Montana Spartan race weekend 2019

MONTANA, my favorite venue for a Spartan race. 

This year's "Beast" event was part of the Mountain Series for the second year in a row. We did the shuttle bus again this year. It works out so well and then we don't have to pay the expensive VIP rates at the venue lot. We got on the bus just on time and I loved looking out at the snowy hills towards Glacier National park as we walked towards the buses.

We arrived at the venue and as we got off of the bus, I looked at my husband and realized he had his hydration pack on and I didn't. Yikes!! A quick boarding back on the bus and a return trip to the shuttle parking lot, luckily it was in our car and not back at our campsite. We boarded the bus again and I anxiously sat and hoped we'd be able to make our start time. Even though it didn't matter, in a Spartan event you can always start after you assigned time you just can't start before it. Nonetheless, I really wanted to go at our assigned start time of 9:15.

 We hurried through the registration tent, put on our wristbands and headbands, checked our bags and did a quick bathroom stop before going to the start line. We got there just as the start speech was getting over, I was a little dissapointed about that as I really enjoy hearing the motivating words before I am on the course. Oh well, we just had time to go over the start chute wall and we were off! Not quite😩, another panic moment - argh my hydration pack lid wasn’t screwed on all the way and at the start wall my water started coming out, I took it off & promptly lost half of the water I had put in it. Luckily my husband carries water & with the aid stations on the course, I would be O.K. I do tend to cramp easily so loosing so much “Nuun” electrolyte water was hard to watch.

The Beast is advertised as 13 miles with 30 obstacles. Our course map showed us where the obstacles were on the course.

True to form the Mountain series did not disappoint. They took us up and down "alot". I usually feel the altitude a bit when I'm here, with a bit of a headache, upset stomach and feeling short of breath. I didn't have any of those effects this year, for which I'm very thankful.

The first sandbag carry was a long one with a real sandbag, I thought it was Beast worthy. The second carry was the standard sandbag.

The deep water crossing was about waist high for me at it's deepest and was very cold. The dunk wall was not as deep or long as usual in the crossing so it was interesting getting under it and standing up after. My left hamstring thought that would be a good time to cramp as I was in an awkward position coming out from under the wall. Two men saw me and gave me a hand and helped me stand up, thank you whoever you were❤. 

We had a "new" to me obstacle this year. Long black tubes to crawl through, I had built up in my mind that this might trigger my past claustrophobia issues, but I had no trouble crawling through them. I really must have been worrying about that obstacle because after I'd gone through it I burst out into tears. I was so relieved that it was fun and I had no concerns. Our minds can sure build up a huge false scenario, and mine did a great job before that one.

We had a not so bad bucket carry, it was long but we've had worse ones.

The barbwire crawl was much shorter this year, with a very clean slip wall after it. Hurray!

We climbed the A frame cargo net, I loved that we are behind these jumpers at the finish line. I'm just climbing down and my husband is enjoying watching the others finish.

Time for our finish jump!

Victory wall photo.

Happy finishers❤

This Beast race gave us both our Trifecta's. We did our Sprint and Super at the Seattle Spartan weekend. You can read about those events HERE.

 The Mountain Series medal, very unique!

The Trifecta wedges all put together in my Trifecta holder.

Front

Back

Garmin totals:

total miles - 14.25

total ascent - 3894 feet

30 obstacles

Sunday I got to be a spectator and take a few more photos of my husband as he did the Sprint course. A Sprint is advertised at 3+ miles and 20 obstacles.

Another shuttle bus day, the snow is a little lower on the hills today.

Dunk wall.

Bucket carry

While he was out on the course a few fires were lit here and there to warm us.

"Montana" style fires!

The barb wire crawl

A nice dry slip wall again.

Up and over the A frame cargo net

and over the fire jump!

Day two Sprint finish!