Meet Lynn, Spartan Race Finisher 2016! – Testimonials

LYNN is an extraordinary person. She appears as a tiny modest woman, in her golf or bike gear, walking energetically around the gym so she can do the Spartan warm-up and her daily stretching ritual. She may look quiet, but she is not – always having some nice words to say to a stranger, make anybody smile, and cracks jokes all over the place. She is the busiest retired person on this planet!

However, she is the most determined, focused, organized and committed person I have ever had a chance to work with and ever met in my life. There are millions of stories about her I could write here to show you who she is. Many include her extremely powerful and somehow crazy life expeditions as an ultramarathoner, adventurer, even an Olympic torch carrier and medical dosimetrist. She is a very wise woman, and has a kind, non-judgemental, supportive and helpful attitude that uplifts the lives of the people surrounding her.

I performed an interview with her after she accomplished something she didn’t even think she could do, after 7 years of not running due to her knee injury. She gave up running and now she is a Spartan Race finisher!!


Meet Lynn, Spartan Race Finisher 2016 😊


ME: Hi Lynn, how are you doing Spartan Lady? Tell us about yourself, Lynn, please.

LYNN: I am 66 years old, retired medical dosimetrist. My fitness level is pretty good, I participate in several fitness activities such as golf, biking, yoga, stretching and balance classes, and weight workouts. In the past, I was an ultramarathoner, bike rider, cross-country skier and hiker, which many of those I still continue…. except for ultrarunning. LOL

ME: Have you ever heard about obstacle course races (OCR) and Spartan Races before?

LYNN: I first heard about the Spartan race in January 2016 from my trainer, at the gym, who did a Spartan Super Race in California.

ME: What made you think of doing a Spartan Race?

LYNN: My trainer suggested she and I do Spartan Race together.

ME: How was your preparation for the one you decided to run?

LYNN: I trained with trainer 2 times a week and I did other training on my own another 3-4 days a week. I was focused on doing bodyweight exercises and running again. I also engaged in exercises such as crawling, bar hangs and pull-ups, ninja obstacles at the local ninja gym.

ME: How did you feel once you signed up?

LYNN: Once I signed up, I was motivated to do the workouts, but also implicated enough rest to avoid injury.

ME: How did you feel once you arrived at the race venue?

LYNN: Arriving at the  course I was a little bit anxious but I felt well trained. Having never done an obstacle race before, there were a lot of unknowns, especially about the obstacles.

ME: How did you feel during the run?

LYNN: During the run, I felt energized. But some of the obstacles were very challenging and I needed help completing them.

ME: And how did you feel after finishing the race?

LYNN: After finishing, I’d say I had so much fun and felt very accomplished to complete my goal. Finishing an obstacle race was never anything I thought I would do.

ME: Which obstacle was the hardest and which one was the easiest?

LYNN: The hardest mental obstacle was Stairs to Sparta because I am afraid of heights. The hardest physical obstacle was the Bucket Carry because it was so heavy and uncomfortable. The easiest obstacle was the water crossing LOL

ME: Which comfort zone do you think you needed to step out of to finish the race?

LYNN: Fear of heights and fear of not finishing because the obstacles would be too hard

ME: I would never allow that to happen. How did that race impact your life afterwards?

LYNN: I felt afterwards like I did after my first ultra run, as if I could do almost anything if I was well trained and injury-free. But that confidence extends past athletics and into other parts of your life. Walking through a 42F lake for 10-15 minutes certainly redefines how one thinks about cold water. 😊

ME: Do you think you will run an OCR/Spartan race again?

LYNN: I would like to run another Spartan Sprint, maybe a Spartan Super.

ME: What would you tell your younger self now?

LYNN: I would say to be more confident in yourself because given hard work and the right people believing in you, then many things you think you could never do, become possible!

ME: What would you tell someone who is hesitating with the decision of running Spartan Race?

LYNN: I would say to just start training and sign up. Give yourself some time to train and build your confidence. Take baby steps and build on them and you will see progress, both physically and mentally. And get a trainer who can show you how to do all of the progressions and believes that you can do it!

ME: What is the motto you live your life by?

LYNN: I am not sure I have a motto to live by. But I did see this quote recently that speaks to me. “The man on top of the mountain didn’t fall there” by Vince Lombardi.

ME: That is so powerful Lynn. THANK YOU for your time, your energy, your empowering words.


Lynn walks away with a confident step, she is extremely proud of herself, she is smiling and knowing she still has so many things to accomplish!!!! Way to go Spartan Lady!!! You got this beYOUtiful!!!!


P.S. Her trainer appears to be me, and we do have a plan to run another Spartan Race this year again!!!!

#WeAreSpartan #beYOUtiful #IamSpartan