Spartan Race Checklist: Obstacle Race Day Gear List

By, Haydee Graves

The Spartan Race is one of the world’s leading obstacle course races. The races are designed to test endurance, mental toughness, and physical strength. So if you want to push yourself mentally and physically, the Spartan Race is where it’s at.

We created the Spartan Race Checklist to help you prepare for your upcoming race. Whether you’re new to obstacle course race training or a seasoned Spartan, one of the best ways to knock race day out of the park is to arrive feeling confident and ready to tackle the course. With this essential list, you’ll know you’ve got everything you need to rock it!

To make preparation even easier for you, we’ve created a Fitness On Fire Amazon store with most of the items we recommend. We don’t talk brands in this checklist because we want to keep it simple and we know everyone has favorites. If you’re looking for some of the brands we trust, though, specifics are listed in our Amazon store. 

Spartan Race Checklist: What to Bring, What to Wear, And How To Prepare

Pre-Spartan Training

First-Time Spartans

The four most common mistakes newcomers to obstacle course racing include:

• Underestimating race distance
• Underestimating the mental and physical strength necessary
• Not reading the race day description thoroughly 
• Lack of proper training

One of the perks of training at Fitness On Fire is that you will be prepared. You’ll train for distance, up-level your abilities, and know what you’re walking into on race day. This is one of the reasons we created our Spartan Race Training program. The time you spend at the OCR “Field of Dreams” is the best way to be as prepared as possible— mentally and physically—for your upcoming race.

Returning Spartans

You already know the drill! As they say, “Race day isn’t the challenging part, it’s the reward!” 

What do you think? Are we missing any of your favorite items from this Spartan Race Checklist? We tried to keep this list basic, but we’re always interested in your recommendations!

The Essential Guide to Spartan Race Gear

Clothes

• Dri-fit shirt. Psst! We have Fitness on Fire competition shirts that are awesome for keeping you dry, cool, and looking fantastic!
• Bandana or running buff.
• Compression sleeves or long sleeves for your arms. They come in handy on barbed wire crawls!
• Long pants or long socks. This isn’t a necessity, but something we highly recommend. You’ll be crawling and climbing on a variety of terrains and covering up is a good way to avoid scrapes and bruises. 
• Gloves. Haydee’s tip: if you currently train obstacles with gloves, wear gloves during the race. If you don’t train with gloves, don’t wear gloves during the race. 
• Liquid Chalk. Some Spartans like to carry liquid chalk to help with any grip-intensive obstacles. Dirt works too!
• Trail shoes. If you plan to run multiple trail races or train on the trails, this is an excellent investment. You’ll find some of our favorites on the Fitness on Fire Amazon store. 

Extra change of clothes and sandals. It’s a Spartan race so you better believe you’ll get muddy and wet!

Energy/Hydration: 

• Hydration pack. While we do recommend a hydration pack for the Super, it’s your call for the Sprint. There are water stations every mile, sometimes at the half-mile mark. If you race competitively, you’re probably good without one, but it’s totally up to you! 
• Mustard packets. The little yellow packets are lifesavers if you feel your body cramping up during the race. 
• Gu or energy cubes. Similar to the hydration pack, we recommend these for the Super. 

After the race: 

• Towel and trash bag. Dry up, change into your dry clothes, and toss the dirties into the trash bag! Save your car the mess and toss in the wash when you get home!
• Beer tickets. Stocking up on free beer tickets? Don’t forget them at home! 

For a printable version of this, here is the link: Spartan Race Checklist

Ready, Set, Race!

Kick your Spartan race training into high gear with Fitness on Fire! We’re ready to help you train and prepare for your first or fifth race! The Spartan Race will test your physical and mental strength like no other event. So now that you know what to pack, get your booty down to Fitness On Fire and train with your fellow Spartans and soon-to-be Spartans!

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