UPDATED: See the latest news directly from Spartan Race HQ and from Dirt In Your Skirt the end of the article!
April 2, 2014 – An end to an era, the Spartan Race finishing line gladiator pit is no more.
Starting this weekend at Reebok Spartan Race Super in Las Vegas, there will no longer be pugil stick-weilding guys or gals standing between you and the finish line waiting to beat you senseless… after already enduring 10 or so miles of suffering. Take a good look, old photos are the last time you'll see this:
As we say goodbye to these administers of padded stick punishment who have been sentinels at all Spartan Races since 2009, let's go back to where it all began and learn the origin of the gladiators…
Brian Duncanson, one of Spartan's Founding Few:
I think a few of us had an idea to have someone dressed like a gladiator, and we purchased our first pugil stick. Anthony was a huge kid and we hid him in the woods. Racers had to go through a tight section of evergreen trees and they burst out into an opening when they met our first gladiator. The feedback was priceless. Spectators, who were all over the course, quickly migrated to the spot in the woods where all of the screams were coming from to watch people get lit up. We decided right there that the gladiators would always be located right at the finish line so that everyone could watch.
Aside from a few loose fillings and a couple (thousand) bruises, why did this Spartan Race tradition come to an end – and get announced the day after April Fool's? Is this some belated joke?
We reached out to Joe De Sena himself to get the straight answer, and he didn't mince words at all:
We want to make sure every obstacle within a Spartan Race is athletic in nature and as part of the formation and affiliation with a new global federation…this was one of the first steps in that process.
[it was a tough call] but basically as part of our move to the Olympics review..and federation formation we are making some required changes.
Jeff Connor echoed Joe's sentiment:
We want to ensure that within a Spartan Race the obstacles are athletic in nature which also falls within the Federation and Olympic guidelines.
Anthony Matesi, Hurricane Heat Coordinator/Content Creator added:
While the Gladiators will be missed, the change is necessary in moving the sport forward. The timing mats were positioned to end the race immediately following the Fire Jump to prevent any issues that could rise from having an obstacle operated by humans for some time now. Eliminating them entirely just goes to show that this sport is rapidly evolving.
Margaret Schlachter, author of Obstacle Race Training and founder of Dirtinyourskirt.com shared her well-informed viewpoint:
Gladiators have been a unique part of the Spartan Race experience since the first event in 2010 when I ran through pine trees to find the original gladiator hiding out on the course. They have been a fun part of the race, but as Spartan transitions into a serious sport it is understandable that they are too much of a wild card as part of a sporting event. They will be missed, but hopefully Spartan will have a few gladiators in the festival area for photo opts for people.
We reached out to Brad Kloha, veteran of ~20 Spartan Races during his Run to Remember 100 races in 52 weeks campaign:
Ultimately, I don't believe the removal of the Gladiator Pit diminishes the Spartan Race experience in any way. Removing the Gladiator Pit at the Spartan Race will be a change, for a while, and for those of us who have done them I think many of us may miss it, but probably not for that long. If I've seen anything from Spartan in the past few years, is that they continue to innovate, to challenge, and to move obstacle racing forward to legitimacy as a sport. Joe, Andy, and the Spartan Race team have a vision and I trust where they'll take it, and I'm certain we'll see new obstacles along the way that will make us quickly forget those that are eliminated in pursuit of legitimacy. The entirety of the race, not one single element, is why you see athletes who travel the country (and world) to participate in Spartan Races throughout the year (even if they aren't in the competition for prize money) which I don't think you see quite so often in other series.
What are YOUR thoughts? Let us know in the Comments below.
Anyone who's talked to Joe for more than 5 seconds quickly learns the future of Spartan Race in his eyes is Obstacle Racing (OR*) becoming an International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognized & federated sport, beginning with developing OR standards for competition with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). By eliminating the subjective and inconsistent nature of the gladiators being – well, human – the obstacles and challenges of Spartan Race are all quantifiable on a pass/fail system; you either complete an obstacle that requires physical strength, stamina, dexterity, or courage – or you fail… and perform 30 burpees. We've seen many hard hits over the years in the gladiator pit, but have yet to see anyone exactly “fail” that final obstacle.
