Race Review: Spartan Sprint Melbourne

I knew when I volunteered at Spartan Super that I was going to be a Spartan.

I enrolled myself in the Melbourne Sprint event in May 2014, but alas due to getting sick that never happened.

The event organisers had to cancel the Super Race in December 2014 due to the CFA fire restrictions.

That event ended up happening in March 2015, which I did with a team, and you can read about it here.

I had a ball at Spartan Super and knew that I was wanting to do it again.

I knew I wanted to do another Spartan.

I also knew I wanted to do another Tough Mudder.

Part of the problem was that Spartan (September) was a month before Melbourne Tough Mudder (October).

My choices were:

• Do the Spartan Beast (with a team), and have a cruise-y Tough Mudder
• Do a cruise-y Spartan Sprint, and give it all I got for Tough Mudder
• Do both hardcore

The more I thought about it the more I realised I had already made the decision. Spartan Sprint it is.

The location for the Melbourne Spartan Sprint/Beast/Ultra Beast was once again at Lake Dewar.

It also happened to fall on the 1st day of our holidays so it was a kickstart to our holiday adventures..

A few days prior, one of the ladies on the RMA Facebook asked if anyone else was doing the Sprint, as she was doing it alone.  I told her that I was doing it, and I was happy to do it with her.

She had a rookie pass so could skip obstacles and not be penalised with burpee’s.  While not a fast runner, it was nice to take the whole event easy, and have company.

Julie did fantastically, she attempted all the obstacles and gave it 100%. She even did some burpee’s with me.  What a champ.

While at the same location obstacles were in different spots.  The Spinters had to follow the red arrows, while those doing the Beast had to follow the green arrows.

They also made some modifications to obstacles, like the Monkey Bars.
This year they put up wood on the sides so you could rest on the metal bars. Well played Spartan, well played.

The wood didn’t stop me from hitting that cow bell though. I made it through right to the end.

I also totally owned the rope climb.  The Stawell Gymnastics club has one that I have used, so having access to one does help. Knowing how to climb a rope also does help.  This is the method that I use.

The first obstacle I failed and therefore my first lot of Burpee’s was the balance beam.  I totally nailed this last time, but this time around I failed, and right at the start too.

I blame the freezing cold water from the previous obstacle for my failure.  The water was cold enough to take my breath away.  I was fine putting my legs in, but once the water got to my chest, I could feel my whole body lock up.

I’m not ashamed to admit that I used the rope to help pull myself across.

The sandbag carry was also the washer run.

The females got to carry a 12kg sandbag down a hill, collect a washer and come back up to deliver the washer and the sandbag.

Julie mistakenly took a men’s sandbag instead of a female’s.  She was carrying 20kg.  She wasn’t aware of this until I came back to help her, and told her that her bag was definitely heavier than the one I was carrying.

My next failed obstacle was this one.

Yeah I only had to look at this one to realise that without a bigger team, it wasn’t going to happen. Punched out another 30 burpees.

The Javelin throw was a given 30 burpees, I knew that.  But I gave it a go, I was too far right, but at least now I know to move left for when I tackle this obstacle in Spartan Stadium.

The course was a little longer than the expected 7km distance, it was closer to 9, but I didn’t mind I was having fun.

See I told you fun.

When I got to the rope traverse I could tell I was getting tired.  With very little energy left I knew I could give it a go, and most likely fail which meant burpees, or just doing the burpees. I chose the burpees.

When I did the Super I failed at the Ball Wall. The obstacle was simple, throw a medicine ball over a wall.

Once again I saw so many women trying to throw the ball like a netball. I knew that simply was not going to happen. I needed more momentum, as that ball was heavy.

I am pleased to say this obstacle was my BIATCH. Totally owned it. This time around it didn’t teeter at the top and fall down on my side. I clearly went over and landed on the other side. I was one happy chappy.

The last obstacle was a smallish Spartan300.  With a wall traverse and rope netting.

I’m crap at those wall traverses, so instead pushed out burpees.  I got to 20 and one of the volunteers said I did enough.  Volunteer Traverse Lady, I know I told you on the day, but I love you a long time.

Julie and I crossed the line in 1h51min.  Not bad considering we took it pretty cruise-y.

I finished just in time to race over to the Spartan Kids, but that recap will be another time.