The Spartan Race tests your physical and mental strength along courses of various distances filled with grueling obstacles like jumping over fire (no thank you!), pulling tractor tires of a few hundred pounds (why??) and hoisting cement boulders over your head (seriously?!).
On Oct. 4 and 5, the toughest and fastest of these possibly/probably insane athletes met in North Lake Tahoe, Calif. to duke it out for the male and female world title at the 2015 Reebok Spartan Race World Championships.
At the end of a more than 13-mile course, Robert Killian and Zuzana Kocumova were the first to cross the finish line for the male and female elite field, respectively.
33-year-old Killian, of Longmont, Colo., grabbed the elite field win with a time of 2:25:54. And, no big deal, but he also took home a cool $15,000. Killian is an Army Captain and IRONMAN triathlon finisher, and has completed four previous Spartan Races in 2015 alone.
With a time of 2:53:01, Kocumova, 36, traveled all the way from her home in Liberec, Czech Republic to take the female elite win. She also earned her own $15,000 prize. Kocumova is no stranger to competitive racing, as she was previously a professional cross-country skier who raced in the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.
Check out the photos below for on-the-course shots of the competitors, as well as a look at the winners on the podium.
The Man Who Started It All
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Joe De Sena, founder of Spartan Race, at the starting line.
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obstacle raceThoughts at the Starting Line, As Interpreted From One Photo
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Far left: "Transitioning to Zen Mode."
Second from left; Red shirt: "YOU think you're gonna beat ME?? Fat chance."
Middle; Red headband: "Envision the finish. Envision the finish."
Second from right; Blue shirt: "Hmm, this might not have been the best idea."
Far right: "Where's my mom?"
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Barbed Wire Crawl
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Yeah, our faces would look like that too if we had to crawl under barbed wire.
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obstacle raceReaching the Top
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A female competitor reaches the top of a ridge in beautiful North Lake Tahoe, Calif.
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obstacle raceJust Look at That Stride
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The female elite winner, Zuzana Kocumova, dashes through a field on her way to the finish line.
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obstacle raceWhat a Nice Day for a 40-Pound Log Carry
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A female competitor makes it look easy.
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obstacle raceHeave!
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A female competitor in the plate drag, pulling with all her might—literally.
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Where's the Finish?
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A male athlete looks like he's having tons of fun(?). That scenery, though.
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Please Get in a Single-File Line, Gentlemen
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The men's field looks tough. Could you take them on?
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We Are the Champions
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Quite literally, the toughest Spartans in the world.
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