I was setting my goals for the year when I had a thought – how nice would it be to run a Spartan Sprint in Arizona again? Just one, to feel like myself again and prove that I could still do it.? Just one, to feel like myself and prove that I could still do it prove that I could still do it and make this Spartan Race Arizona one to remember. Plus, since my Goal Bingo sheet is designed to be filled with picture stickers of me achieving each goal, I couldn’t help but imagine how satisfying it would be to fill in a square with a picture of me—dirty, sweaty, and cute.
This February, I completed the Spartan Sprint in Arizona for the third time, marking my latest of 10 races over the last decade. And beyond just checking off a goal, it felt like one of the best decisions I could have made for myself this year.
How Spartan Races Have Changed Over the Years
My career race distance of 97km isn’t actually correct—Spartan Races used to be a lot less uniformly structured. Sprints used to be anywhere from 3-5 miles, Supers were 7-9, and Beasts were 9-12, with obstacle counts varying by venue.
This was my first time participating in the new era of Spartan Race, and honestly? I liked it. You don’t have to do burpees for every single missed obstacle anymore—they’ve introduced penalty loops as an alternative. The distances are now a uniform 5K, 10K, and 15K, which I think makes the races more accessible for newcomers.
You can’t cheat the system now and run a shorter total Trifecta, but you can still pick your difficulty level by learning about what venues are simply more challenging in elevation and terrain.
How the Spartan Sprint in Arizona Reminded Me Why I Love This
I originally started running Spartan Races in 2016 because I was sick and tired of being sickly and tired from getting a handle on living with celiac disease—it took exactly one race to find out that I truly love this sport and am actually built to be really good at it.
Even though I didn’t get to train as efficiently as I planned to leading up to this year’s race (the flu is crazy, y’all), I still felt absolutely amazing with every mile marker passed. My favorite obstacles are still my favorites, I remembered the technique to tackle the Herculean Hoist, and I might be a more efficient runner now at 31 than I was at 26.
I finished in 1:23:36 and only missed two obstacles out of 20.
And that’s when I realized something big.
One More Trifecta Could Complete My Spartan Delta
One thing Spartan has done a remarkable job of is creating a culture around their events and merch that drives participation—let me explain the Trifecta and Delta system.
If you complete the three race levels in a year (Sprint, Super, Beast), you get three wedge medals that fit together to make a Trifecta medal. You can buy a Trifecta Plate to display your completed Trifecta medal alongside the race chips for where you earned each wedge.
When you complete three Trifecta Plates, they can magnet together and go on a spinning base that holds them in a pyramid of “I am strong and I have the medals to prove it.” This is the Delta, and I’ve always wanted one.
After I finished this year’s Spartan Sprint in Arizona and looked at my lifetime stats, I realized I’m one Trifecta away from completing my Delta. Who gives a shit if it took me almost a decade? Most people don’t have one Trifecta, let alone three.
Now that it’s just two races away, I can’t help but think—why wouldn’t I complete my Delta this year?
I Feel Great, and I Want to Keep This Going—Whether I Keep Racing or Not
On top of feeling physically great, I got to re-experience how being in training mode for Spartan Races made me better in other areas of life. Maintaining a physical training plan while also working and having a life requires discipline, time management, and patience with yourself—so many traits that used to help me crush it in life.
Even though I’m 75% sure I want to finish a Trifecta this year, I’m also just focusing on building a sustainable exercise habit to carry me through the next few years. I’d like to keep running one Spartan Sprint in Arizona per year after this year, until I turn 40. I’ve had enough health setbacks in my 20s to know you are not guaranteed good health, and I’m ready to invest in my life again.
This race reminded me of something huge: I feel my best when I challenge myself. That’s exactly what I plan to keep doing—whether it’s another Spartan Race or a new challenge altogether
Want to experience a Spartan Race for yourself? I couldn’t recommend Arizona enough – our course is usually very flat, simple to train for, and fun. Tap here to find the next one.
