Spartan Race Age Group Changes 2024 And More!

[@nickeichhorn1538]

I agree with Scott’s points. How quickly we forget the less than 10 person elite heats in 2023. I think there was even a women’s heat with 1 person. The middle of the elite heat and the top of the AG heat are very similar in performance. This year we had a few new names on elite podiums that might not have signed up if these new plans were the standards. The racing felt far more enjoyable this year than it has in the past having all the people who were looking to compete in both categories rubbing elbows.

[@Obstacleracingmedia]

Thanks for chiming in. All those that signed up for AG can race elite this year, they can still rub elbows, and then we have more than 1 person in the elite heat.:). Kidding aside, it soulds like Spartan made a choice that they feel best for the overall business and the "sport" side 2nd, which I don't think you can really blame them for.

[@nickeichhorn1538]

@@Obstacleracingmedia I get it. Spartans been making business decisions for a long time now.

[@MattEngler353]

I’m with @Scott 100% on this. Elite waves are gonna be slim… but this year (guys like me) who are 45+ and have been exclusively age-group, have a chance to compete with the elites and have actually been close to overall podium- which was never possible in the elite and age-group are segregated. Crazy they are bailing on this after less than a year. - the best option at this point would be to still allow an age-group participant to actually get placed on an elite podium despite not being registered as an ‘elite’

[@jenzalcoatl]

I think this totally makes sense. If you are in AG and place well enough into the elite podiums times, you could get bumped up. This way you know that you are elite now, I guess.

[@justinparker7712]

Agree 100%, there's a reason EVERY other OCR and running race do it the 2024 way, it's the simplest and fairest way, yet Spartan only gives it one year before switching back to the terrible segregated way

[@whereisyorick]

Scott is spot on. I also would add that the way they had it this year was the most fair Spartan ever had it. The fastest 3 podium, the rest in ranked in AG. No more non-sense of Age groupers on podium when they're as fast as elites or AG braggers saying they won when many in within their age range beat them in elite. Some can poduim elite but be beat by AG, how does that make sense? Also Gary's point of "people wanting to race with family and friends", if you're not racing your own race, then you should race in Open

[@liner357]

I love the Age group series

[@passleycraig]

I’m excited for all the upcoming changes and events ❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@mikemuday]

Scott breaking out the helmet shirt! You could tell the competitive wave structure dying unsung really brought him down. Although wet eyes would never suit him.

[@toshi9278]

Unstable system isn't good for serious age racers. Because the meaning of podium is different in each systems.

[@MBStrobel0817]

All in all I like what Gary is saying. That other guy they left in charge set spartan back.

[@liner357]

Bring a series race back to Monterey ca.

[@liner357]

What about stadium series

[@coryedwards8276]

Man hope to see Gary at ALL these races!

[@coryedwards8276]

So will the sprint in WV be on Friday?

[@soundlycreative]

Love the banter

[@MattEngler353]

what about adding a Beast at Palmerton PA?!?!

[@justinparker7712]

Terrible change, I'm with Scott, 2024 was finally a fair system that is the same as EVERY other OCR and running race out there, overall 1-3 and AG awards after that. Now, after only one year of the fair system, we're back to the unfair system where there's no reason to run Elite anymore, and you have AG runners getting fake podiums when someone running the same race with the same rules in Elite ran faster than them but isn't eligible under the new rules to get an AG podium because they registered as Elite. It made me laugh when Gary said that Elite racers are pros trying to win cash and make a living, Elites are just like everyone else, none of them are doing this full time and Elite awards no money so what are we talking about here. We saw what happens in 2023 under these new rules, you're going to see Elite waves of 9 people go out cause everyone is in AG. Real good look Spartan. Just use the fair system that EVERY other race uses for a reason and stick to it for more than a year.

[@liner357]

What about stadium series