But I’m not a runner! Will I be able to do this type of race?
We will provide you with a running program suited for beginners. While it is important to train your running fitness, it is not essential that you be a Rockstar runner. That is, the running (or walking) during the race takes place between obstacles so are more short distances strung together “interval style.” Typically, the longest jaunt will be ½ mile or so and the obstacles provide a bit of rest time if needed. We’ve done this race with self-proclaimed “NON-runners” who have had a great time.
Is this a mud-run?
Yes, being out among the elements will mean you’ll likely get pretty dirty on the course. We’ll be running on grass, travels, gravel, even in water. The Michigan Spartan is unique in that it’s part of the Stadium Series. This means that the Speedway will be used during the course – we’ll run right on the speedway and also up and down stairs. Lots of stairs. (don’t worry, the training program will prepare you for this!). Last time we were at this location, we stayed clean for the first half of the race (which utilized a lot of the speedway and stairs) and got dirty for the second half which was more in the trails/mud.
I heard there were Burpees.
Yup! Unique to the Spartan vs other OCRs, if you fail or choose not to complete an obstacle, you have to do 30 burpees. We will incorporate this into our training program, along with mindset training to stay positive even if you didn’t get an obstacle you were hoping to have success with. There is hardly EVER a perfect race, even among the elite runners, so ‘failing’ is normal and expected. We can even work with you to create personal goals of how many burpees you want to avoid and we’ll be sure to cheer you on!
Race Day, Sunday, Sept 8: What will that look like?
We’ll meet at the Valeo parking lot and plan on carpooling in the early morning of race day. Exact time TBD. Of course, after the race, we’ll have a Team Dinner at Chipotle on the way back to town! Reserve the whole day on Sunday, September 8 for this event due to the drive time, etc – we’ll likely be back in Holland late afternoon/early evening.
What is a Spartan Race like? Check out their website: https://www.spartan.com/en/race/detail/4728/overview
Stay tuned for more FAQs as they arrive! 🙂