by Carrie Adams

In 2012, the Death Race was themed, “The Year of Betrayal.”  All told, 344 would enter the race and over 82% would DNF (Did Not Finish).  The final finisher would finish in just over 67 hours.  Where 2011 saw a beginning to the race with five hours of lifting stones, 2012 began with an ultra marathon in teams carrying a heavy weight.  Denied their packs with food, water, and other precious self-support supplies, it was arguably the most grueling test to date.

Fans online remained glued to the Facebook updates as the names of those who would not finish the race piled up as the hours marched onward.  Some of our most popular posts on the year came from this remarkable challenge unlike any other on the planet.  No known start or finish time, no clue what will be asked by Race Directors Andy and Joe, it’s something you just hope to survive.

Here are the official 2012 Death Race Results, with winner Olof Dallner putting on an impressive performance (all while rocking his green sunglasses).  In addition to overall results we featured the women of the 2012 Death Race.  Notably, Amelia Boone, who finished third in the Winter version of the event, finished in second place and is planning a return in 2013.  Click HERE for more on the Women of the Death Race.

Finally, Spartan friend and Obstacle Racing Magazine editor Matt B. Davis was onsite and lent his perspective on the event from the ground level.  Awake and reporting for much of the 67 hours, his candid report gives insight into what it is like to bear witness to such a physical, mental, and emotional undertaking for the participants.  His report began with, “Betrayal. I was on site at Amee Farm less than 15 minutes when I was confronted with it directly.  I walked up to Race Organizer Andy Weinberg asking him if he had seen Todd Sedlak. I came to the Death Race to crew for my pal, Todd and I know Andy has a sweet spot in his heart for Sgt. Sedlak. Instead of being met with a smile, Andy quickly dismissed me saying, “Todd’s not here, he is out of this year’s race. If he’s not here by now, he will never catch up and finish on time”.  He then quickly walked away.  I was baffled. I had no idea at the time, but I had walked squarely into the game that was the 2012 Death Race.”

To read his full recap, click HERE.

For those of you foolish enough to want to participate, there is still room in 2013, themed, “Gambler.”  You can take your chance, roll the dice, and hope to cheat Death.  Go to www.youmaydie.com to get signed up.

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by Carrie Adams

“The military is in Spartan blood.” – Joe Desena

Spartans are active soldiers, former soldiers, Veterans, wives, husbands, boyfriends, girlfriends, fathers, mothers, sisters, sons, daughters, and friends of troops.  Veterans and military personnel are even entitled to a discount when registering for a Spartan Race as well, a very small gesture of “thanks,” but one that we are honored to provide.   Since mid-2011, Spartan Race’s main military partner has been the Air National Guard. We could not be more proud to align ourselves with such a courageous group of Americans!

If you are a Spartan Race finisher, chances are you have been face-to-face with ANG’s logo, as you were attempting to successfully complete the traverse wall obstacle.  Some of you, whether racing or spectating, have competed in the Air National Guard Pull-Up Challenge – the most popular festival challenge at our events.

In 2012, a portion of all Spartan USA revenue is donated to Homes for Our Troops,a national nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that assists severely injured servicemen and servicewomen and their immediate families by raising donations of money, building materials and professional labor and to coordinate the process of building a home that provides maximum freedom of movement and the ability to live more independently.

Spartan also launched a Military series in Fort Carson, Colorado in May of 2012.  We’re returning in 2013 May 4th!  Click HERE for event information on this special edition Spartan Race.  The Military series was a huge success and it was coordinated through the Army Department of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (DFMWR), a comprehensive network of support and leisure services designed to enhance the lives of soldiers (active, reserve and guard), their families, civilian employees, military retirees and other eligible participants.

In keeping with the longstanding Spartan Race tradition of giving back, a portion of the proceeds from the Spartan Fort Carson event was donated to direct military nonprofits including the Green Beret Foundation.  Future military series events will do the same and will donate to other organizations to help address the unique needs of each respective host installation.

