by Rhyan Ellington

Twenty years ago I started having panic attacks, terrible panic attacks. Diagnosed with Severe Anxiety Disorder I would stay close to home and for a while and not even leave my house. In that time I had good stretches and terrible stretches, I didn’t think I’d ever be free! I put my faith in God and kept my world close to my comfort zone.

Flash forward a little, I’m married to a beautiful wife with 2 perfect children and still not pushing myself. Then I saw the Spartan Race page on Facebook and became obsessed! I got locked in health wise, followed the daily Spartan tips – you can sign up for the free workouts – www.spartanrace.com/wod and I used it to focus on the Indiana Spartan Sprint. That goal is what I needed to really change my life.

I dropped 115lbs and found myself with my wife smack in the middle of the event, pushing myself through panic, muscle fatigue and more importantly away from my comfort zone! After finishing I’m so much more aware of what I’m capable of when you push through fears and S.T.F.U. I thank you all your workers and participants for an incredible time and new addiction to life!

Spartan for life!

Rhyan Ellington, alive again!

Find your finish line.  Click HERE for events near you.

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by Ruthann Cross, Spartan Chick

A little over a year ago my family and I were given a challenge to only drink water for a defined period of time and donate any money that we would normally use on coffees, sodas and sports drinks to digging clean water wells in Haiti. This was easy for us to do for a few different reasons. One, we already drink mostly water as it is. And two, most children in Haiti do not live past the age of five because of contaminated water diseases.

Two of my children at that time were both under the age of 5 so this really tugged on my heart. It was easy for us to give. It didn’t require us to step out of our comfort zones, it didn’t require us to live outside of the ease of our everyday life. Little did I know that less than a year later I would have the honor and privilege to travel to Haiti with Living Water International and be a part of giving hope to a community. (Bonus: I would also have the opportunity to get really, REALLY muddy while I was there. Seriously, what chick would want to pass that up?)

Our travels took us just outside Cap-Haitian. We arrived in a small village full of cement block and thatch walled structures with corrugated metal roofs. Many of which did not have four walls or doors! We saw people who appeared hard and calloused and knew they were very familiar with a great deal of death and hunger, but as soon as we smiled and said hello in their language these beautiful people quickly welcomed us with great smiles and warm hearts. They knew why we had come. They knew we were there to offer hope.

This entire week had nothing to do with me, my life, my family whether or not I had the time to fit a workout in or even connect with friends through the internet. It was all about the people of Modje and the little children who followed us around as if we were the Pied Piper. It was about the women of the community who were so proud to show us the few possessions they had. It was about the homeless widow and her six children who asked us to take her youngest with us in hope of a better life. Our task was to come in and drill a clean sustainable well for this community and educate them in proper hygiene so they could hopefully have a better life, but I believe I am the one who received the greater gift. To offer the gift of hope to someone who has none was the greatest blessing of all.

Before and after this week I have had several people express how difficult this must have been to go. Some even indicated they could never do something like this as it would just be too hard. Comments like these made me realize it is not a case of whether or not we can do something but whether or not we have a willing heart and a determination to make a change. We may not all be called to head off to the jungle of some foreign land and experience the same things but each one of us has the ability to take a stand alongside others and lend a hand. It just takes stepping out of our comfort zone and making the offer. We would all probably be surprised who accepts.

Who can you offer that “sparkle” of hope to today?

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Happy Mother’s Day, Sparta!  For all the mothers out there, we honor you and are proud to share the story of  Leyla Di Cori, a Spartan regular, and her inspirational mother, Johanne Di Cori, age 72 years young, who took on her first Spartan race daughter by her side.

Here is their story, told by Leyla herself.

When we finally arrived at the race site in Mont Tremblant, I was ecstatic to see some familiar faces from the Spartan Staff. They came from Vermont to help out with the races in Montreal.

