Over 500 Spartans-in-training rolled in to Setia Alam in Selangor, Malaysia, without the slightest clue how much they’d be tested in an exhilarating mass workout with Joe De Sena.
Giving participants a first-hand taste of the hard-core Spartan lifestyle, the workout featured several challenging exercises, including Spartan Race’s most notorious move – the burpee. Popularised by the military, this full body exercise has become the ‘currency’ of all Spartan Races around the globe. If a participant fails an obstacle during the race, he or she ‘pays’ the penalty of 30 burpees before moving on.
The brain behind this idea is none other than CEO and founder Joe De Sena, who once accepted a ‘Burpee Challenge’ himself. To commemorate reaching three million “likes” on their Facebook page, the fitness champ accomplished a staggering 4,100 burpees in 8 hours during a “live-streamed” event.
I’m super impressed with the fitness levels of Malaysians in general. I think they are natural-born Spartans.
I usually have a large number of people drop-out and not complete the workout session but that definitely was not the case here.
—Joe De Sena, Spartan Race CEO and Founder
Malaysians found out pretty quickly that being Spartan and pain go hand-in-hand as De Sena pushed them hard during the gruelling 90-minute workout on Sunday, 23 August. However, in true Spartan spirit, by the end of it, everyone – not just the self-proclaimed ‘fitness junkies’ – wanted more.
I always thought my current fitness level was pretty good for my age. However it is only after this workout I discovered my fitness shortcomings.
After that eye-opening session with Joe, I now plan to train religiously and race in the competitive Elite Masters category to test my physical limits and inspire others that it is not all downhill once you hit the big 4-0.
—Raj Aria, TV Host, fashion-preneur and fitness enthusiast
Reebok Spartan Race Marching to You Soon
The temporary fatigue in training will be well worth it during the upcoming Reebok Spartan races. Deemed the world’s leading obstacle race, it is one of the flagship events launching the inaugural Malaysia National Sports Day on Saturday, 10 October.
Over 15,000 ‘Spartans’ and spectators are expected at the iconic race, where competitors from all walks of life and varying athletic abilities will tackle 22+ obstacles across an outdoor 6+ km course. The shortest length of a series of race categories, the Reebok Spartan Sprint is an excellent starting point to becoming a Spartan; it’s fun for first-timers yet a healthy challenge for experienced racers.
Due to strong demand, organisers have opened up a second race day on Sunday, 11 October!
We are extremely pleased with the response to the Reebok Spartan Race here in Malaysia, a clear testament to how much Malaysians value fitness and adventure emphasised through obstacle racing in particular.
—Marcus Luer, Founder and Group CEO of TSA
Groups and companies are strongly encouraged to send teams: not only is it a great way to motivate and build morale, the biggest participating team on each race day will also enjoy their own private tent and an exclusive Spartan Biggest Team trophy.
Yes, Registration is Still Open!
Red alert! At time of writing, registrations for the Kuala Lumpur Sprint on 10 October and Singapore Sprint on 15 November are both at around 90%!
So don’t wait—sign up for the Kuala Lumpur Sprint on Sunday, 11 October 2015 while you still can!
Entry fees are the same at RM230 for Individuals in Elite Competitive Heats and RM199 for Individuals in the Open Heats. Race in teams of 5+ and pay RM149 each, or build up your Spartan team to 20+ and pay RM129 each. Spartan Juniors aged 4 to 13 can join too for RM55!
Do note that all prices are not inclusive of processing fees and GST.