Jump to content

Spartan Race: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
DumbBOT (talk | contribs)
Bots
292,979 edits
removing a protection template from a non-protected page (info)
Tag: references removed
Line 16: Line 16:


==History==
==History==
Spartan Race began as a spin-off of the "Death Race", a 48-hour endurance event founded by [[Joe De Sena]] and Andy Weinberg in 2004.<ref name="outside">{{cite web |title=The Untold Story of the Feud that Killed Obstacle Racing's Most Insane Event |url=https://www.outsideonline.com/2066501/untold-story-feud-killed-obstacle-racings-most-insane-event |first=Erin |last=Beresini |journal=[[Outside Magazine]] |date=April 11, 2016 |accessdate=September 21, 2017}}</ref> Spartan was founded by De Sena,<ref name="outside"/> intended as a more manageable endurance race for a wider audience. The first Spartan Race event was held in 2010 at the Catamount Outdoor Center in [[Williston, Vermont]] and represented the city of [[Burlington, Vermont]]. Roughly 500 competitors had to "run, crawl, jump and swim" and overcome a variety of obstacles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20100517/MULTIMEDIA/100517013/VIDEO-The-Spartan-Race-in-Williston |title=VIDEO: The Spartan Race in Williston &#124; Burlington Free Press |publisher=burlingtonfreepress.com |date= |accessdate=October 24, 2015}}{{dead link|date=September 2017}}</ref> All finishers received a medal, and prizes were awarded to the top athletes.
Peak.com was founded by Julian Kopald and [[Joe De Sena]] in 2007 and Spartan Race began as a spin-off of the Peak.com "Death Race", a 48-hour endurance event. Spartan was intended as a more manageable endurance race for a wider audience. The first Spartan Race event was held in 2010 at the Catamount Outdoor Center in [[Williston, Vermont]] and represented the city of [[Burlington, Vermont]]. Roughly 500 competitors had to "run, crawl, jump and swim" and overcome a variety of obstacles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20100517/MULTIMEDIA/100517013/VIDEO-The-Spartan-Race-in-Williston |title=VIDEO: The Spartan Race in Williston &#124; Burlington Free Press |publisher=burlingtonfreepress.com |date= |accessdate=October 24, 2015}}{{dead link|date=September 2017}}</ref> All finishers received a medal, and prizes were awarded to the top athletes.


