Race planned on new obstacle course

Riding the popularity of this year’s Spartan Race in Bigfork, Stan Watkins thought a place to train for next year’s event would be a good investment.

Watkins, the owner of Kalispell Athletic Club, has constructed a 23-obstacle course on the property, and is calling all comers to a race Oct. 12 to help break it in.

“This property has been sitting here unused,” he said. “And this is all the rage now. I figured the Spartan Race brought in almost a million dollars.”

Total economic impact was actually more than $1.5 million, so Watkins is on the right track.

The obstacle course race he is planning (under a new company called Know Obstacles) will allow two racers to go at one time, where they hit the tire-drag, javelin throw and bowling ball toss in quick succession. Other obstacles include climbing a cargo net, doing 30 burpees (doing a pushup and immediately jumping up), and something called a Burma loop.

“It was a primitive way of building a bridge,” Watkins said. “You’ll have the racehorses in here and this is something that will slow them down.”

The Burma loop contains a series of hanging chains in a parabolic shape hanging from two large pieces of lumber. Racers must balance swinging steps across this makeshift “bridge.”

If a racer fails to complete any challenge, he or she must go to a centralized burpee pit and do 10 of the exhausting exercises as punishment.

But who is the Marquis de Sade who helped Watkins design and build the compact course? He’s keeping mum.

“He’s a local builder, really a sharp guy,” Watkins said. “We were like a Mr. and Mrs., bickering over my ideas and his practicality.”

Watkins invested $18,000 in the course but so far it has seen relatively limited use. The Glacier Nationals hockey team uses it for practice and Watkins is considering inviting local football teams to use it on a free run.

But he said the race should draw in some serious competitors looking for serious fun.

“It will be chip-timed,” Watkins said. “There is close to a mile of running. We’re crossing our fingers it will fill up.”

For now, Watkins is limiting the number of participants to 250, but that could fluctuate depending on the weather and number of volunteers.

A ticket for the race costs $30. That gets participants a T-shirt, a timed race, a hot meal from Hu Hot Mongolian Grill and entry into some big drawings from Sportsman & Ski Haus.

During open gym hours at the club, any member of the public can pay $10 and get an hour on the course. Gym staffers will time a run-through if so desired.

Other plans for the course will be to teach a class similar to cross fit and perhaps another race in the spring before the real 2014 Spartan Race.

“I’m really excited about all this,” Watkins said. “It’s that old, ‘If you build it, they will come.’ People can come and have fun. It’s a different style of workout.”

For more questions and to sign up for the race, visit kalispellathleticclub.net or call 752-9098.

Reporter Ryan Murray may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at rmurray@dailyinterlake.com.