So, farewell to the shirtless, muscled pugilist stalking the finish line, separating the weary contestant from their hard-earned medal (and a cold shower). Au revoir jouster against the unarmed weilding an oversized Q-tip. The bruises you administered to our exterior have healed, but your contusions on our soul will live in infamy.
*Note: Joe's a purist, and prefers “OR” to the now-ubiquitous acronym “OCR”, yet another standard he's looking to set.
UPDATE from Las Vegas Spartan Super: Was this whole “Gladiator” thing some kind of hoax?
4/4/14: It seems Spartan Race is at it again – as we all learned when they tinkered with the trifecta medals, the secret meetings going on Spartan HQ somehow take us all by surprise and are never fully revealed – until we see them on the course. Joe De Sena and the crew seem to actually enjoy hearing us scream about these leaked decisions before giving us all the facts. Do they get off on screwing with us die-hard OR freaks?
I reached out to Joe earlier today and seemed to catch him in a quizzical mood. Instead of giving me answers, he asked me to decode the gladiator announcement myself.
“Spartan was founded on two very important principles: 1. Every human should get their ass off the couch and 2. We should NEVER be upset over the small things in life. You figure it out.”
I was left to ask myself: “Am I doing a good enough job of either of those principles? Are all Spartans?”
I also don’t think this gladiator story is anywhere near complete, what surprises about these changes have we yet to learn, and when? When will we be getting more insight into their role creating this new interational federation of obstacle racing – which I’ve learned is supposed to be launched in May – and knowing how the have always delivered at the finish line… I know for sure the olympics are a Spartan focus and we all know Spartan is ever evolving but even still I suspect a positive surprise this weekend in Vegas.
4/8/14: Margaret Schlachter, author of Obstacle Race Training and founder of Dirtinyourskirt.com brings us this update:
“This past weekend was the send off of them in well a rather underwhelming way. As I strolled up to the starting area, which now includes a wall to jump over before reaching the start line, there they were, two men standing, looking not very excited to be there. They were wielding the pugal sticks and tapping people as they went through. A sort of lackluster send off of such an iconic part of the race. So it was there in a less than glorious fashion we said goodbye to an era of Spartan Race and hello to the era of Reebok Spartan Race.”
Read more in her article Goodbye Gladiators: A Lackluster Goodbye in Las Vegas.
Stay tuned to Mud Run Guide for all the details, we’ll keep you posted on every move Spartan makes!
Want to learn more about what makes Joe tick? Check out our feature from last month’s Death Race Mexico: Not Your Average Joe.
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Brett Stewart is the author of Ultimate Obstacle Race Training and the co-founder of Mud Run Guide
While I am all for seeing this becoming a more recognised sport, doing so by eliminating one of the most popular portions of the race seems counterproductive.
This is an absurd thing to do it is one of the most fun things to watch at the race. This is also and obstacle that means when you see it you are almost done and it is one final push. With out the pit no one will watch the finish line any more.
Since you brought it up, can you give us more insight into the “OR” vs. “OCR” designation? I disagree. I think OR has too many other meanings. Other than Optical Character Recognition, I can’t think of any other common uses of the OCR acronym. Perhaps the word “course” is a bit redundant in conjunction with the word “race” but I think it still sounds better with a third letter. Maybe OBR? Perhaps another option would be to do away with acronym use altogether. I think it’s rare that you hear of any Olympic sports referred to using acronyms.
Removing the gladiators at the end is a terrible idea. I know you all have your reasons but hear me out here.I ran my first spartan race on January 25th of this year, the Spartan sprint in california. I had trained for a good year for that race and it still pushed me to my limits. I still loved every moment of it! The gladiators at the end were not really an obstacle at that point… they were. I don’t know, like an initiation. Just like jumping over the fire, it was not very difficult, but still it had an emotional and symbolic meaning to me. Getting hit with those silly cushioned sticks was fun, and reminded me of all the difficult obstacles I had just overcome. It also reminded me that now.. I am a Spartan. Images of these gladiators are plastered all over your website and images of the race for a reason. They make the Spartan race stand out from the others, just like that zombie race is so well known because it has zombies in it.
