A big part of 2018 for me is going for the Endurance TRIFECTA! This comprises of a Hurricane Heat, Hurricane Heat 12 Hour and an Ultra Beast. My first step towards this goal was the Hurricane Heat over in Aston Down. Sometimes mistaken as the 4 hour HH, there are no rules on time and there are no prep guidelines for the event. It’s not a race and it doesn’t have a set course. So what the hell is a Hurricane Heat? This was my chance to find out!
KIT LIST
Before the event arrives, the Spartan Krypteia (the man responsible for blasting you and giving you instructions throughout the event) posted a video of our kit list. No instructions on how these would be used, just what we needed to bring:
- 2 glow sticks
- Head torch
- Black top (no logos)
- Sharpie
- Duct tape
- Camelback or small ruck (for food & water)
- Towel
THE STORM
We are given the meeting point early on in the afternoon and are told to be ready with kit. Surrounded by a nervous crowd of Spartans wearing black shirts we await the Krypteia to walk over and for the fun to start. The fact that he was standing 50 meters away by his car probably made us feel worse.
First test was the kit check. We lined up in alphabetical order and showed all items required. If you didn’t have something you asked a comrade if they had spare. When asked to pull out our sharpie, we were asked to sign a coffin shaped box with our names (fitting for the event) and then the fun began! For the next hour or so it was PT time. Now this was one of the most punishing parts of the Hurricane Heat for me. I’m relatively in good shape and like to think that my cardio is great, but this still had me gassed. We went from using our towels to drag members across a field, to picking them up and carrying them across in groups of three. Repeated uncomfortable squat positions being held for ages was a regular occurrence throughout the event also. I’m sure my quads have grown since! Definitely the most punishing section and one that almost seems like its added to test the team, or even prepare them for whats about to come.
Then we were introduced to our other new friends for most of the event; three tractor tires. It was our job to decide how we moved these across the course…all the while not touching the actual tires with our hands! We quickly came to the decision to wrap them with our towels (good shout gang) and switch between taller and shorter people to keep them moving. The hardest section was when we reach one hell of a steep hill and were told “Tires! Up and down 20 times each! With your towels and you must drag or push, not lift, the tires!”. When given a few minuets to work out how we would do this we made our towels into pulleys duct taping them together. Genius! This was the hardest section by far!
One of the fun, and pretty painful, sections was building the next days Fire Jump by passing the pieces of wood one man/woman at a time along our human conveyer belt whilst squatting. Or whilst in a abdominal hold. Or through our legs. You get the gist! Whilst we all counted the squats the guys carrying the coffin needed to do. No one was not working.
Even though times were tough, there were so many fun sections. After reaching a murky rolling mud section, we all had to deliver some Hydro Burpees (doing a burpee in water…sounds fun right?) to the Krypteia. Being asked to cram ourselves into the pretty small water pool and splash everyone around us was unexpected but put a smile on everyone’s faces. When we were asked to flip those huge tires in twos for about half a kilometre was a great chance to bond with the team. Rolling from one end of a field towards the event village. Just so many sections that were unexpected (well the whole event is unknown until it’s crunch time) and so fun.
When we arrived back in the event village and started doing synchronised burpees, no one knew how long it would last. The most amazing sigh of relief was heard when the Krypteia finally started a round of applause and said “This is the end of the Hurricane Heat!”. What I thought was an even better touch was when we cracked open the coffin like box we had been carrying the entire event to find that it contained all of our medals! That was such a great touch and gives a whole lot of meaning to protecting that box the whole way through.
The Aftermath
I went into the Hurricane Heat slightly nervous, especially as I had no idea what was in store. After completing it, I felt amazing. There were parts where I was shattered, ready to stop and my body was asking what I was doing. Funny enough these parts were a rarity. I spent most of the event being cheered on by my team, smiling and really pushing myself to do what was needed for the team to finish together. That is when I realised that this is exactly what the Hurricane Heat is about. Coming together and smashing whatever task is put in front of you…together! It’s completely different from any Spartan Race I have done in the past, but that’s the point of the endurance series; expect the unexpected and get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
I would honestly recommend the Hurricane Heat to anyone that has completed an initial TRIFECTA. It is meant to be there to test you but the emphasis is placed on the team rather then the individual. It’s for this reason that your next challenge should definitely be a Hurricane Heat. My next big challenge is the HH12H (Hurricane Heat 12 Hour) which is a giant step and one I am going to have to give everything I have!
Have you completed a Hurricane Heat? Are you thinking of taking part in one? Are you interested in the Endurance TRIFECTA? Let me know in the comments and thanks for reading! Remember to use the code ‘URBANSPARTAN’ for 25% off of any U.K. open heat Sprint, Super or Beast Race.
[…] the Hurricane Heat (click here to see my review) was tough, but more then achievable and amazing to be a part of. Now the Hurricane Heat 12 Hour […]