AAR Spartan Race Munich

On 12 04 2014 the first Spartan Race on German soil took place in the Olympiapark Munich. Some members of the Spartanat editorial team couldn't resist participating. Two members went a little overboard and ran both races in one day (Sprint and Super). The goal of this torture: the Trifecta medal (seen on the man in the picture above). Due to a special rule, it was possible to get this medal now, as the Beast Event from last year was counted. Now, here is a summary of the two races:

Sprint (~6km)

After registration and number distribution, our heat started at 0915. It started out on flat ground, but only briefly, as the steep climb to the Olympiaberg was next. After that, it didn't get much easier, as the usual walls, crawling obstacles, and river crossings of the not exactly warm water followed. A highlight was climbing a rope out of chest-high water. The last kilometer was completed in the Olympic Stadium, which gave it a certain arena feeling. First, the spear had to be thrown, then a sandbag had to be carried up and down the ranks (83 in total), and then there was a fun running up and down the ranks. Before the finish line, you were once again covered in mud, then you had to climb up a slanted wall. At the finish line, we missed the Spartans with the giant cotton swabs, but the fair maidens were there to hang the medal around your neck.

Super (~12km)

The same thing again, just longer and with more obstacles. The first third of the course was the same as the Sprint, except that now there were a lot more people everywhere, some still from the Sprints. Some obstacles, such as the water barrel obstacle, looked slightly destroyed, as some barrels had been torn off. But for a true Spartan, this is no reason to complain. Before the mud crawling obstacle, there was a detour for an extra loop, which led back to the Olympiaberg, now from the other side. In between, of course, numerous obstacles. Before the stadium, there was another extra loop for the Super participants, which led about 100m upstream through the very refreshing stream. Then it was back to the stadium and the finish line. And with that, the well-deserved Trifecta medal that only 8 people achieved that day out of 4000 participants!

The organization was typically German, so very good. There are always one or two small things to improve, but here the emphasis is really on SMALL things. Our conclusion this time: competing in Sprint and Super on the same day was only slightly tougher than mastering the Beast, but it was worth it.

This year (28 June) there will be another Sprint and Super event in Cologne. More information can be found HERE