SPORTS & PERFORMANCE114 MUSCLE & FITNESS/JULY 2019
Focus more on outdoor cardio -
Running on a treadmill may be clean
and convenient at the gym, and it’s
certainly an easy way to measure your
cardiovascular ability and progress on
the screen, but the best way to prepare
for uneven terrain, inclines and hills is to
actually get outside and get dirty. The
reality of running in high winds, bracing
unpredictable weather and going from
hard to soft ground underfoot whilst
keeping pace is something that has to
be earned the hard way and there are
plenty of apps out there and fitness
tech which can chart your progress
accurately.
Do at least one session of HIIT per
week - The Spartan Race recognises
that not every athlete will be able to
complete the obstacles and challenges
that they are faced with, so they very
kindly offer a forfeit if you should skip
or fail an event which is thirty burpees!
To do this you must begin in a standing
position, squat down with your hands
on the ground, kick your feet back into
a plank and then jump back up to
standing as you clap above your head.
Burpees are a full body exercise perfect
for training in preparation for the race
anyway and with plenty of practise in
advance they’ll make any forfeits on the
day an absolute breeze.
Pack high energy snacks - Some
fitness events provide snacks from
sponsors at water stations and foodstops throughout the course whilst
others don’t. It’s always helpful to
keep a compact high-protein snack
in your pocket to keep you going
when energy reserves start to run
low before the finish line.
Dress for all weather conditions
and bring a spare change of clothes- Upon arrival for the start of the race
(first thing in the morning) the
weather was overcast and the wind
was bitter cold so we wrapped up
warm in lightweight leggings,
compression tops and hoodies. An
hour in it became scorching hot and
we tied our excess garments around
our waists as we continued to run,
only to be treated to a downpour of
rain and then hail which left us damp
and dirty from crawling under barbed
wire and manoeuvring over muddy
obstacles. Whilst the weather is
unpredictable, there are thankfully
clothes stalls with official
merchandise which make a nice
keepsake and excellent training
gear, as well as a Spartan t-shirt,
free beer, a healthy snack,
professional photos throughout and
a medal for every athlete at the finish
line. After taking a shower on-site our
victory t-shirts proved the perfect
outfit to wear to the food court where
we celebrated with a (vegan) burger
and a beer!
From the moment we entered the
induction pen with hundreds of other
entrees the energy levels were
ridiculously infectious and so
motivational. We were warmed up
by a rippling six-packed Spartan
with a wicked sense of humour and