Spartan Sprint

Event Date: August 2015

I decided to enter the Spartan Race again this year.  I really enjoyed it last year when Rob and I ran together, so I was looking forward to this year's event.  Unfortunately it was raining in Calgary before and during the race, which created extremely muddy conditions.  Not that we wouldn't be getting wet and muddy anyway, but this ultimately slowed progress throughout the course and made the obstacles that much more difficult; read slippery!  This year I ran with Andrea, one of the guys I train with on the weekends at Inliv here in Calgary.  It was nice having someone to rely on for the difficult obstacles and to offer encouragement throughout the race.  

The barbed-wire army crawl

Like last year I entered into the Sprint event, which is 5km with 15+ obstacles.  Many of the obstacles were the same as last year's race, but there were a few new ones, which was a nice change of pace.  If, for whatever reason, you weren't able to complete an obstacle you had to complete 30 burpees before continuing the race.  After having to do 60 burpees last year (spear toss and rope climb) I was pretty happy to only have to do 30 this year; that damn spear throw has my number though!  I was really excited that I was able to complete the rope climb this time around!  

Climbing the cargo net with Andrea

Up and over the top

Taking a breather

This was the last obstacle before the rope climb

As previously mentioned the muddy course made for slower times overall.  I was definitely slower this year, finishing in 1:18:08, but I placed 387th overall, which is a significant increase from last year's event.  I was also 58th overall in my age category.  I'd like to get my overall time under an hour, so I guess that means I need to get back in the gym and train harder for next year's Spartan Sprint!

Leaping over the final obstacle!

Spartan Race

Event Date: August 16, 2014

I missed out on this summer's Zombie Survivor race because we were in Africa in July.  I had so much fun at last year's event, that I wanted to do another adventure run in August and that's when the Spartan Race presented itself.  My running mate from the zombie race, Rob, and I both signed-up for the Spartan Sprint, which is a 5km run with 15+ obstacles.  In hind sight, deciding to enter an adventure race 10 days after a month-long vacation may not have been the smartest idea, but I had already committed, so I was running it no matter what!

I was more than a little anxious the morning of the race since I only had a few training runs under my belt.  It was comforting to know that Rob had spent close to a week in Seattle watching Mariners games and eating hot dogs the week before the race, so we were basically on the same page fitness-wise.  

The race was held at the Wild Rose MX Track

We arrived at the track and learned that there would be 18 obstacles throughout the 5km course.  The consequence for skipping an obstacle, or leaving one incomplete, was 30 burpees; a fairly harsh punishment considering the number of obstacles.  After a brief spartan-themed pep talk from the master of ceremonies, our 200-person heat left the starting gate at 10:30AM.  We were off...

Just one of the 18 obstacles

Finishing the sandbag hill climb

Crawling through the mud under barbed wire

It turned out that Rob and I had to do burpees on the same two obstacles.  We didn't get our spear to stick into the hay-bale and we were unable to complete the rope climb, which resulted in separate sets of 30 burpees.  The worst part was that these were the final two obstacles on the entire course and we were pretty tired by that point.  

Happy to be done the burpees and finishing the race

Jumping over the fire that marks the finish to the Spartan Race

All of the Spartan Races are professionally timed using a timing chip attached to each participant's wrist.  All of the statistics are posted on the Spartan website after the race, so you can see how you finished and where you placed.  Rob and I crossed the finish line at the same time, completing the race in 1:01:24.  I placed 961st out of 3,181 participants in the open (everyone) category, 712th out of 1,627 for my gender, and 34th out of 89 in my age group.  Not too bad, considering I barely trained for this event.  I really enjoyed the Spartan Sprint and I'm already looking forward to next year's race. 

Zombie Survivor

Event Date: July 2013

Zombies are all the rage lately thanks in part to TV shows like The Walking Dead and recent blockbusters like World War Z.  Being fans of the genre, Rob and I decided to test our luck in the Calgary area's first ever Zombie Survivor Race.  

Zombie Survivor is a 5km race that winds through the hills above Cochrane's Agricultural Society.  There are between 10 and 12 obstacles that you have to maneuver through, over, or around while trying to avoid the zombie hordes that are attempting to infect you.  Each runner is given a belt with three flags attached, much like in flag football.  The flags represent lives and each runner has three of them to start with.  The zombies that are scattered throughout the course will attempt to snatch your lives away from you.  Most of the zombies are the slow, ambling type you are probably picturing in your mind, but you have to keep your eyes open for the "super zombies", as they have the ability to sprint after you!  The objet of the race is to make it to the finish line with at least one of your lives still intact.  

Rob and I were a team of two against hundreds of zombies on a hot and sunny Saturday afternoon in July.  While waiting for our heat to begin, we sat in the stands near the finish line and watched as the runners attempted to evade the zombies that seemed to be around every corner.  We knew we had our work cut out for us if we hoped to make it to the end alive.

This was far from your typical 5km race.  The course was littered with obstacles, zombies, and thankfully, safe zones, where runners were able to grab a drink of water and not have to worry about being preyed upon by the living dead.  Rob and I stuck together throughout the race, helping each other when needed.  It was a great strategy that worked for most of the day.

Quarantine: Zombie Outbreak

Zombie Survivor Race.  That's me on the left in the bright yellow shirt attempting to avoid the walking dead!

Warning: Zombie Feeding Area!

Nearing the end of the race.  Rob (in red T-shirt) lost his last life just as he entered the corral, but I still had two left.

Rob wass playing the role of lead blocker for me to try and get me to the end alive

Crossing the finish line with one life left.  I survived!

Rob crossing the finish line.  Unfortunately he ended up getting infected!

I was lucky enough to survive the zombie apocalypse, but I lost Rob in the process.  We had so much fun that we've already decided to run the race again next year.  Maybe I won't be so lucky when I encounter the zombie hordes again.  Only time will tell.....

Rob and I enjoying a BEvERage after the race.  Notice how my shirt is ripped?  A zombie got a little aggressive trying to get one of my lives!

*Some of the above photos are from the Zombie Survivor Facebook Page