What is Spartan Race? A race in which you challenge your limits by running and going over obstacles! This is a page with videos and records of my participation in the BEAST race held in Niigata, Japan in September 2023.
About Spartan race
Spartan race
About Spartan race
The Spartan Race is one of the world’s premier and largest obstacle races, with more than 170 races held annually in 40 countries. It was first held in Japan in May 2017 in response to the recent rise in popularity of health-consciousness, running, and training.
The Spartan Race is characterized by the fact that each event is a tough race with 20 to 30 obstacles set up in addition to runs of 5 km to 21 km or more in each event, which are overcome solely by the participants’ bodies to reach the goal.
During the race, participants are allowed to help each other clear the obstacles, but if they cannot, they must complete a prescribed number of burpee jumps (training consisting of a series of squats, push-ups, and jumps as one set).
(Source: https://spartanracejapan.jp/about/)
In this way, the contestants run on a prescribed course and cross over set obstacles. The course is not always flat, and in the case of Niigata, it is up a ski slope, so it is not always a simple distance. The obstacles vary from simple ones to ones that require the same level of training as firefighters. The obstacles are not always the same every year.
The race is so intense that participants may think they are dominatrixes, but once they have tasted the rush of excitement when they finish the race, they will participate again and again.
This time, we participated in BEAST in September 2023 in Gala-Yuzawa, Niigata, Japan.
Category
There are three main categories of Spartan Races in the country, including one called Stadion in the winter of 2022. This time I participated in BEAST!
- BEAST : 21km+obstacle30
With a distance of 21 kilometers and 30 obstacles, the Spartan Beast will test your muscular strength, endurance, and unwavering determination. The unpredictable and skillfully designed course and obstacles are so demanding that you will have to break your own limits to achieve them. - SUPER : 10km+obstacle25
For tough athletes who are dedicated to fitness and will push themselves beyond their limits in any situation, the Spartan Super features 25 obstacles on a steep 10-kilometer course that will keep the Spartans on their toes. - SPRINT : 5km+obstacle20
This is the shortest of the Spartan Races. It is popular among first-timers to the Spartan Race and participants who want to perform better than last time. 20 obstacles await you on the 5km course.
(Source: https://spartanracejapan.jp/about/)
Outside of Japan, there is also ULTRA (50km + 60 obstacles), which is even more intense than BEAST. I wonder if such a thing can be completed in a day….
Equipment
Bag
Since I expected this BEAST to be a very long race (last year’s Niigata SPRINT was over 3 hours, so I expected the BEAST to be considerably longer), I bought a waist pouch, knowing that I would probably eat a light meal along the way. For now, I chose a pouch with a reasonable capacity (I also have a camera, so it should be able to hold a battery) and one that can hold the 500 ml PET bottles that are available at the water stations. I like the shape of these items. A shoulder-slung type also looks good.
Light meal
When it comes to snacks, there are not that many choices when it comes to calorie-dense, easy to carry, and tasty at room temperature. This time, I brought both in Jell-O and Calorie Mate, and the best choice was in Jell-O. Calorie Mate can be eaten like a cookie, but I think it is not suitable for this kind of event because all the water in your mouth will be gone.
Course Map & Race Guide
Course Map
Here is the course map. 2023 is BEAST participation, so I ran this red line + green line. As you can see, the BEAST is a lot longer than the number of obstacles!
Features of the Gala Yuzawa Course
- Overall, the running portion is all uphill and downhill (starting with a ski run in reverse).
- The goal is about 800m up from the start point, so there is a lot of climbing in total.
- The total amount of climbing is a lot.
- Obstacle locations tend to be clustered, not scattered throughout the area.
- There is a part of the way that runs through the mountain (there is also a SPRINT), and the road is almost a mountain trail.
- The paths are mostly gravel or dirt, and there are few asphalt paths, so it is important to choose the right shoes.
- After the finish line, there is a gondola ride down to the start, but the gondola boarding deadline is 4:30 p.m., so there is not much time left.
- There are many areas of dirt, and depending on the weather up to the day before, it can get muddy.
- (It rained this year, so it is almost always muddy.)
- Although the season is summer, the temperature tends to be relatively moderate due to the high altitude.
Race Guide
This is the race guide that will be emailed to me before the race.
Records & Photographs
Records
The finishing time was 6 hours 36 minutes 08 seconds.
| Runner | Overall ranking | Age ranking | Gender ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mr. Yamashita | 954 | 77/110 | 792/890 |
| Matsu（me） | 955 | 117/129 | 793/890 |
Photographs
The following is a list of photos and other information taken during the race. The order is a mess. At this time, the photos taken by the venue staff at three different locations (Sandbag carry, Fire jump, and running in the middle of the race) were available for free download.
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