In 2011 Spartan teamed with Pro vs. GI Joe to create a rehabbing with the Troops program that featured MMA superstar Tito Ortiz.  We put up a special Spartan Race course in Southern California, see the video HERE.  SR also partnered with Operation Gratitude, a non-profit organization that annually sends 100,000 care packages to military personnel, their families and wounded service men and women.  Donating money to their cause for FB likes going into the 2012 Calendar year.

Team X-T.R.E.M.E.’s Todd Love

Many military service men and women have graced our race courses.  From Team Riley in Glen Rose, TX, to Team X-T.R.E.M.E. in Leesburg, VA and everything in between.  Every Monday on the Spartan blog, we’ll be featuring some of our favorite military inspired stories.  Last week, we gave you the recap of Team Riley, an inspiring team running to honor a fallen brother.

Each Spartan finisher runs for their own reason, many of those reasons are bigger than themselves and we’re excited to tell you their stories in 2013 each and every Monday on our blog.  Spartan Race would like to say “Thank You” to so many men and women who have served, who serve still, and who will serve in the future.

For his week’s installment, we’re introducing you to a Beast.  Kevin Phillips took on his first Spartan Race, the Beast no less in Killington, VT.  That’s quite the introduction to the Spartan Race series.  Phillips enjoyed the race so much, he’s planning on earning his Trifecta Tribe status in 2013 (finishing a Spartan Sprint, Super Spartan, and Spartan Beast in one season) and in his own words, reflects on what the Spartan Race series has to come to mean to him.   Kevin spent four years in the Air Force and is currently a graduate student pursuing his MBA at the University of Michigan.   We look forward to welcoming him to future Spartan battlefields.

My Spartan Experience

by Kevin Phillips

I was once like you. I had participated in races, competed in mud runs, and finished tough workout programs, but the thought of doing a Spartan Race was daunting. The idea of subjecting myself to that type of torture didn’t seem to make sense; crawling under barbed wire, jumping over fire, and climbing up cargo nets seemed ridiculous. Why would anyone do this?

However, while I wanted to stay in shape, my desire to workout wavered because of the lack of having an end goal. Lifting weights at the gym, going out for a run, or completing a workout program was no longer appealing, and though I put emphasis on getting in shape every January, this past year was different because I lacked the motivation to stay focused. Because of this, I decided to take a chance and sign up for a Spartan Race.

What I got in return was one of the best experiences of my life!

While there was significant apprehension in the days leading up to the race, shortly after the event started the uneasiness disappeared. Concerns over not being able to get past an obstacle were replaced with the joy of conquering a challenge; uncertainties of whether I would be able to complete the race were pushed aside, as other Spartan racers motivated me to continue to push forward; and the anxiety and stresses of everyday life becoming too much faded away, knowing that if I could slither through the mud, navigate up a mountain, and perform hundreds of burpees, I was capable of conquering any challenge that I would ever face!

My Spartan Race was unlike any other experience I have ever had, and the way I felt throughout the race and at the finish line was nothing less than euphoric. The demanding course, dedicated athletes, and exuberant fans created a lasting memory that I will never forget.

Now it is your turn!

If you are reading this article you have undoubtedly thought about competing in a Spartan Race, but passed because of the fear of the unknown, concerns over the ability to do the obstacles, or worry that you might not be able to make it to the finish line. No more! Everyone has those fears, but the ability to get past them is what shows true grit and is the mark of a Spartan!

Join me and my fellow Spartans this year by signing up for an event of a lifetime! The Spartan Race you compete in will shatter your expectations and you will cherish your experience for the rest of your life.  Find a race near you HERE and find out for yourself.

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by Carrie Adams

Our Top Ten Blog Posts of 2012 span a variety of topics.  Yesterday, we introduced you to #10, a blog by our own Chris Davis who left Atlanta and came to Spartan HQ in Pittsfield, VT to live, work, and train with our staff and founder Joe Desena.  He lost over 400 pounds and completed the Spartan Beast, and earned his Trifecta Tribe status.  No small feat!  In today’s recap of post #9 we revisit something that has made Spartan obstacles famous (errr, maybe infamous is a better word.)

