during the week, I ignore doing certain workouts on specific days (for example, Mondays: Lower Body; Tuesdays: Upper body). This has been a game changer for me as a busy professional with a full-time job while trying to run a personal training side business.

Power Training

A note on power days.

Power training is important for anyone looking to improve athletic performance. Every sport, from badminton to obstacle course racing, requires the ability to generate explosive power. But very few training programs call for power-specific training unless you’re working with an athletic coach.

Power training days include my shortest workouts and focus on explosive movements like cleans, snatches, clapping push-ups, and jerks. I keep the rep range low because the goal is not to damage the muscle to the point of soreness, as one might experience with bodybuilding-type workouts. The point is to train the muscles to recruit as many motor units (motor neurons plus muscle fibers) as fast as possible.

Sample Power Workout

Kettlebell Jump Squats: 3×3

Kettlebell Dead Cleans: 2×3

Kettlebell Dead Snatches: 2X2

Clapping Push Ups: 3×5

Lower Body Strength

A 31-mile trail race is hard enough. Add 60 obstacles to it, and you need some serious leg strength to finish.

As Olympic hockey coach Herb Brooks famously told the Miracle on Ice team,”Legs feed the wolf.”

Each of my lower body strength days included four exercises: two squat/lunge movements, one hinge, and one calf exercise. 

Lower Body Strength Exercises

Here are the movements I used most frequently throughout my Spartan Ultra training.

Squat/Lunge

• Barbell Box Squat
• Kettlebell Curtsy Lunge 
• Weighted Box Step Up
• Walking Lunge
• Reverse Lunge

Hinge

• Deadlift
• Glute Ham Developer (GHD)
• Romanian Deadlift
• Single Leg Romanian Deadlift

Sample Lower Body Workout

• Box Squats 3 x 3
• Barbell Step Up: 1 x 3 mins
• Romanian Deadlift 2 x 3
• GHD: 2 x 5
• Calf Raises 3 x 25

Upper Body Strength

Most people are shocked at just how much upper body strength is involved in Spartan races. Almost every obstacle requires a high degree of upper body strength from the monkey bars, to the rope climb, to the atlas carry.

My upper body workouts always include pull-ups, a chest exercise, a pressing movement, and a few arm exercises.

Upper Body Strength Exercises

Here are the upper body movements I used most frequently throughout my Spartan Ultra training.

Pull Movements

• Pull Ups
• Rows
• Dead Hangs (isometric “pull” position)
• Various Curls

Push Movements

• Dips
• Push Ups
• Dumbbell Bench Press
• Barbell Press
• Various Triceps Exercises

Sample Upper Body Workout

• Pull Ups: 3 x Max
• Dead Hangs: 3 x 30 seconds
• Dips: 2 x 10
• Barbell Curls: 2 x Max
• Triceps Press Down: 2 x Max

Cardio Training

Because I strength train four days a week, I often have to include my cardio training on the same day.

To reduce the impact of the interference effect, research shows that cardio and strength training should be separated by a minimum of six hours. Ideally, they’d be separated by 12-24 hours, which is what I did at the beginning of my program. But as I increased the volume as I approached the event date, that was no longer possible. 

So, I do my strength training in the morning before work and my cardio in the evening after work. I’d save my longest sessions for the weekend.

The “easy run” has been the foundation of most of my cardio training. I would do two long runs (>8 miles) each week at an easy pace, and shorter runs with higher intensity intervals twice a week.

I also do two bike rides per week.

Lastly, once a week (sometimes every other week), I would go on a long hike with some steep hills to help prepare my legs for the winding trails of the San Luis Obispo course I’d be competing on.

The hikes and bike rides helped break up the monotonous runs. The steep climbs were challenging while still giving my body a break from the constant pounding of a long run.

Sample Run Workout

Long Run

• 5 Minutes: Z1
• 35 Minutes: Z2
• 12 x 90 Second Z3/3 Minute Z1 Recovery
• 15 Minutes: Z2
• 5 Minutes: Z1

Practice Races

Including a few practice events in the lead-up to a big race is essential. Whether you’re training for traditional ultra-running, a half marathon, or any other kind of endurance event, a practice race or two is an important aspect of your race prep. Here’s why.

Racing differs from training. Nerves and unforeseen variables complicate things. There are nutrition requirements and hydration strategies. Doing a no-pressure race allows you to practice for these things so that you can show up to your big event with confidence.

