While on the flight home from Arizona after completing my first Spartan Race I was reflecting on why this is so fun. Even well fidgeting in my seat from all my sour joints, scrapes and what not I still called this weekend a fun weekend. Now as a gym we have done the major races; Warrior Dash, Tough Mudder and now Spartan Race. We’ve also been involved with the up and coming races like Dirty Donkey. So it goes without saying that if we keep coming back for more it must be fun. The why it was fun, was what I was contemplating on the way home.

This weekend we had a wide range of athletes running with us, we had our speed runners whose legs extend as far as the eye can see, and we had strength athletes who would struggle with the running but excel at any heavy lifting. And that’s why it’s fun. There is something for everyone and as a team you build on strengths and mask weaknesses. The team work needed to successfully complete an Adventure race is where it trumps any other type of race I’ve ever done. It’s one of those moments when the sum of the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

As I’m writing this I’m thinking back to the obstacles we did, proud moments stick out in my mind, like scaling a 20 foot concrete wall, hoisting 102lbs of concrete, dragging cinder blocks up a sand hill. Things I wouldn’t have the opportunity to do otherwise. I also look back at obstacles I struggled with, I know next year I need to improve my rope climb and bouldering skills. Everybody leaving that race can make a mental checklist of the goods and the not so goods. That’s the great part, I’m 12 months away from my next Spartan Race but I already have my sights set on a goal.

As I’m writing this I’m getting excited about the race all over again, that sense of accomplishment easily outweighs the scrapes and bruises. The friendships that were strengthened this weekend will be something I have for the rest of my life, every time I look at my Spartan Medals I will remember all the bad jokes, all the challenges everybody faced and most importantly all the good times!

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