Imagine this: it’s the dead of night. You’re drenched in sweat, caked in mud, and your legs are screaming at you to stop—but you keep moving. You’re not alone, though; your team is right there beside you, grunting through the same misery.
This is the Spartan Hurricane Heat 12 Hour (HH12HR).
This isn’t your typical race. There are no medals for finishing first or cash prizes for being the fastest. The HH12HR is about something deeper—it’s a relentless test of resilience, grit, mental toughness, and the ability to work as part of a team and alone under intense pressure.
Having completed the HH12HR, I can confidently say it’s one of the most gruelling yet rewarding experiences I’ve ever had the opportunity to do. And if you’re reading this, you’re probably curious (or crazy enough) to consider it yourself. So let me take you behind the scenes and break down what this event is really about—what you’ll need, what I learned, and why it’s worth every agonizing second.

What Is the Spartan HH12HR?
The HH12HR is not for everyone. In fact, it’s designed to weed out those who can’t handle its brutal demands. It’s an endurance event that blends physical challenges, mental tests, and team-based tasks. The event is orchestrated by the Spartan Krypteia, a cadre of elite instructors whose sole purpose is to push participants to their breaking points—and beyond.
Here’s what you’ll face:

1. Teamwork Challenges
Success or failure hinges on your ability to work with your team. Tasks are deliberately designed to test communication, problem-solving, and camaraderie. You’ll be forced to rely on strangers, which is both humbling and empowering. Tasks like carrying a massive heap of taped together gear as a group, completing synchronized movements, or transporting heavy gear over long distances will leave you no choice but to trust and lean on your teammates.
2. Individual Challenges
Not everything can be delegated to your team. During individual challenges, it’s just you against yourself. You’ll face timed tasks like everest ascents, endless rope climbts, or even endurance movements like holding a plank for minutes on end. Fail these challenges, and you risk penalties or even elimination.
3. The Warrior Ethos
The HH12HR isn’t just a physical test—it’s an embodiment of the Spartan Warrior Ethos: resilience, accountability, and pushing through adversity. This ethos is ingrained in every moment of the event. You’ll be reminded (often sternly) that excuses and shortcuts are unacceptable. At times, this can feel harsh, but it’s part of the experience—and it’s what makes completing it so rewarding. You wont have your hand held for you here, and if you think being macho makes you the best, but you cant be a team player - well bad news, that wont get you very far either.
4. Unpredictability
Unlike a traditional race, you can’t prepare for every detail of the HH12HR. You’ll receive a mandatory gear list the week before the event, but beyond that, the event details are a mystery. If the list says to bring a 30-pound ruck, they mean it. Bring 31 pounds or forget an item, and you’ll face penalties. The spontaneity keeps you on edge and forces you to adapt to the unknown—a skill that’s valuable far beyond the event itself.
Why I Signed Up for the HH12HR
My journey to the HH12HR wasn’t planned—it evolved. I first dipped my toes into the Spartan Hurricane Heat with the 4-hour event at the Toronto Brimacombe Spartan Race. It was there that I caught the bug. The combination of physical exhaustion, teamwork, and the satisfaction of pushing past limits was unlike anything I’d ever experienced, and up to this point I was pretty well verse in the world of Spartan Racing.
After completing the 4-hour event, I wanted more. The 12-hour HH12HR in Calabogie seemed like the perfect next step. Starting at 11 p.m., the event promised not just a physical challenge but a mental battle that would last well pasted dawn the next day. For me, it was about one thing: finding out what I was truly made of. And let me tell you, I wasn’t disappointed.

Training for the Unpredictable
How do you prepare for an event where the only guarantee is that it will push you to your limits? It’s not about perfecting specific skills or memorizing routines—it’s about building a base of strength, endurance, and mental resilience. Here’s how I approached my training:
1. Endurance Training
Long-distance rucking became a staple of my routine. I loaded up my ruck with 30 to 50 pounds and tackled steep trails, hills, and uneven terrain. The goal wasn’t speed—it was building the stamina to carry weight for hours without stopping.
2. Strength Workouts
Functional strength was crucial. I incorporated heavy carries (sandbags, kettlebells, etc.), bodyweight exercises (like push-ups and pull-ups), and full-body circuits to prepare for the unknown. Deadlifts, squats, and overhead presses were also key, as they mimicked the kind of movements I’d need during the event.
3. Mental Toughness Drills
Training my mind was just as important as training my body. I created challenges for myself that pushed me to the brink, like holding planks to failure, doing burpee intervals, or completing workouts in uncomfortable conditions (like in the rain or with a heavy backpack). These drills helped me stay focused under stress—something that was invaluable during the event. Rememeber, these events are built to find your weaknessess and then lean in on them even harder. So do yourself a favour and start doing things that make you extremely uncomfortable, because there is a very real reality that you are going to face something very similar when out at these events.