In a word: Burpee.

Missing a Spartan Obstacle doesn’t mean that you just mosey on your merry way, it means that you owe 30 burpees before you are to continue.  Here, our very own Dr. Jeff goes over the Muscular Analysis of the burpee.   If you don’t know Dr. Jeff, you should.  He’s greatly responsible for the success of the Chris Davis Project and is also leading the charge on the Spartan Coaching program.  He also routinely participates in the Spartan Death Race, because, well, that’s what happens when you work for Spartan Race.

From the drop to the ground through each phase of the movement, the body positions are described in detail to ensure that from the elite athlete to the newcomer, everyone can see the proper form associated with the burpee.

Read more HERE.

Interested in coaching the Spartan Way?  Click HERE to learn more.  Finally ready to get signed up?  Click HERE. 

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by Carrie Adams

With an epic year of racing in the books, we are recounting some of the biggest stories of the year.  Let’s start with post #10!  How about a story about a guy who lost over 400 pounds and reclaimed his life, conquered a beast, and earned his membership into the Trifecta Tribe?   We are talking about the one and only Chris Davis.  His story inspired thousands.  To see his journey, watch this video. 

From the original post:

Every day Spartan Race HQ gets emails and phone calls with success stories of our athletes getting off their couches and getting healthy preparing for a Spartan Race.  Untold pounds have been lost, new levels of health and well-being found by those who embrace a healthy Spartan lifestyle.  Every so often one of those stories strikes a chord so deep, we are compelled to tell it completely.  One of those stories is in motion now, and we are going to keep sharing updates of a man who has turned to Spartan to change his life forever.

We met Chris Davis in Georgia where he finished the race in 3:04, and at 390 pounds.  Struggling across the finish line and exhausted, Spartan staffers helped him to his car and he headed home.  But that is not where this journey begins and it’s nowhere near over.

Chris started his Journey at 696 pounds. in 2010, he heard of the Spartan Race and started losing weight.   We got in touch with him and moved him to Spartan HQ. He is currently down 300 pounds from his starting weight with the help of the Spartan Race motivation.

Spartan Race staff, including founder Joe Desena are attempting to get him to 180 pounds by September a loss of an additional 200 pounds over the next 5 months.  In his own words, he’ll share his journey on the Spartan blog.  Here is his first entry.

To read the blog in it’s entirety, click HERE.  And stay tuned for another top blog post from 2012!

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by Joe Desena, Spartan Race CEO

Todd Love, Leesburg, VA Super Spartan

A New Year is the chance for a New YOU.  It’s never been easier, and we can tell you why.  Spartan Race has been able to keep 82% of those committing to a new years resolution on track with their health goals. It is a simple technique that has been proven effective over the last three years at Spartan.

What is it?

It’s simple.  Don’t go it alone.  Committing to a race with friends will keep you on track each day training and eating healthy the same way the Spartans did knowing they WOULD go to battle.  We can help.  Get daily workouts – we can send them directly to your inbox www.spartanrace.com/wod, and your daily workout will be waiting for you each day.  No excuse not to train.  Getting daily food tips, www.spartanrace.com/fod and you’ll get healthy, delicious food ideas sent to you as well so you can fill your table and your stomach with the fuel you’ll need to stay on track, lose the weight, get stronger, faster, and better in 2013.

Sign up for a Spartan Race, even if it terrifies you.  Especially if it terrifies you!  Your fight or flight mechanisms kick into gear, and you’ll be sure to get moving. Once signed up, you and your friends will have a goal and a reason to start taking your health seriously and it works 82% of the time which is an amazing statistic.  We call it the Resolution Solution.

With the support of your community of friends and family, healthy recipes and food ideas, and workouts that will get your body in shape, you can accomplish more than you thought possible.  And you’ll never have to be alone in the process.  When you feel down, have a bad day, don’t want to eat healthy, you’ll have the reasons you need to stay on track, to get outside and run, to get to the store and buy something green instead of something fried.  It’s time for a change.

