The Spartan Race is pretty amazing isn’t it? The perfect mix of modern fitness with the vintage charm of a bad ass warrior. If you were to compare this point in history right now with the world 2000, 1000, 500 or even 200 years ago you could safely say that we live in fairly civilized times. Modern life and living has tamed us, but somewhere deep in all of us is a sleeping warrior waiting to be woke from its slumber and tested. In 2001 an event happened that woke up the warrior consciousness in people around the world, the very first Spartan Race.

Check out our Spartan Race Training Guide

Named after the infamous warrior society that existed between 900BC and 192BC in ancient Greece, the Spartan Race series has been testing and beasting participants to their limits and beyond for 12 years now at locations across the globe. It has captured the imagination of a generation of fitness fans with muddy races that have all the brutality of a special forces obstacle course.

Warrior Fuel: Spartan Race Nutrition Plan

In the 12 years since the birth of this King of adventure races, the Spartan Race brand has grown and offers a variety of brutal races for all levels of fitness ranging from the hulked out 5km Spartan Sprint to the 48 hour behemoth that is Spartan Death Race. With so much to choose from, we decided to create a guide that will help you choose which race is for you, a workout to help you get in shape for the race, and a nutrition guide to make sure you are well fueled for your training.

The Levels of Spartan Race

Spartan Race: Sprint

Often regarded as the entry level race in the Spartan Race series, Spartan Sprint is and agility test that is still nothing to sneeze at. This high octane run through 15 obstacles is just over 5km in length and will suit everyone from beginners, those who don’t want to kill their hypertrophy gains with endurance training, and individuals who want have a need for speed.

Train for it with:

1. 5km runs to get used to the distance.
2. Sprint sessions to improve your tolerance of lactic acid.
3. Bodyweight Circuit training to get you used to lifting your own mass.

Spartan Race: Super Spartan

The first major test of endurance in the Spartan Race series comes in the shape of the uncompromising mud fest that is Super Spartan. Weighing in at a hefty distance of just under 13km and packing in an obstacle the equivalent of every 650 metres, Super Spartan needs to be taken a little more seriously in regards to training in comparison to its little brother, Spartan Sprint.

Train for it with:

1. 10km runs to get acclimatised with the distance.
2. Marine style Circuit training for functional handling of bodyweight.
3. Hill sprint sessions to improve power and lactic acid clearance.

Spartan Race: Spartan Beast

Welcome to Spartan Races very own equivalent of hell, Spartan Beast. This hellacious course close to half marathon length will do its damnedest to break you with a distance around the 16km mark and 25 fiendish obstacles. That is an equivalent of an obstacle nearly every 650 metres and will push most people to their limits and way out of their comfort zone.

Train for it with:

1. Periodised Half-Marathon Training.
2. Marine style Circuit training for functional handling of bodyweight.
3. Hill runs on Factor 5 climbs to improve endurance and pain management.

Spartan Race: Death Race

You may think that the guys at Spartan Race have a flair for the dramatic when it comes to the name of this particular event, but once you know what is in store for you at Spartan Death Race you will change your tune. The pinnacle of endurance events and the jewel in the crown of the Spartan Race series, Spartan Death Race is 65km of torture and can take up to 48 hours to complete. In fact, this race is so tough that only 10% of participants manage to finish it. Ask yourself if it is a good day to die before signing up.

Train for it with:

1. Periodised Ultra-Marathon training.
2. Marine style Circuit training for functional handling of bodyweight.
3. Hill runs on Factor 5 climbs or higher to improve endurance and pain management.
4. Memory training for mental challenges.

Spartan Race: Expect The Unexpected

When you sign up for most adventure races you usually will get a pretty good idea of what is in store for you as the majority of organisers of these events will  provide a course map and list of obstacles to participants in advance or even on their website to help tempt you into action. The Spartan Race series is not most adventure races! Course information and the obstacles on it are not released to participants until the day of the race and as such you will need to be prepared for the unexpected and train hard in advance. You can expect there to be Mud, water, fire and even barbed wire standing between you and the finish line but how that manifests itself is likely to be a mystery.