Boise Sprint was in June. Jen Summers, Sherri Overton and Eileen Burningham all came. I met Kevin (as in my brother) there and he was with Vanessa. We also saw our other Spartan friends there including Jill Magelby and Courtney Beck. I also saw Jenny Fulmer and Dan Beck, but only for a second because they are awesome and fast! Jenny competed in the Elite group in Boise. And Dan passed my on one the last big hill (I started like 10 minutes before him, and I was proud it took him that long to catch up to me!).
My plan for Boise was to see how fast I could go. I don't usually try to go fast especially at Spartan because I'm more worried about passing obstacles. But I thought it would be fun to see what I was capable of. Also, Utah would not let me sign up in the competitive group unless we qualified, which means place in the top 10 in another race. I didn't think there was much of a chance that I would get top 10, but I figured I may as well give it my all and see what happens. Kevin wasn't sure if he would be able to keep up with me. He's a faster runner, but we were at a higher altitude than he is used to. And I have trained hills more than him. I thought he would be just fine staying with me.
While waiting to start we also ran into my cousin Michelle's husband Justin Kartchner. He chatted with Kevin and I for awhile as we started and ran with us. He was saying he didn't do much training other than pullups and pushups and he hadn't ran much. I was thinking he would not do very well on the hills if he hadn't trained. But he killed it. I think he only failed one obstacle because of a torn up hand. He's an athlete!
During the race I saw Jill and Courtney and Jen at different times. It was really fun having friends there even if we weren't waiting for each other and sticking together.
This was the first big hill, you can see people running up if you look close.
I felt very prepared for Boise. I felt like I did well. But after about 3 miles I was tired of trying to go fast. It's not as fun when you're dying and rushing. But I got through it barely ahead of Jen (by 2 minutes, and she stopped for a bathroom break...), Jill (by 4 minutes), Courtney (by 5 minutes) and Kevin (who decided to let me go ahead after that last hill and took his time the rest of the race, by 7 minutes). Dan and Jenny had already finished long before us. And then we waited for about 30 minutes more to see Sherri and Eileen finish together.
It was really fun. The weather was supposed to be hot, but we started early so it wasn't bad. (The benefit of competing in "age group" is starting early.)
I failed three obstacles, which is one less than the last year in Utah. I failed the same Olympus, Twister, and Spear Throw (which put a new fire in me to conquer that darn Olympus!) but I passed Multi-rig because it was just rings so it wasn't as hard. Eileen and Courtney somehow passed Twister! Which I felt was impossible. I got 3/4 way down Olympus and my arms just couldn't do anymore. But I felt like it was possible.
About an hour or more after I had finished, I had a dizzy spell that kind of worried me. I had been drinking a recovery drink they gave us and eating a banana so I didn't feel hungry. I didn't hurt anywhere. But the world started to tip. I didn't fall over because I held on to my friend. But my eyes couldn't focus and things kept spinning. As best I can tell, it's because I rolled under the barbed wire and messed up my inner ear. But it was just weird that it hit me like 90 minutes later. I laid down for a minute and it seemed to go away.
Jen and I were the only ones who decided to do Utah. Jill was planning on it, but she had been experiencing some more serious vertigo than I had. She was diagnosed with Meniere's disease and had to deal with that. So Jen and I went to Utah alone. It was HOT but we were able to start early at 9 even though we didn't get into the competitive group (turns out they opened it up to whoever but they wouldn't let me switch without paying $90 so I said no thank you.) So it was hot and it was so hard!! They really wear you out with those hills! Up and and up and up then down and up and down and up. My legs were jello. And then there's even more miles and more obstacles.
I was so nervous for Olympus because I knew I had a chance of getting it and I wanted it so bad! I tried the holes instead of the chains this time and it worked better. I thought I would fall every time I had to lunge and reach up to a higher hole, which was three or four times. But I didn't. I made it all the way to the end and was right there next to the bell. I reached for it and started slipping at the same time, but figured I had it so it didn't matter. Well, I missed it by a centimeter. But you know what, I counted it. I completed that beast of an obstacle! I wasn't going to do burpees for a centimeter. Plus, we weren't competing this time. So it didn't hurt anyone.
There are always people cramping up at these races. And I always feel bad for them and a little cocky that I don't cramp up. Then we stepped up to the 7-foot wall and I went to step up onto the little step for girls and my calf seized up and I was on the ground! Ouch!!! There was conveniently a mustard packet left by some kind person right there on the beam of the wall. So I opened it and downed it. But it still hurt really bad for a long time, the rest of the race and a day or two more.