You want to have all the question marks answered before the big day. Practice events allow you to do exactly that.

If you remember nothing else from this article, remember this one rule. 

Nothing new on race day.

Race day is not the time to experiment with new shoes, energy gels, or foods. That’s what practice races are for.

That’s why I ran two trail races and a Spartan Beast in the months leading up to the Spartan Ultra. My first Spartan Beast several years ago was a disaster. But now it’s become my favorite race. The trail races helped remind me how much more challenging it is to run on trails with steep inclines and muddy terrain. The Spartan Beast helped me practice the different obstacles. It also revealed some weaknesses (aka my grip strength) that I needed to work on before the big day.

Mental Training

Mental training offers several benefits for endurance athletes, enhancing performance and overall experience.

This is the first time I integrated scheduled mental training into my program. I did this work while doing my nightly stretching and mobility routine.

Research has shown that techniques like visualization, positive self-talk, and setting mini-goals can improve performance. Since I was naturally inclined to beat myself up mentally for every little shortcoming or mistake, I focused on positive self-talk, which is more successful in enhancing performance than negative self-talk.

Here are some key advantages to including mental training in your program:

1. Improved Focus and Concentration:
   • Mental training helps athletes maintain focus during long, challenging events. It enables them to concentrate on their technique, pace, and strategy, reducing distractions that can lead to mistakes or loss of motivation.
2. Increased Mental Fortitude:
   • Endurance sports are as much a mental challenge as a physical one. Mental training builds resilience, allowing athletes to push through discomfort, fatigue, and pain, especially during critical moments when they might otherwise consider giving up.
3. Enhanced Motivation and Goal Setting:
   • Setting and visualizing goals keeps athletes motivated throughout their training and competition. Mental training techniques like visualization help athletes see themselves achieving their goals, which can increase determination and drive.
4. Better Stress and Anxiety Management:
   • Endurance events can be stressful, and anxiety can negatively impact performance. Mental training teaches athletes to manage stress, use relaxation techniques, and maintain calm even in high-pressure situations.
5. Improved Confidence and Self-Belief:
   • Confidence is crucial for success in endurance sports. Mental training helps athletes build self-belief, reinforcing their ability to overcome challenges and achieve their goals, leading to improved performance.
6. Optimized Performance Under Fatigue:
   • As fatigue sets in, mental clarity can fade, leading to poor decisions and performance drops. Cognitive training helps athletes maintain their mental sharpness even when their bodies are exhausted, allowing them to make better decisions and keep pushing forward.

During my stretching sessions, I visualized myself completing familiar obstacles. I didn’t fantasize about unrealistic results; I simply rehearsed the event. 

I tried to experience how running that distance would feel and talked myself through what I visualized as a tremendous but conquerable struggle.

Training Wrap Up

I have another few weeks to wrap up my training before I run the Spartan Ultra. 

The longer-distance Spartan races are designed to get you out of your comfort zone. I love the combination of physical strength and endurance that obstacle course racing provides. Even with the best training, the Ultra is a massive test. 

Keep an eye out for Part 2 to see if I finish!

If you enjoyed this article, you will love these!

How to Prepare for Your First Sprint Spartan Race

How to Do the Spartan Race Atlas Carry Obstacle

2024 Spartan Race Schedule (Dates, Locations, & Details)

2024 Tough Mudder Race Schedule (Dates, Locations, & Details)

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References

[1] Fyfe JJ, Bishop DJ, Stepto NK. Interference between concurrent resistance and endurance exercise: molecular bases and the role of individual training variables. Sports Med. 2014 Jun;44(6):743-62. doi: 10.1007/s40279-014-0162-1. PMID: 24728927.

[2] Petré H, Hemmingsson E, Rosdahl H, Psilander N. Development of Maximal Dynamic Strength During Concurrent Resistance and Endurance Training in Untrained, Moderately Trained, and Trained Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2021 May;51(5):991-1010. doi: 10.1007/s40279-021-01426-9. Epub 2021 Mar 22. PMID: 33751469; PMCID: PMC8053170.

[3] Häkkinen, K., Alen, M., Kraemer, W. J., Gorostiaga, E., Izquierdo, M., Rusko, H., Mikkola, J., Häkkinen, A., Valkeinen, H., Kaarakainen, E., Romu, S., Erola, V., Ahtiainen, J., & Paavolainen, L. (2003). Neuromuscular adaptations during concurrent strength and endurance training versus strength training. European journal of applied physiology, 89(1), 42–52.