In 2012 Raptor Consumer Partners invested in the Spartan Race company.<ref>{{cite web|last=Keneally |first=Scott |url=http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/multisport/Playing-Dirty-November-2012.html?page=4 |title=Playing Dirty |publisher=Outside Online |date=October 22, 2012 |accessdate=October 24, 2015}}</ref> In 2013 Reebok had become the event title sponsor, and the races were renamed the "Reebok Spartan Race Series".<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/darrenheitner/2013/09/03/spartan-race-growing-through-participation-surge-and-reebok-nbc-partnerships/ |title=Spartan Race Growing Through Participation Surge And Reebok / NBC Partnerships |publisher=Forbes.com |date= |accessdate=October 24, 2015}}</ref> On December 7, 2013, [[Universal Sports]] broadcast a special on the 2013 Spartan Race World Championships.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://obstacleracingmedia.com/ocr-news/spartan-race-tackles-tv/ |title=Spartan Race Tackles TV |publisher=Obstacle Racing Media |date=August 8, 2013 |accessdate=October 24, 2015}}</ref> In August 2015, parent network [[NBC]] then approved a Spartan-based television series, ''[[Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge]]'', led by the producers of fellow NBC series ''[[American Ninja Warrior]]''.<ref name="deadline-spartannbc">{{cite web|title=NBC Orders ‘Spartan Race’ Competition Series From ‘American Ninja Warrior’ Producer|url=http://deadline.com/2015/08/nbc-spartan-race-competition-series-american-ninja-warrior-producer-1201506930/|website=Deadline.com|accessdate=June 24, 2016}}</ref> Later in 2015, Spartan Race founded the "Spartan Agoge" which is described as a "60 hour physical, tactical, mental and team based training and testing" event, to be held in Vermont twice a year.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Spartan Endurance Agoge 001 – Part I: So it begins|url =http://obstacleracingmedia.com/race/spartan-endurance-agoge-001-part-i/|website = ORM}}</ref> ESPN describes the Spartan Race as "a true test of will."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?id=5258314 |title=Spartan Race true test of will - ESPN |publisher=Sports.espn.go.com |date=June 6, 2010 |accessdate=October 24, 2015}}</ref>
In 2012 Raptor Consumer Partners invested in the Spartan Race company.<ref>{{cite web|last=Keneally |first=Scott |url=http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/multisport/Playing-Dirty-November-2012.html?page=4 |title=Playing Dirty |publisher=Outside Online |date=October 22, 2012 |accessdate=October 24, 2015}}</ref> In 2013 Reebok had become the event title sponsor, and the races were renamed the "Reebok Spartan Race Series".<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/darrenheitner/2013/09/03/spartan-race-growing-through-participation-surge-and-reebok-nbc-partnerships/ |title=Spartan Race Growing Through Participation Surge And Reebok / NBC Partnerships |publisher=Forbes.com |date= |accessdate=October 24, 2015}}</ref> On December 7, 2013, [[Universal Sports]] broadcast a special on the 2013 Spartan Race World Championships.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://obstacleracingmedia.com/ocr-news/spartan-race-tackles-tv/ |title=Spartan Race Tackles TV |publisher=Obstacle Racing Media |date=August 8, 2013 |accessdate=October 24, 2015}}</ref> In August 2015, parent network [[NBC]] then approved a Spartan-based television series, ''[[Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge]]'', led by the producers of fellow NBC series ''[[American Ninja Warrior]]''.<ref name="deadline-spartannbc">{{cite web|title=NBC Orders ‘Spartan Race’ Competition Series From ‘American Ninja Warrior’ Producer|url=http://deadline.com/2015/08/nbc-spartan-race-competition-series-american-ninja-warrior-producer-1201506930/|website=Deadline.com|accessdate=June 24, 2016}}</ref> Later in 2015, Spartan Race founded the "Spartan Agoge" which is described as a "60 hour physical, tactical, mental and team based training and testing" event, to be held in Vermont twice a year.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Spartan Endurance Agoge 001 – Part I: So it begins|url =http://obstacleracingmedia.com/race/spartan-endurance-agoge-001-part-i/|website = ORM}}</ref> ESPN describes the Spartan Race as "a true test of will."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?id=5258314 |title=Spartan Race true test of will - ESPN |publisher=Sports.espn.go.com |date=June 6, 2010 |accessdate=October 24, 2015}}</ref>

Revision as of 17:23, 5 November 2017

Spartan Race
Company typePrivate
IndustrySports
Founded2007
FounderJoe De Sena
Headquarters
United States Edit this on Wikidata
WebsiteOfficial website

Spartan Race is a series of obstacle races of varying distance and difficulty ranging from 3 miles to marathon distances. They are held in US and have been franchised to 14 countries including Canada, South Korea, Australia and several European countries. The series include the Spartan Sprint, the Super Spartan, the Spartan Beast, and the Ultra Beast. Spartan Race also has a military series, hosted on military bases.[1] There are also winter and team events.

History

Peak.com was founded by Julian Kopald and Joe De Sena in 2007 and Spartan Race began as a spin-off of the Peak.com "Death Race", a 48-hour endurance event. Spartan was intended as a more manageable endurance race for a wider audience. The first Spartan Race event was held in 2010 at the Catamount Outdoor Center in Williston, Vermont and represented the city of Burlington, Vermont. Roughly 500 competitors had to "run, crawl, jump and swim" and overcome a variety of obstacles.[2] All finishers received a medal, and prizes were awarded to the top athletes.

