I don’t write race reports anymore, because I know how boring they are. But this is a special case. I have lobbied for a Spartan Race in Kentucky for a long time and it finally happened in the form of a Military Sprint at Fort Knox! So I’m obliged to provide a review and here it is.
It was flat.
It was fast.
It was fun.
It was hot.
The medals were gold. Not real gold.
But I have other things on my mind associated with this race.
I have been away from obstacle racing for more than a year. A few little things called spinal stenosis, herniated disc, and back surgery are the reasons. But I returned and with a new outlook. You see, there was a time when I was concerned if I would ever be able to race again – at least at a halfway, partial, semi-competitive level. So today was about having seeing old friends, having fun on the course, and seeing if I could recapture the pure joy of racing – and it was fabulous! Yeah, I was careful with the atlas stone and took my time on walls and jumps. And yes, I probably could have shaved 6 or 7 minutes off my time if I had went all out……but WHO CARES?! No one is really concerned what place I or almost every other person on the planet got. The important thing is that I have my confidence back and now I’m trying to schedule my next race.
One final and interesting discovery from today. I feared that I would not be as strong as I was before, but (as what is all too commonplace of late) I was wrong. I was actually noticeably stronger on grip strength, heavy carries, and other similar obstacles that I used to struggle with. That, my friends, is the results of months of smart, targeted work and not over-training. I haven’t been ‘beast-moding’ all these months and I’m better for it. I have learned what true discipline really is.
On My Way To Sparta 