We Are Spartan!

This past Saturday, two of us here at Strathcom embarked on an epic journey into the wilds of Calgary where we participated in the annual “Spartan Race” — a mud-slicked obstacle course designed by marines and ex-military to push your body beyond its limits. Proceeds of the 5K Spartan Sprint went to muscular dystrophy, which was an added incentive to strain and stretch our physical capabilities to capacity.

As we stood at the starting line with adrenaline coursing through our veins, yelling “WE ARE SPARTAN!” we knew there was a possibility we wouldn’t make it out alive. The horn blew and we set out with one goal in mind, “we don’t need to win, we just need to finish!”

It was hot, dry and dusty. Our sweat blinded us as we traversed hot coals, scaled and hurdled over walls, climbed mud-slicked ropes, dragged cinder blocks up steep hills and heaved tractor tires through the dust. With fatigue setting in and the sun beating down on us, we kept repeating, “we just need to finish.”

We envisioned the finish line as our prey: as it neared, each of us was like a cheetah in the tall grass, ready to pounce on an unsuspecting water buffalo. We leaped over a line of fire and narrowly avoided being pummeled by two Spartan warriors guarding the finish. The checkered flag wilted in defeat as we crossed the line.

Basking in the rays of pride and glory, we came home conquerors.

Sarah Guenette & Michael Fisher