Race Recap: Spartan Stadium

Event: Spartan Stadium
Date: 5th December 2015
Distance: Approx 5km
Type: Obstacle Race
Where: Simonds Stadium, Geelong, Victoria.
Event Partners/Sponsors: Reebok, IronEdge, Concept2

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I’m no stranger to Spartan Race, we all know that.

When Spartan announced that they were going to a stadium series, I knew that I wanted to do it.

On the 5th of December, I completed my 1st Spartan Stadium and my last Spartan for 2015.

Completing 3 Spartans in one calendar year is a Trifecta.  Except for the fact that you need to go Sprint, Super, Beast/Ultra Beast to get a red, blue & green plate.

While this obstacle race is in a stadium and isn’t muddy, it is ‘technically’ a sprint distance (under 7km), so therefore I didn’t get my trifecta plate.

If wanting the plate meant something to me, then yes I would have set out to achieve it, but it didn’t.

In fact, I went into this race just to enjoy it and not race it.

If I were completely honest, my heart wasn’t completely in it, but I committed myself in 2015 to finish what I started.

Part of the reason was that I was mentally, and physically exhausted.  Having just done Afterglow the week prior, and working quite a bit in the lead-up to Christmas, it’s safe to say I was glad just to finish this one.

Upon arrival, Tom dropped me off while he went to get coffee and run some errands.

I picked up a top at merchandise, checked my bag, and decided to hop in an earlier wave.

Waves were every 10 minutes, and in the wave that I was in there were only 10 of us. I was one of the few that had Spartan Races under my belt. There were a few others that looked very nervous, and I’m sure they thought “oh god what have I gotten myself into”. Oh how I know that feeling.

The course weaved in and around the Simonds Stadium, and Kardina Park.

There were obstacle regulars, like

• Over, Under & Through
• Net Crawl
• Berlin wall
• Traverse wall
• Sandbag carry

Then there were obstacles that utilise the features of the park-like

• Box Jump
• Step Jumps
• Burpee corridor

Overall there were 2 obstacles that I was really happy with how I performed, and two not so much.

Winning Obstacle 1

“Traverse Wall”

I have learned from my past events, that to successfully complete this obstacle you need to use your dominant side (I’m right-handed) to lead you.

In the past, I just selected any free wall.  Well, let me tell you using my left as my lead side made me feel completely uncoordinated.

Needless to say, when I got to the end, I may have shouted “booyah”.

Winning Obstacle 2

This particular obstacle utilised a Concept2 machine called a Skierg.

It’s like skiing and rowing, and it’s hard work.

The mission was to get to 200m in 1 minute. Failure to do so would mean 30 burpee’s.

Having never used this machine before I had no idea what to expect.  In fact, I stumbled on the first pull, but after that, I got into a rhythm and smashed out the 200m in approx 45 seconds.

Winning!

Failed Obstacle 1

“Balls to the wall”

I smashed this one at the Sprint event in September.  This time around I swears the wall was so much higher.

Failed Obstacle 2

“The Fortress”.

I gave one look at this obstacle at the Sprint event in September and just did the burpees instead.

This time around I decided to tackle it.  I failed.  But I gave it a go.

I know that if ever want to successfully complete this obstacle I need to get my rock climbing under my belt.

In the last 300m of Spartan Stadium, they have something called the 300.

It is a collection of obstacles all crammed in.  If you fail any part of the obstacles in the 300, the penatly is only 10 burpees opposed to the standard 30.

The 300 is also (separately) timed.

Yes, there were burpees (thank goodness only 10 at a time).

• Slipping on the rock climbing wall
• Javelin throw
• Cramp on a net climb

There were also obstacles that were out of the box. Like Fence Leap. I’m calling it that because I can’t call it a leap of faith, as that’s another obstacle in the 300.

Fence leap, saw you leaping from one plank of wood to another about 1.5m away and 1m high.

You had to trust the volunteer to spot you.

I smashed this one and ended up rolling right over the wood.

Gymnastics training for the win.

Overall I had a great time, despite getting a cramp in my calf during the 300.

If I would do this again, I would train hard for it and go as fast and hard as possible, and with a team of course.