The Night of the HH12HR
When the event began at 11 p.m., the air was electric with anticipation and uncertainty. Here we are a group of 30 people standing in a circle on the side of a mountain, in pitch black darkness. For our event, we were split into teams of six, and it didn’t take long for the Krypteia to make it clear: every decision we made—every mistake—would have consequences, not just for us but for our entire team.

Here are a few standout moments from that night:
1. The Everest Climb
This challenge was brutal. Over the course of two hours, we were tasked with completing as many ascents of a steep ski hill as possible. Adding to the difficulty was the option to carry extra weight for additional points—a decision that tested not only our physical strength but also our willingness to suffer. But here is the kicker, how many times did we have to do this in order to pass.... No one knew. If you took too long you failed, go full tilt, and you could find yourself gassed and having overachieved 10 fold. The goal was to push as hard as you could, it was you vs the voice in your head telling you - you were doing alright, taking it easy.
2. Endless Team Tasks
The teamwork challenges came in rapid succession. From holding planks in sync for what felt like an eternity to navigating obstacles while carrying awkward amounts of gear, to singing Tom Petty at 3 am carrying 120lbs of extra gear until everyone got the lyrics right (THANKS FOR THAT BTW, I still can't hear "I wont back down" without me knees starting to hurt).
The key was communication and trust. If one person faltered, the entire team paid the price.

3. The DEKA Fire
As dawn broke and we made it to the end of our event around noon the next day, the event culminated in a Spartan DEKA Fire workout—a grueling mix of functional fitness movements. Completing it after 12 hours of chaos was a surreal experience, which was made even more powerful by the crowd of thousands of spectators cheering us on.
Unexpected Moments and Lessons Learned
No matter how much you prepare, the HH12HR will throw you some curveballs.
Here are a few lessons I took away:
Pain Is Temporary, Pride Is Forever: During an endless barbed wire crawl, I tore my arm wide open. Instead of stopping, which would have taken me and my team out of the event, I pushed through, and it was actually that moment that became a rallying point for my teammates to push even harder.
Morning Brings Clarity: Navigating the night was disorienting, and when you add darkness into the mix it makes even a simple task hard. It can even make you have doubts, but I can tell you that when the sun started to rise it was like a switch flipped. The new day brought energy a lot of us didn’t know we had inside us. The moral of the story, if you think you’re ready to quit, always wait till morning - it brings clarity to a dark situation, and I don’t want to see someone quit when they had more in the tank.
Focus on the Task at Hand: Looking too far ahead is overwhelming. Instead, I focused on completing each task, one by one, until the 12 hours had passed. It's like a good ole dad joke "How do you eat an elephant?" - One bite at a time.

Gear Tips and Preparation
Packing is critical. The HH12HR gear list is non-negotiable, and attention to detail is key. I want to give all you readers all the tips here, but this is also apart of the event. You need to show up and learn and experience this for yourself, and asking all the questions before hand might actually hinder you instead of help you, but with that I have a few golden tips that wont lead you astray.
Here are my tips:
Double-Check Everything: If the list says 28 feet of rope, measure it. Don’t guess. Same with weight or quantity. If its 30lbs its 30lbs. Not over or under. If they want 3 blue pens, then you better have 3 blue pens. You need to follow instructions.
Invest in Quality Gear: Your ruck, shoes, and hydration system are your lifelines. Don’t skimp. You dont get to leave to get new gear if something goes wrong during the event. You are there with what you brought there, so make sure you have gear that will last.
Pack for Comfort: Extra socks, gloves, and a headlamp can make a world of difference. If you are going for a longer event, bring some snacks and maybe a few extras to share if you want brownie points from your teammates.
DON'T ASK QUESTIONS: This one is big.... SO big I'm going to say it again.
DO NOT FOR THE LOVE OF YOU AND YOUR TEAM, ASK THE KRYPTEA QUESTIONS....
Do what you are told. It might seem innocent, but this isnt the little leauges here. You are given directions and expected to get the job done, asking questions even if well intended.... will end up with you and your team doing burpees or worse, holding the plank position forever.
Why the HH12HR Is Worth It!
The HH12HR isn’t just an event—it’s a transformational experience. It challenges you to confront your limits, adapt to the unknown, and discover just how strong you really are. The bonds you’ll form, the lessons you’ll learn, and the pride you’ll feel at the finish line will stay with you forever.
If you’re hesitating, don’t. Take the leap, embrace the chaos, and see what you’re truly made of.

Written by Chris Gilbert
Owner & Head Coach, TNT Fitness
Certified NCCPT Personal Trainer | Tactical Conditioning Specialist
Helping individuals achieve purpose-driven fitness for life & performance
Comments