I Tried Japan's HARDEST Race ⛩️ 1,100m Mountain. 20 Obstacles.

@Abroad in Japan

Abroad in Japanyoutubethe post

Join the creator as he tackles the brutal Spartan Race in Niigata, a 5km course with 20+ obstacles and a 1,100m mountain climb, pushing his limits in scorching summer heat.

2 places · 2 experiences

Experience · 1 place
Training for the Spartan Race
Before the race, I headed to Nick's gym to practice the obstacles. The rope climb seemed impossible, but Nick showed me a technique to hook the rope around my foot, essentially locking it and using my legs instead of just arms. This hack made it feel surprisingly possible, turning what seemed like the hardest obstacle into one of the easiest. It was a great start to my training, making me feel like I could actually do it.
1
Nick's Gym
Gym · Niigata
3.8 (65)Closed · opens tomorrow 10 AM
Sports Club NAS Niigata, 1-24 Shinkocho, Chuo Ward, Niigata, 950-0965, Japan
Experience · 1 place
Running the Spartan Race Niigata
I headed to the mountains of Niigata Prefecture, two hours west of Tokyo, to a ski resort converted into the Spartan Race track. The scorching 34-degree Celsius heat and the almost vertical 1,100m mountain climb at the start immediately made me feel out of my depth. The race began at 11 AM with a short sprint to the mountain's foot, where even Japan's fittest athletes were forced to stop running due to the brutal incline. I felt nauseous after my initial cocky sprint and struggled with the three-kilometer, practically vertical climb. It was way harder than I thought, especially with the initial sprint raising my heart rate, leaving no room to recover. Despite the pain, I pushed through, reaching the first obstacles after an hour, with the starting point in Izawa town four kilometers below.
2
Spartan Race Niigata
Car racing venue · Tainai
4.2 (121)Open · until 5 PM
Speed Park Niigata, 1013-36 Matsunami, Tainai, Niigata 959-2600, Japan
Four-foot and Six-foot Walls — The first obstacles encountered after the mountain climb. Nick demonstrated how to easily jump over the four-foot wall. The six-foot wall required hooking a leg over quickly. I nearly ripped my shorts but made it over on the first try, marking one success down.
Monkey Bars — An obstacle requiring significant upper body strength. Knowing I had no chance due to my arm muscle pull and 'weighty stomach,' I prepared for my first burpees. Nick and Angela sailed through it, making it look easy.
Sandbag Carry — This obstacle involves picking up a 27kg (60lb) sandbag and carrying it around a track that takes two to three minutes to complete. It's a test of core strength, which I admitted I had none of.
Vertical Cargo Wall — A fun obstacle where the team climbs up a vertical cargo net wall.
Hercules Hoist — This challenge requires pulling a 40kg (90lb) sandbag up using a rope. Nick demonstrated a strategy to use body weight by lying down and pulling. Despite my sprained arm, I managed to hoist it up, finding it extremely difficult.
Multi-Rig Monkey Bar Nightmare — The second obstacle I knew I had no chance of succeeding in. To avoid further injuring my arm, I opted for burpees instead, watching Nick and Angela make a mockery of it.
Inverted Wall — An obstacle that was actually kind of fun. I made it more difficult by wearing a GoPro, which got hooked at the top, but I eventually got over it.
Atlas Carry — An obstacle I dreaded, involving picking up and carrying a 40kg (88lb) Atlas ball. Nick made it look like a beach ball. I struggled to wrap my hands underneath it but, by bending my knees and getting a decent grip, I managed to carry it across the field in immense pain.
Rope Climb — Despite successfully doing this in training, my pulled left arm muscle and the previous sandbag hoist left me without the strength needed to make the climb. I was disappointed and defeated, resulting in more burpees.
Hurdles — A series of hurdles that looked tricky, with people struggling to get over them. Despite a poor start, I made short work of the first two, though the pain was real.
Barbed Wire Crawl — A deadly obstacle that was much harder than it looked, involving crawling for 200 meters with my head down while trying to film with a camera. It felt endless and was physically demanding, but my Dr. Jelly shorts miraculously remained intact.
Z-Wall — This obstacle didn't look too challenging, but with only a minority of racers failing, the pressure was on. I flailed my way across, almost getting knocked off by a ferocious gust of wind at the most difficult point, but managed to keep my footing and ring the bells.
Gigantic A-Frame — One of the better obstacles, though not for those afraid of heights. It involved climbing a large A-frame structure.
Sled Pull / Plate Drag — An obstacle involving pulling a sled or plate. Nick made it look easy. My perpetually injured arm had rested, so it didn't prove too difficult initially, but then I realized I had to pull it back as well, making it harder.
Spear Throw — The challenge with the highest failure rate, with 95% of participants failing. Nick successfully nailed it, but I missed, blaming the wind. Angela also made it look easy. I ended up joining Kyle for the begrudging climb of defeat, having to do burpees.
Bucket Carry — This obstacle involves carrying a bucket filled with sand (or 'corpses of the failed'). The secret is to use your shoulders to carry the weight around a two to three-minute course. It was difficult due to low energy reserves, and the wind tried to blow my hat off.
Slip Wall and Fire Jump — The final obstacle before the finish line. It involved hauling myself over a slip wall and then jumping over a fire. I almost had my foot give way, which would have resulted in a 'roasted abroad in Japan' ending.