Ernest Righetti High School graduate Adam Miranda used to be a Warrior, until he became a Spartan. Miranda competed in the 2015 and the 2016 Reebok Spartan Race—one of the most popular obstacle course tournaments in the country.
Miranda will compete again at the 2017 race this August in Los Angeles at Dodger Stadium.
“I signed up for my first Spartan Race with a couple friends, I just wanted to try something challenging,” Miranda told the Sun. “I wanted to try something new and exciting, since I had only been used to the local hikes around here. I’ve been hiking regularly every week for a few years now.”
Although these spots aren’t riddled with obstacles or booby traps, Miranda’s favorite local hiking destinations include Madonna Mountain, Avila Ridge, and Cerro Alto, he said.
Heading to San Diego for the 2016 race, which took place at Pala Raceway, was a breath of fresh air compared to Miranda’s first race in Temecula Valley. The heat was his biggest obstacle in Temecula, he said.
“It was around 90 degrees or more; it felt like death,” Miranda said. “Luckily the obstacles weren’t too difficult though.”
Not too difficult for a Greek god perhaps, but mere mortals might find crawling under barbed wire and jumping over fire a bit challenging. Some of the other obstacles included spear throwing, wall jumping, rope climbing, and uphill bucket carries.
“The race is always intense, but addictive as well. You don’t want to quit once you start going,” Miranda said. “My favorite part of the race last year was the end where you jump in the water and swim under obstacles to get to the finish line.”
Miranda’s least favorite obstacle is the rope climb, he said. Last year, he lost his grip and burned his hand.
One goal he has in mind for the 2017 race—besides not letting go of the rope—has nothing to with the day of the race, he explained.
“I’m really looking forward to the next one, but I’m making sure to get more sleep the night before though,” he said. “Sleep is the most important advice I can give to anyone that signs up for that race.”
Just as important as a good night’s rest is mental preparation, Miranda continued.
“If you go in expecting a lot of work, the race will end up being much easier than you expected,” he said. “But if you go in expecting the race to be easy, it definitely won’t be. Mental preparation can be a really powerful thing.”
This article appears in Jul 27 – Aug 3, 2017.