Once friends are involved they act like a vice grip, should you start to go back to your old ways. Not only are you training to get through the event you signed up for…but you are training for them and they are training for you.  In signing up, they aren’t just holding you accountable, they are depending on you for the same support.

Not enough?  How about some proof?

How is losing 430 pounds?  Spartan Chris Davis did just that and finished the Spartan Beast (and several other Spartan Races) in Vermont after five grueling months in Pittsfield, living, eating, and exercising with our team at HQ.  You should see him carry a sandbag now!  He sure couldn’t when he arrived.  Chris resolved to lose the weight and finish the race and he got it done.  It’s amazing that he began his journey at 696 pounds.

Spartan Chick Andi Hardy started following the Spartan WODs and is in the best shape of her life.  One of the Spartan elite athletes in our 300 group, with 21 races completed she had an incredible eight first place finishes in the 40 – 44 division in 2012, three of those first OVERALL female.  Not too shabby!

Todd Love, triple amputee from Georgia alongside his teammates from Team X-T.R.E.M.E. took on a Super Spartan and a Spartan Beast all while donning a blacked out gas mask.  Despite his injuries from an IED attack in Afghanistan while serving as a Recon Marine, he completed the races.  How is that for inspiration?

So, now what’s your excuse?

It’s all here waiting for you, you just have to decide it’s finally time to do it.   Get signed up for a race, get signed up for our FREE workouts and FREE food tips and you’ll join the 82%.

Sign up, show up, don’t give up!

[Editor's Note: Need extra motivation?  Spartan founders include Guinness World Record Holders, Triple Iron Man finishers, former professional Adventure Racers (AR).  Check out our Founding Few Bio Page to learn more of their incredible stories.]

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by Carrie Adams

With more than a million service men and women beginning the transition back to civilian life, and with Veterans Day just past, Spartan Race wants to honor those who have served this country.  One day a year is not nearly enough, the thankfulness and pride should be a part of the landscape and the fabric of this nation, and it is a part of the Spartan culture.

Spartan founder Joe Desena has been quoted as saying, “The military is in Spartan blood.”

Colorado Military Series

Spartan’s longstanding commitment and partnership with the military is evident since our creation, and it will always be a part of our organization.  “Two of Spartan Race’s biggest commitments are getting people from all walks of life active, healthy and open to new challenges and supporting the brave service members of the Armed Forces,” said Spartan Race Founder Joe Desena.

Spartans are active soldiers, former soldiers, Veterans, wives, husbands, boyfriends, girlfriends, fathers, mothers, sisters, sons, daughters, and friends of troops.  Veterans and military personnel are entitled to a discount when registering for a Spartan Race as well, a very small gesture of “thanks,” but one that we are honored to provide. Since mid-2011, Spartan Race’s main military partner has been the Air National Guard. We could not be more proud to align our brand with such a courageous group of Americans!

If you are a Spartan Race finisher, chances are you have been face-to-face with ANG’s logo, as you were attempting to successfully complete the traverse wall obstacle.  Some of you, whether racing or spectating, have competed in the Air National Guard Pull-Up Challenge – the most popular festival challenge at our events.  All of you, have undoubtedly said “thank you” in one way or another to our military for keeping us safe.

In 2012, a portion of all Spartan USA revenue is donated to Homes for Our Troops,a national nonprofit, nonpartisan

Operation Gratitude Recipients

organization that assists severely injured servicemen and servicewomen and their immediate families by raising donations of money, building materials and professional labor and to coordinate the process of building a home that provides maximum freedom of movement and the ability to live more independently.

Spartan also launched a Military series in Fort Carson, Colorado in May of 2012.  The Military series was a huge success and it was coordinated through the Army Department of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (DFMWR), a comprehensive network of support and leisure services designed to enhance the lives of soldiers (active, reserve and guard), their families, civilian employees, military retirees and other eligible participants.

