Spartan Beast
/ ˈspɑːrtən biːst / · proper noun
Also: Beast, Spartan Beast Race
The longest of Spartan Race's three primary obstacle course racing distances: 21+ kilometers (~13 miles) with 30 obstacles spread across mountain or trail terrain. Beast races are typically held at ski resorts and mountain venues, with significant elevation gain (often 1,500-3,000m).
The three Spartan distances
- Spartan Sprint: 5+ km, 20 obstacles: entry-level, urban or stadium settings
- Spartan Super: 10+ km, 25 obstacles: middle distance, trail terrain
- Spartan Beast: 21+ km, 30 obstacles: long distance, mountain terrain
- Spartan Ultra: 50+ km, 60+ obstacles: endurance-focused (formerly "Ultra Beast")
Format
- Distance: 21+ km (variable by venue: mountain venues often longer)
- Obstacles: ~30, spread across the course
- Penalty: 30 burpees for any failed obstacle (15 burpees for Pro division)
- Average finish: 4-7 hours for recreational athletes; 2-3 hours for elite
Common obstacles
- Bucket carry: 90-pound (Men) / 60-pound (Women) gravel-filled bucket, 800m loop on uneven terrain
- Sandbag carry: 60-pound (Men) / 40-pound (Women), uphill loop
- Atlas Stone: deadlift and carry a 75-pound (Men) / 45-pound (Women) stone for 25 ft
- Spear throw: single throw at a hay-bale target (extremely high failure rate)
- Olympus / Multi-rig: upper-body grip-strength obstacles
- Rope climb: 15-foot rope to bell touch
- Hercules hoist: pulley system, lift weighted bag to top and back down
- Z-walls / Twister: traverse using grip and footwork
Trifecta and World Championships
Athletes who complete a Sprint + Super + Beast in the same calendar year earn the "Trifecta": Spartan's most-referenced age-group achievement. Top Beast finishers qualify for the Spartan World Championships, held annually at locations like Lake Tahoe (USA) and Sparta (Greece).
Beast vs HYROX
- Distance: Beast is 2-3× longer (21+ km vs 8 km)
- Surface: mountain trail vs indoor/flat
- Obstacles: heavy carry + grip + technical (Beast); barbell + ergometer + simple (HYROX)
- Time: 4-7 hours typical (Beast) vs 1-2 hours (HYROX)
- Failure cost: 30 burpees per failed obstacle (Beast) vs none (HYROX: every rep just counts)
Training for Beast
- Trail running: 60-90 min easy-pace runs on uneven terrain, 2-3× per week
- Loaded carries: sandbag, bucket, Atlas stone work: heavy, multi-set sessions
- Grip strength: dead hangs, monkey bars, rope climb practice
- Burpee capacity: athletes failing 3-4 obstacles do 90-120 burpees on race day; train for that volume
For hybrid athletes
Spartan Beast attracts a different cohort than HYROX: the average Beast athlete is older, more endurance-biased, and less concerned with absolute time. The two events are complementary, and many hybrid athletes race both: HYROX in the indoor season (October-March) and Beast in the outdoor season (April-October).