I just realized this is the SUPER Spartan Race, which says "8+ miles" - I wonder how many extra miles the "+" will equal?? They also say we will be "grinning ear to ear (total fun)" but I'm wondering if they are referring to the beer and festivities that follow the race? I'm excited to give this a go and am really glad we are doing it together. Go TEAM....???? Yeah, let's figure out our name!
The link that I saw said the Vermont Spartan race is 10-12 miles (YIKES)!
I certainly hope people are laughing at themselves doing some of the events - like the foam dueling. :-) You'd have to laugh as you crawl through mud. I going to do more research on what I am actually getting myself into.
I am totally open to team names. I was looking up Spartans online today to come up with names, but nothing exciting popped up.
Some interesting Spartan facts: Over time the Spartan women had more rights than other women of their time (or even for a thousand years later). They've been compared to the fabled Amazon women, but the Spartan ladies worked with their men and raised their boy and girl babies alike, while the Amazons, well...you know... Spartan women were trained in running, javelin, discus+. One of their goddesses was Artemis.
I am envious that I can't participate with you, but I am also super excited of your decision to GO FOR IT! I would love to offer up my support.
I found few sites that might come in handy for you. For the running aspect, you might check out Hal Hignon's training page. Using the 1/2 marathon guide would be great for an 8-12 mile course: halhigdon.com
Adventure Race Training tips:
http://www.raidtherock.com/FAQ First, get a good base of aerobic fitness - run, cycle, swim, etc. Next, practice the skills needed for the race. Make a point to train your weakest skills and as a result, even out your overall skill level. The beauty of adventure racing is that there are so many disciplines that it's hard to get bored. Try to do something everyday. Eat the foods that you think you may carry during the race while training. On a rest day, study maps, research gear, strategize food. Think about race details when you aren't out training. Racers with good techniques, skills, and organization routinely defeat teams that appear physically stronger. Train as often as possible with your team.
http://www.active.com/outdoors/articles/Adventure_racing_101__A_quick-start_guide.htm Hiking/Running/Scrambling Many of your races will start out with a run that turns into a hike or scramble, so you'd better be ready on all counts. Hiking and running muscles are very different, so you need to train both -- and practicing scrambling (on as many different types of terrain as you can find, including wet, slippery stuff) is the key to gaining that competitive advantage on the roadies.
Training: For a race of 12 hours or less, you should follow a half marathon training plan, but do most of your runs on trails, if possible. For a race of more than 12 hours, you should follow a full marathon training plan and use the same guidelines. Start doing hill repeats (i.e. four to six sets of 80 percent effort on a hill that takes three to four minutes to run) and interval training (two-three-four-five minutes "on" with an equal amount of rest in the "off" phase) twice per week in the final month of training leading up to the race. Tips: Race and train in trail running shoes versus regular road running shoes. (Better grip, more stability, fewer stone bruises and fewer blisters.) Practice running/hiking with a 10-15 pound pack several times before your race, both for the strength benefits and the knowledge of your equipment (i.e. how are you going to get to your water? Food? Where is the most efficient place to store required gear for easy access? Does the pack grate you like cheese on your neck, back, arms?) Wear thin Coolmax socks to prevent blisters. Two pairs if it's cold. Take all of the calluses off of your feet before a race. Calluses actually cause deep blisters, which are very painful. Wear short gaitors to keep "crap" out of your shoes
Last but not least.. The Killington Area Lodging Guide link. Many places are already advertising special deals for the weekend of the SPARTAN Challenge.
I just realized this is the SUPER Spartan Race, which says "8+ miles" - I wonder how many extra miles the "+" will equal?? They also say we will be "grinning ear to ear (total fun)" but I'm wondering if they are referring to the beer and festivities that follow the race?
ReplyDeleteI'm excited to give this a go and am really glad we are doing it together. Go TEAM....???? Yeah, let's figure out our name!
The link that I saw said the Vermont Spartan race is 10-12 miles (YIKES)!
ReplyDeleteI certainly hope people are laughing at themselves doing some of the events - like the foam dueling. :-) You'd have to laugh as you crawl through mud. I going to do more research on what I am actually getting myself into.
I am totally open to team names. I was looking up Spartans online today to come up with names, but nothing exciting popped up.
Some interesting Spartan facts: Over time the Spartan women had more rights than other women of their time (or even for a thousand years later). They've been compared to the fabled Amazon women, but the Spartan ladies worked with their men and raised their boy and girl babies alike, while the Amazons, well...you know... Spartan women were trained in running, javelin, discus+. One of their goddesses was Artemis.
YIKES! Is right. This is definitely going to be challenging and fun all at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI will try to get my creative thinking cap on, start thinking of team names.
Thank you for setting this page up. Thank you all (I think) for deciding to do this. I think we will all need team support. :)
Hello Lady Spartan:
ReplyDeleteI am envious that I can't participate with you, but I am also super excited of your decision to GO FOR IT! I would love to offer up my support.
I found few sites that might come in handy for you. For the running aspect, you might check out Hal Hignon's training page. Using the 1/2 marathon guide would be great for an 8-12 mile course: halhigdon.com
Adventure Race Training tips:
http://www.raidtherock.com/FAQ
First, get a good base of aerobic fitness - run, cycle, swim, etc. Next, practice the skills needed for the race. Make a point to train your weakest skills and as a result, even out your overall skill level. The beauty of adventure racing is that there are so many disciplines that it's hard to get bored. Try to do something everyday. Eat the foods that you think you may carry during the race while training. On a rest day, study maps, research gear, strategize food. Think about race details when you aren't out training. Racers with good techniques, skills, and organization routinely defeat teams that appear physically stronger. Train as often as possible with your team.
http://www.active.com/outdoors/articles/Adventure_racing_101__A_quick-start_guide.htm
Hiking/Running/Scrambling
Many of your races will start out with a run that turns into a hike or scramble, so you'd better be ready on all counts. Hiking and running muscles are very different, so you need to train both -- and practicing scrambling (on as many different types of terrain as you can find, including wet, slippery stuff) is the key to gaining that competitive advantage on the roadies.
Training:
For a race of 12 hours or less, you should follow a half marathon training plan, but do most of your runs on trails, if possible. For a race of more than 12 hours, you should follow a full marathon training plan and use the same guidelines. Start doing hill repeats (i.e. four to six sets of 80 percent effort on a hill that takes three to four minutes to run) and interval training (two-three-four-five minutes "on" with an equal amount of rest in the "off" phase) twice per week in the final month of training leading up to the race. Tips: Race and train in trail running shoes versus regular road running shoes. (Better grip, more stability, fewer stone bruises and fewer blisters.) Practice running/hiking with a 10-15 pound pack several times before your race, both for the strength benefits and the knowledge of your equipment (i.e. how are you going to get to your water? Food? Where is the most efficient place to store required gear for easy access? Does the pack grate you like cheese on your neck, back, arms?) Wear thin Coolmax socks to prevent blisters. Two pairs if it's cold. Take all of the calluses off of your feet before a race. Calluses actually cause deep blisters, which are very painful. Wear short gaitors to keep "crap" out of your shoes
Last but not least.. The Killington Area Lodging Guide link. Many places are already advertising special deals for the weekend of the SPARTAN Challenge.
http://www.discoverkillington.com/places-to-stay-in-killington-vermont/killington-vermont-hotels-resorts