by Carrie Adams
When the average person thinks of Valentine’s Day, they envision fragrant bouquets of flowers, heart-shaped boxes of chocolate, elegant dinners on the town, expensive bottles of wine, and maybe even tiny boxes filled with sparkly diamonds. When a Spartan thinks of Valentine’s Day the vision involves less of the chocolate and roses and more of the blazing fires, muddy pits, slippery walls, and barbed wire low crawls. What could possibly be more romantic? (Keep reading, there’s a WOD here too. We can’t let you off the hook without getting you sweaty first!)
The Reebok Spartan Race series is well underway in 2013. With SoCal and Arizona already logged an an upcoming Super Spartan race in Miami February 23 and 24th, Spartans are looking forward to their Spartan finishes.
But on this most romantic of days, we recognize that our races offer a unique opportunity for active couples to come have fun, push themselves together, and ultimately share a unique experience that will be unforgettable at any stage of a relationship… And if you’re single and looking for love, we’ve got you covered too. I mean, have you seen the hard bodies that come to our races?
While finish lines are places of triumph and the end of a race, sometimes they are something else entirely, the beginning of a new life for a couple. We’re no strangers to seeing love blossom on our muddy battlefields. We’ve already had four marriage proposals in 2013! (They’ve all said “yes” by the way.)
Our founder Joe De Sena proposed to his wife on a race course, as did our 
storied Race Director Mike Morris. In fact, just this year, Spartan staffer Jennifer Sullivan married her muddy Prince Charming after meeting him at the original Hurricane Heat in Boston in 2011. And from that day in August of 2011 Jennifer and Danny went from strangers, to friends, and then on August 23, 2012 they became husband and wife.
Sullivan and Allen
So, on this day of love and romance, don’t just go for the traditional, there is a great big muddy world out there! (Not to mention seven foot walls, sandbags, and single track trails.)
How better to celebrate your love, or find it? We can’t imagine anything more romantic. Get signed up!
Diamonds are optional.
Not sure you’re ready? Here’s a WOD we posted to get you ready. Let’s get physical.
Sharing the Burden Together: A Valentine’s Day Spartan WOD
The weight of the world is a trifle, if we all put our two fingers under it and try to lift together.
- Vera Nazarian
Warm-up
Spartan Stretching
25-50 synchronized jumping jacks.
Main Set:
5k walk/run/hike with 1 sandbag/log/rock/child
25-50 synchronized burpees
Cool Down:
We’ll leave this up to you. Feel free to start on the far end of the intensity spectrum, but try and work it down to deep, long stretches and massage. Take a hot bath, and, if and only if you burned over 1000 calories together, grab some chocolate.
Spartan Fit Tip: If you are going to consume chocolate-y goodness, post workout is a great time to let this empty carb into your system. Here are some facts to ease the guilt of bringing a glass of chocolate milk with you into the bath tub.
- A 2011 Swedish study found that women who ate more than 45 grams of chocolate a week had a 20% lower risk of stroke than those who had fewer than 9 grams a week.
- Being high in fiber, dark chocolate can help you feel full, so you’ll eat less.
- An ingredient in chocolate is theobromine which seems to reduce activity of the vagus nerve, which is the part of the brain that triggers coughing.
Tags: carrie adams, Joe De Sena, Mike Morris, Reebok Spartan Race, Reebok Super Spartan Miami, Valentine's Day, wod
Where it Began
being above the knee and his left arm below the elbow, he served as a Recon Marine before his injuries. He is carried by the team in a backpack throughout the race. I quickly snapped a picture on my phone and cheered them on as they took off to conquer the course. That was the last time I saw the team that day, I stopped by the Team X-T.R.E.M.E. booth on the way out of the festival grounds and grabbed a t-shirt.
overwhelming. The names of the fallen line the outer edge the memorial appropriately named “Reflecting Absence.” The mood of the team was very somber at the memorial. We focused on how that day had changed our lives and where we might have been had that never happened. Most of the team members have at least one combat deployment in support of the Global War on Terror. To stand at the physical location that started it all was a great opportunity for the team. We look forward to more events in 2013 and supporting our mission to honor, empower, and motivate wounded service members.
This weekend, 
Even before the sun began to rise over 42nd and Broadway, the short course of the 
Brands Launch New Collaboration with 
