
So when it came time to do my second Spartan Beast in Monterey, CA I remembered that I do these challenges for many reasons like the great people I've met along this Spartan path. Still, the one main physical reason: because it challenges my weaknesses and it gives me a chance to do them better. PR's aren't as significant here because in trail running much less when obstacles vary, speed isn't the issue. Plus if how quickly I can put one foot in front of the other was the main goal... well I'd get on the easier road courses or on a bike. Here, while it's called technical running, to me, this is natural running. Oddly enough the song I was using as my pre race pump up the 7 lions born 2 run was because of the following lyrics:
If the sky turns black, it don't matter
We know the sun, is coming up
Built so strong, it won't shatter
We-were-born-to run
But somehow just as the race was about to start I noticed lyrics that I'd never realized were there even though they are the opening to the song:
Y'all know what it is
Sometimes,
You gotta push though all your obstacles
Nah’ I mean?
No matter what the options are
There is no lose, there is no fail
Let’s Go!


taking a cargo net and using it to get over a river. I nearly slipped because there was metal in the middle of it and I hadn't thought of the fact that the grip there should be "handled" differently. If you look at the picture of when we're about to get on the cargo net... you could see immediately behind me why while I do road races with a shirt and the ones with spartan with the make him work for it... it's because it's such a great looking shirt ;). I got all the way across, trying something I'd seen in pictures and video of hitting the bell with your foot to hit it quicker and then letting yourself go. I was proud when I landed it's arguable whether the look on my face is happiness or smugness.
Perhaps adding to the old adage that pride comes before a fall, not too soon after that was the obstacle of the balance beams. I'd never missed that one, not even come close so I took it quickly and most of the way through lost focus and fell off. I went over and did my 30 burpees (the thought going through my head during those starts with I hate burpees and by the time my brain has been up and down that much it's I burp hatees). Still, there was enough clarity of mind to where after I asked the person running the obstacle if I could try again after I did my burpees, even offering to do more if I failed again. She said I wouldn't have to do more but I could only try once. I did and got it.
There'd be more running, carrying buckets full of rocks, bags full of sands and places where it was really more climbing than running or even walking. The rope climb was the easiest and fastest I'd done it showing I could at least hold up my own weight. At the water stop there were some volunteers who were enthusiastically handing water bottles picking runners and others who were just waiting for a thicker crowd. Let's just say I might have taken the water from the enthusiastic ones and splashed some enthusiasm into the ones sitting around. We both left from that water stop smiling.

As I shared the approach I'd taken to become an honest beast, there were those who question whether it was noble, creative, or dumb. Those are all words that were used about me running road races with a stroller so at least I'm consistent. There were someone who said I killed their buzz of finally having beaten me in a spartan and I told them they had beat me honestly... No one had told me to do it my way and add time and effort to my penalties. Still, while PR's are kind of less relevant in spartans
Spartan has this great goal of doing the 3 distances (short/sprint, medium/super, long/beast) to earn a trifecta. I had done it last year. And while I'd much rather do it without having gotten any penalties, I am greatful to have done it in a way that all the obstacles got done. I'd risen in some obstacles, failed in other, risen and fallen in a lot of burpees. But while I was nowhere near the winner, I think on this Spartan, I did not lose nor fail but at the end of the day it was a high note to rise to earn a trifecta.
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