Reflecting on 2019 Spartan Champs

by Alexandra Walker
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Spartan World Championship you were bipolar, magical, 🥶cold, painful and full of smiles 😃 for me. I’m always truly grateful to stand at the start line with the best female athletes in the whole freaking world.


We took off hard, and I decided from the start to play my own cards in the race... not allowing others to decide how it was going to go. I knew the top obstacles were going to be carnage, so I decided to climb well but not turn myself inside out.

Once I got to the spear I knew if I could make it the rest of the race would go just fine. Nailed it!!!

I proceeded to race obstacle-by-obstacle.

• Ape hanger. The rope was frozen with ice and I just wanted to make sure when I dropped into the water to keep my upper body and gloves out of the water.
• Barbwire. I crawled the barbwire because I didn’t want to get my jacket wet.

• Sandbag. I arrived at the first sandbag, which was a double, 😱 Spartan race you brought back the type of carries I love! Heavy, long, steep and soul crushing.

As I ran next to the swim, I started taking my gloves and jacket off and stuffing them in a Ziplock bag. I put my life vest on and jumped into the swim with the intention of getting out as soon as possible. Once out, I put my jacket on and started to descend the mountain.

It started to snow harder, and I questioned if I’d ever warm up and if I even wanted to continue suffering. I kept touching hypothermia throughout the whole race; and when I started to feel it, I would try to run fast or yell at my body to consume some GU or drink my Tailwind Nutrition. 

I had no clue where I was at placement wise until I hit Monkey in the Middle, and my coach and friends told me I was sitting in 5th. Here it was! My biggest goal for this race was just finishing in the top 5!!


I ran the 2nd climb as much as my body would allow. I started to cramp in my hamstrings coming out of Pipe Lair, and I basically yelled at my body to "Freaking deal with it" and shoved a salt tablet in my mouth. When I was finally bombing down the last descent, I had the biggest smile on my face! 😀