I took part in the competitive heat at 10:00am. Finishing in the top 8, I was pleased with myself and my mom was pretty proud of me. As we posed together at the picture booth, my mother looked at me and said: “I want to race with you tomorrow.” I looked at her in dismay. I had tried to convince her in the past to try a Spartan Sprint but she refused. And there she was, my 72 year-old mother saying she wanted to race! I was thrilled with the idea. That evening I wrote an email to Steve Halstead to explain my mom wanted to race. We started preparing that same night. I decked out my mom in my thigh high socks, my race shorts, my trusty Salomon Speedcross 3s and a Spartan Tech T-shirt. If she was going to race, she was going to look the part too!

Sunday morning arrived. Believe it or not, my mother only told my father that very morning she would race. He was stunned and by the look on his face and a bit worried. You have to understand, my mother was not training for a Spartan Race. Despite her age (and trust me, you’d never think she is 72 when you look at her!) she is quite active. She bikes, walks in the neighbourhood and is used to going to the grocery store and walking back with bags. Add to that the fact that she gardens and doesn’t mind getting dirty! My concern was yes, she was active, but clearly she had not been getting ready for the challenges a Spartan Race presents. My biggest concern remained that my mother, Johanne, also suffers from asthma! I vowed to not leave her side. I was going to stand by my mother no matter how long it took. We were in this together!

Once we arrived at the race site, I decide I would go ahead and race the competitive heat at 9:00am. Originally, we were both going straight into the 10:00am but I wanted a lay of the land in order to be the best guide possible for my mother.

At 10:15, arm-in-arm with my mother, I led her to the front of the start line. I explained the shoving that would occur, the smoke, the fire that was at the beginning and how she should expect hilly terrain for the most part. The siren went off, and off we ran! The smoke affected my mom’s breathing from the very beginning but she managed to run the first kilometer.  Racers were not noticing a 72 year-old was racing with them.  As the hills grew higher, we slowed down and power walked through the mountain. The forest was hilly and muddy. It certainly was tough terrain for her but she was doing awesome. Funny enough, two other men, probably in their late 40s were walking the trail as well. I am glad to say we Chicked them!

Never leaving my mom’s side, we made it through the woods. The course made us go in and out of the woods several times. We did all the obstacles from the sandbag carry, to the rope ladder and so many others. My mom was amazing, strong, and determined.  She was not giving up. Despite the thirst and the fatigue she was committed to finishing. The only thing that worried her was the 220 yard barbed wire crawl. The mud was incredibly deep and she even got stuck in it. The suction was so strong she was knee high and couldn’t get out. Her legs cramped up and she couldn’t move for a good minute. Fellow Spartans helped her out of the crazy mud pit. With every crawl, I would say, “You got this, mom! You can do it! Don’t give up!!!” Other racers couldn’t believe their eyes when they saw my mom. Imagine this white haired woman racing next to them. So many racers encouraged her and were in awe. With every step we took, I couldn’t help but feel incredibly proud.  I kept telling her how remarkable she was for doing this. She is a grandmother after all!!!

My mom was determined to finish and kept a smile the entire time. She even joked with me that giving birth was easier than a Spartan Race.

Less than a mile away from the finish line, there were a series of obstacles. The only one my mother missed was the spear throw. I did the burpees for her. I knew she was getting exhausted but with every step she took I pushed her, saying we were almost there. If we got this far, we were not giving up now!!! I could see how tired and dehydrated she was. It was about 104F that day. She climbed up theat 8 foot wall like a cat! She went through the tunnels. She made her way to the electric barbed wire. She went up the cargo nets with great agility and she conquered the inclined platforms. Then came the final obstacle before facing the gladiators: the inclined slippery wall with rope. I guided my mother telling her how to position her body. We were side by side. She barely had any strength left in her arms. She said she couldn’t take another step.

