Spartan Race Vietnam. This was the most “fun” I’ve ever had in a Spartan Race, if that is even possible…. Being the inaugural event in the country, there was some uncertainty around how it would be organized and officiated. Luckily, it all went smoothly, as did my travel plans this time!
The way the Spartan series is set up, the best 3 of 4 races count towards your final “score” that determines the rankings in South East Asia (SEA). I missed the first race in Malaysia (as did most people) so I needed to do as well as I could the final three races….
After Spartan Races in Thailand and the Philippines, it all came down to this one, a fast 5k “Sprint”! Callum (the other guy with the best chance to win the series) took it out fast with me from the start. About halfway in, we had already gapped the rest of the guys by over a minute or so. I pushed it hard on all the runs between obstacles and had a 20 second lead on him going into the spear throw.
BOOM. It stuck! This is the one “obstacle” I never practice as all the spears/targets are different and logistically there aren’t many places you can throw a spear in Bangkok….
After that point, it was cruise control until the finish. I won comfortably but still pushed it in, crossing the line in 24:25. Someone at the finish line told me this was the fastest Spartan Sprint time recorded in Asia; true or not, all that really matters in these races in your overall place as each course is so different!
It was all smiles and feelings of sheer joy, gratitude, and relief. A lot of sacrifice goes into preparing your body and mind for these events, and to be the best it must be a huge part of your daily lifestyle–no matter how talented you are.
The final race of the 2022 season for me will be in Phuket for the APAC Championships. There will be some pretty stiff competition with top guys from Australia, China, South Korea, and other countries flying in to race. As much as I would love to go to Abu Dhabi for the World Champs the following week, it just isn’t possible as of now. Hopefully next year!
Thanks for reading my re-cap and reach out if you are interested in working with me to improve your overall fitness and race performances! I have both in-person and online clients and would like to take on several more before this year comes to a close! That’s all for now. Cheers XX
