The Mountain Times - Volume 48, Number 37: Sept. 11-17, 2019

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22 • SPARTAN RACE The Mountain Times • Sept. 11-17, 2019 Photos by Paul Holmes New for 2019! Register online runreg.com/climb-the-moose free t-shirt with entry before Sept. 30. the moose MOOSALAMOO VERMONT Come Climb the Moose at Moosalamoo National Recreation Area in Salisbury, Vt. on Saturday, Oct. 12, at 8 a.m. This inaugural 3-mile uphill trail run, and mountain bike, to Silver Lake trailhead in Goshen, is an ideal introductory race for trail runners and mountain bikers on an old logging road. Start and awards ceremony at Branbury State Park on Lake Dunmore. Camping available. runreg.com/climb-the-moose
The Mountain Times • Sept. 11-17, 2019 SPARTAN RACE • 23 What obstacles will a Spartan have to conquer on his or her path through the Killington course? It depends on the course and it changes year to year, but rest assured they’ll be dozens of creative and, often excruciating, challenges and few will master them all! Here are some of the staples often seen at such a race. Remember: they are only a small sample! While the obstacles are the most entertaining to watch (failing and subsequent frustration is often on display), spectators ought not forget that each Spartan has traveled many miles and vertical feet up and down the Killington mountains to reach this point. In fact, the “death march” up straight up Flume to Killington Peak (often placed at the end of this particular race) probably receives the most profanities of any “obstacle” on the course! Hitting and surpassing personal limits of mental and physical exhaustion is a common theme at Spartan events. But it’s also what makes the final obstacle, the fire pit hurdle to the finish line (pictured below), all that much more rewarding! PARALLEL BARS The parallel bars can be placed up and down or at varying distances apart adding to the challenge. Tip: Keep your momentum going and use your swing to your advantage. WALL Walls typically 7-11 feet tall are very common obstacles in OCR challenges. The objective is simple: get over the wall. This means running at it, jumping to get a grip on the top and then hoisting yourself over. Tip: Swing one heel up on the wall and use your leg strength to get your hips up and over. (Giving or receiving help from your fellow Spartan racers is also permitted!) TARZAN ROPES The Tarzan Ropes are among the most difficult obstacles at most Spartan races. The object is to grasp a hold of the first rope and swing from rope to rope all the way to the end then ring a bell. Tip: when you’re close enough to the end, use your feet to hit the bell! LOG TOPS Balance atop a series of logs over various heights. This is a test of balance. This one definitely takes practice and a lot of focus! Tip: Keeping consistent momentum helps with balance, looking a few steps ahead will help you to anticipate where your balance will need to be. WARPED WALL Run up the quarter pipe “Warped Wall” obstacle and grab the bar at the top. Then pull yourself over the bar and lower yourself down a rope from the platform at the top. It’s an intimidating obstacle as the bar seems impossibly high, but a confidence-boost once accomplished. Tip: run fast and go for it! TRAVERSE WALL A.K.A. the bouldering wall, challenges racers to traverse horizontally across a wall or series of walls using only the hand holds and foot holds provided (usually rocks or blocks). If you fall off or use the top of the wall, you’ve “failed” the obstacle and must do burpees. Tip: keep your hips close to the wall. By Paul Holmes
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The Mountain Times - Volume 48, Number 37: Sept. 11-17, 2019

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