The Spartan Spirit in Life
- Scott
- Apr 7
- 4 min read
One day, I saw a person wearing a shirt that said “Peaceful Harmony” on the front. I thought that’s a beautiful slogan to wear. At the same time, life is not always peaceful, but we can choose to be in harmony with it.
Sometimes, life feels difficult because of the gap between where we are and where we want to be. That gap can be small or large, but it is always there.
So how do we embody this idea of “Peaceful Harmony” in our lives?
Having run six Spartan races since 2021 and recently completing my second Beast (21K) with 20 obstacles, it dawned on me that the reason I love Spartan races is because I resonate deeply with the Spartan spirit.
For those unfamiliar, Spartan races are outdoor trail running events combined with man-made obstacles: monkey bars, barbed wire crawls, mud pits, heavy sandbags, vertical walls, and more, set across rugged terrain. These races are typically held in nature: hills, forests, lakes, and rivers.
There are 5K, 10K, and 21K races, known as the Trifecta, as well as the Ultra (50K). These races demand not only endurance, but also full-body strength, particularly upper body capability, to overcome obstacles and complete the course.
I’ve run all three distances, and I must say that the 21K is my favorite. The 5K feels easy. The 10K is a solid workout. But the 21K with 20 obstacles, this is where you begin to encounter your physical and emotional limits.
The Beast (21K) requires proper planning and preparation.
The first time I ran it in 2024, I didn’t bring any nutrition for the course. Around mile 9, my legs began cramping. The remainder of the race became a struggle and I couldn’t even complete monkey bars without my calves seizing up, which forced me into multiple penalty loops, adding even more distance.
This time, I approached it differently.
I prepared five Honey Stinger energy gel packs, stored them in my running shorts, and consumed them every 30–40 minutes. The difference was profound. I maintained my pace throughout the race, and experienced only minor cramping during the rope climb, within 500 yards of the finish line.
Despite not having trained with a half marathon in the past two years, I finished in 2:30:34, ranking in the top 25% among 186 participants. Proper fueling transformed the experience, from survival to enjoyment.
So What Is the Spartan Spirit?
This race brought a deeper realization. For any long-distance challenge—whether physical or in life—three elements matter most:
Planning. Preparation. Execution.
Spartan Spirit #1: Cadence, not speed, is the foundation of long-term success.
At every race, I notice people sprinting at the start. One by one, I pass them later—they burn out early.
Elite athletes can sustain that pace. Most of us cannot.
For endurance, cadence is everything. I start slower, usually in the second half of the group, keeping my breathing steady and controlled for the first 2–3 miles. That discipline pays off.
In life, most meaningful pursuits are long-term—months, years, even decades.
Rushing at the beginning often leads to burnout before results materialize.
Spartan Spirit #2: One Step at a Time, One Obstacle at a Time
Everyone knows the race is 13+ miles with 20 obstacles—but no one knows exactly where each obstacle is or in what sequence.
After the initial adrenaline fades, fatigue sets in. Thoughts begin to arise:
• “Why am I here?”
• “There are still 9 miles left…”
• “That obstacle looks brutal…”
These are the same internal dialogues we face in life. Instead of focusing on what remains, I focus on what is immediately in front of me:
The next 15 feet. The next step. This obstacle completed—good. Move to the next. That’s all there ever is.
Spartan Spirit #3: Run Your Own Race
In large races, people are constantly passing each other.
But the individuals I admire most are not the fastest. They are the ones who may look out of shape but refuse to quit. Even if they walk. Even if they struggle. That is commitment. That is the Spartan spirit. We are all running our own races.
My goal is not to beat others, it is to improve from my previous self. It does not matter how many people I pass, or how many pass me.
My focus remains the same: The next 15 feet. The next step. The next obstacle.
We are each here for a purpose, running our own race, expressing our own symphony.
And along the way, there are moments of quiet beauty. During the race, I often lift my head to take in the surroundings: the trees, water, hills, sky, and sunlight. In those moments, I feel deeply grateful. I would not want to be anywhere else.
Spartan Spirit #4: Cheer for Others
Despite its name, Spartan Race is deeply communal.
People from all walks of life, different ages, backgrounds, come together to challenge themselves. It would be easier to stay home, rest, and indulge in comfort. But instead, people choose growth.
During this race, I made a conscious effort to smile and internally bless everyone I encountered:
• Fellow runners
• Volunteers at water stations
• Staff setting up obstacles
• Photographers capturing moments
• Spectators cheering us on
All of this exists so we can experience something meaningful, often for just a fraction of what it would cost to create such an event ourselves.
What we experience in life, is it not the same?
We live in homes we did not build.
We drive cars we did not manufacture.
We eat food we did not grow or prepare.
Our mail is delivered. Our waste is managed.
We travel the world and experience its beauty.
All of this exists because humanity, collectively, has built a civilization that allows us to serve, support, and uplift one another. We are able to enjoy life because we take care of each other.
Let us build a world with more harmony, more peace—and live with the Spartan spirit.
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