From MS to Mud Runs: My 8-Week Spartan Race Training Plan
- dfuzes
- Jun 2
- 10 min read
My Spartan Race Training Plan Breakdown
Let’s be clear—this isn’t some recycled Spartan race training plan I pulled off Google. This is a program built for my body, my goals, and my limitations—type 1 diabetes, MS history, and all. I’m five weeks into an 8-week hybrid I call Greek God x Spartan: a blend of classic hypertrophy, fat-burning cardio, and obstacle-specific endurance.
The goal? Strip fat, build a powerful aesthetic physique, and still crush obstacles like rope climbs, carries, and burpees. But more than that, this race is a statement—a spit in the face of everything I’ve been told I can’t do. And I’m not the only one proving what’s possible. I’ve met others with MS—like Harveel—who use fitness to take back control. Watching her show up and train reminds me that this fight isn’t just personal. It’s collective.
I was once obese. I’ve lived with type 1 diabetes my entire life. I’ve been handed misguided medical advice more times than I can count (which is a whole blog for another day). Losing weight was brutally difficult. And being diagnosed with MS? That nearly broke me. It’s felt like my body has been begging me to give up for years.
Well… that’s not my style.
So here I am, proving I can do something most people won’t even try. And yeah, I’m chasing the body I want at the same time (go ahead, call it vanity—I’ve already owned that). But if I cross that Spartan finish line, knowing how far I’ve come? That’s pride I’ll carry forever.
I’ve been using this Spartan-provided template as a base: Spartan’s Official Training Plan, but I’ve made key additions and modifications tailored to my own goals, abilities, and various levels I am currently at in my training capabilities.
No, I’m not a licensed trainer—but I’ve trained alongside professionals for years and learned a hell of a lot through trial, error, and grit. I do plan on helping people like me one day—those who’ve been told their conditions define them—but that’s a bridge I’ll cross a little later. Right now, I’m focused on getting to the starting line—and the finish.
Weekly Breakdown of My Spartan Race Training Plan
Here’s what a typical week looks like right now with 3 weeks to go:
Monday – Full-Body Endurance Circuit. High-rep strength supersets with cardio bursts (battle ropes, sled push, rowing).Workout Highlights:
Safety Bar Squats (3–4 sets, 8–12 reps @ 60–70% 1RM)
Walking Lunges
Elevated Push-Ups
Kettlebell Swings
Core Circuit (leg raises, plank variations)
Conditioning Finisher (when possible):
Jumping jacks → mountain climbers → bodyweight squats (AMRAP rounds or time-based)
🧠 Focus: Full-body fatigue under control, burn calories, build race-day durability.
Tuesday – Grip & Core Day (Spartan-Specific).Workout Highlights:
Plate Pinch Holds (1x45lb plate/hand, max time)
Towel Pull-Ups (or negatives)
Dead Hangs (for time)
Toes-to-Bar or Hanging Leg Raises
Renegade Rows + Bear Crawls
Superman Holds
🧠 Focus: Grip endurance + midline control = better performance on rope climbs, monkey bars, and carries.
Wednesday – Rest or Active Recovery.Workout Options:
Stretching, mobility, walking, or light biking
🧠 Focus: Inflammation control + blood sugar regulation.
Thursday – Upper Body Strength (Greek God Focus).Workout Highlights:
Dumbbell Chest Press (Flat or Incline)
Pull-Ups / Towel Rows
Arnold Press
Lateral Raises
Cable or Dumbbell Curls
Triceps Pushdowns
Renegade Rows or Core Bonus Set (when energy allows)
🧠 Focus: Maintain size while cutting fat, improve Spartan-specific push/pull power.
Friday – Speed & Incline Intervals.Workout Format:
15–20 min Stairmaster (Intervals: 1 min on / 1 min off)
20–25 min Treadmill (Jog Intervals: 3.6–5.5 mph pace w/ 1% incline)
Breaks as needed (30–90 sec) based on fatigue
🧠 Focus: Run prep + cardio conditioning.
Saturday – Leg Day (with Spartan carry work).Workout Highlights:
Squats, lunges, step-ups
Farmer’s carries, kettlebell holds
🧠 Focus: Strength + obstacle transfer.
Sunday – Optional Low-Impact Cardio or Full Rest.Workout Options:
30–40 min Zone 2 incline walk (3.6–4.0 mph @ 5–7% incline)
Light cycling
Repeat missed grip/core day (if recovered)
Full rest if CNS and legs are gassed
🧠 Focus: Support recovery without sabotaging fat loss.
