ForEliteAtheletes toFunRunners
obstaclemudrunner.co.uk
20
Grand Plans
With the Spartan Race series already underway,
the 2017 season is on course to become the most
exciting year to date! With a host of UK firsts to excite
loyal Spartans and first time OCR participants alike.
The season opener took place on April 8th
at new venue, St Clere in Sevenoaks.
The South-East Sprint (5km+ and 20+
obstacles) proved an overwhelming
success, not only was it the biggest UK
Sprint event since the Spartan Race
brand launched in the UK; but it was
also praised by both elite runners and
first-timers as having a perfect balance
to the course. Almost everyone who finished
commented on how challenging it was for a Sprint
distance but also how much fun it was out there.
This year the Spartan Race UK team have grand
plans to kick on from this great start, with a whole
host of debuts for the UK. You have probably already
seen their awesome new 2017 finishers medals and
t-shirts but we will also get to see an exciting new
course at the popular Windsor venue; more race
events than ever before on these shores; four new
disciplines and they will continue to lead the way
in new obstacle innovation rolling out as the year
progresses. There has never been a better year to
join the legions of loyal Spartan Racers across the
UK!
With the ever-growing popularity of the sport of
obstacle course racing and more races being
launched each passing month, Spartan Race UK
have stepped up their game to show everyone that
they are, and always will be a name to be reckoned
with. Just as importantly though, to show they have
been listening to what their followers have been
craving – more opportunities to test their mettle!
This year will see the first time the UK plays host to
four of the most gruelling events the world of OCR
endurance has to offer. These events will push you
to the limit of not only your physical boundaries but
also your mental and emotional strength. If you have
completed the Sprint, Super and Beast distances
and are looking for something more – something that
will make you dig deep and discover just how far you
can push yourself beyond your breaking point, these
are the events for you.
New to this year’s calendar are the Spartan
Race Hurricane Heats, Ultra Beast and the
UK AGOGE.
Selling out in no time at all the Hurricane Heat (HH)
is well known to all regular Spartan Race followers
and participants and is the first step up from a
regular obstacle course race to an endurance event.
The Hurricane Heat started back in August 2011
when Hurricane Irene threatened the East Coast of
the USA and Spartan Race US were forced to shut
down the Boston Race in Massachusetts. Athletes,
Staff, Volunteers and Crew were all devastated – but
they were Spartans and they weren’t about to give up
that easily.
After some creative planning and 9,000 emails to set
up the logistics, more than 150 Spartans showed up
at 5am that Saturday morning to tackle the Boston
course with Spartan Founder Joe De Sena and Spartan
employees. Little did the brave runners know that
they would be put on teams with strangers, forced to
carry sandbags and do 30 burpees at every obstacle,
whether they got through it cleanly or not. But they did
not toil alone. Alongside their teammates they forged
Spartan bonds of camaraderie and teamwork. This is
the heart and soul of the Hurricane Heat.
It was in these hours of pouring rain, sandbags,
obstacles and endless burpees that the Hurricane Heat
was born.
RACE : PREVIEW
the Spartan Race Series
SPARTAN
2017 Calendar
20-21 MAY
Aston Down
22-23 JULY
Edinburgh
2-3 SEPT
Market
Harborough
30 SEPT-01 OCT
Windsor
