Spartan Sprint - Temecula, CA 09/14/2014

[redpuma]

Hey, y'all -

Is anyone out there planning on running the upcoming Spartan Sprint race (3+ miles, 15+ obstacles) in Temecula, CA on 09/14? I signed up for the (8:30 A.M. and 8:45 A.M.) confirmed start time. Even if you aren't doing the race in my location, if you have a similar race date, maybe we could buddy up and share training tips/be battle log buddies?

 

- Quinn aka RedPuma

 

[Outflawed]

I am actually planning on doing this race, but I haven't signed up yet and my start time is probably gonna be in the 10 AM range. How are you training for this event?

[redpuma]

Hey! Nice to sort-of meet you!

I'm at work, so I can't really break down the entirety of my training here since I have pretty extensive outlines of what I'm going to do. Overall, my approach is: 1) upper body and core strength 2) stamina/explosive bursts of energy 3) reduce body fat % and 4) improve my balance/coordination.

 

Since the event is sort of mysterious (you don't know which obstacles will be there or in what order they'll be in), I'm basically trying to get my conditioning level back up to where it was when I played rugby. I mean, what I can tell from the photo albums of recent sprint events (check out their FB page if you feel like getting spoilered) there are more than a few obstacles which require you to pull yourself up something. I'm working on being able to do a pullup in my first challenge, for example, and will aim to accomplish ten pullups as part of my second challenge. That requires not just a lot of upper body strength, but core work. 

 

How about you? What's your plan? Are you going to participate in the upcoming challenge on the 9th?

 

If you're interested, there's a link to my challenge. I'm going to post my full workout plan over the weekend, covering the next six weeks on my challenge thread. Basically, I'm going to be doing a hybrid program with two to three upper body splits, two lower body splits per week for the first two weeks. Then I'm going to do a "hell week" of HIIT/kettlebells/CrossFit-esque stuff in the third week. Then repeat.

 

Good luck!

[Anamal]

I'm apparently just following RedPuma around the site and commenting on all her things!

 

Anyway, here is what I found helpful from the obstacle course races I've done (1 beast, 1 super)

- 1/2 Mile repeats (they suck, but do them anyway).

- Hill sprints and hiking. When you're dead tired at the end of the race knowing you can at least walk up a steep hill efficiently is very helpful. Hill work builds speed and power.

- Practice grip strength (farmers carry, dead lifts, hanging knee raise)

- Get out on the trails and run walk as often as you can. This strengthens the little stabilizer muscles in your calves and ankles and will help prevent a rolled or sprained ankle (especially on steep down hills), and actually really aids in balance obstacles.

- Dips! When you have to get over a wall you basically jump and do a reverse dip (in rock climbing the move is called a mantle). I've seen so many women who cannot do this! Regardless of which course you do, you will encounter walls of different heights and being able to navigate them safely and easily saves time.

[redpuma]

I'm apparently just following RedPuma around the site and commenting on all her things!

 

Anyway, here is what I found helpful from the obstacle course races I've done (1 beast, 1 super)

- 1/2 Mile repeats (they suck, but do them anyway).

- Hill sprints and hiking. When you're dead tired at the end of the race knowing you can at least walk up a steep hill efficiently is very helpful. Hill work builds speed and power.

- Practice grip strength (farmers carry, dead lifts, hanging knee raise)

- Get out on the trails and run walk as often as you can. This strengthens the little stabilizer muscles in your calves and ankles and will help prevent a rolled or sprained ankle (especially on steep down hills), and actually really aids in balance obstacles.

- Dips! When you have to get over a wall you basically jump and do a reverse dip (in rock climbing the move is called a mantle). I've seen so many women who cannot do this! Regardless of which course you do, you will encounter walls of different heights and being able to navigate them safely and easily saves time.

Kewl! I don't mind a little stalking - on this website, anyway - and love any input you can give as a Spartan veteran!

I love your advice about exercises which will really help with my training. I am planning on adding actual hill runs in near week 5 or 6 of the challenge, and will definitely have weekly hill runs from then on out!

I'll be sure to incorporate your ideas as I can!

[Hiroro]

Hey Redpuma, I am likely moving to socal in the next month or so. I'm not signed up for the Spartan but...it sounds like fun. Kinda $$$ though. Do you have a team? I did a muddy 5k a couple years ago and oh man did I need my team. 

 

I'll go take a peek at your current challenge thread, but if you haven't tried it, the Spartan WODs on their website look doable, and the Sprint ones are minimal equipment (sandbag).