Spartan Races

What to expect from Spartan obstacles

Spartan Race obstacles vary depending on where you are and how long you’re racing.

To keep things exciting, Spartan won’t share the exact obstacles you’ll face ahead of time, but you can expect to encounter things like rope climbs, tyre flips, water jumps, mud crawls, log carries and wall climbs!

While the trail running part will require a base level of cardio fitness, the obstacles are mainly there to test your upper body.

Most people complete obstacles alone, but there’s also the option to choose to work together to help your fellow racers. If you’re feeling nervous, signing up with a friend is a great way to boost your confidence – you’ll be in it together. However, if you can’t manage an obstacle, you can do a 30 burpee penalty instead.

How to choose the right Spartan Race for you

One of the great things about Spartan races is that there are multiple distances on offer, so you can start with the 5k Sprint obstacle challenge and work your way up.

The lower the distance, the less obstacles you’ll face.

The Spartan Sprint 5k features 20 obstacles over 5k.

The Spartan Super 10k features 25 obstacles over 10k.

The Spartan Beast 21k features 30 obstacles over a half marathon distance.

The Spartan Ultra 50k features 60 obstacles across a challenging 50k route.

The longer the distance, the steeper, trickier and more technical the terrain becomes.

Naturally, the Sprint is the obvious place to start, but these races aren’t the place to score distance PBs. You may choose to sprint your way through, but so much of what will get you over that finish line will come from your mental resilience.

If you're in need of some training tips to find your best Spartan self, look no further than this post. It has all the workout tips and race-prep info you'll need to make your first Spartan challenge a good'un.

Spartan races are truly both physically and mentally rewarding. Beyond the post-race endorphins, you’ll be left with a sense of pride and emotional strength unmatched by other events.

Whether it’s your first time or you’re one of the many who complete them regularly, choose a Spartan race and sign up today for a race experience you’ll never forget.