In ancient times, the Spartan army was widely known as the strongest in all of Greece.
Their power and prominence has echoed throughout the history books landing them a prestigious and unforgettable name.
Avidly devoted and disciplined in their goals to achieve military supremacy, the Spartans were a private society that trained their soldiers from birth, barbarically weeding out the weak from the strong, but proving time and again just how frightening a
foe they could be.
On Saturday, Oct. 16, UT students, athletes, staff, faculty, and community members will be able to put their Spartan strength to the test.
They will compete in a physically challenging race, full of obstacles and mazes, around the campus. This race is known as the Spartan Challenge 5K.
During Homecoming weekend, UT’s Cross Country Team will be hosting its fourth annual Spartan Challenge 5K at the Pepin Rood Stadium.
It will be a day of giveaways, prizes, food, fun and of course the race.
Unlike a typical 5K race that one may see in the Olympics, this has a more innovative and creative design.
Competitors will not only be running laps, but running through tires, jumping over hay bales, and crawling under cargo nets.
While the race is set to start and end on the track, the course itself is campus wide- incorporating areas such as the swimming
pool, Plant Hall, Boathouse, the chapel, the baseball field, the volleyball courts and all of the university streets.
At the end of the race, runners will have completed 3.1 miles and winners will be chosen based on their time.
But UT’s cross country coach Dror Vaknin said that people interested in participating in the Spartan Challenge 5K should not be turned away because of the course or physical aspect of the race.
“It’s no big deal what level the person is at….there is no super hard training you have to do to prepare,” said Vaknin. He wants to get as many people as possible involved in this race and make it an enjoyable event.
Sororities, Fraternities, clubs, organizations, faculty, staff and all other students are all encouraged to participate and make it their own.
“It’s a great opportunity to come out and do a different kind of race,” Vaknin said. He hopes that different groups on campus will come out and promote a healthy and active lifestyle.
The Spartan Challenge 5K kicks off Saturday, October 16th at 8am.
Whether one chooses to jog, walk, sprint or run through the track, it is sure be an exciting and exhilarating event for everyone.
Pre-registration for the race ends September 30th.
For more information and to register please visit http://www.spartan5k.com.
Alyssa Major can be reached at amhoward@spartans.ut.edu.