Thursday 25 / April / 2024
There is something about the word Spartan. I heard it for the first time when it gushed out of Gerard Butler’s mouth in the form of a loud Spartaaaaaaa in the movie 300. While the dictionary meaning of the word is “showing the indifference to comfort or luxury traditionally associated with ancient Sparta” it feels (to me) like there’s even more aggression, strength, and determination associated with the word than mere restraint. So it stands to reason that one of the most challenging obstacle races in the world has been given that name.
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The Spartan Race was started by Joe De Sena in Vermont in 2009. Joe is, according to most people who have met him, perhaps the most interesting and driven character they have ever met. A guy who was in a horrific accident and advised by doctors to stay away from running and athletics, Joe ended up completing 14 Ironman triathlons in a year, exemplifying his rebellious determination, vigour, and untamable passion for sport.
The name Spartan, according to Sean Meehan, the operations manager of Spartan Race Arabia, was inspired by the ancient Spartan warriors. Developed in light of the growing obesity in the United States, when much of the population was avoiding the gym, the main goal behind the inception of the Spartan Race was to rip people off their couches and get them to do some intense physical activities that were beneficial to overall health, but also fun. Through training for the race, the hope was that participants would find their inner Spartans.
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The Spartan Race pre-event workouts give people a chance to go in groups for workouts that don’t involve a fancy gym or equipment, but still offers a tough workout that leaves every member feeling good and proud of themselves—getting dirty, making friends, laughing, and getting motivating to lead healthy and fit lifestyles, all without judgement. There’s also plenty of friendly competition to brag about on social media leading up to the official race.
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The Spartan Race has been known to change lives, from the 268-pound man who experienced a life changing transformation after “accidentally” participating in the race and getting inspired to lead a different lifestyle to stories of the Spartan race helping recovering alcoholics and addicts to regain control of their lives.
Rather than sweat and blood, the race mostly involves sweat and mud. An obstacle course race of varying distances and difficulties for different categories, it involves running, jumping over walls, crawling under barbed wires, wading through mud pools, followed by more running, jumping, and crawling.
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The Spartan race has been travelling to countries across the globe with plans of covering the whole Middle East. Spartan Race Arabia has been held in Dubai and Bahrain and will be happening in Oman for the first time this winter. With one of the best terrains and landscapes in the Middle East, racing in the Sultanate is sure to be an exciting prospect.
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Turn on the radio and hear the DJ’s talking about the race. Open Facebook and Spartan Race ads are sure to pop up, and drive past the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex on a Friday morning and you’ll hear loud music and see the Spartan Race banners waving outside. That’s because pre-event Workout Tours are being held at the Complex every Friday as a build up to the event. These pre-workouts are especially great for those who are skeptical and nervous about the endurance race and want to try a taste of the experience and build confidence before committing. Around 600 participants have happily gotten themselves down-and-dirty at the Workout Tour so far.
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But take care, the races seem to be addictive, with some participants trying to attend as many Spartan races as they can each year, even if that means that they have to travel across the globe to do so. Why, you might ask, would someone travel and train so hard for an amature sports competition? It’s simple really, the Spartan Race is much more than an obstacle course to its devotees, it has become a way of life for hundreds who found their inner strength within a group of sweaty individuals willing to crawl through mud to change their lives.
