Mud, sweat and cheers. The Spartan Race is back.
An estimated 7,000 participants are expected to trudge through the mountains and muck of Bigfork near Flathead Lake, May 7-8.
Designed to push competitors to the limit – testing strength, endurance and mental toughness – the fourth annual Montana Spartan Race at Averill’s Quarter Circle Ranch will kick off the first race of the new Spartan U.S. Championship Series that will be broadcast on NBC Sports.
“There are more than 130 Spartan races held throughout the world, and we are very fortunate to be selected as one of only five races featured in the U.S. Championship Series,” said Diane Medler, director of the Kalispell Convention & Visitor Bureau, the organization responsible for bringing the event to Montana.
The Montana race is the only Spartan Race in the northern Rocky Mountain states.
The race weekend kicks off with the most difficult of the Spartan races, the Spartan Beast on Saturday, May 7. The 14.2-mile race is fought over harsh terrain, 5,000 feet of elevation gain and 38 obstacles, including the excruciating tractor pull. Sunday brings the Spartan Sprint, the 4-mile course with 24 obstacles popular among Spartans of all levels from first timers to seasoned racers. On Saturday and Sunday the Spartan Kids races offer a 1-mile race for youth ages 9 to 13 and a half-mile race for children ages 4 to 8.
For more information, visit spartan.com/en/race/detail/1084/overview.