Why is preparation underrated? Don’t you just love it when someone says, “You’re lucky”? If you are anything like me, it’s like lighting the fuse to a 10-ton payload of dynamite in my mind. The natural response from any hard worker is, “Luck had nothing to do with it.” And luck has zero to do with Spartan race preparation.
It’s also hard to be lucky when you are getting ready for a race. This is why Spartan pushed forward their “couch to the course” campaign: to not only create enthusiasm about racing, but also get you ready for it before you do so. In a Spartan race, the only luck you may have is that you picked the winning numbers on a scratch-off you picked up while getting your post-race protein shake at a local stop. Everything else is achievable through effort. Luck has nothing to do with racing!
Since most Spartan racers are hardworking, motivated, dedicated, limit-pushing athletes, it would be likely that luck has nothing to do with racing or the preparation that goes into getting ready. Racing and racing preparation follow the same model: work hard, stay motivated, dedicate to your training, and push the limits.
Make no mistake, competing in any Spartan race and eventually completing a Trifecta is guaranteed to challenge you. It’s a lot of hard work, but it is absolutely doable. Once you have the correct mind-set and training plan and you spend the time implementing your plan, you will be well on your way from the couch to the course and entering the ranks of the Spartans.
Here are some tips to start your Spartan race preparation:
Motivation is created by setting a goal, working toward that goal, and reaching milestones. Each time you hit a target, your motivation should increase. Having a hard time finding the motivation to start? Set smaller, more attainable goals. Continue to raise the bar. Sign up for a race (a sprint). Continue to prepare.
Here are a few tips to get you motivated:
When you decide to do a Spartan race, you have already subscribed to the fact you will need to put the work in to stay motivated and continue to build motivation into the process. However, there is something to be said about being dedicated. Dedication requires effort. You need to make the time to train. You have to push through challenges. You need to stay on track and build on your efforts to improve. All of this requires dedication, not luck.
Here are a few tips to ensure you stay on track:
Now that you see all the hard work (ahem . . . not luck) you put into Spartan race preparation and are doing it, push harder. We like to say “Spartan up!” As you prepare, dedicate, commit, and build your motivation, remember that it is important to push yourself. The fact you are racing is a huge push forward, so build on that and push on your training. Push on race day. Push the limits.
Here are a few tips to push yourself: