THE 10 MOST COMMON SPARTAN RACE MISTAKES (AND HOW TO AVOID THEM)
Every Spartan Race finisher has made mistakes.
Some cost seconds.
Some cost podium positions.
Some cost athletes the race entirely.
After more than 15 years in obstacle course racing, nine Spartan Ultras, countless Spartan finishes, and years spent coaching athletes of every ability level, I’ve noticed the same mistakes appear over and over again.
If you’re preparing for your next Spartan Race, avoid these ten common errors.
1. Not Running Enough
The biggest mistake in OCR has nothing to do with obstacles.
Spartan Race is primarily a trail running event interrupted by obstacles.
Many athletes spend hours practicing monkey bars and almost no time improving their running.
The result is arriving at every obstacle exhausted.
2. Focusing Only on Grip Strength
Grip strength matters, but technique matters just as much.
Athletes often believe they need stronger hands when what they really need is better body positioning, improved efficiency, and smoother movement through obstacles.
3. Ignoring Carries
Bucket carries, sandbags, Atlas carries, and other loaded movements routinely destroy race performances.
Most athletes don’t practice them nearly enough.
If you want to improve your Spartan results, start carrying heavy things.
4. Starting Too Fast
The excitement of race day causes countless athletes to burn themselves out during the first mile.
A pace that feels easy at the start can become disastrous later in the race.
Be patient.
Spartan rewards athletes who finish strong.
5. Neglecting Strength Training
Running is critical, but so is strength.
Pulling, climbing, crawling, lifting, and carrying all require a foundation of strength that many runners overlook.
The strongest Spartan athletes are rarely specialists.
They’re well-rounded.
6. Training Obstacles While Fresh
Completing an obstacle in a gym is one thing.
Completing it after miles of running, climbing hills, and carrying weight is another.
Your obstacle training should include fatigue whenever possible.
7. Wearing Untested Gear
Race day is not the time to experiment.
New shoes, socks, hydration packs, or clothing can quickly turn a good race into a miserable experience.
Nothing new on race day.
8. Ignoring Nutrition and Hydration
As race distances increase, fueling becomes more important.
A Sprint may forgive poor nutrition.
A Beast or Ultra usually won’t.
Practice your nutrition strategy before race day.
9. Avoiding Your Weaknesses
Most athletes spend their training time doing things they’re already good at.
Unfortunately, races expose weaknesses, not strengths.
The fastest way to improve is to attack the areas you avoid.
10. Forgetting the Purpose
Spartan Race was never designed to be easy.
The obstacles, hills, weather, mud, and discomfort are the point.
Athletes who enjoy the process and embrace the challenge tend to stay in the sport longer and perform better than those focused solely on results.
Final Thoughts
There is no secret workout that guarantees Spartan success.
The athletes who consistently improve focus on the fundamentals.
They run.
They carry.
They climb.
They train outside.
And they address weaknesses instead of avoiding them.
At HartFit ELEVATE OCR, we believe obstacle course racing should build more than fitness. It should build capable humans who can handle adversity both on and off the course.
Master the basics, avoid these common mistakes, and your next Spartan Race will likely go much better than your last.
