It was never easy, in my mind, to go all in for any Spartan Race. Not at the beginning, in 2019, neither when I attended my first Beast in Slovakia back in 2020. My first Hurricane Heat or my first Trifecta, stretched through one single year. In 2021 followed the first Mountain Beast, at Cheile Grădiștei and a few months later, April 2022, Stade de France completed a Spartan extended circle. Still, something is missing: Trifecta Weekend. Therefore, Cheile Grădiștei, 2022: the opportunity! On top of the Trifecta, a 10k trail was there to be conquered as well. Four races in one weekend, three with obstacles. Discipline at which I don’t excel at all. Running, well, different stuff.

Spartan might mean four kilometers straight through the water…

Would I recommend this? Well, only if you are prepared. Physically and mentally… Surprises are only on the stage and I faced the from the first quarter: 4 kilometers water walk! Oh, fuck… That pissed me and stretched my mental in the most difficult Beast attended. Grădiștea was my walkway for more than one hour, I think. Not like a usual walk in the park and that extended my final time to more than 40 minutes, comparing to November 2021. I was trashed after the effort, but only 10 minutes were left until the… relaxing 10k, without obstacles. Wow! No time to rest. I mean, I also swam for some meters and I was soaking wet, but couldn’t change any of my clothes.

A cool down of 10 kilometers as Spartan Trail

5 hours 38 minutes, the time. 1 hour and 39 minutes more for the “cool down”. Yep, the run was just a pathetic cool down for the medal at the end. My form was a shame and the duration of the second part of the process had maybe 20 minutes more than I would have been able to cover on an almost top form. Relief! Now I can enjoy half of the day to relax and to prepare emotionally for the second half of this courageous event. How hard can it get? Water again. At least only for swim, no to walk through. The blue Super part looks different now after the first day. I am sour, my muscles are hurting, but I am moving forward. Still at 08:10 AM, after a refreshing six kilometer uphill walk.

120 minutes of piece and quiet

I finish this time in 2 hours 44 minutes and now I have more than 120 minutes to relax before the last small part of the saga. Now it feels better and knowing I have only one more medal, out of the four, to get is so refreshing. The effort is huge, but I can do the epilogue. It doesn’t have 5 kilometers, but almost seven. I cannot lift the bag. Again. The spear shakes in my hand and, as usual, does not hit the mark. Burpees. Again and again and again. I am so almost over and this brings a pride in my soul that I cannot express very different then I am trying. The fourth medal comes and, alongside it, the special Trifecta Medal. I have them all five, in one weekend. I did it!

Spartan Trifecta and something extra, the dream came true

What have I learned from this? Well, not much more that I have already knew in three years of Spartan Races experience accumulating. It is though, it is challenging, but… it is possible with proper preparation and proper mindset. Especially when you have next to you the right person, that encourages and makes you feel ready to do the thing. As an American friend says: “Do the thing and you’ll have the power!” I can say I feel special. Whatever will happen in my life, I have completed an Weekend Spartan Trifecta, a mountain one and nothing can ever change that. Ever! I encourage you to follow me. Check the pictures! 😉