I get wanting to make the race more focused on athletics, but don’t forget there needs to be some fun component in it as well. If I just wanted to suffer I would stay at home with me weights and logs and work out. The race is more than just a chance to exhibit physical prowress, its a chance to connect with fellow Spartans. A chance to see how everyone overcomes their obstacles differently. I like to think the gladiators at the end put a nice little bow on the whole package. It’s not as demanding a challenge as say, flipping a tractor tire or crawling under barbed-wire. I feel, though, it is just as important as any other obstacle. So please, add another obstacle if you need to… but keep the gladiators there. If not as a race obstacle then as a symbol of what we become when we finish the race.
Is a NFL running back bursting and jinking through a defensive line not demonstrating athleticism? Personally I don’t agree with the change. Sadly I see this as a possible turning towards a less fun race. Let the competitive heat elite runners who care about another 5 seconds wear a special headband of truce so they can puss out at the end. The rest of us can battle to the finish line.
Will miss this,, it was the OOrah for me,, had a hit from behind in the race I ran at 54 yr,, landed hard on my shoulder,, but hey,, I finished and healed,, if I was still 20, would not have felt it,, but proud to have done it and finished, give us 2 choices,, would do it again..
Good to know. I got into Spartan races because they were fun and different. If Spartan plans on taking the fun out just to get recognition from a historically corrupt body, I’m going to start looking elsewhere. In your own reasons you said why they started in the first place. They’re fun! Big guys popping out, smacking you, trying to trip you up, and we loved every moment of it. A fantastic and unique way to finish the race. I’m pretty disappointed in you guys.
“By eliminating the subjective and inconsistent nature of the gladiators being – well, human – the obstacles and challenges of Spartan Race are all quantifiable on a pass/fail system;” I can’t believe this….are you actually thinking this through? No two experiences will ever be the same, the course evolves with every participant, the mud dries, the ropes get muddier, the ruts get deeper, why on earth would you want to try to remove the “human” element of a race that obviously is working?? Be careful that the race that sets the standard slowly gets lost in the imitators because it doesn’t have the guts to be real. —Very Disappointed.
My son got his thumb dislocated by one of these gladiators. It was his proudest moment of the entire race. Boooooo on this decision.
Totally excited about leaping over the fire and reaching for my banana with no gladiator humiliation. Hug your gladiators people!
This is specifically why I chose the spartan race over the tough mudder, because of the warrior obstacles like this. I was in the military and did plenty of obstacle courses. I don’t feel the need to go run this because it’s a recognized sport, I chose it because I get to throw spears and run into gladiators at the end. Bad move here. I didn’t sign up looking for a sport, I signed up and paid for an experience. Takes a lot away from what I paid for. Do I get my money back for the Indy race at the end of the month? Nope.
Eliminating them altogether makes very little sense. They run separate elite heats in which us mere mortals can’t compete. Remove them from those, since after all those are the only people who would have any chance at national/international/Olympic competition. I did my first Spartan at the Beast in Sacramento. It was miserable because i had the stomach flu two days beforehand and despite months of training i cramped up horribly bad around mile 4. I had to walk the rest. After 13.5 miles of mostly disappointment the most fun I had was the initiation (as someone else here said) with the gladiator sticks. The hardest physical test I had ever done in my life was punctuated with the gladiators. Im fully committed to running one for real next time around, but removing the gladiators from amateur heats makes very little sense. 95% of your audience is there for fun, personal achievement, and bragging rights that they did it. The gladiators put the finishing touches on all three of those. You can still be an Olympic recognized sport without ruining the fun for the casual participants. Rethink what you’re doing Joe.
I tend to agree with all the above comments, I was initiated into obstacle running in 2010 with a spartan sprint before that I used to do all the boring 10k s and half marathons. However since becoming a spartan I have never looked back and have experienced many variations of obstacle courses over many distances but the spartan is the one that fires the imagination. What fires this though is the image of a spartan and battling your way through them at the finish line without them it just becomes another obstacle race!
