[caption id="attachment_480" align="alignnone" width="572"]Fitness Superstore Spartans, Justin (left) and Leon (right) Fitness Superstore Spartans, Justin (left) and Leon (right)[/caption] Well there are a few obstacle course-inspired events trending at the moment, one of them being the somewhat infamous Spartan Race™. So how tough is it, what’s it really like and should you bite the bullet? Our very own Spartans, Fitness Superstore’s Justin and Leon, tell us what happened when they decided to take it on! So what exactly is the Spartan Race™?  JUSTIN: Spartan Race™ is the world’s leading obstacle race series. Simply, it’s an event of pure primitive craziness that you’ll never forget. There’s a range of races you can do. The Spartan Sprint involves pushing yourself through 3+ mud-drenched miles (5km) whilst battling 15 challenging obstacles, while – for a real test of your limits – you can take on the Spartan Beast which is 12+ miles (19km) and a staggering 25 obstacles! Championed as a great starting point for new Spartans, Leon and I decided to take on the 3mile Spartan Sprint. What made you want to take part, and is it the first time you’ve done anything like this?  JUSTIN:  I’ve been looking at doing a Spartan Race for a number of years now, but I’ve just simply never got around to doing one. I’ve completed 8 half marathons in the last 5 years, so my focus has always been on long distance running - but not anymore! After the Spartan Sprint experience, I’m definitely making time for other fitness events like this. LEON:  In all honesty, I just wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I’m a qualified personal trainer and I wanted to give myself a new challenge and raise money for the Children With Cancer UK charity at the same time. Although it certainly looked like a test of endurance, I’d heard great things about it, with most people saying it’s just as much fun as hard work. Great combination! It was my first race, but definitely won’t be my last! What did you do to get yourself physically and mentally ready for it? JUSTIN:  An event like this meant completely changing my physical training regime from long distance running to more strength, resistance and endurance training. Before I signed up for the Spartan Race, I trained 2-3 times a week but I upped this to 5-6 days a week to prepare for the Race. My functional training involved shorter runs involving hill training which I mixed up with planks, pull-ups, push-ups and so on. My iFIT RIP:60 Suspension Trainer really came in handy here for boosting that upper body strength! I also really took advantage of the strength and core programmes on the Power Plate my7. Using the cable pulleys was great for strengthening my arms while the core programmes were great for crunches. With regards to the mental side of things, I didn’t really worry too much as my years in the British Army served me well on that front. Plus, you have your fellow Spartans around you to give you that drive to keep going! LEON:  I dislocated my shoulder in November 2013 and have been having trouble with it ever since. I knew I had to get it back to physical peak in order to be able to tackle what I knew would be demanding obstacles, so this was my main focus leading up to the Race. I also increased my cardio training as I typically do a lot more strength training. I will do even more cardio for the next one though as it’s certainly needed! What was the atmosphere like on the day? JUSTIN:  The "Spartan Village" was really buzzing when I arrived. I was there early because my daughter Amelia had just taken part in the Junior Spartan Race. She had come 1st out of the girls and 2nd overall, which was brilliant! At that time, there was already an air of excitement and anticipation running throughout the 2000+ people there. With Amelia doing so well and the incredible energy from the other entrants, I got such a great boost! LEON:  Yeah, the atmosphere was electric! Everyone was smiling and clearly excited about what was to come, even though they knew they were about to push their bodies to their absolute limits! JUSTIN: Plus, the thing that makes Spartan Races different and adds to that excitement, is that they don’t release the course map ahead of the event, so you never know what to expect! For me, that’s a really big selling point and I think it really added to the anticipation on the day. [caption id="attachment_471" align="alignnone" width="580"]Spartan Sprint team post race Here we are (Leon back, 2nd from right, Justin front far right) with our fellow team mates before the mud bath![/caption] What was the toughest part of the whole course? JUSTIN: For me, the Rope Climb aka. “The Burpee Maker” presented the biggest challenge, and I knew it would! Failing to climb it, my forfeit was the “30 Burpee Penalty”. The other really tough part was the Mud Pit as this sapped the energy right out of you, wading through mud that was, at points, chest deep! LEON: The penultimate obstacle was the 