In keeping with the longstanding Spartan Race tradition of giving back, a portion of the proceeds from the Spartan Fort Carson event was donated to direct military nonprofits including the Green Beret Foundation.  Future military series events will do the same and will donate to other organizations to help address the unique needs of each respective host installation.

In 2011 Spartan teamed with Pro vs. GI Joe to create a rehabbing with the Troops program that featured MMA superstar Tito Ortiz.  We put up a special Spartan Race course in Southern California, see the video HERE.  SR also partnered with Operation Gratitude, a non-profit organization that annually sends 100,000 care packages to military personnel, their families and wounded service men and women.  Donating money to their cause for FB likes going into the 2012 Calendar year.

Team X-T.R.E.M.E.

In Leesburg, VA we were first introduced to Team X-T.R.E.M.E. fighting their way through the difficult course while donning their now infamous blacked out gas masks and then returning to the Carolina’s to take on a Beast.  They will be at several upcoming Spartan events including the NorCal Beast and the SoCal Super Spartan.  They have become partners and friends of Sparta.  Their faces hidden and their identities unknown, the team captured the attention of the Spartan community and it spread like wild fire.  Aside from the wounded warrior athletes, the rest of the team are distinguishable only by the call signs stitched into the patches they wear on their arms, and they intend on keeping it that way.  This deliberate anonymity is in recognition of their mission to honor, empower, and motivate wounded warriors and to remain selfless in the process.

From Spartan Race HQ, thank you to all our Veterans.  And let us all honor you with not only our words of thanks but with how we live out the freedom you have so selflessly ensured for us.

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” -John Fitzgerald Kennedy

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by Anthony J Matesi

Team SISU is built on the foundation of going above and beyond our limits.  You can see this in everything SISU does, from training, to motivating others, to taking on extreme challenges, and even sacrificing their own bodies to support a great cause.   For the Malibu Spartan Sprint SISU has looked to helping their own, Shawn Parsons and his family.  To support them, all donations will go to From There To Care, a no-kill animal shelter located on 8 acres of land in Riverside, CA. In California, especially SoCal, there is a large problem with homeless pets resulting in the euthanasia of thousands of animals every year.  Organizations like “From There to Care” aim to help curb this trend by pulling animals from city and county shelters, rehabilitating them, and re-homing them with their forever families.  We’re asking people to support Daren’s generous effort, but pledging whatever they can.  It’s estimated that the average cost of rescuing and re-homing one animal is about $300.  But even if a donation is for just a few dollars per lap (more on that follows), every little bit helps.  Donations can be made via PayPal by going to the following URL: http://www.fromtheretocare.com/donatevolunteer.html

Now, you are probably wondering what SISU will be doing to encourage donations, right? 

 The Challenge

Allow me to introduce you to Daren de Heras, a founding member of Team SISU.  Daren is an extremely active athlete, he coaches his daughters AYSO soccer team, runs a flexible packaging company; a family owned business, and a frequent Spartan Racer who takes on challenges all over the country including a few that he has helped organize even.  When Daren decided he wanted to help From There to Care he made a point to contact Joe Desena to discuss what kind of challenge he should take on.  Joe was inspired by the performance of James Ogden at the Carolina Spartan where he ran six laps to raise money for Wounded Wear.  Joe suggested Daren go after seven laps at the Malibu Sprint.

After some brainstorming back and fourth between the two the challenge was laid out.  Daren will begin with the first “lap” a la the Hurricane Heat which will lead straight into the standard course laps, beginning with a 40 lb. Team SISU War Hammer.  Next, Daren will be tethered to a friend thanks to Hobie Call lending the tether he used when racing with his wife at the Arizona Spartan Race.  Lap number four will be with the one and only LOG!  The mad man won’t stop there for his fifth lap he is going to wear a weight vest through the course and following that he will switch over to an elevation mask, because who really needs oxygen.  As if that wasn’t enough already, Daren will be running his final lap as a tribute to the Death Race Panda.  From what I’ve heard, Daren is a gambling man; he survived the Betrayal of the 2012 Death Race and is preparing himself for a return to Pittsfield, VT in 2013.  If you don’t know about the DR Panda, beware, it has been said he can either come to your aid or lead you to your demise.