I agree with all the other comments… I think this is a HUGE mistake & only makes SARTAN RACE more generic!
They use to have a guy in full Spartan gear give the heart pounding speech at the starting line… He’s not “allowed” to wear the armor anymore!
Now they are taking away the Gladiators! I’m outraged!!
I have loved Spartan Race since before I stepped to the start line the first time, because it was different than ALL the other mud obstacle races…
More authentic! That is deteriorating!!
What’s next? What makes Spartan Race any different than any other mud run at this point!?!
I understand they want it to be a sport, but they are forgeting about the thousands of people that will never run with the Elites and bring in 99.9% of the race proceeds! Those people want something authentic & real… Something worth getting off the couch… Facing a Gladiator is worth that!
Definitely unhappy about this change, with in the race it truly was one of the parts I most looked forward to, in order to successfully feel, just as that… A success. Bad idea, I think. I’m a proud spartan, I don’t see anyone taking away the barbed wire, or the sometimes, cacti, or the etc etc. Why take away any part that makes this race worth it? Bumps and bruises, scratches or cuts is what I signed up for. There was a waiver for a reason, that reason was not to be a weak(pansy) of a man!
The fact that you are trying to standardize the Spartan Race clearly shows that you don’t fully comprehend the community of Spartans you yourself created. I won’t speak of your character because for all I know you are a stand up guy, however, this seems like a sell out move.
I agree with the comment that says take it out of the elite level if you want but leave it there for the rest of us.
There is nothing more satisfying than that last push to finish the line dodging a whack from a gladiator. By the end of the race you’re buggered & wanting that finish line. You want it bad & the idea someone is stopping you gives you that last little energy to draw on. People want to do it & people want to watch that. No one wants to see the end of a Spartan become like a triathlon where some poor exhausted person drags themselves across the line, get up & fight!
Oh & don’t take it easy on me because I’m a woman. Try to knock me down just as hard as you do with any guy or I’ll knock you down getting to my finish line!
I hope you go bust, im off to tough mudder!!
Disappointed! I am doing the Miami Super next weekend and this was one of the things I was really looking forward to. Honestly sucks.
Sad to see them go but it makes me more excited about the Bushido Challenge! They are putting an emphasis on the human aspect with their in course ninjas and super secret upgraded finish line battle but I’m seriously going to miss the gladiators… Of course I’ll still race Spartan Races and still love them for their challenge, I’ll just have to look elsewhere for my warrior kicks.
Good Idea…….
Oh no! As only done one spartan so far, I was looking forward to the gladiators next race, but I will say the gladiators at our race (Charlotte 2014) the gladiators weren’t hard to get through and not very buff or tough in nature, the sticks delievered more like love taps, and it wasn’t a remerable part of the race! I would have loved to attempt to conquer getting through the gladiators in this video! Guess that just leave room open to another obstacle!
if the Olympic and competitive designation are what is being sought why not just do away with the pit for the competitive heats but for the other heats keep it…it is a right of passage a fun and final event but from the comments here and for me I think it’s a huge part of the race…not the only reason I race but there is something special about the gladiators and having to summon up just a bit more energy to bob and weave and try to knock down one of the gladiators…I hope that Joe and the others will reconsider bringing the pit back for the general public who race for fun.
It’s sad to se them go. I’ve done 4 races so far and they always marked the final crown on a tough but fun day. I always looked forward to reaching them. At this stage in my life I will never be an olympian, but I am a Spartan. As others have said remove them for the “Elite”, and let the rest of us have our gladiators to welcome us to the finish line.
Aww, that’s too bad. Future Spartan racers will never know the gladiator pit finish, where a giant Q-tip wielding gladiator is grinning maniacally at you knowing he’s in your way of the finish line. Plus, many great photo finishes were with the gladiators…So what will you, the organizers, have instead of this formerly great human obstacle? Don’t disappoint now.
