Everything you always wanted to know about the Hurricane Heat, or the Hurricane Heat 12 Hour.
How did it begin?
When Hurricane Irene threatened the East Coast and forced Spartan Race to shut down our Sunday Amesbury race in August 2011, athletes, staff, volunteers, and crew were devastated. We are Spartans though, and we weren’t about to quit.
After some creative planning and 9,000 emails to set up the logistics, more than 150 Spartans showed up at 5am that Saturday morning to tackle the Amesbury course with Spartan Founder Joe De Sena and Spartan employees. Little did the brave runners know, they would be put on teams with strangers, forced to carry sandbags and do 30 burpees at every obstacle, whether they got through it cleanly or not. But they did not toil alone. Alongside their teammates they forged Spartan bonds of camaraderie and teamwork. This is the heart and soul of the Hurricane Heat. It was in these hours of pouring rain, sandbags, obstacles and endless burpees that the Hurricane Heat was born.
What is the Hurricane Heat?
The Hurricane Heat gives runners the chance to meet and run with the staff and sometimes even the Founders of Spartan Race in a unique and memorable way. This special heat is held early in the mornings of the race and occasionally on the eve. There is always a mandatory gear list and all Hurricane Heats will venture on and off the Spartan Race Course at the Race Director’s desire. The goal of the Hurricane Heat is to finish as teams. There are no chips, no clock, just a fun run Spartan-style that represents what our company and our athletes are about…getting up when you’re knocked down and finishing what you start.
The Hurricane Heat is designed to break you down over and over again, crafting you into a unified team, capable of overcoming the most difficult of objectives. It will reveal your weaknesses and exploit them until they are strengthened.
Every Hurricane Heat is unique, they are designed to utilize a combination of what is on the course and the areas that surround the course. Often times, there will be a series of missions or challenges that will need to be completed in order to succeed. Burpees are the currency in Hurricane Heats, if something can’t be accomplished for whatever reason there is often times a burpee cost that can get you out of it. Do note that not all challenges have this option so don’t bank on being able to just bust out burpees to finish the Hurricane Heat. We will cover a solid distance in the 3-4 hour time span that Hurricane Heats typically last. Come prepared with food, water, and anything else, like salt tabs, that you may need.
Successful finishers earn a finisher dog tag medal*, entry into a closed networking group, a finisher t-shirt, and the chance of a lifetime discovering the camaraderie derived from becoming a Hurricane Heater.
What is the Hurricane Heat Twelve Hour?
The Hurricane Heat Twelve Hour was designed to forge the next level of Spartans. We’ve taken the concept of the original Hurricane Heat, expanded it to include an element of individuality, and kicked everything in between up to new heights. If you’ve participated in a Hurricane Heat and thought those 3-4 hours were tough, just wait until you set out on a twelve hour adventure that will take place both on and off the Spartan course. You’ll develop the same team building that is the foundation of the Hurricane Heat, while also forging yourself as an individual. Expect a lot of burpees, carrying heavy objects, mud, submersion, and more. The HH12HR is created to bridge the gap between a Spartan Race and adventure races such as the Peak Death Race. If you’ve ever wished to embark on a journey that takes you past your comfort zone, the Hurricane Heat Twelve Hour is the next stop on the adventure train.
If you are looking for an endurance challenge, sign up for a Hurricane Heat Twelve Hour quick, as this event is limited to 100 participants at each venue. Sign up early to ensure you don’t miss out on the best/hardest twelve hours of your life.
What you will need for the HH12HR: you will need to be able to perform, self supported, for the duration of the event. We recommend a large ruck (military based backpack), a 2-3L Hydration Unit, and whatever food you'll need to survive 12 hours of pushing beyond your limits. More required gear will be emailed to you in the week or two prior to the event.
Finishers will receive a unique HH12HR T-shirt as well as a one-of-a-kind HH12HR Finishers Patch to sport on their ruck or a Tac-Hat.
Please note: There is no guarantee that you will run the course and earn the corresponding medal for that regular course. Remember, you are signing up to compete in the HH12HR; if you finish, you will earn JUST the HH12HR Finisher Patch and Finisher Shirt.
How do I find a Hurricane Heat?
The Hurricane Heat will be making appearances at many Spartan races throughout the season, so check your race’s event-specific page and click the GET INFO button on your race of interest for details, and to see if the race has a Hurricane Heat. Then, during the registration process you will see a HURRICANE HEAT registration option, and you can select that if the race has that option.
Details can also be found here:
http://www.spartan.com/en/race/race-types/endurance-races?article=5109
*Hurricane Heats do not count toward earning a Trifecta.