AT&T Stadium was transformed into a fitness Mecca this weekend. Visions of sweat and grit were plentiful, as Saturday, June 20 marked the official Spartan Race: AT&T Stadium Sprint, where 6,000 participants gathered to compete.
The race included a course that was riddled with signature Spartan obstacles, such as running, climbing, crawling and jumping. Many Spartan races include obstacles in mud, but race participants were only covered in sweat at this indoor stadium sprint.
There are also various Spartan Race classifications that vary in difficulty and length. The “sprint” that took place in Arlington included 21 obstacles, about 4 miles in total and many stadium stairs to run.
Check out the gallery below for photos from the event.
AT&T Stadium Sprint Race Director, Dann LG, said this specific race is optimal for first-time Spartan racers, as it's one of their shorter races.
"It's accessible to everybody, from the highly competitive athlete all the way down to somebody who is just learning how to get in the fitness world and it's something they can prove to themselves," LG said.
Countless smiles and celebratory high-fives were exchanged among strangers as each participant crossed the finish line; the energy on the football field was contagiously electric. Often, folks would catch a glimpse of themselves on the mammoth of a jumbotron, and the smiles would sweep even larger across their face.
As the course included obstacles, such as towering walls to ascend over and ropes to climb, many opted to conquer the race with a friend. Two Army soldiers from Fort Hood, Sergio Colon and Deniseo Nieves, decided to participate in their first Spartan race together, in honor of a fellow soldier overseas.
"One of my good friends is currently in Kuwait and he's going to Afghanistan in a couple weeks," Colon said.
Their physical training in the Army prepared them immensely for the race, completing the course in 75 minutes. LG said most participants take at least two hours to complete the 21 obstacles.
"Being in the Army, there's a lot of things that makes you push yourself. Doing one of these races motivated me to become a better soldier ultimately," Colon said. "We stayed together through the whole race. We are battle buddies and you never leave a soldier behind."
Which obstacle was the hardest? Participants were across the board on that verdict, but looked to their fellow racers for motivation.
"The hardest obstacle for me was probably pulling the 90 pound bag down, but I had my sergeant help me through it," Nieves said.
Another participant, Britni Ramsey, recruited a group of 10 from her church home group to accompany in her first Spartan Race. They practiced for the race as a group in the months leading up to the race.
"I think it's very empowering," Ramsey said. "Especially because you hear people talk about it all the time and you just never know what to expect, so it's really cool to finish something this hard as a team together."
Ramsey said she is already looking forward to her next Spartan race.
By Kimber Westphall, Special Contributor
