GLEN JEAN, WV (WOAY) – Spartan Races have been testing competitors on endurance, agility, and warrior-like strength since 2010. Now growing to over 250 annual events across more than 42 countries, one of the Spartan obstacle course races is being held right here at home.
“We are going to have about 10,000 people this weekend running through water, swimming, climbing on monkey bars, and going under barbed wire,” says Garfield Griffiths, a Coordinator of Spartan Races.
This extreme obstacle course racing came to the Summit Bechtel Scout Reserve in Glen Jean for the West Virginia Trifecta Weekend as part of its national competition. And these competitors come from all over, working to beat their time throughout 65 different race locations in the US every year.
“The sense of achievement when you finish…I mean this is 13 miles,” he emphasizes. “People are really working to get to that finish line, and the moment they jump that fire, the fire jump at the end of every race, when they jump through the flames and get that metal, it’s an amazing moment.”
The races inspire people from all walks of life to take part, kids, vets, and people fulfilling life journeys, which is exactly what the founder of Spartan had in mind when he started them– bringing this unique kind of competition to everyone.
“The initial Spartan idea, our CEO, Mr. Joe De Sena, used to run what was popular in the ’90s, they were adventure races. He wanted to bring adventure races, scale them down, and bring them to the masses,” adds Griffiths.
A blending of military obstacle courses and adventure running, Spartan Races is now a worldwide leader in unique and competitive obstacle course racing.
The Spartan Trifecta Weekend is divided up between Super, Sprint, Beast, and Kids course races. You can visit race.spartan.com to find out more.
