Whether your Spartan Race goal for 2020 is to run your first ever Spartan race, complete your first Trifecta, or something in between, the time to start preparing is now.
Why so early?
Unlike traditional, periodized "event prep", where you ramp up training over E.G. three months to peak for a specific event date then have an "off-season", what I'd like to aim for with The BTG Spartan Team is "always ready" fitness.
What that means is that we're going to take it a bit slower with our ramp-up, and keep our overall training volume (and especially running mileage) per week on the more reasonable end of the scale all through the year. That way we can build not only strength and endurance, but more importantly resilience and durability so that we can stay in-shape and healthy all the time.
Bear in mind, "more reasonable" is a relative term. If you plan to do a Beast or a Trifecta, that's still going to involve a LOT of training to get to the level of capability and durability needed to really succeed in that ambition.
Please read below for the basic overview of what the training for the Sprint, Super and Beast/Trifecta Teams will look like so you can decide what you are willing to commit to.
I look forward to seeing what we can all achieve out on the course and with our everyday fitness in 2020!
---Coach JP
2020 Race Schedule (Tentative)
Seattle Super (April 25) - MAYBE
Big Bear Beast (May 16)
Calgary* Beast & Sprint (August 15 & 16)
BC* Super & Sprint (September 19 & 20)
*Exact venues for these events still TBD. More info when I have it!
Sprint Team
Whether this is your first ever Spartan Race or you're coming back for more, the Sprint will give you a good challenge despite it being the shortest distance on offer.
Planned Races
My plan right now is to run the Sprint in Calgary (August 16) and in BC (September 20), running both in Open heats only. Though the exact venues for both events are yet to be confirmed, they should both offer some challenging terrain to go along with the obstacles.
Training Plan
What we'll be aiming to achieve with those of you running the Sprint is to gain some basic proficiency with the obstacles, and hiking and running efficiency over about a 5-7 km distance and/or 90 minute work duration.
One each of our regular Strength and BAM! (Interval Conditioning) sessions, plus some weekend hiking, running and obstacle practice is the basic plan.
There will be Spartan-specific options in the regular workouts that you definitely should do if possible.
By the time we complete our ramp-up in training, you should expect about 4-5 hours per week of training if you want to really succeed at the Sprint distance.
Nutrition and Supplementation
No special nutrition strategy is really needed when training for the Sprint distance, but it is a HUGE benefit on many of the obstacles and when dealing with the kind of terrain elevation we saw in Whistler this year to have a really good strength/power to bodyweight ratio. I.E. carrying any extra bodyweight can be a detriment to both you and your team as you help each other throughout the course.
Following the five simple nutrition habits from our 12-Week Foundations Nutrition course would definitely help get your body to where it performs best while still allowing you to enjoy the foods you love!
If you're interested in that program (or a refresher run-through for those of you who've done it before), let me know. Remember, it's free!With regards to supplementation, just the basics that I would recommend for everybody will suffice - Omega 3's, vitamin D and a good Greens supplement or multivitamin. More details on all that to come.
Super Team
If you've already run a Spartan Sprint and want a bigger challenge, or if you regularly trail run 10K+ or do challenging 3-hour+ hikes on steep terrain, stepping up to a Super with our team might be the right option for you.
If you haven't done any of the above, we'd strongly recommend doing a Sprint for your first Spartan Race.
Planned Races
My plan right now is to run both the Age Group (Competitive) and Open Supers in BC (September 19). I'm also considering running the Seattle Super (April 25) to have a Super "in the bank" so to speak, in case things go awry with running two Supers in one day at the BC event.
The exact BC venue is still to be confirmed, but you can count on it being a steep, mountainous course, and it is likely to be rainy and wet. Seattle, if we run it, is pretty much guaranteed to be a rainy mud bog of a race...
Training Plan
Our training for the Super distance will be focused on tackling a course similar to what we saw in Whistler this year.
What we'll be aiming to achieve with the Super team is to advance your proficiency on the obstacles, especially the walls and hanging obstacles so that we can minimize the need for assistance on obstacles or burpees. Heavy carries should already be no big deal for you at this stage, though we will still be working those regularly.
We'll also work on increasing your power hiking and trail running technique, efficiency and pace management so that you can cover a 10K+ distance over steep terrain in under 2 hours without feeling really trashed.
One each of our regular Strength and BAM! (Interval Conditioning) sessions, a mid-week hike or run, plus some weekend hiking, running and obstacle practice is the basic plan.
There will be Spartan-specific options in the regular workouts that will be mandatory, unless injuries prevent you from doing them.
By the time we complete our ramp-up in training, you should expect about 5-7 hours per week of training if you want to really succeed at the Super distance.
To ensure that we all succeed as a team and don't have any unexpected surprises on race day, attendance for the majority of the team extracurricular work (or equivalent work on your own) is going to be MANDATORY to run with us in a Spartan Super.
Nutrition and Supplementation
The 2-4 hour duration of a challenging Super starts to bring into play a need to train specific energy systems to give you the best chance of succeeding on the course without cramping or "bonking" (depleting your energy stores).
