Spartan Obstacle Course Race at Nordic Valley Ski Resort

On August 5 the Spartan Obstacle Race will be held at Nordic Valley Ski Resort testing endurance, strength, and team work.

Connie Lewis

July 6, 2017

The barbed wire mud crawl is one of the obstacles at the Spartan Race events.

On August 5, 2017 Spartan Obstacle Course Race returns to Utah with a Super Race held at Nordic Valley Ski Resort in Eden, Utah.

The Reebok Spartan Super is a middle distance course. It is longer and has more obstacles than the Spartan Sprint Race and will test endurance, perseverance, and grit.

If watching shows such as American Ninja Warrior, Ultimate Beastmaster, and Spartan Ultimate Team Challenge has awakened a desire to try the challenges it might be time to gather friends and build a Spartan team. Teams can be any size, but must have at least 4 members to be included in team rankings.

Building and registering as a team is the best way to ensure that everyone starts at the same time and be able to complete the course together. You can register in advance at 2017: Team Registration and Start Times.

Spartan racers come to test themselves in a Spartan Race, designed to push competitors to their limits by using distance and military training based obstacles. Competitors run through mud, endure fire hoses, throw spears, carry sandbags, jump tires, climb ropes and may be asked to solve a Rubik’s cube. The obstacles and the layout of the course is kept as secret as possible and the runners love the surprises along the way.

Competitor, Frank Towle said, “One of the things you look forward to are the surprises.” As racers make their way through the racecourse they have no clue which obstacle they are going to face next. While some of the obstacles are standard the race directors like to think up new challenges.

The race is grueling and heat can be an added factor at the Utah race. Announcers warn the racers to stay hydrated, but the dry heat still takes a toll. Despite the hardships of the race Towle expressed what many runners feel, “After the race you think, why aren’t there more water stations? That was hard! Where do I sign up for next year?” It is an addictive experience.

Training is important for a race like the Spartan. Another competitor, Mike Sanchez said that after the first race he knew how to train better. He concentrated on a consistent running schedule and did some weight training for upper body strength. He liked the race because training gave him, “motivation to stay in shape all year.”

Sanchez said, “My favorite obstacle was the low crawl through the mud towards the end of the race. It was cool and wet and gave me a chance to cool down.” Although the mud crawl was his favorite he liked all of the obstacles.

Both racers expressed that the race was more challenging, but more fun because of the obstacles. Running a regular 10K or marathon is just that – running. But the added obstacles keep the runners on their toes and they mentally have to stay in the race. There is literally no time for boredom. Towle said, “When training, anywhere is your playground. Anything that challenges you physically will train you.” Sanchez likes to train at Sugar House Park because he can run up and down the hills and simulate the course.

Racers come ready for business, but with smiles on their faces knowing they’ve come to play in the mud and nobody will be there to yell at them at the end of the race because they got dirty.

For full details including a race day schedule, what to wear, what to bring, and what to expect at the finish line visit their website.

Aroo!

Community Events, Online Exclusives

Nordic Valley, Obstacle Races, Utah Spartan Race

Connie Lewis

Connie has been with Utah Stories since 2013, and has enjoyed learning everything involved in producing a monthly magazine. In addition to writing, Connie performs administrative tasks, coordinates writers, photographers and editors, and oversees a million little details. Her least favorite word is ‘deadline.’ A journalism class at the University of Utah sparked Connie’s love of writing. Finding it hard to narrow her interests to just one major, journalism allowed her to explore a wide variety of topics and disciplines. When she is not writing, Connie loves spending time with her family and traveling with her dogs. “It has been a pleasure learning new things about the state I was born in and meeting the people who make Utah great,” she says. Connie plans to continue her love of learning and improving as the magazine moves onward and upward.

Community Events

Priced Out of Summer Fun? These Activities Cost Almost Nothing

As summer approaches, many of us start looking for new ways to be active. Whether you’re emerging from a cozy winter of hibernation, or searching for a replacement for skiing and snowboarding, there are inexpensive and accessible ways to get outside, get active, and make the most of summer.
Utah Stories

Did Utah Leaders Already Sell Out Tremonton to Big Tech?

When Kevin O’Leary appeared on Fox Business and casually announced that Utah would soon become home to what could be the largest AI data center project in the world, many Utahns had the same reaction:

Wait… this was already approved?
Online Exclusives

The Armenian DNA Mystery No One Can Explain

Joulhayan described ancient remains discovered near the Aras River, near Mount Ararat, where researchers reportedly compared ancient genetic samples with modern Armenians and found remarkable continuity stretching back thousands of years.
“How could that be?” he asked. “Mongolians attacked. Turks. Persians. Romans. Greeks. Armenian DNA should have changed.”
Utah Stories

Utah Wants Affordable Homes. So Why Did It Kill the Starter Home Bill?

Utah leaders have spent years talking about affordable housing.

Governor Spencer Cox has repeatedly emphasized the need for more attainable housing, with a goal of creating tens of thousands of starter homes priced below $300,000. Yet despite broad agreement that housing affordability remains one of the state’s biggest challenges, one proposal designed specifically to encourage the construction of smaller, more affordable single-family homes failed to advance during the most recent legislative session.

The question raises an uncomfortable issue: if Utah agrees there is a shortage of starter homes, why are those homes still so difficult to build?

According to attorney and real estate professional Asha Klarich, much of the debate comes down to how communities want to grow and who gets to make those decisions.

House Bill 184, known as the Small Lots and Starter Homes Amendment, was intended to reduce regulatory barriers and allow smaller homes to be built on smaller lots. The proposal would have created a process for builders and homeowners to seek exceptions to local zoning requirements and construct homes on lots as small as roughly 5,400 square feet.

The idea was straightforward. Smaller lots generally mean lower land costs. Lower land costs can translate into lower home prices.

For many first-time buyers, that sounds far more appealing than another apartment building or densely packed townhome development.

“I think most people would prefer a smaller home on a smaller lot than apartment-style living in a high-rise,” Klarich said during a recent discussion about housing legislation.

The bill ultimately failed.

Continue reading and support independent Utah journalism with a purchase of Utah Stories (Digital + Print) or 3 month free trial (Digital).