Selling out comes with a price
I am doing my first Spartan in the Poconos this year and was looking forward to the Pit. It symbolizes the final conquest of the course. Frankly, if the timing ends before the Pit then what’s the point of ending something that lots of people enjoyed. Have this be something optional, one lane to go around it and another to go through it. At some point the time you get is not the most important thing, it is that you pushed your body and mind through everything that they put in front of you…that’s the real victory
This is second wrong decision by Joe DeSena in period of last two years.. First was cooperation with Reebok and second to quit Gladiator Pit. In Europe was timing line before gladiator pit and Gladiators stand before Finish Arch. Nobody complained about it. Spartan Race is falling down. It is now regular mud run nothing more. Spirit is dead. Huge disappointment.
Why not just take the gladiators out during the hurricane heat, or for the first 2 hours when people are really trying to win? Then throw them back in for the rest of the Spartans who are happy to just be there and finish?
Seriously? This is the lamest decision to be made. I signed up for the Spartan specifically because of its uniqueness over the Tough mudder. Bring back the Gladiators!!!
You could always run every set for each event for thier timed results and then have extra circuits at the end to add them back in so they’d trully still be out of the event as your making the progress forward as a sport but allow anyone who still loves having this at the end stick around and get to run the course again with them at the end!
This really stinks. My son loved watching this part of the race and I looked forward to it at the end. There are so many little things that make Spartan Race a cut above, Gladiators being one of them. Can you SpartanRace tell me that every block is the same size and weight, that every rope has knots in the same position, that every log is the same size, that every path through the barbed wire is equally fast, that each rope in the traverse is the same tautness? The list goes on…but I the answer is no. There are human elements at nearly every obstacle because they were built by humans. Have an optional Gladiator chute at the end for those who would like to face that human element.
This makes me extreemly sad. I ran my first Spartan race last year and being able to run through the Gladiators, not get knocked down, and finish on my own 2 feet gave me a feel of extreem satisfaction.
If I wanted to just torture my mind and body, I go get lost in the wilderness somewhere but I’ve done Spartan because it had that element of fun. If this is the way the Spartan race is going to be and continue to remove the fun elements this year may be my last Spartan race.
You just made it less fun. For legitimacy? Spartan Racing is already recognized as one of the most difficult, hard core outdoor events in existence. Sounds to me like Spartan Race wants everybody to like them, and that they are willing to capitulate one of the best parts of the race to get some governing body’s seal of approval.
Want my gladiators? MOLON LABE!
NOOO!!!!! I’m going for London in August… and now NO GLADIATORS!?!? 🙁 🙁
Are you sure this isn’t from April 1??
This move just helped make my decision for me. I’ve done several OR venues and variations. Eliminating one of the signature parts of a Spartan Race is a business decision, not a customer driven decision. Won’t be adding a Spartan event to my calendar this season. Good luck going forward.
How can you be a Spartan without the human
element? Poor decision.
Stupid idea. The gladiators are one of the big reasons I chose the Spartan race over the others. I expected them to be more of an obstacle though at the Charlotte Sprint.
So far every comment has been negative. Time to see if Joe is actually in it for the people who run the races or for profit. I’ll say one thing, if it ends up being the profit, I’ll be finding my races elsewhere (Tough Mudder, Bushido, Warrior Dash, the 100 other races out there.)
this is total BS dude! my 1st spartan was a beast in Sacramento! that race changed me. it was very difficult for me to complete the race considering the unbearable weather conditions we all raced in. my highlight was the finish line as I sat there behind the wall of fire waiting and plotting my attack on the gladiators! I was already limping and almost at the point of hypothermia and complete physical destruction….I jumped and then got beat down for the last time b4 I crossed the finish line! I DONT DESIRE TO TAKE PICTURES WITH THE GLADIATORS ON THE GROUNDS……TAKE MY PICTURE AS I GET BEAT BEFORE I CROSS THAT FINISH LINE!!!!
This is disappointing, I am signing up for my first Spartan race in August and was looking forward to this unique portion of the course. The last battle before the finish.
What a shame Is all I have to say I have ran this race and I can tell you the high you get when you see the end and get that burst of energy to burst through the gladiators …. I DONT DESIRE TO TAKE PICTURES WITH THE GLADIATORS ON THE GROUNDS……TAKE MY PICTURE AS I GET BEAT BEFORE I CROSS THAT FINISH LINE!!!!
