What Is The Spartan Trifecta? Taking on the Ultimate Obstacle Race

Anyone who is familiar with spartan races knows that they are not for the faint-hearted. They are a test of your mental and physical capabilities and somewhat of a badge of honor for a lot of people.

However, what happens when you have completed spartan races a few times and want a bigger challenge? That is where the spartan trifecta comes into play.

What Is The Spartan Trifecta?

The spartan trifecta essentially boils down to a badge of honor for those who manage to complete it. It is earned by those who successfully push themselves to limit physically, mentally, and spiritually.

It is a tribe that contains only the best of the best who have conditioned themselves to the peak of their physical abilities and have mastered control of their own minds. The ultimate cream of the crop in the spartan world.

How It Works

The Spartan Race is one of the most popular obstacle courses, but it isn’t just a single race. There are many variations, from easy 3-mile races to challenging marathon-length races.

In order to become a member of the spartan trifecta tribe, you must complete three different spartan race distances (sprint, super, beast) within a single trifecta year.

A trifecta year usually consists of 12 months minimum and will be set between certain dates each year.

The different races that are required to enter the trifecta tribe are described below.

Spartan Sprint

The shortest race that is completed as part of the trifecta is the Sprint or Stadion race. This race is run at a distance of 5K and features 20 obstacles as standard.

This race is based on the race that was introduced in the Olympics over 3000 years ago and is held by spartan within stadiums around the world.

The sprint race has a strength rating of 2 out of 3, meaning that it requires a reasonable amount of strength to complete.

It also features a rating for the endurance of just 1 out of 3, meaning that very little endurance is required for this race, mostly due to the short distance that it covers.

The speed rating for this race is 3 out of 3 which means that it is a course that should be completed rapidly. This is also echoed in the time rating of just 1 out of 3.

Spartan Super

The next race up from the sprint race in the trifecta is the super race. This race is run over 10K and features 25 obstacles to clear.

These races are set in some of the most beautiful locations around the world, as such, they are trail runs and take place over various and often uneven terrain.

Spartan labels this race as the most demanding and fun 10km you will ever complete.

Similar to the sprint race, the super race has a strength rating of 2 out of 3, requiring a medium amount of strength effort to complete.

In contrast to the shorter race, the super requires an endurance rating of 2 out of 3, mostly due to the increased distance and number of obstacles to face.

The speed and time ratings for this race are both set at 2 out of 3, this can mostly be attributed to the increased need for pace due to the extra distance and endurance involved.

If you have successfully completed the sprint race or regularly run 10km on the road, this race is within your capabilities.

Spartan Beast

This is the pinnacle of the trifecta races, and as the name suggests, it is definitely not for the faint of heart. This race covers an incredible 21K with 30 obstacles to tackle.

One of the main features of this race, other than the half marathon distance, is the fact that they very rarely take place on flat ground. If you take on this race, be prepared to not feel your legs the day after.

As is to be expected, the strength and endurance ratings for this race are both set at a maximum of 3 out of 3. This means that there is no such thing as a spontaneous beast race.

Training is a must if you want to be able to complete this one-of-a-kind race.

The speed and time ratings given to this race are both 2 out of 3, meaning that while this race isn’t super speedy thanks to its distance and obstacles, it isn’t slow by any means.

You may not be able to feel your legs afterward, but you will be able to feel your lungs.

The Ultra

What if Beast is not enough? Spartan Ultra has 60 obstacles! It is more than twice as long (50K) as the Beast. It can be used to substitute for Beast even though it is not always considered a natural part of the Trifecta.

Medals

There is nothing special that is required to claim a trifecta medal once you have completed all three of the races.

Instead, along with the medals that you have collected along the way for your sprint, super, and beast races you will be given a trifecta wedge that is designed to fit together with the others to make one big trifecta medal.

No one wants to be left with two-thirds of a medal, so the pieces that you have already obtained can act as incentive and motivation to push through to complete the beast.

Weekends

During the spartan race calendar, there are a few weekends available in different locations where athletes can complete all three trifecta races in a single weekend if they dare.

These weekends, known as trifecta weekends are understandably popular with spartan fans.

If you are brave enough to take on a trifecta weekend and are successful, you will be presented with a rare, highly collectible, limited edition trifecta medal, along with a tonne of other spartan merchandise to commemorate your achievement.

Multi-Trifecta

There is a select group of battle-hardened Spartans who not only want to reach their limits, they want to smash right through them. This dedicated and growing group of athletes strives to complete more than one trifecta in a year.

There are special medals available to those who are able to complete multiple trifectas including custom-made medals for three, five, ten, or even twenty trifectas in a year.

Final Thoughts

The Spartan Trifecta is the ultimate badge of honor that Spartans aim to achieve.

For those who have achieved it before, the satisfaction of a medal and becoming a member of the trifecta tribe is not enough and they have begun to achieve multiple trifectas in a single race season.

If you ever needed the motivation to push yourself to your limits and beyond, the spartan trifecta is the place to be.