12ft Slide Wall, which involved pulling yourself up a 20% incline on a rope that was already covered in mud. Tie all that into the fact that your body is extremely fatigued from the previous 13 obstacles and it’s a very tough task, one that you definitely need your fellow Spartans to help you with! That camaraderie and team spirit is critical to events like this. [caption id="attachment_472" align="alignnone" width="598"]Ammo Tin Carry Ammo Tin Carry: Wading through mud with the ammo tins, each weighing in at 10kg[/caption] What was the best part of the course? JUSTIN: The warm up by the Head Coach of Spartan UK was a great way to get fired up ahead of taking up such a demanding challenge. The mix of endurance and physical obstacles throughout the course made every step of the way mind-blowingly excellent. And also the final sprint to the finish line that involved the famous Fire Jump was a great and exhilarating way to end the run. So basically, all of it was AWESOME! [caption id="attachment_473" align="alignnone" width="580"]Fire Jump The famous Fire Jump was a great and exhilarating way to end the run[/caption] LEON: For me, getting dirty in the mud, without a doubt! Oh and the Spear Toss, where we had to throw a spear into a bale of hay and make it stick. Lots of people fail this as it’s pretty tricky to nail that target, but both Justin and I killed it! Was the experience different to your prior expectation? JUSTIN: It was way better than I had hoped for by a long way! LEON: Loads more fun than expected… but also even more running involved than I expected! As I was nursing my injury, I wasn’t able to do a massive amount of cardio training leading up to the race so I would say I’d definitely put in more before doing the course again. Especially if we decide to take on one of the tougher Spartan Races! So would you do it again? JUSTIN: Oh definitely yes! I am already planning on earning the Spartan Trifecta Medal next year. This involves taking part in one of each of the Spartan Races within 12 months - Sprint 5km, Super 13km and Beast 20km. Why? ‘Cause I'm hooked! LEON: In a heartbeat! Would you recommend it to anyone who fancied a go? JUSTIN: 100% recommended to everyone, whether you’re super fit or getting started and want something to aim for. It is the best way to test yourself in my opinion because as they say "How do you know what your limits are if you don’t push yourself to them?” The best thing about the Spartan Race is that it’s all about teamwork. Get together with some great team mates and there’s no doubt you can finish. [caption id="attachment_474" align="alignnone" width="580"]Post-race with the team and Director of Spartan Race UK Dan Tuffnell (middle). Leon 2nd left, Justin 2nd from right with daughter Amelia. Post-race with the team and Director of Spartan Race UK Dan Tuffnell (middle). Leon 2nd left, Justin 2nd from right with daughter Amelia.[/caption] LEON: Yep, I’d definitely recommend it too. The reason? Just do it and you'll see! Any tips for anyone wanting to sign up? LEON:  Definitely do plenty of cardio training beforehand! On the day, I could really feel that I hadn’t done enough to prepare. I still completed the course, but I know I would have performed better with more training. And make sure you get in plenty of hill running! Look for those steep hills when road running and take advantage of the incline on the treadmill. Many treadmills have really good incline/hill programmes that mix up the terrain. I used the Life Fitness T5 Treadmill as it has an extensive 15% incline. I’d also recommend a great whey protein, such as Body Power 100% Active Whey Protein for aiding your recovery during your training. Whey protein’s packed with high levels of essential amino acids and Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) which are most effective when consumed immediately after a workout. JUSTIN:  Train, train, train! By no means do you have to be hard-core fit to do the Spartan Sprint. In fact, the Sprint is a great race for beginners and seasoned athletes alike. But like anything, you do have to get prepared for it. Don’t focus just on cardio or just on strength training alone. You really do need to dual train across both. With all the rope and wall climbs, I strongly recommend working on your upper body strength. I did plenty of pull ups on the cable machine and incorporated kettlebells training into my regime. I’m a big fan of the kettlebell swing! I also recommend a decent foam roller! After tough training sessions, there’s nothing better than a decent massage to ease those aches and pains. A good travel foam roller is really inexpensive (unlike massages at the beauty salon!) and is great for on the go, making them really practical. It was amazing using mine after the Race! The only other tip I would offer is – do it!  AROO!! So you've heard from Justin and Leon. Still fancy getting muddy? Visit Spartan Race™ UK to find out more. Related blog: Are you Tough Enough for Tough Mudder?