#SPRINT FOR SPAT FREE#

ItвЂ™s going to be bigger and better than ever.ДЄston did me right last year, it took me, chewed me up and spat me back out a better stronger racer. вЂњIf people want intensity, but they also want fun, then Aston is a great place to do itвЂќ. вЂњA big focus this year has been on what does the racer actually want in terms of when they come to a Spartan Race? What do they want to see, what do they want to feel? And how do we slowly adapt and progress to that?вЂќДЄ final round-up of Aston Down? The course layout for Spartan Race is always kept under tight wraps until race day but Karl was sure to let me know the gist of what to expect come Saturday. вЂњYou get the guys who are just smiling, theyвЂ™re laughing, theyвЂ™re high fiving everyone you know there is mud flying everywhere and its infectious isnвЂ™t it?вЂќ IвЂ™ve seen many cheering, clapping and dancing the racers through the tough challenges that Spartan puts them through. My experience of these guys has been nothing but positive. Not only the friends you run with but the encouragement you get from Spartan volunteers.

вЂњWe spent a lot of time last year asking what do you want, what do you want to see, how do you want to do it? So this year we have more spectator areas and have designed the course a little differently just to give the spectators something to look at.вЂќДЄnd finally, an important part of enjoying the course rides a lot on the support you have around you.

#SPRINT FOR SPAT FREE#

ItвЂ™s free to spectators and will even contain вЂfestival obstaclesвЂ™ to entertain throughout the day.

Aston will improve on SpartanвЂ™s вЂrocking festivalвЂ™ area where spectators and tired racers and finishers, can enjoy the Spartan atmosphere. The desire that every racer will have the same experience when taking part in a Spartan Race is what drives the team to talk to the racers and spectators to get their views on what would make race day more enjoyable. ItвЂ™s great that we now have to adapt to our racersвЂќ. вЂњA lot of our obstacles have been upgraded for this race and the reason for that is that our racers are getting better, theyвЂ™re getting faster, theyвЂ™re getting stronger. We then grew to just over 3000 last year and weвЂ™ve topped just over 4000 this year.вЂќДЄs the numbers have grown, I really felt that Spartan Race has focused on listening to their racers and strived to make changes based on their experiences. The first year we had maybe just over a 1000 people for the race day. I think Aston South West is a great example of how we have seen it change and grow. вЂњI think we have seen some great growth, not just for Spartan, but for the sport as a whole over the last few years. I asked Karl how he felt this season, and the approach that has been taken to it is different from the last. вЂњAston has become sort of synonymous with the вЂDeath ValleyвЂ™ itвЂ™s this valley that we flood with obstacles.вЂќ вЂњWe really have had the benefit of being able to say, if we place this obstacle here, then what next? If we have the Atlas Carry here do we really want to be going into Bucket Brigade? Are our racers really going to be able to do it? But what we donвЂ™t want to do is sort of deflate our racers.вЂќ As a racer, itвЂ™s nice to know that those behind Spartan are interested in helping participants reach their goals even if it is in a painful, brutal way. I can tell that the course this year has been meticulously planned out, ensuring that the racers experience a challenging yet not impossible race that will really push them to their limits. The design of the Aston Down course, for Karl and his team, has really been a process of looking back on previous years and learning from them. As Director of Race Operations, Karl has complete responsibility in the operational planning of Spartan Races within the UK. Karl spent some time talking with me about his love affair with Obstacle Course Racing that spawned from his first ever Spartan race.

Karl Allsop, Race Director at Spartan Race UK, ran his first Spartan Sprint at Bassingbourn Barracks in 2011. вЂњEvery step you take gets you closer to the finish lineвЂќ This year, a little more of a seasoned racer and a little better prepared for what is to come, I have decided to return to Aston Down and be one medal closer to the Trifecta in 2018. Going into my first Super alone was certainly a daunting task and the aching, bruised body after certainly made it a day never to forget. I have a love-hate relationship with this place, mainly stemming from my solo experience with the Spartan Super last year. Spartan returns, once again, to the Aston Down Airfield used by the RAF from the First World War.

Sprint for spat