Joe has challenged Daren to take on this challenge and he has accepted.  Now its up to you to help donate, help the animals without homes, prevent unnecessary death, and give these animals a chance to live.  With your donations, From There to Care will be able to provide a sanctuary for many, many abandoned animals that deserve some tender loving care.  Let’s support Daren as he tackles this tremendous challenge and donate to helping give the animals a second chance at life. Donate here http://www.fromtheretocare.com/donatevolunteer.html.

 

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by Carrie Adams

When he emerged at the Spartan finish line, he was exhausted.  The last official Spartan racer to finish the Georgia Spartan Sprint, he was hours behind the top of the field.  Spartan staff members had to help him get back to his car because they feared he wouldn’t be able to do so under his own power.   An incredible accomplishment for a man who was nearly 700 lbs just a couple years earlier. His weight loss journey was far from over, in fact, as he crossed the finish line; he was also crossing a line that intersected with his destiny and a decision that would change his life forever.  It was the first time Spartan Race would meet Chris Davis and from that moment, none of us would ever be the same.

The dramatic finish was the first step in a journey that would lead Davis to Pittsfield, Vermont, home of Spartan Race HQ and the place Davis would call home for 20 weeks as he continued his path towards a healthier future and many more Spartan finish lines – his last, the World Championship Beast where he would begin at 4 AM and finish just before night fell, earning his medal and celebrating a staggering weight loss of over 530 pounds.  His weight loss in Pittsfield alone was half that amount.  How he got to Pittsfield is an incredible story in it’s own right… When Spartan founder Joe Desena heard about Davis and how far he needed to go to finish what he’d set out to start, he offered up an incredible opportunity:  move to Vermont and Spartan Race HQ, lose the weight by following Joe and Spartan Coaching’s plan, and race the Beast in September.  Davis, with the support of his employer (Comcast), family and friends, accepted the offer and just like that, the Chris Davis Project was born.

Crossing the finish line it was hard to find a dry eye.  Davis’s family was in attendance to witness his nearly 15 mile race.  The pinnacle of several races he’d finish in preparation, the hours on the mountain with Spartan founder Joe Desena and other Spartan athletes and staffers getting ready.  Spartan staff joined him on the mountain, Joe Desena carrying a 100lb sandbag as well.  His weight loss and training program conducted under the watchful eye of Dr. Jeff Godin, Spartan Death Racer, physician, and Spartan Coaching founder.  As Chris received his medal and hugged friends, staffers, and family, it was clear that his achievement was one that was felt by everyone who was lucky enough to bear witness.

His journey to the finish line has been well-documented, in his athlete page and on YouTube with videos updating his weekly progress.  If there was ever a doubt that you could do something, let this story be your lesson.   See his final video summary HERE.

Spartan HQ hasn’t been the same since Davis’s return to his home down South.  Since his heroic finish, he has returned to his job at Comcast in Atlanta, Georgia, an employer who would give Davis the life-changing chance to relocate to Vermont for his transformation and allow his return months later.  We’d like to thank them for their vision and support.  Mad Motion provided the video footage of Chris’s journey and we’d like to thank them as well for giving his story a platform.

Congratulations to Chris, he will always be a part of our Spartan family and what he taught us about never giving up is something that has made us all better for knowing him.  That’s the reality of what these races are about – celebrating health, pushing limits, and finding out what you can accomplish when you dare to believe in all the things you CAN do and forget about what is deemed impossible.

 

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by Carrie Adams

“For those of us who lived through these events, the only marker we’ll ever need is the tick of the clock at the 46th minute of the eighth hour of the 11th day.” – President George W. Bush

Roughly fifteen minutes before 9 AM on September 11, 2001 Spartan Race founder Joe Desena glanced up from his desk on the 59th floor of an office building across the street from the World Trade Towers and then immediately dropped his phone to the floor.   “I didn’t even feel myself let go of it.” He remembers.  “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.”

