Competitors get ready for Spartan Race events at Killington this weekend
Hundreds of runners will take on one of the toughest spartan race courses in the country this weekend, with Killington hosting the event for another year
Hundreds of runners will take on one of the toughest spartan race courses in the country this weekend, with Killington hosting the event for another year
Thousands of participants are getting ready to compete at Killington's annual Spartan races.
Brian Beal said he discovered Spartan when he went to a race to support his now-wife.
"It looked so fun. And then the next day I started running them and never looked back," he said. Since then, the North Carolina man has competed in 75 Spartan races and become an elite competitor.
Now, he's been training to compete at Killington for the first time.
The resort is hosting the annual 2026 Vermont Spartan event. There are four race types planned. The first is a 5K "Sprint" with 20 obstacles. Then there is a 13 mile, 60-obstacle course and younger athletes will be taking part in kids races.
"These kids come out here and probably look at some of these obstacles and think that they cannot do it, and then they do it and they get to that finish line," said Tom Brown, Spartan Race's event director.
The main event is the Ultra-Beast, a thirty-plus-mile race with more than 60 obstacles along the route. It is considered to be one of the most challenging Spartan courses in the country.
"There's hardly- no flat running. It's either you're going up a mountain or you're going down it," said Michael Roberson, another runner who will take on the race on Saturday.
Killington's course is one-of-a-kind because of the rocky terrain, hills and a high level of difficulty. Race staff explained that it is also an iconic place to compete because of Spartan racing's history.
"Vermont is actually the birthplace of it. Back in 2011, Spartan Race came to Killington with something known as the Death Race, which eventually evolved into this obstacle course race that we all know is Spartan Race now," Brown said.
Competitors said they have been training hard because there is no greater experience than completing the course. Races will take place this weekend at the Bear Mountain Peak at Killington Mountain.