Preparing for Spartan Obstacle Course

Louis Deanda, Master Sgt. Rachel Forman, 1st Lt. Jesse Gilbert, Staff Sgt. Derek Butler and Master Sgt. Zachery Mleko prepare for a Spartan Race held May 3, 2014, at Fort Carson, Colo. A Spartan Race is an obstacle course race designed to test resilience, stamina, quick decision making skills, and the ability to laugh in the face of adversity. (Courtesy photo)

Course completion, dirty but done

Pictured after completing a grueling 4.5-mile course as a team in 2 hours, 5 minutes are 1st Lt. Jesse Gilbert, Master Sgt. Zachery Mleko, Louis Deanda, Master Sgt. Rachel Forman, and Staff Sgt. Derek Butler. They participated in a Spartan Race held May 3, 2014, at Fort Carson, Colo. A Spartan Race is an obstacle course race designed to test resilience, stamina, quick decision making skills, and the ability to laugh in the face of adversity. (Courtesy photo)

ARPC members have fun in mud, sun

Published May 6, 2014
By Cindy Dewey
Air Reserve Personnel Center

BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- For the second year in a row, a team of five individuals from the Air Reserve Personnel Center, civilian and military, joined forces and literally got down and dirty to participate in a Spartan Race held at Fort Carson, Colo., May 3.

A Spartan Race is an obstacle course race designed to test resilience, stamina, quick decision making skills, and the ability to laugh in the face of adversity.

This year's team consisted of Louis Deanda, 1st Lt. Jesse Gilbert, Master Sgt. Zachery Mleko, Staff Sgt. Derek Butler, and Master Sgt. Rachel Forman. They began training as a group one to two months in advance of the competition. They met during lunch time for circuit training and ran together after work.

"Believe it or not, the most challenging is throwing the spear and hitting the target, how do you train for that," said Gilbert. "LOL....climbing the steep mud barriers, there was no grip, but we helped each other by creating a human ladder."

"The course layout and most of the obstacles were different from last year, but just as challenging," said Deanda, team captain. "The most rewarding thing about the race is working as a team to get through some tough obstacles that are almost impossible to do by yourself, the amount of fun we have, and of course crossing the finish line!"

They finished the grueling 4.5-mile course as a team in 2 hours, 5 minutes.

Deanda plans to sign participants up earlier next year and conduct regular training sessions to prepare for the race. Contact Deanda if you are interested. There's about 360 days of training ahead.