Spartan Ultra NJ 2022

Before I tell the story of this epic day, some perspective on how I ended up here is warranted: Peddling all the way back to 1997, I ran my first marathon in Scranton, PA, not far from where I am typing this today in our Airbnb in Warwick, NY. That first marathon would spawn 17 years of distance running, ultimately ending in 2014 with 29 marathon finishes and 32 ultra-marathon finishes, to include 3x100 mile finishes in 2009. In November 2014, we (my wife and I of 29+ years) were invited to our first CrossFit class and fell in love with it. Fast forward to now, between that and rucking, it’s what we do…together. We even added on a 3rd car garage to our home that has never housed a car but rather is our home CrossFit gym. In early 2021, friends of ours that we met through rucks we lead dubbed “Ruck-n-Brews” invited me to consider Spartan. I watched some videos, did some “shopping” online and found the best “deal” was just to do the Trifecta. Or in other words, all 3 distances on one weekend in West Virginia. So in August 2021, I did just that. With no specific OCR (obstacle course racing) training, I did the Beast on Saturday (13+ miles and 30+ obstacles) and then the Super on Sunday morning (6–7mi) followed by the Sprint on Sunday afternoon (3–4mi). I did it and earned my 3 medals plus the Trifecta medal. I found that my background in ultra-running plus CrossFit plus a few 24hr GORUCK Heavy events really prepared me well. It wasn’t long after that event that my wheels began turning and looking towards that “big boy” of Spartans: the Ultra. It is, in one event, two Beasts plus an extra “Ultra loop” to get the distance north of 50K (31.2mi). Two months out of the WV Trifecta weekend, I was signed up to head to the highest elevation in New Jersey at Mountain Creek Resort.

It should be said here that I am not a hardcore “Spartan.” You won’t find me tattooing the Spartan logo on my calf or adorning my car in stickers. I simply saw this as the ultimate in pushing myself on yet another crazy endeavor to test my mettle, my will to persevere and not quit and quite literally, “embrace the suck.” After turning 49 just a few weeks ago, I keep wondering how much longer I can keep riding this gravy train. I figure that as long as I keep taking care of myself, listening to my body and make wise decisions in every physical endeavor from how much I load the barbell with things like this, I can continue to stay strong and out of the nursing home when I get older.

We made the 7hr drive from NE Ohio on Friday, checked in at the Resort for my chip, headband, etc. then headed 15min north into New York to our Airbnb in Warwick. Talk about a HUGE win right there! Warwick is a small historic village that is filled with charm, old world construction, restaurants, shops and close to so much. The home was perfect, too. After getting some dinner Friday night in Warwick, we headed to bed for an early alarm and 6:30am race start back at Mountain Creek.

I do love how Spartan begins their events. It would make more sense to you if you watched this classic scene from the movie “300”. Never gets old!

In the video posted the night before the event, the race director gave us the stats: 10,000+ feet of elevation gain, 32+ miles and 67 obstacles. Yea, that’s a lot of everything. Regarding those obstacles, I opted to register in the Age Group division this time vs. the Open Division. If in the Age Group, you wear a red headband and are not permitted to get any help from others where you can in the Open Division. You’re also held to a higher standard of “Paying the Man” when you fail an obstacle. Normally, the penalty is 30 burpees but a few of the more challenging obstacles have a penalty loop to travel instead. I knew I’d be doing my share of both and that was ok. The standard is the standard!

I will spare you the play by play. It would be far too long of a read but rather, some highlights:

1. Race Start temp: 31F and clear sky, low humidity. The temperature quickly rose to the low 60s and full sun. A little bit of discomfort at the start was rewarded by being perfectly dressed later.
2. I am so thankful the extra “Ultra Loop” was during the first Beast loop. That loop had the LONGEST climb of my entire life in it. No photo or description would do it justice.
3. I practiced spear throwing at home a lot. I didn’t miss them in West Virginia, either. But here? They were uphill and the targets higher. They cost me 30 burpees each time!
4. Upon return back to the festival area at the end of the first Beast + Ultra loop, Ultra runners had a transition area set up. In there, you could stage anything you wanted. I had a refuel of my electrolytes, a fresh shirt, replacement shoes if needed, more Shot Bloks, new socks, BodyGlide and a PB&J sandwich. I ended up needing very little. I replenished my 1.5L pack, grabbed my sandwich, put on my short sleeve Spartan shirt I grabbed off the discount rack in WV, two more packs of Shot Bloks and headed out. My “A” goal at the point was to be in and out by Noon. Any exits after Noon required taking a headlamp. Secondary goal was out by 2:40pm, the cutoff. Failure there meant the day was over. Approaching the Transition, I was guesstimating that it was probably around 1 to 1:30pm. The Ultra loop has destroyed me and I couldn’t imagine that my time was good. I was SHOCKED to hear “11:45am” upon entering. WHAT?!
5. To participants blasting their own music on the trail: no one wants to hear what you want to hear. I want to hear the woods around me, nature and chatter amongst participants. To me, it’s like contaminating the air space around me. Just leave the electronics in your car and soak in the race. Ok? Ok.
6. I really REALLY appreciated the later start Beast participants filling up the trail when I went out on my 2nd loop. Heck, as I transitioned out at 11:55am (no headlamp!), another heat was starting at Noon right behind me. All Ultra participants had a purple “pinnie” on so it was always easy to spot one of us and most Beast Open participants were super encouraging. That second loop would’ve been crazy lonely had it not been filled with them from start to finish.
7. My mantra throughout the event was: “Take the hand that is dealt to you.” Meaning…when you can run, you run. When you can’t, you move with a purpose. If you can’t accomplish an obstacle, “Pay the Man.” Just do your best and “taken the hand that is dealt to you.”
8. After the last 8' wall on the back half of the 2nd Beast loop, something happened. It was probably with about 4 miles to go so about 28 miles into my day. All of a sudden, I could run the switchback trails in the woods like the old days and FAST. My knees stopped hurting, my breath was under control and I felt safe and alive! Referring back to #6 above, this is what I am talking about. Somehow, someway, I got dealt a full house and I embraced the heck out of it. It never let up until I finished.
9. About a mile or so before that 8' wall, a big black fly flew into my left eye. Ick! I quickly tried to rub it out but my hands were coated in filth. I eventually turned around and said to two girls while holding my eyelid open and rotating my eyeball around “Would you mind telling me if you see a fly in there?” “Nope!” Well… how about that for trail pleasantries and meeting someone for the first time?! Ha!
10. I broke the cardinal rule of not trying stuff on race day. All of my fluid nutrition was a new product from Podium, a company founded by CrossFit Games champion Mat Fraser. They came out with a product called “Hydro Salt” … PERFECT for this kind of event. Dehydration and salt replenishment via my hydration source. The other new thing was my Osprey Duro 1.5 pack. I literally took the tags off of it last Tuesday. Fortunately on both accounts, they were perfect choices for race day.

After my finish, I headed on over to the Results Tent to get my belt buckle and Craft finishers tech tee. Unlike the other events where you get both after jumping over the fire, they want to verify your finish before handing over the goods. After, I grabbed my drop box out of the transition area, my free mango Mike’s Hard Lemonade then hosed myself off head to toe with freezing water … just well enough until I get in the hot shower back in Warwick. That hot shower never felt so good! We ended the evening in downtown Warwick with a cold, craft brew.

The morning after: Sure, I’m a little creaky and I’m scraped up in a few places but nothing that a few days of healing won’t solve. All in all, I feel great, considering what I did. Today, we’re going to mill around Warwick in their shops, hit the Pennings Cidery and walk along a boardwalk trail to the Appalachian Trail. We plan to thru-hike the AT from Georgia to Maine so one day, we’ll be passing through here!

Here are the photos I have. Not too many as very few photographers were on the course and it was nearly impossible for my wife to ever find me until the finish. Below the photos is a summation of the gear and nutrition I used. I wouldn’t change a thing, by the way. Every choice worked!

I use Goat Tape to provide some extra grip on the overhead obstacles.

GEAR from Head to Toe:

Shoes: Inov8 Roclite 290. From 50 mile rucks in NYC and Columbus to the WV Trifecta, absolutely perfect shoes. Never a blister, either.

Shorts: Born Primitive Defenders with Jockey tech underwear.

Socks: MudGear tall compression socks.

Shirt: SPARTAN by CRAFT Delta LS Compression Top first loop and short sleeve tech shirt by Spartan 2nd loop.

Nutrition: 18 CLIF Shot Bloks and Podium Hydro Salt. Two full 1.5L consumed. Two Honey Stinger waffles. 2/3 of my PB&J sandwich.

Lube: 2Toms BlisterShield powder. Been using it since my ultra days and it never disappoints. A baby spoon’s worth of powder dumped and shaken within each sock along with BodyGlide over high friction areas of foot. 32 miles later through swamp and water and my feet are in perfect condition.

FINAL STATS

Time: 10hrs, 47min, 9sec.

Male Age Group, 45–49: 14 of 30 (52nd percentile)

All Men Age Group: 96 of 180

All Age Group, both men and women: 106 of 203 (yes, only 23 women!)

Ultra Open finishers (non-age group): 183