I said to her, “Mom! This is the last one!!! Now give it all that you’ve got! And I know you have it! Now pull!!! PULL!!!! YOU CAN DO IT! Take baby steps and pull yourself up there!!!” Another Spartan Chick was at the bottom and helped me by guiding my mother as I was extending my hand from the top of the ramp. The crowd was going wild seeing my mom. She was near the top and said she couldn’t get over. I remember yelling “ YOU GOT THIS MOM!  Do it!” And she did! The crowd soared!  It was a magical moment. I think my heart stopped when I saw her legs make it over. We made our way down cautiously. I looked at her, hugged her saying how proud I was to be at her side, and how incredible I believed her to be.  As we turned around, a few yards ahead of us the gladiators were waiting. I had promised my mother I wouldn’t let any gladiator tackle her.  She was going to stay at my side and I was going to shove them if someone dared to approach her. As we made our way towards them, I eyed them cautiously. All four of them bowed down in front of us.  They looked at my mother and applauded her. Everyone around the finishing area was applauding and cheering. Arm in arm, mother and daughter crossed the finish line with tears in our eyes. We had made it! My mom Johanne made it!

My father was waiting for us at the finish line. His face said it all. He hugged both of us and then held my mom in his arms. Clearly you could tell how emotional he was to see his muddy wife, that against all odds finished a Spartan Race, despite not having trained for it and suffering from asthma.

I can tell you my mom was a Spartan Super Star! She was being stopped left and right and everyone wanted their pictures taken with her. The MC even made an announcement about Johanne Di Cori, the 72 year-old Spartan Chick/grandmother  that just finished the course. I was tearing up for the most part after the race. Words couldn’t and still can’t express how proud I am of my mother. She is the reason why I am strong and determined. I just can’t stress that enough.

My mother is such a down to earth person. She doesn’t realize her achievement. For her it was a race she completed, a challenge she wanted to try.  I told her she was an inspiration for many after completing this race.

That’s a Spartan mom, if we’ve ever heard of one!?

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by Steve Myers

May 2, 2010 I was taking my son to a soccer game when a girl got on the Interstate going the wrong way due to being twice the legal limit drunk and had drugs in her system. We collided head on at 65mph. Once they arrived, the paramedics flew us all to the nearby trauma unit. Thank God for my son as he only had to have surgery on his left elbow and now has some new working hardware in his elbow. He had fractured ribs and bumps and bruises but was very blessed that day to escape major trauma except for his elbow. He’s doing great now. I however was grateful to take the brunt of the impact but didn’t fair out so well. My wife and I quit counting broken bones at 26 including my back, my pelvis, my wrist in 7 places, my scapula, all my ribs on the left side which punctured my lung and both my heels were crushed from the impact. My spleen was lacerated and I had two brain bleeds they were concerned about. They were especially concerned about me losing my right foot due to experiencing a compound fracture. Apparently my heel blew out the side of my foot.

Anyway, my recovery – wow, it’s been a long road from laying in the trauma unit for 3 weeks and then being moved to a nursing home for the remainder of the summer and not being able to walk mainly due to the extensive surgeries on my feet. They totally reconstructed my heels. I remember the day the surgeon told me what I kind of thought but didn’t want to hear. He said “I hear your a runner.” And to his credit he stated in as nice a way that he could that my running days are over but I should still be able to ride a bike or do something else. He didn’t understand that I loved trail running with my fiancé (at that time). I proposed to her on one of our trail runs (and she said yes). She loves trail running and I was told I’ll never do it again. I think that was as close to having my heart ripped out as I’ve ever felt. I thank God though for the surgeons and therapists and everyone involved in my recovery. I went from being bed ridden (no fun having to use a bed pan) to a wheelchair and finally gaining permission after months to be able to put weight on my feet and attempt to walk for the first time since the accident. I was told don’t get discouraged if I can’t walk the first time I try. I walked the first time using the parallel bars to hold on. I then used a walker for a while and eventually went to using a cane and then nothing. I was in the gym working my upper body while still in my wheelchair. I don’t know where my perseverance came from other than I’ve always been into fitness and being in pretty decent shape and trail running and my surgeons contributed that to me not only surviving the accident but to recovering so rapidly. I had a taste and a vision I could get it back and sometimes I think that’s all you need is a glimmer of hope and you can achieve anything.