What he was seeing was the final seconds of Flight 11 as it careened towards WTC 1 and then violently slammed into the North side of the building.   “I couldn’t speak,” says Desena.  “I could hear my buddy Bobby yelling for me from the phone on the floor, but it was like my brain couldn’t process what I had just seen.”

The horror would repeat itself shortly after 9 AM when, alongside the rest of the world, Desena watched Flight 175 enter the landscape and strike the south tower (WTC 2) as the North Tower continued to burn.  “I pressed my hands up against the glass, everyone screamed… and then it was just…silent.”

Desena and his coworkers watched, stunned, as the buildings lay ablaze and ultimately collapsed; each one sending a billowing cloud of dust and debris all that could be seen through the glass, “Everything went gray… and the rumbling of the collapse was like a train roaring through the building.”  And even though the collapse(s) took only 12 seconds Desena says, “It felt like eternity.”

New York City wasn’t the only target, Flight 77 struck the Pentagon that day, and United Flight 93 crashed into an empty field in Somerset County, PA, when the passengers defied their hijackers.  It was a dark day with victims from 115 countries.

And Desena left the office that afternoon with some co-workers and was met by debris and an eerie sight.  “We were walking in ankle deep soot,” he recalls.  “The coffee vendors cart was sitting there, coffee still percolating on the pot, money on the counter, but there were no people.  It was like a gray ghost town.”  Desena slowly made his way to his Midtown apartment where his motorcycle was waiting.  He was lucky to get out of the city and head to his dad’s house in Queens.  “That day changed everything, “says Desena.  “But there were other changes that came from it.  People were looking one another in the eye again.  People were remembering how it felt to be human.  And we can never forget what happened that day.”

Lower Manhattan would burn for 99 days after that, 20% of the US population would know someone who was killed of the nearly 3,000, and it would cost nearly $600 million just to clean up the wreckage from the Twin Towers devastation.   And the United States mobilized swiftly to the threat.  Less than one month later, the United States was on the ground in Afghanistan and we haven’t left.  “Our military has been putting their lives on the line because of that day, and it hasn’t stopped,” says Desena.  “That isn’t lost on us at HQ.”

And in building Spartan Race, Desena kept that day in mind.  “We were in a new place as a country.  We needed hope and we needed to believe we could have a new life and embrace healthy, hopeful things,” says Desena.  “And even though life was moving forward and we needed to move forward, there are still men and women in harm’s way.  Richard (another one of Spartan Race’s founders) is a Royal Marine! The military is in our Spartan blood.  We honor that.”

Spartan Military Series
Fort Carson, CO

Since our inception, Spartan Race has been committed to the Armed forces.   In 2012, a portion of all Spartan USA revenue has been donated to Homes for Our Troops, a national nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that assists severely injured servicemen and servicewomen and their immediate families by raising donations of money, building materials and professional labor and to coordinate the process of building a home that provides maximum freedom of movement and the ability to live more independently.

Spartan also launched a Military series in Fort Carson, Colorado in May of 2012.  The Military series was a huge success and it was coordinated through the Army Department of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (DFMWR), a comprehensive network of support and leisure services designed to enhance the lives of soldiers (active, reserve and guard), their families, civilian employees, military retirees and other eligible participants.

In keeping with the longstanding Spartan Race tradition of giving back, a portion of the proceeds from the Spartan Fort Carson event was donated to direct military nonprofits including the Green Beret Foundation.  Future military series events will do the same and will donate to other organizations to help address the unique needs of each respective host installation.