We walked a lot in those last miles. Jen had been ahead of me on the hills, always waiting for me. She's a strong hill runner! And she flies down the hills too. But she lost steam too by the time we were on the last 3-4 miles of flat. We were both so tired. Twister was at the very end of this race. I decided that was a good thing because I would most likely fail it anyway, and having it at the end meant I didn't have to try and save any grip strength for monkey bars or rope climb. I tried to just go fast so I wouldn't burn out but I didn't get very far before I miss-grabbed and fell. Jen got halfway but her hands tore open THROUGH her gloves! Ouch!
Utah was a regional qualifying race, so I understand that it is supposed to be a bit harder. The monkey bars, which are usually a fairly easy obstacle for me now that I know what to expect, were crazy hard! They were so far apart! I literally had to American-Ninja-Warrior-jump to each higher bar and I was sure I wouldn't make it. Somehow my grip held. I felt like I had torn a muscle in my ribs/core though.
We failed the Spear Throw, that elusive, evil obstacle. We both got to the same spot on the multi-rig, which was further than I had gotten on it the year before so I was proud even though I ultimately slipped off the rings at the end (I made it onto the bar and then onto the next ring). So, three obstacles failed again.
I did not experience vertigo after this race, but I drank a large juice drink afterwards that's supposed to be a recovery type drink. I avoided the other one that I thought may have contributed to my dizziness last time. I think the juice spiked my blood sugar. The race took us nearly 3.5 hours. Then we had to clean up and change, and we wandered around for awhile looking at the booths. I bought a key chain, Jen looked at shoes. By the time we caught the bus back to our car and headed towards Ogden to find food, I was ravenous. My blood sugar was plummeting. I'm not sure I've ever felt that sick from sugar issues. I felt like I could eat three meals. I realized after we ate that it was almost 4pm, and we had not had any other real food since 8:30 that morning and we had climbed up and down a mountain for over three hours so it makes sense that I was dying. It was weird though. I don't like that feeling.
After Utah, neither Jen nor I were really all that excited about Seattle. Utah was 8 miles. Seattle was over 13. But we had already booked our flights and we were ready to go, so off we went.
It was fun visiting with Kevin and Vanessa for a few days. And the Seattle Spartan was my favorite one!! It was such fun terrain. A little bit of everything, fields, trails, mountains, hills of landscaping bark? The temperature was in the 50's so it was perfect weather. And the elevation is so much lower than Idaho it felt easy. Plus, we were not in a hurry and all four of us were staying together (Kevin, Jen, Courtney and I. Dan passed us at the dunk wall.)
Twister was in the middle this time. And it was right in front of all the spectators. BUT it was shorter than normal! It was only two sections instead of the three it usually is. I knew if there was ever a time for me to beat this obstacle it was this day. But first, Olympus. I knew I could do Olypmus. And I got on and started and it honestly felt easy! So much easier than any other time before. I was 3/4 the way through when out of nowhere my feet just slid right down. What?! That was super frustrating!! But whatever. Also failed Spear Throw. Courtney was the only one who passed that one. We got to try a new obstacle in Seattle, the Tyrolene traverse. It wasn't too hard, but it hurt my legs!! It bruised me so bad. I had the largest bruises behind my knees for weeks. But we all passed it.
Then came the Twister. It wasn't too bad. Near the end I felt my hands slipping out of my gloves, and I was so close to the end I knew I would scream if I fell. And somehow I pulled it off, and so did everyone else! Jen and Kevin and I's first time passing it! Courtney passed too. We picked up a new friend along the way, her name was Lee. She failed Twister but she busted out her burpees so fast that she was right there with us again :)
I could've ran all day on those trails in that weather at that elevation. I was loving it. By the time we finished I still felt great. The multi-rig was last and it had knotted ropes and was nearly impossible as far as I was concerned. But then I watched as Lee passed it, Kevin came so close but fell as he was reaching for the bell, and Jen and Courtney both got to the last set of rings/ropes but fell. For a minute I thought I would be the only one to fail! But they all did so well, and Dan was there coaching us (he had finished long before and had been walking along with us for awhile). So I listened to him and tried to skip some and I thought it was working but my hand just couldn't hold on to the ring. I don't know why rings are so hard for me lately. I just can't get a good grip. So we all did our burpees and then crossed the finish together. So fun!
Boise- failed Twister, Olympus, Spear Throw
Utah- failed Twister, Spear, Multi-rig
Seattle- failed Olympus, Spear, Multi-rig
I love the Spartans. But I wish they were closer and not so expensive. It feels like a hassle to get to them. I'm hoping to do another one next year, but I probably won't be doing lots of them every year.
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