Signed up for an August race, I was specifically looking forward to the gladiators at the end. Spartan Race was made for the ordinary people like me who want to overcome obstacles in life, not sell out to the highest bidder. If Spartan Race is going to sell out, I am not going with them. Email sent to cancel.
My first Spartan will be in May. Its very disappointing to hear that the gladiators won’t be there to greet me at the finish. I agree with the above statement of the gladiators being an initiation. One I sadly don’t get to have.
Maybe only remove the gladiators from the elite wave??! Let the rest of us have our moment.
I am not a fan of this decision. The gladiators were are very fun part of the race for racers and spectators. I like the unknowns and less ridged obstacles and the challenges that come with them. I think this might be the beginning of the end of the funness of the spartan races. Bummer.
PUSSIFICATION OF THE SPARTAN PART ONE
My favorite part of the race was looking the gladiators in the eye as I ran towards them…one last obstacle. Too bad…
DON’T KILL THE GLADIATOR!!! ive done the WINTERGREEN SUPER and after 8+ mile of pure hell i welcomed those gladiators because THEN i knew it was over…
SPARTAN RACE inspired me!!! so much so ive planned my entire year to do an obstacle race every month. i was looking forward to my initiation by the gladiators in my quest for the TRIFECTA..
WE BEG YOU TO KEEP THE GLADIATORS FOR THE “NON” COMPETITIVE WAVES…this element/obstacle is what WE do it for!
I think I may be in the minority stating that this doesn’t anger or sadden me. Perhaps it’s because I have no memorable experiences with the Gladiators. I’ve done 3 Spartan Races and heard stories of the Gladiators, but when it came to my turn, I was simply tapped each time. Perhaps because I’m female? One can only speculate.
I also don’t see this as selling out either. On one hand, I wonder if it’s a liability issue where the other obstacles do not include human contact and this is the one element that does, so SR may not be able to provide coverage for humans as obstacles. (more speculation).
On the other hand, if people want to see this as an Olympic sport, then there are some things that may have to change. Same with everything else in life. Most people don’t like change when they don’t have a say. I don’t foresee people dropping out of Spartan Races because there are no more Gladiators.
I can understand the need to standardize obstacles when competing on a professional level. You can’t have the gladiators teaming up on one athlete while another slips by unchallenged allowing him or her to win when the first person is likely the better athlete considering they got there first.
However, it seems most people don’t run the race on a competitive level, other than the competition within themselves, and enjoy the final bruising battle with the gladiators as a symbolic fight against themselves to succeed. Not to mention the fact that the gladiators have come to symbolize Spartan Race.
In order to balance the needs of the fans and the needs of the sport, I propose designating a certain number of heats as gladiator heats. That the serious competitors can all be on an equal playing field or people who don’t like getting bashed with pugil sticks can run the race without them and those who have come to love that final fight as Spartan purists, can still have that option as well. Life is about balance and that is what is needed here, not all or nothing, black and white. Live in the gray.
I really am saddened and hate to see what looks to me like a cave in to “the system”. I realize there is a cadre of men and women who want to take this to a more professional level for a variety of reasons. However, the huge majority of participants are in it for the challenge, the fun, and the lifestyle it engenders. If some international gang said the stone carry or the drag was not ok, would you then abandon that as well?
The Gladiator pit is one of the main things that separate Spartan from Gladiator Rock n Run, Tough Mudder, et al… One of the things that make it FUN. Since it is already AFTER the race is officially done (good move IMHO), it is bullshit to say it interferes with some standard. At a minimum I’d suggest setting it to one side as an option for those who want to do it.
I hope you revise this decision. It will certainly inform what races my two sons and I choose in the future, and judging from comments, I’ll a lot of Spartans at the next Gladiator… maybe they’ll add the gladiators…
By “Setting it Aside” in my previous post, I meant to say, you might have a lane for those wanting to go through the gladiators, and a lane for those who do not.
I enjoy the physical challenge for my own sake. I am not a competitor and never will be. Modifying your race as a whole to meet certain standards so a highly select group of individuals shows a great disrespect to those who have been motivated to get back in shape by the race as it existed. This is in keeping with the three-part medal which places more emphasis on those who have the time, money, and freedom to travel great distances to participate. Changes that are done for the benefit of a few show the rest of us where your priorities lie.
