intro

My second Spartan Race! Honestly thought I was done after my first one in Spartan Race Kelowna, British Columbia. But then I was like, “eh, why not live a little?” So here we go again!

The location was at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona, United States. I picked this spot because I wanted each Spartan Race to be different from one another. I didn’t think I’d enjoy another mountain-style course, and after some research this location caught my eye. The desert terrain was completely different from the mountains that I tackled the first time, and I was excited for a new kind of challenge.

here we go again

As the trip got closer, I won’t lie, I was really anxious. Traveling far away from home felt like a huge step. When I went to Spartan Race Kelowna, if something went wrong and I got stranded, I knew I’d be fine. There’s a bus that can take you straight from the Kelowna International Airport all the way back to Vancouver, so it never felt too far from home. But traveling to the middle of the States? That felt different and way more overwhelming. It wasn’t just the distance, it was the fact that I didn’t know what to expect. I kept thinking, “what if something goes wrong?” There’s no easy bus ride home this time. That’s what makes traveling exciting. I believe you never really fully grow if you stay comfortable. It’s strange how a little anxiety can actually make an experience more thrilling — well, for me at least.

Everything went smoothly, from the airport to my Airbnb. It was my first time staying in an Airbnb, and it felt a little weird to just open the door to someone else’s home. It was like I was a random background character in a movie, quietly moving through someone else’s life. But I saved money, so that’s a win. The neighborhood was quiet and charming, and I enjoyed exploring a little before heading to the race the next day. Even small things, like grabbing coffee from a local café or watching the desert sunset, added to the experience of the trip.

off to the races

Race day finally arrived. As I pulled up to the location, I could see the raceway in the distance. Behind it, small mountains rose, and you could see other Spartans making their climb. The view really built suspense. I came in thinking I was going to be absolutely burned out there, and I was secretly hoping for that. It wasn’t nearly as intense, but maybe my mindset was just stronger now. I felt more confident in my training and my pacing, which made me less nervous than the first time. Not gonna lie, I did feel a little lonely out here. Seeing everyone interacting with each other and having a blast, while I am all alone in a country where I am not from. But when I approached the starting line, those feelings went out the window, and it was time to lock in. The venue also being right outside the raceway, which was part of the race. It added a really cool twist and made the experience feel more exciting.

When the race began, we entered the stands of the raceway and ran up and down the stairs. It honestly felt like a stampede. Then we ran on the actual raceway track itself, which was very exciting. After leaving the track, it was time to enter the desert. The terrain was incredibly flat. For the most part, it was a pretty straightforward race. If you’re ever looking to set a personal record, this might be the perfect location. There was also NBA basketball player Anthony Davis, who did one of the races. He placed second on the 5 kilometer Sprint open heat. That just shows the level of athleticism you need to compete on an NBA all-star level.

Spartan Race Arizona Map

At certain points, you could see other Spartans far off in the distance. At five kilometers, you could spot someone already making their way through the 15 kilometer mark. The sun was out, but it wasn’t too brutal. This was very different from the usual mountain or forest setups. Running through the desert was challenging in its own way. The wide-open space made the race feel longer at times, and I had to stay focused to keep a steady pace. When I crossed the finish line, I then went to grab some yummy nachos at the race venue.

overall review

This was a really great experience overall. It definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone, which is always a good thing. Even though the race itself was pretty straightforward, I still got to take in the beauty of the desert. I’ve never been in a desert before, so just being out there surrounded by that kind of landscape was a really cool experience on its own. Out of the seven Spartan Race adventures I went on, I rank this 7th place. By no means this was bad, but I was in and out very quickly. If I ever go back to Arizona, I will make sure to do more than race. I mean I was a scaredy cat at the time.