Spartan Race Training - Tips For Beginners

Spartan Race Training - Tips For Beginners. Mack and Damer from OCR Kings share some tips for beginners on how to train for their first Spartan Race, including insights on nutrition and how to prepare for obstacles if you don't have access to any. Links below, and don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE!!

How To

Nutrition

Gear

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"Nothing new on race day" has served me well. Train on hills, and on uneven terrain (not treadmills, paved roads, paved sidewalks). Hardest obstacle on a lot of the races is the elevation gain. Also watch a ton of videos to get an idea of what all the obstacles are.

[NikolaTeslaEE]

Love your videos.

My thoughts:
• run, especially hiking trails
• build your tolerance for distance, even if it means you have to interleave running and walking
• a month or so out, do a mock run. Same clothes, shoes, drinks, nutrition, and distance you are going to use on race day. Get completely wet at some point during your mock run as you will be wet on race day. I say a month so you definitely recover and you have time to make changes if needed. Although, if signed up for an Ultra, you don’t really need to mock run 30 miles.
• grip endurance is very important. Hang from a bar for time, do monkey bars back and forth until your grip fails, and build up your hands.
• pull-ups. Be able to do at least one.

Peace.

Poconos PA Tough Mudder 15K for me this Saturday.

[mhunt]

you guys are the best in the game, thanks for the great advice

[mattsully]

Even Olympic athletes can only maintain high output of exercise for an hour, maybe 90 minutes tops. Figure out race day nutrition, especially for the longer events. Every 30-45 minutes you have to put some nutrition back in or you will peter out. My fastest half marathon without gels is markedly slower then my fastest half marathon with gels. And train with gels too so you know how your body responds to midrun nutrition. Not only will you be faster but you'll feel better, have more fun, and complete more obstacles!

[larryreilly]

Excellent advice as always. I would just add two things: First, toughen up your hands a bit (pullups help here, but also do some bear crawls on pavement, carry rocks when you take a walk, ...). Second, watch lots of OCR Kings videos because they're loaded with good footage and tips - you won't have many surprises when you show up at your first race. My 2 cents.

[andrewdimauro]

I always tell people to watch your videos. I tell them you probably have a go pro video of the course from years prior. While the layout may be different it gives them an idea of what the venue will look like.

[jonathandowney]

Great tips! Doing my first ever Spartan race this year in April!!

[jimbragg]

I was there in 2020 and here my thought, what these gents say….1000%. My first Sprint took 1 1/2, my last one just under 1 hr and I also cut 3hrs off my second Beast from my first and increased the number of obstacles I could complete just by doing what is suggested. Thank you both for the advice and motivation. Just go for it and have fun. Spartan is a great community and everyone is helpful and encouraging.

[Mxrksu]

im 15 and just completed my first ever spartan race did the super, it was great

[ratunaikatolu]

Thank you for this. Hope to see you guys in Fiji for the November Spartan Race😊

[harrygrimley]

Correct. Any run training you can do is helpful. I like to pop on some of our local mnt bike tails for training. That said my cardio is crap of late.

[NoFate]

Agree with number 3 eat what you normally eat!!!

[ratunaikatolu]

Hey guys!!! Just finished my first ever Spartan Race here in Fiji. I did the 5K Sprint. Thank you so much for your advice and tips! It paid off in the end. I came 5th but for some damned reason time wasn't recorded. I don't know why.

So vinaka vakalevu guys! I did see some dudes wearing OCR t shirts, but I didn't get a chance to talk to em. But overall it was fun, awesome, and very exciting. Definitely doing it again next year but I want to do a trifecta for this one. Any advice? I'm thinking of doing Beast, 5K and maybe just maybe The Ultra. Any advice I would highly appreciate it😊

[wiiolant]

Never trust anyone who says “last hill” on Spartan race in Palmerton, PA

[GVAC]

Are on cloud running shoes good for the race?

[LindaNunis]

I'm a 74 year old woman, former bodybuilder...still lift. I walk, don't run. Am I dreaming the impossible?

[Lotschi]

Thanks for the good advice!
What shoes do you recommend? Are small hiking boots too much? I know I‘ll have to keep my beloved roadracing shoes at home.

[jerihozey]

Can a fit 62 year old succeed in this?

[jasonmurphy]

Or just WALK the whole thing. Have fun with it. Don't bother with the age groups and do open.

[AlexLopez-sfnx]

What if you can't do an obstacle ?