Spartan Beast Training

The Spartan Beast is a grueling Obstacle Course Race (OCR) involving 13+ miles and 30+ obstacles. As the Spartan’s website states, it “will challenge everything you're made of!” So how do you train for such a race? As an amateur racer striving for the “Age Group” podium, I put together the following training program and associated exercises.

As shown by the training program, Mondays are for strength training. Tuesdays are for pure trail running. Wednesdays and Fridays are rest or easy-ish cross-training days. If you want to push yourself even more, do interval training on Wednesdays, but see my note about “Playing Defense”. Thursdays are for mock short-form races in the gym (during a short period of time, you are trying to work all your race-day muscles). Saturdays are for long, race simulation workouts. Finally, Sundays are for rest and recovery.

Playing Defense

If you are as old as I am, injury prevention is paramount. If you are fighting an injury, you can’t train properly or you might not be able to do the race at all. In addition, you might have to rack-up expensive doctor visits, physical therapy sessions, and in some cases, surgery. All that sounds exactly opposite to what Spartan racing is all about - get off the couch, and live a healthier lifestyle!

To prevent injuries, make sure that you are getting plenty of rest and that you are warming up before training and stretching afterward. After your long workouts, take an ice bath. For specific problem areas, use a foam roller and an ice wrap. Here’s an excellent video on How to Use a Foam Roller for Recovery.

In addition, if you have kids, the Cover Your Cough (and sneezes) motto is an important household lesson. It might seem germaphobic, but my wife and I have had to cancel several races because the kids had gotten us sick.

Gear

General

• Trail Running Shoes - I like the Salomon Speedcross.

• Hydration Pack/Vest - I use the Ultimate Direction Ultra Vest for my long workouts.

• Sunblock

Race Day

• Tight, Non-cotton Shirt - Most pros seem to go shirtless, but to me, that just seems like more scrapes and pain. I’ve thought about switching to a tri top, but I’ve just been wearing athletic shirts.

• Mid-length running shorts with a zipper pocket - Most pros seem to go with spandex shorts, pants or capris, but I’m not a spandex kind of guy. Others wear short running shorts, but those don’t provide enough scrape coverage. I wear mid-length running shorts with a zipper pocket to carry mid-race carbs and electrolytes (see Nutrition).

• Compression Socks or Sleeves - These come in handy on the Tyrolean Traverse.

• Wrist Sweatband - I cover my timing chip with a wrist sweatband to minimize the risk of the timing chip getting torn off.

• Non-cotton Socks

• Hydration Pack - I don’t carry one on race day. I just drink at the aid stations.

Nutrition

General Nutrition

• Protein Powder - I use BSN SYNTHA-6 Whey Protein Powder after workouts, but I am wondering if there is a better alternative for endurance training.

• Carb-load - I carb-load for two to three days before a race.

• Oatmeal - I eat Quaker Instant Oatmeal before races and long workouts.

Spasm & Cramp Prevention

As you can tell by the following lengthy list, I struggle with muscle spasms and cramps, especially in my calves. Based on my research, spasms and cramps can be caused by the following.

Causes

1. Dehydration

2. Lack of electrolytes, particularly sodium, magnesium and potassium

3. Neuromuscular chaos

4. Muscular imbalance - weak muscles will cramp

5. Lack of carbs

Nutritional Prevention

Before and/or during races and long workouts, I use the following supplements to prevent muscle spasms and cramps:

• Electrolyte Drink - e.g. Hammer Nutrition’s HEED Sport Drink Mix

• Carb & Electrolyte Chews/Blocks - e.g. Gatorade Endurance Carb Energy Chews

• Sodium Tablets - e.g. Medique Medi-Lyte or Hammer Nutrition ENDUROLYTES

• Spasm Preventer - e.g. HOTSHOT

• Bananas

• Mustard Packets

Strength Training Exercises

The following list shows strength training exercises and which obstacles they aim to make easier.

• One-arm Pull Downs — On any cable machine, sit on the ground and pull!
  Target Obstacle: Hercules Hoist

• Rope Climb
  Target Obstacle: Rope Climb

• Fireman Pole Climb — If you can’t find a real rope to climb, you can usually find a fireman pole or a swing set pole to climb at a playground
  Target Obstacle: Rope Climb

• Underhand Pull-ups — Underhand-grip pull-ups will force your back muscles to develop functional strength for pulling yourself up a rope… It’s as close to rope-climbing simulation as you can get.
  Target Obstacle: Rope Climb

• Irish Table simulation using chin-up bar — The Vertical Cargo 2.0/Plus is a combination of an Irish table/platform plus a cargo net. The strategy is to jump high enough to get your upper arms on the platform; wait for your lower body to stabilize; army crawl your upper body across the platform.
  Target Obstacle: Vertical Cargo 2.0/Plus

• Monkey Bars
  Target Obstacle: many

• Monkey Bars+Pull-ups+Hanging Alt Knee Raises — Do monkey bars ’til near failure; then do pull-ups ’til failure; then do hanging alt knee raises
  Target Obstacle: many

• Overhand Pull-ups
  Target Obstacle: many

• Dumbbell Hammer Curl — if you don’t develop strong biceps then several obstacles, not just the rope climb, will be a challenge come race day
  Target Obstacle: Rope Climb

• Farmer’s Walk — Example
  Target Obstacle: Bucket & Sandbag Carry

• Dumbbell Carry (like a bucket)
  Target Obstacle: Bucket Carry

• One-arm Standing Low Cable Row — Example
  Target Obstacle: Sled Pull

• Jump Squats — Example
  Target Obstacle: many

• Deadlifts — Single Dumbbell Deadlifts, Sumo Deadlifts (use 25lb plates for a deeper lift), or Kettlebell Deadlifts
  Target Obstacle: Atlas Carry

• Standing Barbell Calf Raise — Example
  Target Obstacle: all

• Calf Raises on calf machine
  Target Obstacle: all

• Calf Raises on leg press machine
  Target Obstacle: all

• Walking Calf Raises — Example
  Target Obstacle: all

• Jump-n-Grab — At the squat rack, jump and grab the upper bar
  Target Obstacle: most

• Seated Rows
  Target Obstacle: Sled Pull

• One-arm Rows — Example
  Target Obstacle: Sled Pull

• Hip Adductors — After my last Beast, I was surprised how sore my groin was
  Target Obstacle: most

• Hip Abductors — After my last Beast, I was surprised how sore my glutes were
  Target Obstacle: most

• Goblet Squats — Example
  Target Obstacle: many

• Burpees — Example
  Target Obstacle: Burpees

• Air Squats — Example
  Target Obstacle: some

• Alternating Lunges — Example
  Target Obstacle: many

• Walking Lunges
  Target Obstacle: many

• Kettlebell Swings — Example
  Target Obstacle: some

• Split Jumps — Example
  Target Obstacle: some

Training Program

Click to launch the following training program spreadsheet in Google Sheets.