I’m still not where I want to be although very grateful. I workout every day at the gym. I run on a not so daily basis but getting better and stronger and fighting through the pain with more ease because I can picture the day when I cross the Spartan Race finish line. I watched my wife last year run our local Spartan Race. This year we’re doing it together. We never heard about a Spartan race until last year. It was her first. We got home from it and she was signing up for this years and I told her to sign me up that I would be ready to run it if I had to crawl across the finish line. What an amazing community of people there at the race. Something sparked me and I knew I wanted to be a part of it this year.

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by Tara Henry

15 months ago my life changed. 15 months ago I nearly died of an accidental drug overdose. I spent two weeks in the hospital and afterwards agreed to go into detox/rehab. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. I was always known as the “strong one.” I was the one that never cracked under pressure but rather thrived on it. What everyone didn’t know, what no one could see was how desperately I did not want to be like that. I wanted them to understand how desperately I wanted to cry in the presence of someone, to collapse into the arms of someone. I wanted them to know that their assumptions became my criteria. They became the expectations that I live with. There is a lot of pressure in just a few words. Once they called me strong, I could never be anything less. I want to stop being defined, I want to be able to have a weakness … and agreeing to go to rehab, I showed my weakness and my strength at the same time.

After being discharged from rehab I was often asked if I wanted to start taking drugs again…the obvious answer was yes. I missed drugs. I missed the routine. I missed waking up every day and knowing exactly what I needed to do. 15 months ago I was a mess….then I came across an advertisement for Spartan Race. Instantly I became curious and noticed there was a race in my area in a matter of a few months. I signed up immediately. I began training and quickly realized I was replacing my drug addiction with working out and becoming a healthier me.

Race day came and I was nervous, I felt far from ready and felt as though I had set my bar way too high. I am happy to say; even though I was slow, and was running with a fractured foot I crossed the finish line. I also realized that I would much rather do 100 burpees than go through detox again! I have said it many times but I honestly believe Spartan Race helped save my life. It became my new drug…a much healthier one that is. I have no words to express how much the Spartan community has helped me and let me push my limits further than I ever imagined! I will not pretend that drugs are acceptable; most people who become addicted to drugs never get to leave. I’m lucky to be born with the desire that I have, I’m lucky to remember what I wanted before consuming. And what I want from life is much bigger and better than a time of “high.” I encourage all of you to push your limits. Go further than you ever imagined possible!

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5. Keep it simple – While many Spartans are new to the sport of Obstacle Course Racing, many of us have backgrounds in other activities from triathletes to runners, outdoorsmen to sportsmen.  The first rule at Spartan Race is Keep It Simple!  Go back to the basics of physical activity and leave the gadgets at home.  Don’t worry about the heart-rate monitor or Garmin computer.  Forget about your special socks and new equipment bag.  As you are preparing for a Spartan Race keep in mind that our goal is to challenge you to return to your roots as a human being with basic survival instincts.  If a wall is in front of you, climb over it.  If a rope is hanging, climb up it.  If a spear is near you go throw it!

4. Bring friends – There is no better feeling than sharing an amazing experience with others.  There is also no better feeling than watching a gladiator knock your friend out while you run past them to glory!  The bottom line is, bring some people to support you in the festival grounds or to run next to you.  When you finish the race and want to give someone a muddy hug, you’ll be happy you did!

3. Got WOD? Got FOD? – Through all of the events that we host on many different continents, people ask the same questions.  How do I train for this, and what should I be eating?  We’ve got you covered on both questions.  Click on the links above to sign up for our Workout of the Day and our Food of the Day and you will be ready to go.  Every day you can get specific workouts and delicious recipes with step-by-step directions emailed to you.

2. This is a lifestyle – Spartan Race is about much more than just a race.  Take a few minutes to read some of our amazing stories of inspiration on our blog.  Learn about people with cancer racing between chemotherapy treatments because they refuse to lose.  Read about soldiers who lost their limbs, but not their courage.  Come see if someone else has a story that is similar to yours.

