Endurance, speed and strength are what participants will need to possess, and carrying, climbing, crawling, leaping, lifting, running and throwing are just a few of the actions they’ll be required to perform at the 2024 Seattle Spartan Pan American Championships from Sept. 14-15 at Meadow Wood Equestrian Center (18601 Sky Meadows Lane) in Snohomish.
Think of the event as a combination of “Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge” and the challenges on “Survivor,” but located in Snohomish County’s backyard. Basically, it’s an obstacle course on steroids.
The championships include three race distances, Sprint, Super and Beast, each with obstacles.
The Sprint is 5 km (3.1 miles) with 20 obstacles and takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete. The Super is 10 km (6.2 miles) with 25 obstacles and takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes to finish.
A woman carries a bucket behind her head during the 2023 Seattle Spartan Trifecta Weekend in Snohomish, Washington. (Photo courtesy of Spartan Race Staff)
The Beast is exactly how it sounds: 21 km (13 miles) and 30 obstacles. On average, it takes nearly five hours to complete and is “the ultimate Spartan test.”
“A challenge that will require strength, skill and grit,” according to the Spartan website. “Elevation changes and uneven terrain will leave your lungs and legs burning.”
There’s also a challenge for kids between the ages of 4-14. Kids 4-6 will complete a 1 km course, kids 7-9 a 1.5 km course and kids 9-14 a 3 km course.
Some of the obstacles include the Atlas Carry, A-Frame Cargo climb, Barbed Wire Crawl, Fire Jump (yes, over fire), Inverted Wall, Bucket Carry, Hercules Hoist, Multi-Rig swing, Rope Climb, Sandbag Carry, Slip Wall and Spear Throw.
The Atlas Carry, for example, is lifting and carrying a heavy stone around a flagpole and back to the start line. Men will lift and carry a 45 kilogram (100 pound) stone and women a 35 kilogram (75 pound) stone.
A man takes a dip in the mud during a challenge at the 2023 Seattle Spartan Trifecta Weekend in Snohomish, Washington. (Photo courtesy of Spartan Race Staff)
All three grueling races lead up to the Trifecta award, a three-piece medal representing a participant’s accomplishment for finishing each of the races.
The Sprint is $140, Super $154 and Beast $168. The Kids race is $25.99.
Here are the results from last year’s Seattle Spartan Trifecta Weekend.
Here is the Spartan leaderboard for the 2024 season. California’s Yara Alves leads the field with 131 Trifectas and a 3:40:00 time.
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