I AM SPARTACUS: THE ATLANTA SUPER SPARTAN

The ALL IN Spartans (minus Chase!)

So maybe I didn’t do enough research when I chose the 2015 Atlanta Super Spartan as my first obstacle race.

“A colossal 6,750 acres of brutal swamps, mud, thick woodland and 150 miles of challenging trails awaits any Spartan racer brave enough to tackle the courses that normally require off-road vehicles to negotiate them.”

I can’t say they didn’t warn me.

“Winding trails will lead you to rolling hills that cover a thick, red clay. Make no mistake, this course will test you. The mud will be as heavy as the thick woodland that surrounds it.”

I just forgot to read the small print.

“It’ll be slippery, muddy and treacherous- precisely what every Spartan racer yearns for.”

There were twelve of us who arrived at the Durhamtown Plantation Resort in Union Point, Georgia, early Saturday morning, greeted by a gloomy, rainy morning. The mud was already so thick, cars with four-wheel drive were given their own “special” lot to park in.

Yep. This is what we had been training for for two months.

I will admit- I did not arrive with the best attitude. I had woken up the day before with a terrible cold and congestion. Running 8.5 miles with 25 obstacles thrown in was not necessarily what I had in mind. Throw in the bad weather and all I really wanted to do was go back to bed.

Awesome group of people right here!

The ALL IN Spartans nervously waited for the start of our heat, not knowing what we were about to face. We climbed our first wall, huddled for a quick prayer, and then waited for the 3-2-1-GO.

Within seconds, we knew this wasn’t going to be the race we had envisioned in our minds. The thick, slippery red Georgia clay stopped everyone in their tracks… or caused them to bust ass (sorry but there is no other way to adequately describe it). Some of us tried to run, but it soon became apparent we would be walking this race.

This is when I started cussing. A lot. My smooth-soled minimal shoes didn’t handle the mud very well. It was like sliding around on ice wearing ankle weights. For 8.5 miles. And those innocent looking puddles of water that left you standing shin deep in mud… They were awesome.

I decided to have a pity party for myself and told the rest of my group to go on without me. I knew the only way I was going to get through this race was to withdrawal within myself. Not to mention, I was setting a poor example with my bad attitude. At one point, I was actually cussing the race organizers for intentionally making the course so muddy. Seriously. I was that offended.

I was in a bad place.

About half-way through the race, a little voice said, “Shelby, look up for a second. Look around you. Take a second to notice the beauty surrounding you.”

And I did. I stopped dead in my tracks, took my eyes off the mud, and looked around me. I was surrounded by the most beautiful trees whose leaves were so green they almost hurt your eyes. They reminded me of aspens which I have always loved. It reminded me that here I was, in the middle of nowhere, living and breathing. I had been so wrapped up in my own misery I forgot to appreciate what I was doing.

Things got better after that, and I began noticing my fellow Spartans.

We actually paid to do this.

I passed two people literally carrying their handicapped friend through the course.

I chatted with a man who was doing his fifth Spartan Race. He said his children forced him to do his first one because he was battling depression. Training for his Spartan Races not only helped him overcome his depression, but he had also lost 120 pounds. He assured me the race conditions were not normal.

One of our ALL IN Spartans, Chase, waited for me at a water station to see if I needed fuel. We ended up walking together for a while, and his positive attitude greatly lifted my spirits. He didn’t even laugh at me when he heard a splash, looked behind him, and found me laying in a giant mud puddle. I just wanted to cool off for a second.

As I went through the course, the obstacles were like oases. Yay! No mud while I climb this giant cargo net! And who knew crawling under barbed wire could be so much fun? If you were not able to complete an obstacle, the penalty was 30 burpees. And yes, those 30 burpees were done in the mud. Good times.

At some point near the end, I came upon a very high wall- maybe 10 feet tall. I had just done 90 burpees almost back-to-back-to-back and filled with dread at the thought of doing 30 more. Two guys were helping their friends get over the wall and waved me over to see if I needed help. I got over that dang wall! And I love those two guys for helping me.

“You’ll know at the finish line.”

That’s the Spartan Race tagline. And here’s what I know. The Atlanta Super Spartan reminded me of life. You can prepare as best as you can, but you never know what is going to be thrown at you. Things don’t always go as planned. Take the time every once in a while to notice the beauty all around you. In nature. And in mankind. And finally, be thankful. Be thankful for what you CAN do- even if it is not necessarily what you WANT to do.

Congratulations to Christy, Ashley, Krystle, Kim, Renee, Bradley, Katie, Melissa, Shannon, Sean, and Chase for being SUPER Spartans. It was quite a day, and I am honored to have crossed the finish line with you.

Now let’s go sign up for that Tough Mudder… NOT!

We were so clean at the start of the race!