Test of inner fortitude

THE event website reads: ‘Born in the scenic hills of Vermont, The Spartan Race is a true adventure that anyone can do, and everyone should try’.

It continues, ‘the race course is 5+ kilometres and filled with mud, water and signature obstacles designed to help you discover your ‘inner Spartan’. Athletes of all fitness levels enjoy participating in a Spartan Race and the feeling of accomplishment that comes at the finish line’.

‘With all the conveniences, advancements and technologies of modern society, we must not forget that our bodies are the most powerful machines we will ever operate. The Spartan Race was created with a simple, yet important, mission in mind. That mission is to get people back to their primal roots. To do what they were designed to do: run, jump, climb and sweat’.

Now, for the first time in the Middle East, the Spartan Race is coming to Dubai on Friday.

My first experience with a mud run was back in 2013, when I ran the Devil’s Circuit in Gurgaon, India. At first, I was sceptical about it. I had never been a part of any kind of sporting event before. I wasn’t sure if I could actually keep up with the intensity of the race or not. However, my transformation from fat to fit was quite recent and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to put my new found health, fitness and body to the test.

I was nervous, but excited to see how far I was capable of pushing myself. Since then, there was no looking back. I went on to compete in the X-Warrior Race, as well as the second edition of the Devil’s Circuit in 2014. The Spartan Race will be my fourth mud run so far.

Mud runs require stamina, endurance and strength. It’s not about running fast, it’s more about being able to run, jump, climb and crawl consistently. It’s important to have some decent upper body strength along with the ability to run for more than five kilometres.

Even though I’ve been in three mud runs before, the Spartan Race is in a league of its own. In order to prepare myself for the race, I began running outdoors as opposed to indoors on a treadmill. I picked rough terrain and sandy grounds to sprint across. In addition to my regular lifting routine, I began adding in more body-weight exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups, dips, burpees, jumping jacks, lunges and squats.

I’m a pretty flexible eater, and I don’t have a rigid diet. But when it comes to athletic performance, I didn’t want to take any chances. I started eating more whole, nutritious food. Oatmeal, milk, peanut butter, brown rice, chicken breast, fruits and mixed vegetables all became a staple part of my everyday diet. I wanted to reap the maximum benefit from my diet and training as possible.

My friends, family, and even place of work, Al Rashid Group, have all been very supportive. Sportsone, a multi-brand sports retail brand owned by ARG, has sponsored my training gear for the race. They even gave me a beautiful pair of Nike running shoes, along with training attire and accessories as gifts.

The best advice I can give you is to just have fun with the race. The only person you need to compete with is yourself. You don’t have to be extremely fit to enter one of these. I’ve seen folks three times my age compete and complete the race!

It’s all about believing in yourself. Take it easy, take your time, pick a pace that you’re comfortable with and make your way to the finish line. There are no losers when it comes to mud runs. Everyone that completes the course is a winner in my opinion.

Focus on being able to run at a pace that you can maintain for long distances without falling short of stamina. There are obstacles that will be hard to overcome, but there are ways around them. Never pass on an obstacle without trying to overcome it first.

What’s even more interesting is that most sporting events host boot camps a few weeks before the day of the race. These are extremely helpful and allow you to train with a large group of people also looking to participate.

The Spartan Race website, www.spartanrace.com also provides a lot of useful information related to training routines, diet and nutrition that will complement your preparation for the big day. Also email me if you are entering the event too on hamzafarooqmir@gmail.com