As with the Sprint, it is a HUGE benefit on many of the obstacles and when dealing with the kind of terrain elevation we saw in Whistler this year to have a really good strength/power to bodyweight ratio. I.E. carrying any extra bodyweight can be a detriment to both you and your team as you help each other throughout the course.
To start with, following the five simple nutrition habits from our 12-Week Foundations Nutrition course would definitely help get your body to where it performs best while still allowing you to enjoy the foods you love!
If you're interested in that program (or a refresher run-through for those of you who've done it before), let me know. Remember, it's free!With regards to supplementation, just the basics that I would recommend for everybody will suffice in the beginning - Omega 3's, vitamin D and a good Greens supplement or multivitamin. As our training ramps up, we may need to look at adding in creatine and/or protein supplementation as well for the best results. More details on all that to come.
For the best results, we'll also look at some carb timing strategies and/or fasted training as we get further advanced in our training. This will be OPTIONAL, but highly recommended.
As we ramp up the duration / distance of our longer hike/run sessions, we'll also need to look at doing some fueling on the move to keep your energy stores topped up and your muscles firing well.
Beast / Trifecta Team
If you've already run a Spartan Sprint and/or Super, you might want to take on the challenge of a Spartan Beast, or even a Trifecta (all three distances, Sprint, Super and Beast in a calendar year). Either way, expect to be pushed to the edge of your physical and mental limits by the tough Beast courses we're planning on tackling in 2020.
If you haven't completed a Spartan Race before, or don't regularly run/hike 21K+ distances over challenging terrain, this is not the option for you. Start with a Spartan Sprint instead.
Planned Races
My plan is to run the Big Bear Beast (May 16) and the Calgary Beast (August 15).
While the exact venue for Calgary is still to be confirmed, with the foothills and mountains close by, you can count on it being a steep, difficult course. It's also likely to be VERY warm in mid-August, and the Alberta mosquitoes can be a real pain. :p
Big Bear, on the other hand, is a known quantity, and it is HARD. You can watch a video of the entire 2019 race (Elite men and women) here. The elevation at the base of the Snow Summit resort where the race is held is over 2,000m (nearly 7,000 feet) above sea level, and the summit is nearly 2,500m (8,200 feet) above sea level, so you're right on the edge of where people can begin to experience altitude sickness. The course designers repeatedly send runners up and down the slopes, totaling about 1,500m / 5,000 feet of elevation gain over the course of the race. In short, it will be VERY difficult.
Training Plan
Our training for the Beast distance will be focused on tackling a course similar to what we saw in Whistler this year (only twice as long), or what we saw at the Sun Peaks Beast in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
As with the Super team, we'll aim to advance your proficiency on the obstacles, especially the walls and hanging obstacles so that we can minimize the need for assistance on obstacles or burpees. Heavy carries should already be no big deal for you at this stage, though we will still be working those regularly.
Where we will need to put in a LOT of work is covering ground fast and efficiently on the hills and mountains, and being able to keep grinding for 4-6 hours on the course. We'll work on increasing your power hiking and trail running technique, efficiency and pace management so that you can cover a 20K+ distance over steep terrain in around 4-1/2 to 5 hours without feeling really trashed.
At least one each of our regular Strength and BAM! (Interval Conditioning) sessions, a mid-week hike or run (or two), weekly obstacle practice, plus some increasingly long-duration weekend hiking and running is the basic plan.
There will be Spartan-specific options in the regular workouts that will be mandatory, unless injuries prevent you from doing them.
By the time we complete our ramp-up in training, you should expect about 7-8+ hours per week of training if you want to really succeed at the Beast distance.
To ensure that we all succeed as a team and don't have any unexpected surprises on race day, attendance for the majority of the team extracurricular work (or equivalent work on your own) is going to be MANDATORY to run with us in a Spartan Beast.
Nutrition and Supplementation
The 4-1/2 to 7+ hour duration of a challenging Beast makes specific energy system work and practicing on-the-run fueling crucial because it can be very difficult to keep all cylinders firing over such a demanding event.
As with the Sprint and Super, it is a HUGE benefit on many of the obstacles and when dealing with the kind of terrain elevation we saw in Whistler this year to have a really good strength/power to bodyweight ratio. I.E. carrying any extra bodyweight can be a detriment to both you and your team as you help each other throughout the course.
To start with, following the five simple nutrition habits from our 12-Week Foundations Nutrition course would definitely help get your body to where it performs best while still allowing you to enjoy the foods you love!
If you're interested in that program (or a refresher run-through for those of you who've done it before), let me know. Remember, it's free!With regards to supplementation, just the basics that I would recommend for everybody will suffice in the beginning - Omega 3's, vitamin D and a good Greens supplement or multivitamin. As our training ramps up, we may need to look at adding in creatine and/or protein supplementation as well for the best results. More details on all that to come.
For the best results, we'll also look at some carb timing strategies and/or fasted training as we get further advanced in our training. This will be very strongly recommended to optimize both your body composition and your fuel system usage. More details on this to come.
As we ramp up the duration / distance of our longer hike/run sessions, we'll also need to look at doing some fueling on the move to keep your energy stores topped up and your muscles firing well. Finding a palatable, portable, fast-acting energy source that works for you will be key to a strong performance on the Beast course.