Spartan Race – Team Alive

On Saturday 11th October at Pippingford Park a team of alive staff and Gym members took part in The Spartan Beast, a 20km + 26 obstacle race designed to challenge even the elite racer

Alive Fitness & Natural Health likes to get involved with charities, and I was pleased when Alive picked C-R-Y to do the Spartan Race.

It was touch and go if I was going to take part or not, I had to wait for my cardiologist consent before C-R-Y would allow me to take part.

After taking part I understand why, The Spartan Beast Race is a 20km 26 obstacle course, it is very gruelling, and if honest more punishing than any marathon that I’ve competed in!

What makes The Spartan Race a challenge is the mud, trying not to fall over, swimming across lakes and carrying a tyre for over a mile.

I finished 5th out of the team of 18 people that did it for C-R-Y, I am really proud to complete The Spartan Race in 4hr 42mins. Aroo Aroo I am Spartan!!

Why C-R-Y?

Tasha who is a part of the Alive Crew has always wanted to do something like a mud run and after speaking to one of our members Kylie Wroe who worked at C-R-Y at the time suggested The Spartan Race.

When Toby took over the role of general manager at Alive he mentioned that one day I’d be able to hold a charity event for C-R-Y at the gym. that we would do a charity event for C-R-Y one day, for me it was always about timing.

I am a Representative for C-R-Y through myheart which is group of people that have been diagnosed with a rare heart condition or who have had a cardiac episode. I didn’t know I had a heart condition, I considered myself fit, young and healthy. I had completed the London Marathon in 2007 and in the run up to 2008 I was training for the New York Marathon and part of the training was to take part in a half marathon. With that in mind I signed up for the 2008 Hastings half marathon and at the finish line I collapsed after having a cardiac arrest.

After a 3 week stay in hospital and many test later I was diagnosed with a condition called Brugada Syndrome, I then had a Cardioverter Defibrillator- ICD implanted. You can read the rest of my story on www.myheart.org.uk/joseph-tanner/