I don’t see the need to wholly eliminate the Gladiator Pit. The elites run in special waves as it is. Just pull the gladiators from those runs and let the rest of us get the full experience.
More disappointing is making the change partway through the year without letting us know it was a consideration. Between the medals and this, I might not have signed up. I will have to put a lot of thought into participating in future races.
So your telling me you remove the gladiators to make it a more compettitive sport? Why not try enforcing the basic burpee penalties first and making sure people don’t cheat by skirting around obstacles and holding on to the top of the traverse wall so they don’t fall??? Oh, and remember, although I would love to be an elite runner, the elites don’t pay the bills. The majority of racers are in the open series where I still expect every racer to give it their all- whatever that may be.
To be an Olympic sport goes against everything that makes the Spartan Race what it is. I don’t give a damn about an Olympic medal. I do care about being challenged and overcoming obstacles–and a big guy trying to stop me with a stick is a huge obstacle. If you have such a case of obstacle course penis envy that you just have to make it an Olympic event, have separate races for those who want to be Olympians–leave the real Spartan alone!
Don’t remove the Gladiator Pit. if you need to legitimize the obstacle that much just move the sensors for the finish line before the pit. We all know the real finish line is behind the Gladiators!!!
Why not leave the sprint, super and beast alone. If you absolutely need an Olympic conforming event make a new spartan Olympic race. Let the people sign up for what they want.
HGH tests for everyone!!!
Joe obviously has a vision of something called OR, which is NOT the Spartan Race. At this point he should move to start a whole new organization/scenario that is separate from the current one, and leave the Spartan to continue as always. OR racers could still train in Spartan races, they would just get off easy at the end of their OR events.
Or all Spartan participants could just take their money to a new organization called Gladiator Races.
The second main reason for me wanting to do the Spartan Race was for myself to push through the end physically tired and unprepared for the Gladiators. The adrenaline of looking a beast in the eyes and saying your next is what makes this event special. Now to me this race is about the same as Warrior Dash and Marine Corp Mud-Runs. I’m no longer going out of my way to participate in this particular event. I’ll keep track of the updates, but that will be all.
How is fighting past gladiators not athletic? You’re arguement is invalid sir. I’m not an olympian, nor do i care to be one. I paid for my Montana sprint and if the gladiators aren’t there, SpartanRace just lost me, and I’ll be announcing my SpartanRace retirement. I’ll just go run mountains for fun
I have ran 2 spartan races now and was prepared to run my 3rd but after this news I just might not be committing. This was always fun and what made a spartan race a spartan race. With it gone it’s just another mud race
So here’s a thought… and a pretty simple solution… why not put the timing mats right BEFORE the gladiators,and have the finish gate right after? I mean it’s a stupid simple solution and you get to keep the traditions of the race!
Agree with most posts here.
This was one of the only differentiators you had and what drew us to it. without these things you’re just another of the multitude of mud runs.
It’s fine to have an ultimate goal of getting this as an olympic sport – but DON’T FORGET YOUR AUDIENCE. We’re the ones that pay the bills and here in the UK you don’t have the hardest or toughest courses – so you need something to get you noticed…
Part of the race and challenge is getting through these guys/gals…I think they should only aim for below chest height to try and knock you down, not out. Bring them back!
Very disappointed.This is bad move and takes away fun from Spartan race.Take it of for professional racing or Olympics but leave it for amateur racers
I was gladiator last year 2014 Toronto race.Very hard job. People love it.
This will take many people away from Spartan race.
Sad.
I never liked them. Not an even playing field. I don’t believe if I actually fought back aggressively, my behavior would have been condoned. Given my patience and energy level at the end of 5 to 15 miles, I would have liked nothing more. Yet, they get to stand there with their stupid stick and unilaterally be annoying or aggressive, as they choose. Not sporting conditions. If Spartan Race was condoning an all-out brawl, I’m all in. However, good sportsmanship and good judgement dictated otherwise. Good riddance.