PlanByWeek

Spartan Sprint Training Plan

8 weeks·4 days / wk·spartan sprint·intermediate

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Weeks
8
Sessions
32
Peak week
3h 40
week 7
Long trail run
1h 15
week 7
Taper
1 wk
BaseBuildCutbackPeakRace

Not affiliated with Spartan Race.

Week-by-week training plan
WkFocusVolume
01Base: trail volume + gripLong trail run 3 mi2h 25

  1. Tue

    Oct 6

    Hill intervals 5 × 90 s

    35 min
    • 15 min easy
    • 5 × 90 s uphill hard · add 6 burpees at the top of each rep
    • 10 min easy

  2. Wed

    Oct 7

    Grip + carry strength

    40 min
    • Grip is what fails first on race day; train it fresh
    ExerciseSets×RepsLoad
    Dead hang4 × 30 s—
    Towel pull-up3 × 5–8—
    Farmers carry4 × 40 m2 × 55 lb
    Bucket / sandbag carry3 × 60 m70 lb
    Plate pinch hold3 × 30 s—

  3. Fri

    Oct 9

    Obstacle skills circuit

    35 min
    • J-hook drill: 5 × foot lock on the rope
    • Monkey bars / rig: 3 traverses
    • Wall climbs 6–8 ft: 4 reps
    • Spear throw: 20 throws from 10 m · a miss costs 30 burpees
    • Burpees: 30 total · chest to ground, jump at the top — race standard

  4. Sun

    Oct 11

    Long trail run 3 mi

    35 min
    • 3 mi on trails or hills · about 10:25/mi on flats
    • Every 15 min: 10 burpees or a 30 m bear crawl · practise moving between obstacles on tired legs
02Base: trail volume + gripLong trail run 3.5 mi2h 35
4 sessions

  1. Tue

    Oct 13

    Hill intervals 6 × 90 s

    35 min
    • 15 min easy
    • 6 × 90 s uphill hard · add 7 burpees at the top of each rep
    • 10 min easy

  2. Wed

    Oct 14

    Grip + carry strength

    40 min
    • Grip is what fails first on race day; train it fresh
    ExerciseSets×RepsLoad
    Dead hang4 × 40 s—
    Towel pull-up3 × 5–8—
    Farmers carry4 × 40 m2 × 55 lb
    Bucket / sandbag carry3 × 60 m70 lb
    Plate pinch hold3 × 30 s—

  3. Fri

    Oct 16

    Obstacle skills circuit

    40 min
    • J-hook drill: 5 × foot lock on the rope
    • Monkey bars / rig: 4 traverses
    • Wall climbs 6–8 ft: 5 reps
    • Spear throw: 20 throws from 10 m · a miss costs 30 burpees
    • Burpees: 40 total · chest to ground, jump at the top — race standard

  4. Sun

    Oct 18

    Long trail run 3.5 mi

    40 min
    • 3.5 mi on trails or hills · about 10:25/mi on flats
    • Every 15 min: 10 burpees or a 30 m bear crawl · practise moving between obstacles on tired legs
03Build: hills + obstacle skillLong trail run 4.5 mi2h 50
4 sessions

  1. Tue

    Oct 20

    Hill intervals 7 × 90 s

    40 min
    • 15 min easy
    • 7 × 90 s uphill hard · add 8 burpees at the top of each rep
    • 10 min easy

  2. Wed

    Oct 21

    Grip + carry strength

    45 min
    • Grip is what fails first on race day; train it fresh
    ExerciseSets×RepsLoad
    Dead hang4 × 55 s—
    Towel pull-up3 × 5–8—
    Farmers carry4 × 40 m2 × 55 lb
    Bucket / sandbag carry3 × 60 m70 lb
    Plate pinch hold3 × 30 s—

  3. Fri

    Oct 23

    Obstacle skills circuit

    40 min
    • Rope climb 4 × to the top
    • Monkey bars / rig: 5 traverses
    • Wall climbs 6–8 ft: 6 reps
    • Spear throw: 20 throws from 10 m · a miss costs 30 burpees
    • Burpees: 55 total · chest to ground, jump at the top — race standard

