One of the obstacles that I have never succeeded at at a Spartan race is the spear throw ("Spearman"). In fact, when I did my first Spartan Sprint in Arizona my right leg cramped up so bad after throwing the spear that I couldn't even catch my balance and landed on my back screaming and cursing bloody murder. The poor volunteers at first didn't know what was going on and then they came and asked if I needed the medics and I was like, "NO! Cramp! Cramp! I just need to stretch my f*#$(@&g leg out!!" I finally got most of the cramp out, did my 30 burpees (they weren't pretty) and hobbled along on my way. Needless to say that throw was an epic fail...I don't think it even got near the straw bales. At Super it was just a bad throw period...did my 30 burpees with the help of the Weeples and finished up. At Military Sprint I got the closest of all with the spear skimming too low on the bottom of the target. I'm hoping that with the ability to practice that I'll be able to nail the spear throw at Beast at the end of June!
So, here's the video that I followed but I'll also be putting step by step instructions in this post as well.
Let's talk price first. There are kits that you can purchase online that have everything that you need to make a spear. These run approximately $35. For my spears - yes, I made two - here are my costs:
One Time Use Items:
3/8" by 12" bridge nails - 2 each x 67¢
60" Rake handle with ferrule - 1 each x $14.99
60" Rake handle with ferrule - 1 each x $10.44
Multiple Use Items:
Mini Hacksaw - 1 each x $6.28
3/8" by 12" drill bit - $11.22
Liquid Nails - 1 10oz tube x $2.27
We had to go to three different stores until we found the rake handles and I didn't realize that when we finally did get them that they were 2 different/types (the store we ended up had merged with another store thus the difference in price). So, for one spear (most expensive) the final cost of having to buy everything the first time was $34.50. The second spear (less expensive) came out to $11.11. Based on that price I may have my own little arsenal of OCR spears in the near future! lol!
So here's what I did:
1. Collected all the items and tools I needed. The battery for the drill was charging so that is missing.
2. Used the hacksaw to cut off the head of the nail. It helped having two of us to stabilize the nail but you could do it yourself with it clamped in a vice.
3. Used the drill and drill bit to deepen the hole at the lower end of the handle so that I could sink the cut end of the nail to the depth of the ferrule.
4. Removed the staples that were used as display hangers.
5. Insert some of the Liquid Nail putty into the drilled end of the handle and inserted the cut end of the nail.
6. Tap the end of the nail on the ground or use a hammer and repeat until you no longer get excess Liquid Nail putty coming out. Clean off the excess.
7. That's it! Just need to let the Liquid Nail to cure and they'll be ready to go! Now I just need to find some straw bales to put up as a target!! Woot!
I'm adding these to my current OCR toys tires to flip, drag, push, whatever... Meet Momma (right, 95#) and Daddy (left, 113#)...
I'm hoping to add to the family of tires with Granddad (top, ~140#) and Great Grandad (bottom, ~200#) this week...
Two new toys to play/practice with...easy peasy. Hopefully, 2 more free toys to play with too!! AROO! AROO! AROO! (Spartan battle cry...)
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