SPORTS

Chin Up: Spartan Sprint coming to Lambeau Field

Lori Nickel
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Lori Nickel participates in the Spartan race at Miller Park in 2014.

We have Brakken Kraker, and a couple of obstacle course racers from Green Bay, to thank for the return of the Spartan Race’s Sprint to the state of Wisconsin.

Kraker, a professional obstacle course racer from West Allis and now reigning Spartan Sprint Stadium Series national champion, has also been coaching other OCRers (obstacle course racers) on the side.

Two of them, Dallan Lax and Mike Deprey, were determined with Kraker to bring the Spartan Sprint back to Wisconsin and better yet, back to Lax and Deprey’s hometown of Green Bay.

The Spartan Sprint – a 3-mile running race peppered with 20 obstacles – had a well-organized, enjoyable stint at Miller Park from 2013-'15, but the turnout numbers weren’t high enough and the race wasn’t growing fast enough for the Spartan Series organizers to bring it back in 2016.

But Lax, Kraker and Deprey worked with Spartan Race series founder Joe DeSena, met with some members of the Packers Board of Directors and had lunch with Green Bay mayor Jim Schmitt. And now, after a public online campaign showed enough interest in the race, the Spartan Sprint is returning to Wisconsin June 24 with a debut in a new location: the iconic Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers since 1957.

Kraker is even missing a family wedding to be there.

“I know, but l how can I miss this?” said the pro.

Spartan is a pretty big brand in the amateur fitness and entertainment world. There are hundreds of runs, bike races and triathlons around the state and plenty of other obstacle course races, mostly in the mud, to fill up our summer weekends. But there are some things that distinguish the Spartan Race series, which includes other races of longer distances and greater challenges. Some of these races even sell out in some places like the New York area.

Stadium Sprints are super fast courses with physical and mental tests but without the ankle-rolling, shoe-ruining mud pits and fire trenches. And this is a race, not a fun run (although you don’t have to go at race pace if you don’t want).

“For anyone who is new and thinking about this kind of thing, it’s the perfect introductory race to OCR racing,” said Kraker.

There are fewer than a dozen stadium races nationwide, in cities including Boston, Philadelphia, Dallas and Los Angeles. And now Green Bay.

Brakken Kraker (left) and McCauley Kraker have competed in Spartan Sprints all over the world.

Kraker, who can whip through some courses in 22-27 minutes, has continued to ascend the Spartan Race rankings. He spent most of 2016 in Colorado training for the mountain races, but returned to West Allis late last year to be near family.

He continues to race and coach (leaderboardfit.com) and he’s looking forward to the race at Lambeau Field.

“Just walking through the gates will be special; people just don’t usually get access to this,” said Kraker, who said it’s his birthright to be a Packers fan. “People usually don’t get to go to the locker room and through the service tunnels. I am assuming we will finish in or around the field.

“I have people telling me, ‘I’m a Bears fan. I’m Cowboys fan – and I wouldn’t miss this.’ ”

It’s not clear whether the new obstacles Twister (rotating monkey bars) and Olympus (a slanted wall with hand-hold cutouts, chains and rock-climbing grips) will make it to Green Bay, but the Spartan staples will be there: spear throws, rope climbs, 8 foot walls, medicine ball throws.

There are rules for some obstacles; if you want to do the traverse wall the right way, for example. And there’s still the 30-pushup burpee penalty if you fail an obstacle.

It all makes that heavy finisher medal worth its weight in sweat and tears.

Most of us won’t race with the elite men and women like Kraker, but in our open waves, we are there to help, support and encourage each other – a Spartan mantra. That nervous intimidation can give way to collaborative effort pretty quickly.

OCRs are also great because it’s not just about being a swift runner or a strong weightlifter. You need grip strength and dexterity, mobility and grit. It’s for the overall athlete.

“These races are designed to find your breaking point,” said Kraker. “And get you through it. Everyone has a mental and physical weakness. Everyone has been there – that quit point or breaking point. When you’re going through that, and see someone next to you going through the exact same thing, there’s that sense of familiarity and community.”

If you’re considering signing up, the Spartan Race provided Journal Sentinel readers a discount: Use the code MJSLambeau2017 for 15% off the morning and afternoon open heats (it’s not applicable to competitive and elite heats).

Or, you can race to benefit the Special Olympics of Wisconsin.

The Spartan Foundation, a charitable arm of the Spartan Race Series, formed a new alliance with Special Olympics Wisconsin for this race. It created an opportunity for those with intellectual disabilities to race either in the Spartan kid’s race or the regular Sprint.

There’s also a fundraising component.

If we register for the race with a Special Olympics code* (see below), that $169 registration fee (or $25 kids registration fee) for entry to the Spartan Sprint race will go directly to Special Olympics Wisconsin.

Spartan Foundation donated 300 of these special fundraising tickets as a way to support Special Olympics Wisconsin, with the support of the public who will want to pay for them.

“It’s powerful to see young people with a sense of bolstered accomplishment and self esteem,” said Dan Goldstein, Spartan Foundation co-director, which created the Special Spartans in 2013. “Somehow you’re reminded: They can do anything.”

He said there will be 16 Special Spartans races this year nationwide.

* For information on how to purchase a Spartan race entry to benefit Special Olympics Wisconsin, acquire a code from Michael Mortell by calling 608-442-5662 or  emailing mmortell@specialolympicswisconsin.org.

For more reading, here are some past stories on the Spartan Sprint:

Lori Nickel covers sports and writes about health and fitness for the average person in her weekly Chin Up column. Email her at lnickel@journalsentinel.com and follow her on Twitter at @LoriNickel or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ChinUpLoriNickel/​.

 

 



 

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