1. You’ll know at the finish line – This slogan isn’t a cliché to us.  We challenge you to come out to one of our events and just give everything you have.  You may not finish first.  You may not finish last.  However, somewhere between an electrifying starting line, and an empowering finish line, you will figure it out.  You mind will wander as you approach various obstacles and your adrenaline will surge as other athletes pass you and you dig deep to compete.  Then, at some point, the fog will lift and your path to success will be clear.

 

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Meet Jonathan Shifflet. A guy who, in June 2012, weighed around 240lbs and who also had a bad habit to the tune of a pack of cigarettes a day.

“I was sitting at my computer playing on facebook smoking a cigarette, when I noticed a friend of mine liked your page. I checked out your website and fell in love with the races and the people. I felt a part of me that I thought was gone waking up inside me. My urge my desire and my passion for fitness that I hadn’t felt since high school came back.”

That was the spark he needed. Two weeks later, cigarette-free, a difficult undertaking, as any smoker will tell you – Jonathan then dove headlong into the Spartan WOD’s he’d subscribed to.

He remembers his first one fondly, “It was horrible. The Spartan WOD is truly unforgiving. My lungs burned, I coughed, I puked and I felt beaten.”

Par for the course, then. But he continued and he saw himself getting fitter and more importantly his breathing was improving and his air was fresher. His next target was the Spartan Beast in Glen Rose, Texas.

Despite his heat being scheduled for Sunday, Jonathan was there Saturday morning to soak up the atmosphere and “get a feel” of what he would be doing the following day.

He remembers being daunted by what he saw, “I watched people cross the finish line looking broken and tired. I was still at 200 pounds and I watched six groups cross the line gasping for air.” He was shaken but he knew he had to persist. “I woke up Sunday and headed back to Glen Rose and when my heat was up, I jumped up and down and ran in place – anything to hide the fear.”

Shifflet finished the race. “It took me 5 hrs 28 minutes and was the hardest challenge I had ever done both physically and mentally. But in the process I changed my life because of Spartan Race. Because of you I no longer smoke. I can breathe again.”

So what’s next for Jonathan?

“I now run all the time and I am training for the 2014 death race which I promise will have to kill me to beat me.” He’s thankful for how much his life has changed. “Spartan Race helped me accomplish so much. I didn’t know a better way to thank you than this; the logo is now tattooed into my shoulder!”

What’s your reason for not joining? Sign up TODAY. See you at the finish line…

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by Mike Levine, Spartan Staffer

I am Reebok, I am CrossFit, I, am a Spartan.  Going back to the age of seventeen, the first national sponsor that approached me as an athlete was Reebok.  A young Division I athlete, and I was branded head to toe by some really great people at Reebok.  They made sure I had everything I needed and were gracious in every way.  Fast-forward fifteen years…Now, I train at CrossFit Lighthouse in New York with an incredibly committed group of like-minded people and I work for Spartan Race.  I was incredibly exited with our announcement at the Times Square event that I was now coming full circle, and rejoining with Reebok.  With Citi Field nearly upon us, I can’t wait to see how Reebok and Spartan put on the Sprint in my back yard.

Spartan is an amazing brand of empowerment.  We are a dedicated group of professionals who inspire people to reach for the best and demand the absolute best of themselves.  We are not defined by a race.  Rather we are measured by the successes of our followers.  To our fellow Spartans, I tell you from personal experience that Reebok is no different.  They are Spartans.  This partnership brings us incredible opportunities.  There is a tremendous synergy between our two brands.  As gracious partners, Reebok invited us into their world and we will enjoy a tremendous relationship, we will certainly look much better in our new gear, and we will have an amazing brand to grow with.  Reebok stands behind their athletes.  They are a brand that helps their followers fulfill their dreams…sounds like a Spartan if you ask me.  So come out to one of our races this year, meet our Reebok ambassadors, get some new gear, and have some fun.

There’s still time to join us in Citi Field April 13th.  Get signed up HERE!