  4. Sun

    Oct 25

    Long trail run 4.5 mi

    45 min
    • 4.5 mi on trails or hills · about 10:25/mi on flats
    • Every 15 min: 10 burpees or a 30 m bear crawl · practise moving between obstacles on tired legs
04Cutback weekLong trail run 3.5 mi2h 15
4 sessions

  1. Tue

    Oct 27

    Easy trail run

    30 min
    • Easy trail running · about 10:25/mi

  2. Wed

    Oct 28

    Grip + carry strength

    35 min
    • Grip is what fails first on race day; train it fresh
    ExerciseSets×RepsLoad
    Dead hang4 × 30 s—
    Towel pull-up3 × 5–8—
    Farmers carry4 × 40 m2 × 55 lb
    Bucket / sandbag carry3 × 60 m70 lb
    Plate pinch hold3 × 30 s—

  3. Fri

    Oct 30

    Obstacle skills circuit

    30 min
    • Rope climb 3 × after a 400 m run
    • Monkey bars / rig: 5 traverses
    • Wall climbs 6–8 ft: 6 reps
    • Spear throw: 20 throws from 10 m · a miss costs 30 burpees
    • Burpees: 30 total · chest to ground, jump at the top — race standard

  4. Sun

    Nov 1

    Long trail run 3.5 mi

    40 min
    • 3.5 mi on trails or hills · about 10:25/mi on flats
    • Every 15 min: 10 burpees or a 30 m bear crawl · practise moving between obstacles on tired legs
05Build: hills + obstacle skillLong trail run 5 mi3h 05
4 sessions

  1. Tue

    Nov 3

    Hill intervals 8 × 90 s

    45 min
    • 15 min easy
    • 8 × 90 s uphill hard · add 8 burpees at the top of each rep
    • 10 min easy

  2. Wed

    Nov 4

    Grip + carry strength

    45 min
    • Grip is what fails first on race day; train it fresh
    ExerciseSets×RepsLoad
    Dead hang4 × 65 s—
    Towel pull-up3 × 5–8—
    Farmers carry4 × 40 m2 × 55 lb
    Bucket / sandbag carry3 × 60 m70 lb
    Plate pinch hold3 × 30 s—

  3. Fri

    Nov 6

    Obstacle skills circuit

    45 min
    • Rope climb 4 × to the top
    • Monkey bars / rig: 6 traverses
    • Wall climbs 6–8 ft: 8 reps
    • Spear throw: 20 throws from 10 m · a miss costs 30 burpees
    • Burpees: 65 total · chest to ground, jump at the top — race standard

  4. Sun

    Nov 8

    Long trail run 5 mi

    50 min
    • 5 mi on trails or hills · about 10:25/mi on flats
    • Every 15 min: 10 burpees or a 30 m bear crawl · practise moving between obstacles on tired legs
06Peak: race-simulation long runsLong trail run 5.5 mi3h 20
4 sessions

  1. Tue

    Nov 10

    Hill intervals 9 × 90 s

    45 min
    • 15 min easy
    • 9 × 90 s uphill hard · add 9 burpees at the top of each rep
    • 10 min easy

  2. Wed

    Nov 11

    Grip + carry strength

    50 min
    • Grip is what fails first on race day; train it fresh
    ExerciseSets×RepsLoad
    Dead hang4 × 80 s—
    Towel pull-up3 × 5–8—
    Farmers carry4 × 40 m2 × 55 lb
    Bucket / sandbag carry3 × 60 m70 lb
    Plate pinch hold3 × 30 s—

  3. Fri

    Nov 13

    Obstacle skills circuit

    45 min
    • Rope climb 3 × after a 400 m run
    • Monkey bars / rig: 7 traverses
    • Wall climbs 6–8 ft: 9 reps
    • Spear throw: 20 throws from 10 m · a miss costs 30 burpees
    • Burpees: 80 total · chest to ground, jump at the top — race standard

  4. Sun

    Nov 15

    Long trail run 5.5 mi

    60 min
    • 5.5 mi on trails or hills · about 10:25/mi on flats
    • Every 15 min: 10 burpees or a 30 m bear crawl · practise moving between obstacles on tired legs
07Peak: race-simulation long runsLong trail run 6 mi3h 40
4 sessions

  1. Tue

    Nov 17

    Hill intervals 10 × 90 s

    50 min
    • 15 min easy
    • 10 × 90 s uphill hard · add 9 burpees at the top of each rep
    • 10 min easy

