Bruised, battered, soaking wet and growing blisters on top of blisters, I dragged myself across the finishing line of the inaugural British Spartan Race, shortly to be taken out by two enormous men sporting little but loin cloths and giant red pugil sticks.

As my first, and only, competitive running event, the Spartan Race had seemed an ideal way of branching out from team sports towards a more personal challenge. It had been with a cavalier confidence in my sporting ability that I had signed up to the race, designed ‘to test…resilience, strength, stamina and ability to laugh in the face of adversity.’ My team, ‘the Rebel Lions’ consisted of a handful of fellow hockey players, a couple of marathon runners, a rugby player, and an all-round sports fanatic, all of whom readily admitted that the Spartan Race really had demanded ‘every ounce of [our] strength and ingenuity.’

The course stretched over and around a purpose built army barracks, and inspired by Navy Seals and created by ex-Royal Marine Commando Richard Lee, encompassed lake swims, rope climbs, fire jumps and fitness tests.

Hannah Rickman, a Pembroke medic described the race as “incredibly enjoyable, but hugely demanding” and whilst our finishing times of just under an hour were respectable, Caughlin Butler, a second-year Caius economist, finished as the fastest female with the winning time of 34 minutes, taking home the prize of an authentic Spartan sword and respect of the entire Sparta community. Her male equivalent, Matthew Grabecki, a non-Cambridge Student, finished in 27. 51 minutes.

The back log of ‘Spartan warriors’ waiting to enter into the river swim and tunnel crawl prevented most of us from finishing with a competitive time, however once the queues had died down, runners were free to test their stamina, endurance and physical ability to the limit.

The Spartan Race has clear similarities to the longer ‘Tough Guy’ race. Many of the obstacles were similar and the lay out and principle were familiar. However, the Spartan Race remained thoroughly tongue in cheek: amidst the burning hay bales, competitors were required to prove their spear throwing skills, and the numbers of air-brushed six packs and Spartan capes were impressive.

Although the Spartan Race was a real test of my mental and physical ability, it pales in comparison to its big-brother event, the appropriately named ‘Death Race’. So called because competitors sign a three- word waver, simply acknowledging ‘I may die’. The ultimate endurance test has been dubbed the hardest race on earth. Taking place in the US state of Vermont and commonly taking between 24 and 36 hours to complete, the ‘Death Race’ requires participants to push themselves to their mental and physical limit. Past tasks have involved chopping trees, translating Greek and eating twopounds of onions, all whilst carrying a bicycle and a bucket of gravel.

For those not quite up to the challenge of the ‘Death Race’, (of the hundred participants, fewer than 15 usually finish) there are many races in and around Cambridge that both the experienced and the amateur can enter. The Cambridge Boundary Marathon takes place in March each year, and can be completed as a full or half marathon. If you are willing to look a little further afield, the East London ‘Run to the Beat’ Half Marathon is an alternative way to see yourself around a challenging course, all the while listening to live music designed to enhance your performance and your enjoyment of the race.

For many Cambridge students their sole sporting exposure will be getting demolished by St John’s in Cuppers, or more likely becoming increasingly frustrated as the opposition repeatedly cancel the women’s rugby fixtures. For the casual runner these races offer a rewarding, if challenging long-term goal, for the more serious an enjoyable alternative to the usual straight running events.
As the racing season draws to a close in the winter months, now is the time to start thinking ahead to the spring. Pick a race, choose a route, grab a running buddy and a new pair of trainers and intersperse those long library sessions (and sweaty nights in Cindies) with brain-boosting (and hang-over-mending) runs that will get your grades up, and your abs in shape.

The next Spartan Race meanwhile will take place in the summer of 2011... only the toughest need apply.