In 2012 Raptor Consumer Partners invested in the Spartan Race company.[3] In 2013 Reebok had become the event title sponsor, and the races were renamed the "Reebok Spartan Race Series".[4] On December 7, 2013, Universal Sports broadcast a special on the 2013 Spartan Race World Championships.[5] In August 2015, parent network NBC then approved a Spartan-based television series, Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge, led by the producers of fellow NBC series American Ninja Warrior.[6] Later in 2015, Spartan Race founded the "Spartan Agoge" which is described as a "60 hour physical, tactical, mental and team based training and testing" event, to be held in Vermont twice a year.[7] ESPN describes the Spartan Race as "a true test of will."[8]

Obstacle race

Spartan Race competitor

Spartan Sprint (3+ miles of obstacle racing, 20+ obstacles), the Spartan Super (8+ miles, 25+ obstacles), the Spartan Beast (13+ miles, 30+ obstacles), and the Ultra Beast (26+ miles, 60+ obstacles – one of two marathon obstacle courses along with Mudderthon).[9] The obstacles themselves also vary from race to race. Frequently presented obstacles can include a fire jump, climbing under barbed wire, wall climbing, mud crawling,[10] the "over-under-through" (a series of obstacles in which runners must first climb over a wall, then under a wall, then through a square hole placed in a wall),[11] spear throw, rope climb,[12] heavy object carries,[13] "Herculean Hoist",[14] "Tyrolean Traverse", monkey bars,[15] Traversal Wall (similar to a bouldering wall), Hobie Hop (a thick rubber band is placed around the ankles and participants hop through consecutive tires), Slippery Wall (a wall built at an incline, roughly covered in grease), a zig-zag log jump, steep mud climbs (rolling mud), tractor pulls, underwater submerging below walls (dunk walls), Atlas carries, tire flips, stump balances (skipping on stumps across a pond), rope swing,[16] and the now discontinued Gladiator Arena.[17]

Failure to fully complete any obstacles results in a 30 Burpee penalty in which runners complete before continuing their race.[18] A participant can obtain a Trifecta medal after completing a Spartan Sprint, Spartan Super and a Spartan Beast in one calendar year.[9] As of the 2016 season, the finisher medal includes both the traditional circular medal and a "pie piece" – one third of a larger Trifecta medal.[19] Each Spartan event also provides races for children ages 4 to 13: half-mile races for ages 4–8, and one mile races for those older than 8.[20]

Charity

In 2014, Spartan Race donated a portion of its entry fees to charity, however some critics state that the amount forwarded was only a small portion of the total fees received.[21]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Spartan Military".
  2. ^ "VIDEO: The Spartan Race in Williston | Burlington Free Press". burlingtonfreepress.com. Retrieved October 24, 2015.[dead link‍]
  3. ^ Keneally, Scott (October 22, 2012). "Playing Dirty". Outside Online. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  4. ^ "Spartan Race Growing Through Participation Surge And Reebok / NBC Partnerships". Forbes.com. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  5. ^ "Spartan Race Tackles TV". Obstacle Racing Media. August 8, 2013. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  6. ^ "NBC Orders 'Spartan Race' Competition Series From 'American Ninja Warrior' Producer". Deadline.com. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  7. ^ "Spartan Endurance Agoge 001 – Part I: So it begins". ORM.
  8. ^ "Spartan Race true test of will - ESPN". Sports.espn.go.com. June 6, 2010. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  9. ^ a b "Family of Spartans".
  10. ^ writer, Kevin Opsahl staff. "USU employee No. 1 in Spartan race competition".
  11. ^ "Spartan Race: Atlanta Sprint Weekend 2016 Review". Obstacle Racing Media. March 10, 2016.
  12. ^ Observer, Erica Beck The Argus. "Spartan Race next in fitness journey".
  13. ^ "North Berwick teen overcomes all obstacles". The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram. July 3, 2016.
  14. ^ Staff, Hunter Ingram StarNews. "'Spartan' team bonded through suffering".
  15. ^ "Spartan Race New Jersey Beast 2016". Obstacle Racing Media. May 3, 2016.
  16. ^ "Spartan Race: The Obstacles". The Mountain Times. September 21, 2015.
  17. ^ "The bizarre allure of obstacle races".
  18. ^ Keneally, Scott (February 6, 2014). "DNF: The True Tale of Failure at a Spartan Race".
  19. ^ "New Spartan Medals and T-Shirts". Obstacle Racing Media. March 15, 2016.
  20. ^ "Military Rec: Spartan workout Saturday on Bragg".
  21. ^ "10 Investigates: Empty charity promises from Spartan Race".
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spartan_Race&oldid=808859614"