  2. Wed

    Nov 18

    Grip + carry strength

    55 min
    • Grip is what fails first on race day; train it fresh
    ExerciseSets×RepsLoad
    Dead hang4 × 90 s—
    Towel pull-up3 × 5–8—
    Farmers carry4 × 40 m2 × 55 lb
    Bucket / sandbag carry3 × 60 m70 lb
    Plate pinch hold3 × 30 s—

  3. Fri

    Nov 20

    Obstacle skills circuit

    50 min
    • Rope climb 3 × after a 400 m run
    • Monkey bars / rig: 8 traverses
    • Wall climbs 6–8 ft: 10 reps
    • Spear throw: 20 throws from 10 m · a miss costs 30 burpees
    • Burpees: 90 total · chest to ground, jump at the top — race standard

  4. Sun

    Nov 22

    Long trail run 6 mi

    65 min
    • 6 mi on trails or hills · about 10:25/mi on flats
    • Every 15 min: 10 burpees or a 30 m bear crawl · practise moving between obstacles on tired legs
08Race weekRace1h 35
4 sessions

  1. Tue

    Nov 24

    Hill intervals 10 × 90 s

    30 min
    • 15 min easy
    • 10 × 90 s uphill hard · add 9 burpees at the top of each rep
    • 10 min easy

  2. Wed

    Nov 25

    Grip + carry strength

    35 min
    • Grip is what fails first on race day; train it fresh
    ExerciseSets×RepsLoad
    Dead hang2 × 90 s—
    Towel pull-up3 × 5–8—
    Farmers carry4 × 40 m2 × 55 lb
    Bucket / sandbag carry3 × 60 m70 lb
    Plate pinch hold3 × 30 s—

  3. Fri

    Nov 27

    Obstacle tune-up

    30 min
    • Rope climb 3 × after a 400 m run
    • Monkey bars / rig: 8 traverses
    • Wall climbs 6–8 ft: 10 reps
    • Spear throw: 20 throws from 10 m · a miss costs 30 burpees
    • Burpees: 90 total · chest to ground, jump at the top — race standard

  4. Sun

    Nov 29

    Race day: Spartan Sprint

    • 5 km, about 20 obstacles · start controlled; the first mile is congested
    • Save grip for the rig and rope · don't hang on bars longer than you must

Your paces

Easy trail
10:25/mi
Threshold
7:53/mi
Race pace (flat equivalent)
7:27/mi

The numbers

About this plan

This spartan sprint training plan prepares an intermediate racer for the Spartan Sprint — about 5 km and 20 obstacles — over 8 weeks. Weekly time climbs from 2.4 to 3.7 hours by week 7, with 2.3 h in week 4.

Dead hangs build to 90 s for the Spartan Sprint, and 8 skill sessions drill rope, rig and walls. The Spartan Sprint long run reaches 75 minutes (week 7); 90-burpee sessions make the 30-rep penalty routine.

Cutbacks: week 4 (2.3 h). Race week is 1.6 h, about 22 hours in all.

Week 1, shown in full above, is 2.4 hours: Tuesday — hill intervals 5 × 90 s, 35 min; Wednesday — grip + carry strength, 40 min, led by Dead hang; Friday — obstacle skills circuit, 35 min; Sunday — long trail run 3 mi, 35 min.

The phases run base weeks 1–2 (2.4–2.6 h), build weeks 3–5 (2.8–3.1 h), peak weeks 6–7 (3.3–3.7 h) and race week 8 (1.6 h).

Weeks 1–4 run 2.4, 2.6, 2.8 and 2.3 hours.

Questions

FAQ

How long is the spartan sprint training plan?

8 weeks, 4 sessions a week, 2.4 → 3.7 hours for the Spartan Sprint.

How do I train grip for the Spartan Sprint?

Hangs to 90 s, towel pull-ups and carries in 27 key sessions of this Spartan Sprint plan.

How many burpees should I train for the Spartan Sprint?

Up to 90 per session, 3× the Spartan Sprint's 30-rep penalty.

What is the longest run in the spartan sprint training plan?

75 minutes on trails in week 7, with burpees every 15 minutes.

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Not affiliated with Spartan Race.