In Leesburg, VA Spartan Race was joined by Team X-T.R.E.M.E.   Team X parachuted in Wounded Warrior athlete  Sgt. Noah Galloway

Team X-T.R.E.M.E.
Photo courtesy of Kevin High Photography

and then their eight person team that included two other Wounded Warrior athletes Todd Love and Jonathan Mozingo, took part in the first every Heroes Heat in one of the most memorable appearances in our history.  They are set to be a part of the upcoming Spartan Beast in the Carolinas October 13th and 14th.  The team is a non-profit organization with an ongoing mission to Honor, Empower and Motivate our nation’s wounded heroes and it was started by Jeremy Soles, a United States Marine Corps and Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran.  Known for donning blacked out gas masks for endurance events that restrict 25 – 30% of oxygen intake, Team X-T.R.E.M.E. completed the brutalizing 10.5 mile course and all the obstacles on Saturday.  With over 75 obstacles to speak of, it was no small task.  The gas masks are worn as a symbol of encouragement and inspiration for their fellow wounded brethren and to honor the sacrifice of our nation’s wounded veterans.

There is always more we can do, because the fight continues every day.  The fight to preserve liberty, to honor the fallen, to move forward with grace and deliberation; all the while never forgetting where we’ve been and what’s been given to get here.  And at Spartan Race HQ we’re remember September 11th and recommitting to changing lives for the better with our race series and giving back where we can.  So, today, on a day that we all remember so well, we want to say, “thank you” to all who have paid a price for our precious freedom, and we assure our community that we’ll never forget.  And to Desena it’s a simple idea, moving forward from such a tragedy, “We can’t let it break us.  Never quit.  Never surrender.”

Team X-T.R.E.M.E.
Photo courtesy of Nuvision Action Image

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by Carrie Adams

Spartan staffers are often asked what life is like working at Spartan Race HQ and for the one and only Joe Desena.  Spartan staff is comprised of a dedicated crew that helps create, design, build, and execute Spartan Races all over the world.  They are men and women who athletes and professionals, Guinness Book World Record Holders, Double and Triple Ironman finishers, Olympians, Adventure Racers, Badwater finishers, Death Race winners, not to mention moms and dads, husbands, wives, and, of course, Spartan finishers.

Spartan Race HQ is located in the big little town of Pittsfield, VT.  With a population of 427, the town was nearly washed away in last year’s devastating Hurricane Irene landfall on the Eastern seaboard.   Never a town to shrink back, they’ve rebuilt much of what was lost, not surprising when you consider it’s also the home of the infamous Death Race, it’s become a Spartan haven and the perfect place for a Spartan Race staffer to live, train, and work.  Situated next door to a Bikram yoga studio, staffers can regularly be seen in the studio early in the morning or over lunch getting their sweat on or in the organic General Store having breakfast or lunch.

Spartans keep irregular hours, but don’t tell them that.  Spartan staffer Jason Jaksetic is often seen climbing the mountain with Joe before the sun rises, toting 100 pound sand bags, Joe calls them “business outings.”  A lot of work has been done in the dark green mountains of Pittsfield.

What is a typical day at Spartan HQ?  How about burpees on the hour, green juices for lunch, mandatory bikram yoga sessions, and occasionally being woken up at 4AM by your co-worker to go on a 5 mile run.  Oh, and do you wanna leave town for the weekend?  Joe and Andy might take the tires off your car.  (True story- Stevie has details)

Led by Spartan’s fearless leader, and one of the SR founders, Joe Desena, who is well-known for his humor and his hard-working style and it’s not out of the ordinary for employees to work 16 hour days, especially on race weeks and then run a 16 hour day from the course running bag check or registration.  Yes, Spartan Race HQ is a small but mighty contingent of people who love their jobs and who look forward to meeting our racers in person. Joe keeps the troops motivated with his random and often slightly odd style of encouragement.  Here are a few examples of how Joe D gets Spartan Staff motivated on the job:

When an employee needed to go to a funeral of a family acquaintance Joe was overheard saying… “Stevie, that’s why you want to work, you don’t want to die when you still have work to do.”

“Don’t just be the early bird who gets the worm, be that bird who RIPS THAT WORM outta the dirt, before anyone else can get the chance!” - Joe D

“Whaddya workin’ a half-day?!” - Joe D (after seeing you pack up your desk at 8 o’clock at night)

That’s why some Spartan staffers have taken to hiding to get away!  So, be sure to thank the Spartan Staff and volunteers you see on site!  They work hard to make sure you can play hard on race day!

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