The much-anticipated Boise Spartan Sprint did not disappoint. Was it in a beautiful setting? No. Were there trees or lakes or mountains? No. Were there mud pits, rocks, dirt, and cow pies? Oh yes. The 4-mile course consisted of 5 steep hill climbs and descents, with 21 obstacles scattered throughout. I experienced a couple of firsts during this race. It was the first time I failed the rope climb, and the first time I've thrown up during any race. I was moving quickly, bounding over walls and climbing cargo nets when I suddenly stopped, ralphed twice, gave the thumbs up to a wide-eyed volunteer, and moved on. The following 60 seconds were the best I felt all day.
Running up Tablerock trail in Boise was great training for the hills, but I didn't stick the spear in the enemy hale bale target, even after practicing with my friends for months (I am now 4 for 6). You definitely can't get hung up on mistakes, though. You just do your burpees with a muddy-toothed smile and keep moving. Although I definitely recommend taking your time, wiping your hands in the dirt, and catching your breath before attempting the spear throw.
With just over a mile to go, there were 4 grip-burning obstacles in a row: The Multi Bars, Z Wall, Hercules Hoist, and Rope Climb. About 3/4 of the way up the rope, my feet slipped and I slid cursing into the muddy water below. I pulled myself out, completed the burpee penalty, and sprinted (hiked) up the last hill.
With the finish line in sight, they threw in the Monkey Bars (my favorite), Rolling Mud and Dunk Wall, Slip Wall, and of course the Fire Jump into one last muddy water pit for good measure. It was a spectacular feeling to cross the line and collect that hard-earned medal (and half a banana).
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| Feeling comfortable being uncomfortable. |
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| I underestimated the wet rope climb and slipped, which cost me. 30 burpees to be exact...and a few rope-burned fingers. |
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| The dunk wall was one of the last obstacles. It always gets the adrenaline pumping. |
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| Thank you Therapeutic Associates Physical Therapy |
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| My good friend Eli smoked his first Spartan without any penalty burpees! Can you see the ants climbing the hill in the background? That was the last of the 5 hill climbs. |
Training in the Boise foothills with my fellow Arbor Crossfit athletes really prepared me for this race (More training posts to come). I hope they felt the same way as they ran, jumped, crawled, and climbed to victory. I finished in 15th place, good for 225 points toward the overall elite rankings (If you're curious about how the points work, click here). It was a blast and I can't wait for the next one...which is August 8th in Washougal, WA. See you all there...
