2024 Las Vegas Spartan Super

 

It rained most of the day Friday, and it was still raining Saturday morning as I prepared to drive to the venue.  As usual, I gathered far too many things--just in case--some stashed in my duffel bag for bag check, others in my hydration backpack, and the most important ones for my pockets.  I wedged my feet into my trusty Salomon trail running shoes, which have been dedicated to Spartan races since my first time just over five years ago.  It was a challenge getting my feet into them, even with the special shoe horn that I was given by the occupational therapist in the hospital in Boone, NC a year and a half ago.

I left early and got there early.  Still raining.  I reorganized my things and ultimately decided to leave just about everything behind.  I did not want my bag-check duffel bag to sit in the rain for hours, although I could have packed its contents into a trash bag and put the trash bag into the duffel.  I decided to carry as little as possible with me this race--much like the Dallas Beast a few months ago, but with less work ahead of me.  So, no backpack; no food; no water (there are aid stations that provide water); no phone; no cane; no hand warmers or emergency blanket.  Just a pair of gloves and a bag of pain pills (aspirin and Tylenol).

I have several pairs of gloves, and I chose my official Green Bay Packers receiver gloves.  That turned out not so well, although it may have been just as bad with any of the other gloves.  Finally at 25 or so minutes until start time, I got out of the car, put my keys in a ziplock bag, and went to bag check.  They were amused, but they kept my tiny bag-check sandwich bag for me.  There was nothing left to do but use the porta-potty and get/stay warm, which for me meant a slow jog around the grounds in the vicinity of  the starting line.  A pleasant surprise was in store for me: as I passed the first aid tent, I asked "got anything warm?", not really expecting anything.  To my surprise, they whipped out a pack of handwarmers, which I immediately opened and stuffed into my pockets.

Before long the "pace group 1" runners were invited to enter the start gate.  This was the first obstacle, and it featured a low crawl under barbed wire and a low wall to get over.  The group was considerably smaller than the open heats I've seen over the years.  I did not ask to be put in group 1--the best of the best--and no one asked me what my projected time would be.  I did not belong there, but at the same time, it makes no difference when you start.  All that matters is the chip time recorded when you cross the start and finish lines.

The pro's went first, maybe a dozen of them.  Those are the folks who have a shot at the prize money, awarded for the top three male and female finishers.  Then a second bunch of us a couple minutes later, and the remainder a couple minutes after that.  I of course was last, and I stayed that way.  I did not have a bad day per se, although I expected to have a stronger run.  I rested up the past few days, but that did not do the trick.  I ran a little and walked a lot, but even while walking I had a hard time catching my breath.  My sore lower-right back was activated, even with the pain killers.

Interestingly, my left sock got sucked into the front of my shoe within maybe 25 paces after I started the race.  Given how hard it was putting those shoes on with the benefit of a chair and a shoe horn, I was not anxious to go through the process again without  those two aids.  So I ignored it and ran on.  Same when I felt little bits of gravel in both shoes, just ignore it and do my best to keep them in places that don't hurt.

Regarding rain, my prayer was answered, and the rain stopped.  But then we did the dunk wall, so it  made no difference anyway.

Some of the obstacles were easy, others not so much.  The pattern was similar to that of past races.

Hurdles - no problem

Over-under - no problem

4ft wall - no problem

Barbed wire crawl - no problem

Rolling mud - no problem

Dunk wall - no problem

Slip wall - no problem

Plate drag - no problem

Monkey bars - I decided to give it a go....but when I jumped up and grabbed the first bar, it was like grabbing a greased pig.  My hands slipped right off, and that was that.  Penalty loop #1.    (PL#1)

Atlas carry - very difficult.  A dry ball would perhaps have been easier, but the wet ball proved difficult to lift and difficult to hold while walking.  I was finally able to roll it up my thigh and get a decent grip on it after several tries, but I did not quite make it there and back.  I got all the way across and about halfway back, and then the ball slipped out of my grasp and hit the ground at my feet.  I thought I might be done, but the obstacle monitor encouraged me to keep going.  Once again I struggled to pick it up, but I did eventually get it and carried it back to the start spot.  Yeah!

Spear throw - failed.   I sometimes do well with the spear throw, but like the monkey bars and the atlas ball, the wet gloves did not give any advantage.  The spear actually slipped in my grasp while I was throwing, and it landed short of the target.  PL#2

7ft wall - no problem

Beater - did not attempt; PL#3

Olympus - fail (too slippery); PL#4

Bender - success!  I can't say it was no problem, because it seemed harder than in past races, but I got it.

Stairway to Sparta - success!  It was somewhat difficult due to the webbing being loose and the whole frame shaking as people climbed and up and down it, but going slow and steady (and careful) got me through.

The box - no problem.  This surprised me, as I have never been particularly good at this one.  Today it just worked.

Multi-rig - did not attempt; PL#5

Sand bag carry - success!  This has haunted me since Dallas.  I did much better today than in October, but I still had to drop it and rest several times.

Z wall - no problem.  I have failed this a  lot lately, so I was pleasantly surprised at the outcome.

Inverted wall - success! Like the bender, it was a little more awkward than usual, but I made it.

Bucket carry - success!  My first bucket slipped out of my grip and fell, breaking open and dumping  the gravel out.  I went back for  a new bucket and started over.  Like with the sandbag,  I  had to  stop and rest several times, but I finished.  Those who passed me while I was resting gave plenty of encouragement to carry on., which was greatly appreciated.

Vertical cargo - no problem

Rope climb - failed; PL#6.  A very good trainer showed me several ways to do this, but I just have not been able to get my feet to do what I need them to do.  Strength limited on the arms-only method, coordination limited on the more pragmatic methods.  Will keep working on it.

Hercules hoist - failed; I came really close, hoisting the bag up to within about a foot of the top, but by then my forearms were dead, and it was all I could do to keep it from dropping.  PL#7, this time carrying two 20lb kettlebells.

A-frame cargo - no problem

Fire jump - no problem; finished!