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“I am basically the healthiest fat guy you have ever seen in your life”
-Governor Christie-

This past February while serving as a guest on The Late Show with David Letterman, Governor Chris Christie stated, “I am basically the healthiest fat guy you have ever seen in your life.” In response to that, former White House Physician Dr. Connie Mariano stated, “I’m worried about this guy during in office.” Recognizing the brevity to which the governor devoted to the topic, the issue still begs for a solution.  Health begins on the inside and while Christie is obviously not a  picture of health, there is more to the story.

This past March, New York State courts halted Mayor Bloomberg’s policy of banning over-sized sugary drinks. Mayor Bloomberg stated, “If we are serious about fighting obesity, then we have to be honest about it and courageous about tackling it.”

Somewhere between these two politicians rests a very necessary campaign to improve the health of our country. On average, Americans are eating out a minimum of four to five times a week. The problem is that virtually no one knows what goes into your food. We don’t know if the restaurant used some dairy product as a binding agent, or if a gluten product was used as filler. We don’t know if the chicken’s feed was grown on a farm that violated EPA compliance for animal feeding operations. Short of having your own chicken coup, it is difficult to ensure a “healthy” chicken. However, we can take certain steps to improve what we put in our bodies.  It’s our responsibility.

Athletes who train for performance recognize the value of quality nutrition and how that improves the body’s output.  If a person wants to simply lose weight, caloric restriction can be an effective means but weight loss and a number on a scale are not necessarily reflective of a person’s overall health.  It is for these reasons that what you put into your mouth in terms of quality and quantity are critical to a person’s long-term health and well-being.

In short, you are what you eat.

Want to learn more?  Sign up to receive FREE recipes from Spartan HQ.  Click HERE.

 

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by  Jose Ortiz, guest blogger

Where it Began

In 2000, I made a decision to serve my country in the most honorable manner I knew possible; I joined the United States Marine Corp.  After serving honorably in operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, my commitment to the Marines came to an end in 2004.  Returning to my home of Long Island, I settled with my wife in Wantagh, New York, a suburb about 35 miles away from New York City and I became a corrections officer.

 

Needing a Change

Once I was home I was looking for something to take the place of the daily PT routine I had in the Marines.  A friend of mine introduced me to two of the best things I have discovered since my wife, Spartan Race and CrossFit Lighthouse.  As soon as I listened to my friend’s story about Spartan Race I started to track down pictures and watch videos…I was hooked.  I signed up right away for the Spartan Sprint in Tuxedo, NY and started doing the Workout of the Day (WOD).  Soon after, I wanted to workout with some great people who could push me and I met Dan Luffman and Jack Sandhaas, owners of Crossfit Lighthouse.  These two guys are HUGE fans of Spartan Race and they took me on as their pet project immediately.  They showed me how the integration of movements in the gym would translate into a healthy lifestyle and top performance in a Spartan Race.

A New Life

Once this journey began, I set my sights on the Spartan Race and my CrossFit coaches did the rest.  I am proud to say that I dropped 30 pounds of unwanted body weight.  I was inspired by the Chris Davis story and followed his journey as I embarked on my own.  I found that once my body became acclimated to the workouts, nutrition also became a huge focus.  Now, everything was part of my Spartan Race/CrossFit lifestyle.  It was something that I lived and breathed every day.  It wasn’t just a workout or a healthy meal; it was a commitment to my wife, my family, and myself to say that I was taking control of everything that was good and productive for me.

The First Spartan Experience

After months of lifting, stretching, running, and healthy living, my first Spartan Race arrived.  The cannon sounded and before I knew it and I was at the starting line staring at my goal that I set months prior.  I was finally here.  One obstacle after the next, training and muscle memory took over, rope climbs and wall climbs and hurdles were second nature.  I am proud to say that I did not have to do one penalty burpee, but if I did, I was ready.  The motto is true, “You’ll know at the finish line.”

Now, with that race under my belt, I have become a permanent staple at CrossFit Lighthouse and Spartan Race.  I am training every day towards my new goal, the Trifecta Medal.

Semper Fi.

Are you ready to test your Spartan mettle?  Find an event near you and get signed up today.

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