Spartan races are always an adventure. You do not know before the day of the race what obstacles you will be encountering, how many aid stations there will be, or even the distance of the race. A Spartan Beast ranges from 12-14 miles in most cases, and this particular race clocked in at 13.1 miles of tough terrain and obstacles.

This year, there were extra water stations throughout the course with specific water stations allotted for filling hydration packs. There was definitely enough water for all the racers, as this was an issue in past years.

There was one aid station that provided electrolyte blocks. This was not enough fuel for the race, but certainly helped for those who had not brought enough fuel for the full race. Spartan races do direct all racers to bring enough water and fuel for the entire race, and do not typically provide fuel at races.

I was completing my last race to earn my trifecta medal (this includes completing all three distances in one calendar year: Sprint, Super and Beast). Many other racers were also working towards this goal.

My favorite part of any Spartan race is the camaraderie and team work that everyone demonstrates to make sure no one is left behind or can't finish an obstacle.

This specific Beast race was very intense, as there was a lot of straight up and down mountain sides, obstacles, and some waiting for others to complete obstacles. I highly recommend bringing large amounts of nutrition, electrolytes, salt/other electrolytes you can carry as well as gloves, goggles for obstacles that require you to dunk under water, and compression sleeves.

The one element of this race that could have been improved would have been the addition of porta-potties. There were 10 water stations and NO bathrooms. For this reason, many people ended up relieving themselves in the lake, water elements, or off in the woods. This is not sanitary, and many people do not take the time to think about how unsanitary it is to urinate in an obstacle where thousands of other people will also be entering. Volunteers said, "find a place and go" and while I am sure some people followed outdoor protocol, others most certainly did not.

Overall, this race was completely worth it. It was difficult, long, hard, hot and one of the most rewarding experiences all at the same time.

I highly recommend joining the world of the Spartans! AROO!

The night before the race was a wet and very rainy one. The course is mainly on a dirt path along the canal behind Freestone Park. There was some concern that the race would be rained out, but luckily for us racers, it dried out and the sun came out for an excellent race morning. The path was extremely muddy, which made for an interesting and dirty run. The staff did well at informing racers of potential hazards, and the race had a very festive feel. Another benefit of this race was to see a large amount of animal supporters come together to raise money for and find homes for local shelter animals. One downfall, was the lack of any food for racers after crossing the finish line. Besides this one issue, race day was a hit and I will be completing the 12K distance next year!