The well-known African proverb says it best: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
For over a decade, Spartan racers have been bravely toeing the line to some of the toughest obstacle courses on the planet. And although the Spartan community is one of the most motivational groups out there, tackling something incredibly difficult with only your own body and mind can sometimes be daunting enough to deter the masses.
If you’ve considered signing up for a Spartan race but ultimately succumbed to the fear of failure, have friends of various fitness levels that could benefit from shared accomplishment over individual burden, or want to step it up to a new distance without bearing the entire weight of the solo attempt, the new Spartan Doubles entry point provides a powerful mechanism to conquer your goals while fostering a stronger sense of community and support between racers on the course.
Ready to step up to our most accessible, pair-based challenge? Here’s everything you need to know about Spartan Doubles races’ rules, regulations, and registration guidelines.
The New Spartan Doubles Racing Format
What Is the Spartan Doubles Format?
Spartan Doubles is a new registration option that allows two racers to sign up for one Spartan race together to compete in a collaborative, team-based format. This unique experience will be available at all Open heats for Spartan Stadion, Sprint, Super, Beast, and Ultra race types (Kids excluded, as well as select Competitive heats (Age Group (AG) categories only). Elite racers are not eligible for the Doubles format.
For this collaboration-based competition, all rules of Spartan racing remain the same, but there are a few extra rules and regulations around starting and finishing, registration, attire, and obstacle attempts and punishments that apply to Doubles racers specifically, so be sure to familiarize yourself with the following to make sure you and your partner have the perfect race day. (Or, you know, at least don’t get disqualified.)
Distinguishing Spartan Doubles Racers from Individual Racers
Worried about signing up for Doubles and then getting stuck out there on your own? We’ve got plenty of measures in place to ensure our officials recognize your Doubles status out on the course and help you both adhere to the partner rules.
To visually distinguish paired competitors from other individual racers, each athlete in a Doubles team will wear a distinctive Spartan headband that sets them apart from single racers. Age Group Doubles racers will wear a blue headband, while Open heat Doubles racers will wear black headbands featuring blue numbers – no bibs or pinneys.
Spartan Doubles Rules and Other Regulations
Synchronized Start and Finish
Pair-based racing is the heart of Spartan Doubles, and while each athlete within a team is equipped with their own timing chip – ensuring individual tracking throughout the course – Doubles pairs will have to cross the start and finish lines within 4 seconds each of one another. (Your team’s official finishing time will reflect the first partner’s finishing chip time.) If you plan on showing off and leaving your partner in the dust, this is not the challenge for you!
We mean it: Even throughout the course, you must remain in close enough proximity to your partner that officials are easily able to identify you as a pair. If you fail any of the proximity guidelines – on course or at the start and finish lines – you will be disbanded from the Doubles category and moved to individual Open results. Decide: Do you want to go fast, or do you want to go far, together?
Shared Obstacle Responsibility
The Doubles format introduces a degree of shared responsibility and is not only a great way for first-time racers to observe how an obstacle is done, but it’s also perfect for pairs where one partner is better at – for example – grip-strength obstacles and the other excels at precision-based tasks.
For all* obstacles encountered on the course, only one athlete from the pair is required to successfully attempt and complete it. Doubles racers will receive one blue wristband per pair at registration that allows for one obstacle skip. (This wristband must be returned at the conclusion of the race.) This means that if one partner struggles with a particular obstacle, the other partner can (and must) take on the challenge alone. No assistance may be given to your partner once they’ve begun their attempt. If the attempting partner fails the obstacle, only that racer must complete the ensuing penalty (typically either 30 burpees or a penalty lap). The non-attempting athlete does not have to complete the penalty, but we won’t stop you from doing moral-support burpees. You are a Spartan, aren’t you?
Our advice? Use this rule to your advantage: Strategize ahead of time with your partner to leverage strengths and weaknesses and save each partner’s energy levels when they’re feeling fatigued.
*Exceptions to the rule: For the Spear Throw and Fire Jump obstacles, BOTH athletes must complete the obstacle and any potential resulting penalty. For example, both athletes must attempt to stick the Spear Throw. If athlete A hits the target but athlete B falls short, both athletes complete 30 burpees. If, by chance, both throws are victorious, neither athlete is penalized.
Registration, Pricing, and Qualifying for the Spartan Trifecta
Doubles registration will be open for all adult Spartan race types in Open heats. Competitive Age Group Doubles heats will be available only at multi-day National Series weekends, taking place on the alternate competitive format day. Every Doubles race will count as a Sprint, Super, Beast, or Ultra (respectively) toward the coveted Spartan Trifecta.
Doubles pairs registering for Age Group heats must register for the Age Group that fits the average teammate age rounded down. For example, if teammates are 25 and 30, the average age is 27 and your pair will register in the 25-29 age group and start with that respective age group heat alongside individual AG racers. Double Pairings can operate as either single or mixed genders, but Doubles Age Group pairs will be ranked only against other Doubles Age Group pairs (in male, female, and mixed doubles categories) and not within the standard individual Age Group results. All Doubles racers must be registered for the Doubles category and may not attempt to race as a Double without having registered as such.
Because racing as a Doubles team provides the full Spartan race experience – including a finisher medal and T-shirt – an individual Doubles team ticket costs the same as racing as an individual (respective to your race heat category and distance).
Where Can I Start Racing Spartan Doubles?
The above rules have recently been refined after two successful format test events in Australia and Central Florida in 2025. The rules may continue to evolve as we scale this new format up to bring more racers into the Doubles format, so stay tuned for any additional announcements.
The Spartan Doubles heats are all across the 2026 Racing Schedule. It’s your chance to test teamwork, strategy, and grit in a format built for pairs. Plus, you’ll be the first-ever racers to tackle this race format – something worth bragging about for years to come.
Two racers. One team. No limits. Ready to join the first-ever wave of Spartan Doubles racers? Choose your race, grab your comrade and sign up now.
