Which format is best for beginners?

The Sprint, with 5 km and 20 obstacles, is the shortest adult format and the usual choice for a first race: you get to know the obstacles without the distance being the challenge. If you already run 10 km comfortably, the Super is a good option too.

What time should I arrive on race day?

Ninety minutes before your start time, which you will find in your confirmation email and your Spartan account. That leaves time to park, pick up your packet, check your bag and warm up.

What clothes and shoes should I wear?

Performance gear that is not cotton, such as compression bottoms and breathable tops, and the shoes you train in. They will get wet and muddy, so bring a towel and dry clothes for after the finish.

Can under-18s take part?

Yes. Racers under 18 can do the Sprint, the shortest format, with a signed consent form that they bring on race day. For younger children there is Spartan Kids, with courses from 1 to 3 km, held at several races on the same weekend as the adult events.

Do I get a medal on my first race?

Yes. If you finish, you get the finisher shirt and medal plus your Trifecta slice, whether it is your first Spartan or your hundredth. Collect a Sprint, a Super and a Beast within one Trifecta year and you join the Trifecta tribe.

Women carrying sandbags on the beach during Spartan Santa Susanna

Service guide

Your first Spartan Race: which format to choose, what to bring and how to prepare

For your first Spartan Race, pick the Sprint (5 km and 20 obstacles), wear performance gear and the shoes you train in, and arrive 90 minutes before your start. Mud, water, obstacles and a medal at the finish: here is everything worth knowing, so all you have to think about on the day is racing.

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Your first Spartan in 30 seconds

Best format to start: Sprint: 5 km and 20 obstacles
The course: Cross-country, with water, mud and uneven ground
What to wear: Performance gear (no cotton) and the shoes you train in
When to arrive: 90 minutes before your start time
What you take home: Finisher shirt, medal and a Trifecta slice
With Pulse: Official bib in every pack, with a hotel in the Total pack

Which Spartan format should you choose first?

Spartan has four adult formats. For a first race, the Sprint is the natural way in: it is the shortest, so you get to know the obstacles without the distance being the challenge. If you already run regularly, the Super is a solid first goal.

Sprint: 5 km and 20 obstacles.
Super: 10 km and 25 obstacles.
Beast: 21 km and 30 obstacles.
Ultra: 50 km and 60 obstacles (Andorra only).
Kids: 1 to 3 km, for younger racers.

What is a Spartan course like?

Spartan’s motto is “expect the unexpected”. The course runs cross-country through woods and bushes, with ditches, climbing obstacles, uneven ground, water and slippery surfaces. No two races are the same.

The best advice for your first time: adjust your speed to what you see around you. The goal is not to go out flat-out, but to reach every obstacle in one piece.

Racer lifting an Atlas stone on the grass at Spartan Madrid

What to wear and bring to a Spartan Race

Wear performance gear, not cotton: compression bottoms and breathable tops that wick sweat away. And race in the shoes you train in — they will get dirty, so this is not the day to try a new pair.

Your ID and your registration barcode.
A towel and a change of dry clothes for afterwards.
A hydration pack if you are doing one of the longer distances.
If you are under 18 (Sprint only), a signed consent form.

Race day: why arrive 90 minutes early

Your start time is in your confirmation email and your Spartan account. Get there 90 minutes before it: you need time to park, pick up your packet, check your bag and warm up.

Keep your bib number visible for the whole race. Photos arrive afterwards from Sportograf, Spartan’s photo partner, and your bib is how they find you.

What your entry includes, and what is the Spartan Trifecta?

Your registration covers the festival area, the after-finish aid station, chip timing and race photos. If you finish, you also get the finisher shirt and medal, plus a Trifecta slice.

The Trifecta is what keeps many Spartans coming back: finish a Sprint, a Super and a Beast within one “Trifecta year” and you join the Trifecta tribe. Several races hold a Trifecta weekend, with the Beast on Saturday, the Super on Sunday and the Sprint on either day.

What a Pulse pack includes for your first Spartan

Your official bib
Entry in the format you choose, with everything it includes.
Hotel in the Total pack
Close to the start, so you sleep well the night before. [Confirm hotel per race.]
Priority Pass
Bib pickup with no queues and priority in the recovery and food areas. [Confirm if included.]
Tailored nutrition
A plan for before, during and after your format. [Confirm if included.]

Spartan races for your debut

Pick the Spartan for your first time. Pulse is Spartan’s official health partner.

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First Spartan Race FAQ

Which format is best for beginners?
The Sprint, with 5 km and 20 obstacles, is the shortest adult format and the usual choice for a first race: you get to know the obstacles without the distance being the challenge. If you already run 10 km comfortably, the Super is a good option too.
What time should I arrive on race day?
Ninety minutes before your start time, which you will find in your confirmation email and your Spartan account. That leaves time to park, pick up your packet, check your bag and warm up.
What clothes and shoes should I wear?
Performance gear that is not cotton, such as compression bottoms and breathable tops, and the shoes you train in. They will get wet and muddy, so bring a towel and dry clothes for after the finish.
Can under-18s take part?
Yes. Racers under 18 can do the Sprint, the shortest format, with a signed consent form that they bring on race day. For younger children there is Spartan Kids, with courses from 1 to 3 km, held at several races on the same weekend as the adult events.
Do I get a medal on my first race?
Yes. If you finish, you get the finisher shirt and medal plus your Trifecta slice, whether it is your first Spartan or your hundredth. Collect a Sprint, a Super and a Beast within one Trifecta year and you join the Trifecta tribe.

Keep reading

Start with your first Spartan

Choose your race and format, and let your Pulse pack handle the rest.