To really understand your brand and your product it’s key to not only talk the talk, but walk the walk. Experience what your customers experience to really get a sense of the brand and its perception. With that in mind I’ve run a few Spartan races, never having done any before joining the team. As a moderately active guy, avid runner, lifting weights a few times a week, I had a decent base of athleticism going into my first race.

Right?

Anddd I completely underestimated how hard a basic skill like climbing a rope or scaling a wall can become after several miles of running, crawling, pushing, pulling, and carrying.

Persistence and grit become that much more important. Without one or the other you’re going to have a rough day, but without either you’re cooked.

The athlete shown slamming into the Stairway to Sparta obstacle in this video later told us this was her first Spartan Race and sheepishly mentioned she had no idea how to do some of the obstacles so she was banking on persistence and grit. Now she could have easily admitted defeat, accepted the penalty loop, and been on her way. Probably would have been quicker too.

Sometimes you just want to prove it to yourself that you can conquer any obstacle life throws in front of you, on or off the course.

That’s exactly what this athlete did as she crashed into the wall time after time before securing the grips and hoisting herself up and over the towering A-frame wall.

Persistence. And. Grit.

Moral victory?

Nope.

She continued to bomb through the course, applying equal parts persistence and grit, and ended up climbing the podium to take 1st place in her Age Group along with some well deserved hardware.