Thirty-four obstacles and one goal - Marosko and Spartan Race Beast

Spartan Race Beast Kubínska Hoľa

distance: 21km                      elevation: 1400-1500m        obstacles: 34

„The last and the most difficult step towards trifecta. I slept about 1 hour at night, but I feel quite fresh, but I don’t feel this is the day I should do some extra achievement. I don’t feel nervous like days before, I have Petra by my side again, I rely on her. Start is smooth, only 20+km left. I want to complete this track under 10 hours. I set the pace at the ascent and Petra is right behind me. But there’s a problem – Petra can’t keep the pace, she’s tired. I assure her everything will be fine. I know it’s hard to be at the top every day and this don’t bothers me, I hope she will be fine later. I’m taking the lead again and I’m checking the situation behind my back if she doesn’t need help – she’s several meters from me again. Ten hour limit is not a goal anymore for me, I just want to help her. I’m waiting for her at the next obstacle – 6ft wall and I’m helping her to get over it. Then we’re going upwards again, and I’m looking back at Petra more often because I worry about her. She catches me up at the memory test, then we get possibly to the top of the hill and Petra finds out that we are only at the 3.5km. Oh, no, we are like two hours on the track. I imagine that we will come to the finish line in the dark. But if this was the difficult part, next will be easier. But one thing was truly worth being there, at that hill – those beautiful views. I have never seen sceneries like this. Later we get to the critical point – sandbag carry. I didn’t expect this obstacle so soon, I know we are only in the first half of the race. I try to do it like in Valčianska dolina – without stopping. But I can’t. Sandbag slides down from my right shoulder and it causes me severe problems. I have to stop every few meters to adjust my sandbag. It takes me half an hour to do this obstacle. After this I need some rest, the whole body is in pain. A volunteer tells us and shows us the right way towards water. I ask him if this water is for drinking or swimming. He tells us good news - for drinking… but then he adds a bad one, it will be swimming too. At the second water station we are at 8.5km and we are exactly 4 hours on the track. I have to speed up, but I can’t. My foot hurts, I’m tired from carrying that heavy sandbag, I can move only slowly. Petra is ok now, her crisis is over and she gives me some painkillers. Soon I can handle that pain in my foot and shoulders. Swimming in cold water is not that bad as I expected thanks to my cold water showers I usually take (I highly recommend that to everyone). First 30 burpees wait for me at the Olympus, but I’m glad that I make progress every time I’m on this obstacle. I meet triceps bar for the first time but that’s not a difficult one for me – I walk on crutches for years so my triceps are well trained. I repeat my memory test code and we continue through the forest to next few obstacles in a row. I easily overcome monkey bar and I get ready for traverse wall. I made it in Valčianska dolina, so I’m confident I can make it easily here too. I start good but after two meters my muddy shoe slips from the wall, so another 30. There is no water at the rope climb, rope is dry, so I finally have a chance to ring the bell. Rope is longer than I’m used to at our gym, but I have enough energy to make it to the top anyway. We go up again and we guess this is our last ascent. Spear throw – zero point – last 30 burpees, 90 overall, not bad. Long way down to the festival area. On A-cargo net I hear my name from the festival zone, they know I will arrive soon. I see a lot of people at the multiring, cheering, clapping. What an astonishing moment. Eyes wet, pure joy in my heart and now I feel that I don’t want to disappoint all this people – I have to make it through the multiring. Fortunately there is enough energy left in my arms and I ring the bell. I’m so thankful for cheering me up and I send everyone a big kiss. Last part of the track is outside the festival area and I slow down to wait for Petra to complete her last burpees. Atlas carry – a volunteer helps me to get the log into my arms and then he say I chose the heaviest one. Well, I’m the lucky guy! Easy Hercules hoist and then quickly back to the area where all those people await me, cheering and clapping again. I help Petra to get on the stairway to Sparta and I follow her. At the top of this high “ladder” I have a good view on all this awesome people. There’s a last wall and fire jump between us and finish. I’m surprised that fire still burns – mostly when I reach the finish there are only ashes. I look at the display and next to my name is time 8:41:12 and they drape two medals on my neck – one for Beast and regional trifecta.

I look at all those people and I can’t believe that they applaud me… I’m speechless…“