Cardio Layering
Cardio isn’t optional—it’s built into almost every session. For this race, muscular endurance matters just as much as size and strength. I’m running 3x a week, steadily increasing both speed and distance. Right now, I’m averaging 3.8–5.5 MPH, with intervals pushing 5.5 MPH for longer and longer periods.
And yeah, I’m sweating like a beast by the end of every run. I can legit twist my shirt and water pours out—but that’s the point.
The Role of TRT in My Spartan Race Training Plan
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: I’m on TRT—testosterone replacement therapy.
Not because I wanted to get jacked faster, not because I wanted to “cheat the system,” and definitely not because I’m chasing some performance edge. I started TRT under medical supervision because, after everything I’ve been through—30 years of type 1 diabetes, 20 years of MS, periods of intense stress and weight gain—my natural testosterone levels were low. Clinically low.
My estrogen levels were also through the roof, especially compared to my testosterone which was below the clinically determined normal level for men.
F*cking thank you, obesity. F*CK!
I was exhausted all the time. Recovery was brutal. My mood was swinging like crazy, and my drive—both physically and mentally—was tanked. Clean eating and consistent training weren’t cutting it. And don’t even get me started on the parade of antidepressants my doctors threw at the problem.
This isn’t about chasing superhuman hormone levels. It’s about restoring balance. Getting back to normal.
And here’s the thing: everything I’m doing in this Spartan race training plan is still achievable without TRT. Yeah, it might take a bit more effort. You might need longer rest, slower progress, and more discipline. But the work is still the work. The results don’t come from a needle—they come from showing up.
If anything, TRT hasn’t made this easier—it’s just made it possible.
Possible to train like I used to.
Possible to recover enough to stay consistent. Though.. truthfully, recovery is a lot easier, that I will admit freely.
And lastly for this list, possible to finally give this 8-week training block my all without my body constantly fighting against me.
I share this because I know I’m not alone. There are so many people—especially men—suffering in silence. If that’s you, and you’re doing all the “right things” but still feel broken? Get checked. Seriously. It’s not weakness. It’s not vanity. It’s health.
And no matter where your levels are—no matter what tools you do or don’t have—this kind of transformation is possible.
While I can simply say this and hope you believe me, I’m not the only one. Harveel and I may have different stories, but MS has tested us both—and fitness became our shared weapon.
Recovery and Nutrition for My Spartan Race Training Plan
Let me be real with you: recovery has been one of the toughest parts of this whole training block. I’m in a caloric deficit, trying to shed fat and reveal the muscle I’ve been rebuilding underneath. And even with TRT and smart training, I still have days where I feel drained. I’m talking low-energy, foggy-brained, “just get through the damn workout” kind of days.
Despite being on TRT and how it has helped stabilize my blood sugar a lot more, it can still play havoc if I miscalculate my insulin, if my insulin timing is off, or if something doesn’t have the amount of carbs I estimated. Whether it leads to a spike or a plunge in sugar levels—either way—it’s bloody exhausting.
But that’s part of the process—especially when you’re cutting, training 5–6 days a week, and juggling everything else life throws at you (like, you know, raising a toddler).
Recovery isn’t just about sleep (though I’m aiming for 7–8 hours a night minimum)—it’s also about blood sugar management, mobility work, and dialing in my nutrition and supplements to stay functional.
What Recovery Looks Like for Me Right Now:
Sleep: 7–8 hours… I say that, but again—a toddler doesn’t always agree with me. I try to get into a blackout room (or as close to one as I can), take magnesium before bed, and shut down screens at least 30 minutes before I crash. When I can. Because let’s be honest—this part is hard.
Mobility: Daily stretching and foam rolling, especially after cardio-heavy days. I’m treating it like training now—not an afterthought.
Active Recovery: Low-impact bike rides, walking at an incline, and light movement days. This is especially important for my joints and nervous system post-MS, and I’ve seen others like Harveel thrive by treating movement like medicine, too. One of my favorite types of cardio is just walking for long distances. Some say I speed walk—apparently, I walk fast—but to me, it’s just my natural pace. I put my headphones in and get lost in it.
Nutrition for My Spartan Race Training Plan
I’m keeping it high-protein, moderate-fat, and smart with my carbs—especially to manage blood sugar and performance. I’m tracking calories tightly to maintain a deficit (1600–1800/day), which helps with fat loss but definitely cuts into recovery at times.
