RACE REPORT: Spartan Carolina Beast x2 2018

It was getting towards the end of a heavy racing & event season, but there was still more to do.  Spartan picked a good marketing strategy with their Trifectas.  It makes you do more races than you'd otherwise do.  The numbers and available races worked out again this year for me to be able to go for a triple trifecta with the races within about 3 hours of driving distance from where I live, so it was time for me to do the Saturday & Sunday beasts again.

SATURDAY BEAST

For a number of years, I've volunteered during build week for the Carolina Beast.  I wasn't able to, this year, due to WTM.  I made the hour-ish drive down on that frosty morning.  It wasn't cold enough for me to use the wetsuit, but it was cold enough for me to wear a thermal top and buff, instead of winging it with a Legendborne top and arm sleeves.  I had gotten way too cold at the Charlotte Sprint in March. It ended up working out well, and I only got too warm for a little while at an exposed field during the middle of the race.

From last year, I remembered there being many jumanji thorny vines, but that wasn't as noticeable this year.  Maybe the cold already killed those plants.  The course was changed up this year, which I liked. It's nice to try some of the obstacles that are normally saved towards the end, near the beginning.  You get a chance to see what you can do fresh on those, for a change.  I still did fail Olympus, though.  The dew/frost made many of the obstacles including Twister too wet for me to finish, which was frustrating.  That's one downside of an early wave... the obstacles may not be dry by the time you get there.  Many good athletes have enough grip strength to where that's not an issue, but it is a barrier for me.

It wasn't until obstacle 12 at the multi-rig that I finally made it through one of the tougher upper body obstacles.  I'm still liking the pre-filled buckets, which promote fairness (everybody hauls the same amount, nobody is subject to the task or variation in filling).  The herc hoist was sooooo hard for me that I probably expended as much time and energy as I would've if I had burpee penaltied out of them, though I'm for the spirit of the sport and would try to avoid burpees if reasonably possible.

Even though the course was changed up, many parts were still the same.  That's fine, though, because I do enjoy this course.  It's relatively flat, with not a lot of bush whacking.  There are also some scenic spots that go by ponds.

The shower afterwards was chilly, but I did endure the cold after the race and before the shower to pick up my 2X trifecta medal first, though, in case they ran out like last year.  They stepped up their trifecta free swag game this year, offering a delta icon, a patch, and a little bag that holds the medal.

I had been hoping for a spot on the podium, but I failed more obstacles than I should've in the early part of the race.  13.5 in 3:01:50, 13:28 ave.

SUNDAY BEAST

I started the race 30 min later on Sunday, since I was running the 8:45am open heat.  I actually had thought that I was signed up for age group on both days, and I didn't realize until I got there that I was doing open.  I would've been doing age group simply because I had codes to use, not because I thought I had a chance on day 2, after racing and going for it on day 1.  

I still failed Twister, but I did get almost there.... literally 1 inch away from the bell.  I was soooo mad when I didn't get it at the end.  I feel like it was probably mental... if I had been able to put mind over body and muster the energy to hold on that little bit more, I could've gotten it.  Lesson learned for next time.  I had been running out of grip, but I could've eeked out a bit more, probably. Herc Hoist was still a struggle bus for me.  However, I did make the spear, but the second time ever in my life!  To make it, I have to get so many things right... the angle, the balance (the right off-balance, actually, to counter the way the spear normally orients itself in the air after I throw it), and the running start.  I normally get one or more things wrong, but this time, it all worked out.  

Something else remarkable about the race, other than me making the spear, is that the end was the muddiest mess I've ever been a part of.  I've run on day 2s of Spartan weekends before, but the dunk wall was the most saturated I've ever been through.  We were all orange afterwards.  It coated every part of you like 1cm thick.  That was not pleasant.  At least it was at the end, though, I guess.

13.5 in 3:57:38, 17:36 ave.  Volunteered at the finish line and Aroo crew afterwards.  Love Fit-aid!