Spartan Race – Beast – Training Plan

Are you ready to run 13+ miles while facing 30+ obstacles? Our Spartan Race Beast training plan will help you face one of the toughest half marathons you will ever run. The courses are designed to break you down over time. With many coming out too hot or fading in the end. So make sure you are ready with a plan that will get you to the finish and feeling great when you get there! Below is a 13 week program designed with 12 weeks of training and 1 week of pre race recovery, including de-load weeks. If you have any questions please let me know in the comments below.

Spartan Race – Beast – Training Plan

This complete 13 week training plan for you to follow leading up to your Spartan Beast event. With the final two weeks of the plan including a de-load up to the event. Below I’m also including some quick notes on what some of the terminology means and some scaling tips. And when you’re ready to take the nest step up, make sure to check out our Ultra Beast Training Plan.

Trail Runs: The goal is to make sure you are trail running at least once a week. As it requires different muscles than typical road running. This program has your long run as a trail run every Saturday. But feel free to do all your runs on the trail.

Long Trail Run: Trail runs should be run at an easy pace and are meant to build your overall “base” cardio. Not top end speed. Running at a slower pace for a longer period of time will have more benefit then running faster.

Pace Runs: Pace runs are run at your target pace for a road half marathon. So if your target is a 2 hour half marathon, you will do your pace runs at 9:09 per mile. The idea is to engrain this pace in your muscle memory while making it “comfortable.” If you do your runs on the trail, add 1-1.5 minutes to your pace.

Optional Runs: I’ve added optional runs for Friday. While optional, these will drastically improve your performance. This is a great way to get some extra miles in during the week. And even if you can get 1-2 in, it will help. These should be run by feel, but don’t go to hard. You have you long run the next day.

Optional Walks: These are recovery walks, meant to be walked but at an up tempo pace. Like the optional runs these will go a long way to helping you build your total miles.

Dead Hangs: You are looking to accomplish the total time in as few hangs as possible. So if you can do them without breaking, that is even better.

Cross Training: Workouts to focus on in your cross training include farmers carries, pullups, air squats, lunges, toes to bar, kettle bell swings, box step ups, burpees, rope climbs etc.

Burpees For Time: This is exactly how it sounds, you are looking to do these as fast as possible in a complete set. These are programmed on the same day as your recovery run. You can do the burpees directly before, in the middle, or after the recovery. Mix it up.

Races: You will see that the training plan includes both a 5K and 10K race. If you don’t want to sign up for a race, run these as if they are. They are meant to be run at a intense effort.

Pullups: I know some people won’t be able to to do pullups . That’s ok. If you can’t you can substitute banded + negative or jumping negatives in place op pullups.

Weekly Training Plan

Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
1	3 mile pace run 3 x 5 pullups 1 min dead hang	1 mile run 30 burpees for time	3 mile pace run 1 min dead hang	Rest (optional 2 mile walk)	30 min cross training (optional 2 mile pace run)	4 mile trail run	Rest
2	3 mile pace run 3 x 5 pullups 1 min dead hang	1 mile run 35 burpees for time	3 mile pace run 1 min dead hang	Rest (optional 2 mile walk)	30 min cross training (optional 2 mile pace run)	5 mile trail run	Rest
3	3.5 mile pace run 3 x 6 pullups 1.5 min dead hang	1.5 mile run 40 burpees for time	3.5 mile pace run 1 min dead hang	Rest (optional 2 mile walk)	40 min cross training (optional 2 mile pace run)	6 mile trail run	Rest
4	3.5 mile pace run 3 x 6 pullups 1.5 min dead hang	1.5 mile run 45 burpees for time	3.5 mile pace run 1 min dead hang	Rest (optional 2 mile walk)	40 min cross training (optional 3 mile pace run)	6 mile trail run	Rest
5	4 mile pace run 4 x 5 pullups 2 min dead hang	2 mile run 50 burpees for time	4 mile pace run 1.5 min dead hang	Rest (optional 3 mile walk)	50 min cross training (optional 3 mile pace run)	7 mile trail run	Rest
6	4 mile pace run 4 x 5 pullups 2 min dead hang	2 mile run 55 burpees for time	4 mile pace run 1 min dead hang	Rest (optional 3 mile walk)	Rest	5K Race	Rest
7	4.5 mile pace run 4 x 6 pullups 2.5 min dead hang	2 mile run 60 burpees for time	4.5 mile pace run 1.5 min dead hang	Rest (optional 3 mile walk)	50 min cross training (optional 4 mile pace run)	9 mile trail run	Rest
8	4.5 mile pace run 4 x 6 pullups 2.5 min dead hang	2 mile run 65 burpees for time	4.5 mile pace run 1.5 min dead hang	Rest (optional 3 mile walk)	60 min cross training (optional 4 mile pace run)	10 mile trail run	Rest
9	4.5 mile pace run 4 x 6 pullups 2.5 min dead hang	2 mile run 70 burpees for time	5 mile pace run 2 min dead hang	Rest (optional 4 mile walk)	Rest	10K Race	Rest
10	5 mile pace run 5 x 5 pullups 2.5 min dead hang	2.5 mile run 75 burpees for time	5 mile pace run 2 min dead hang	Rest (optional 4 mile walk)	60 min cross training (optional 5 mile pace run)	12 mile trail run	Rest
11	5 mile pace run 5 x5 pullups 2.5 min dead hang	3 mile run 80 burpees for time	5 mile pace run 2 min dead hang	Rest (optional 4 mile walk)	60 min cross training (optional 5 mile pace run)	13+ mile trail run	Rest
12	4 mile pace run 3 x 4 pullups 1 min dead hang	2 mile run	4 mile pace run 1 min dead hang	Rest (optional 2 mile walk)	2 mile run mobility	7 mile trail run (easy pace)	Rest
13	3 mile easy run 3 x 3 Pullups 1 Min dead hang	Mobility	3 Mile easy run Mobility	Rest	1 mile run mobility	Race Day

 

Let us know what you think about this Spartan Race – Beast – Training Plan, and any questions or comments below!