Scanning the entirety of the trail’s natural terrain, Spartan runner freshman Aston Dong gathers himself before his Spartan race, a run with competitive obstacles, feeling ready to take on any challenge.
Compared to a typical marathon or run, Spartan competitions stretch longer distances, featuring obstacle courses with elements such as pulleys, A-frames and sandbags. Some of the Spartan races Dong has participated in were at locations such as Monterey, Big Bear and the most recent being in a competition in Santa Margarita Ranch near Pismo Beach earlier this year.
“I think my favorite aspect of racing is the adrenaline rush and how good it feels to get a [personal record] on a tough course,” Dong said. “[Spartan racing] is more mental because I feel it might be harder—people can get to the physical level of running, but it might be a lot harder to get to the mental level as you are running out there by yourself.”
Dong has a surplus of experience in running, from his club cross country team throughout middle school to his first year on the high school team. His involvement in cross country directly translates into his Spartan races, providing him with the additional training—the physical and mental—needed for him to succeed. One of the first Spartan race competitions Dong competed in was a one mile run with minimal obstacles such as carrying sand bags. Presently, Dong runs in more experienced Spartan races that have more extreme obstacles. To prepare for competitions, Dong watches his diet and goes on light runs to hone in on pacing and overall endurance.
“For Spartan racing, I cut back on food and drink more water so it’s easier to run longer distances and to feel lighter on my feet,” Dong said. “I felt [for cross country] I was good enough to be on the high school team and I soon learned that I’m one of the fastest on the team. It really motivates me to try hard and keep up with the upperclassmen. I think that racing in general helps with learning discipline and teaches you how to be with your thoughts, listening to your mind.”
Aston was initially interested in entering Spartan racing through the inspiration of his older brother, senior Ethan Dong, but didn’t start competing until he turned 11 years old to take on longer distances. Running by his brother’s side has allowed them to formulate a closer bond and push each other to be their best.
“I think running has helped us grow closer because Aston and I are always together during the races, so we always pass people together. Having someone to stick to helps us do better during the race,” Ethan said. “I thought it was cool because I’ve always ran alone, but because he wanted to do it with me, I would actually have someone to run with, especially because we’re close since he’s my brother. Now that he’s in high school, he’s starting to get more independent. What we started doing together a couple years ago, he’s getting a lot better at it and doing it for himself now too, which is pretty cool to see.”
After facing an injury that caused Dong to pause in the duration of his eighth grade season, he has learned to value the ability to race and strives to continually improve.
“I don’t get nervous anymore before races because last year, I broke my arm and it was hard for me to watch races and not being able to race. It took around 6 months to heal my arm completely” Dong said. “[What happened] helps me be motivated and more driven in proving that I won’t be stopped by an injury, I never take racing or running for granted anymore.”