Meals are all built around:
Lean protein (chicken, turkey, eggs, protein shakes)
Complex carbs timed around training (potatoes, oats, fruit)
Healthy fats (olive oil, avocado, eggs)
And everything is toddler-approved when possible, because I’m cooking for my family.
Oh, and I’m not a fan of suffering through bland food. I’ve posted some of my go-to recipes here on the blog if you want to eat like a beast without hating your life. Well, only one for now, but I’ll be adding more as I perfect them. I only post the ones I know people will love. I’ve got strange taste sometimes, so I’m picky about what makes the cut.
Supplements I’m Using
Creatine – for strength, endurance, and muscle retention while cutting
Glutamine – to support recovery and gut health
Turk Builder+ (HTLT) – for a natural performance edge and lean mass support (thank you, Greg Doucette)
Electrolytes – daily, especially post-run, to manage hydration and keep my blood sugar stable
Protein powder – daily shakes (sometimes twice) to hit my targets without extra calories
Since starting TRT, my prescribing doctor told me I’d need to drink a lot more water to support my system. Like it or not (and I do like this), TRT—even just bringing my levels up to normal—does help build muscle faster. So yeah, I drink a lot more water now.
Recovery isn’t glamorous. It’s not always pretty. But it’s non-negotiable. If you’re training hard, especially in a deficit, you need to treat recovery like a priority, not a reward.
Mindset & Motivation for The Spartan Race Training Plan
This race is more than a finish line. It’s a promise I made to myself: That I wouldn’t go down quietly. That I’d fight to rebuild not just my body, but my belief in what I could still do.That I’d become someone my son could look at and say, “My dad never gave up.”
I want to be the kind of father I never had.
My dad was obese. Sick. And honestly? Absent in every way that mattered. He’s gone now—and I’ve made peace with that—but part of me trains every single day to make sure I never become what he was. I don’t say that out of hatred. I say it out of clarity.
Because when I was younger, I needed someone to show me what strength looked like. What discipline felt like. What self-respect actually meant.
Now I’m becoming the kind of man I needed back then. And the kind of man my son will grow up watching, not recovering from.
What Drives Me Now
I want to prove that it’s not too late to change. Not at 30. Not at 40. Not after MS or obesity.
I want to look in the mirror and recognize the guy staring back.
I want to show other people—especially those who’ve been told they’re too broken, too sick, or too far gone—that they’re not.
I also want people living with MS—like Harveel, like me—to see that we are not fragile. We are fighters. And this lifestyle is still for us.
And yeah, I’ll admit it: There’s a part of me that wants the muscles. The leanness. The definition. The look. I’ve said it before—vanity is a real part of this for me. But now it’s paired with something bigger.
I’m not doing this because I hate my body. I’m doing this because I’m finally ready to fight for it.
Coming Next Week: Harveel’s Interview on Fitness and Multiple Sclerosis
As you read through my journey of training for the Spartan race, you might be wondering how someone living with multiple sclerosis (MS) can push through intense training. Next week, I’ll be sitting down with Harveel, a fitness enthusiast who has successfully integrated fitness into her life while navigating MS, and making it look sexy AF with every lift.
Stay tuned for an insightful interview where we dive into the intersection of fitness, mindset, and MS. We’ll explore how fitness can be a game-changer in managing the challenges of living with MS, the mindset shifts required for success, and the practical tips that can help you take control of your health.
I’m excited to share her story with you, as it highlights the power of perseverance and the life-changing impact of fitness when faced with chronic conditions like MS.
Don’t miss it—check back here next Thursday for the full interview!
Weeks Out, No Turning Back
I’ve got three weeks left until race day.
Three weeks to tighten the plan. To stay focused. To show up every day, even when my legs are fried, my blood sugar’s being a little shit, and my brain’s trying to talk me out of it.
I’m not chasing perfection. I’m chasing proof—Proof that I’m still capable. Still evolving.
Still in this fight.
And if you’ve been where I’ve been—sick, overweight, frustrated, fed up—you already know: The work won’t save you. But it will rebuild you.
So whether you’re thinking about doing a Spartan race, trying to lose weight, or just trying to get your life back—this blog is for you. I’ll be posting my final prep updates here over the next few weeks, along with new high-protein recipes, podcast drops, and everything I’m learning along the way.
📲 Follow my journey on socials:
And check out the other posts at thefitnessbeast.ca/blog💪 Real workouts. Real food. Real-life results.
Comments