Jacksonville, Florida Super/Sprint 3/1 ,3/2
- Tom Shankapotomous
- Mar 4
- 10 min read
Updated: Mar 7
Overview
The Year of the Boar is kicking off at full speed.The 2025 Spartan Championship Season began with the East Coast's inaugural race: the Jacksonville Super/Sprint/Trail weekend. Featuring a mostly flat course and sunny conditions, both elite and age group competitors recorded fast times.
This post explores Florida's rich geological history, details the new venue, offers travel suggestions for next year's race, and reviews the course and obstacle placements for the 2025 event. Aroo!
Quick Links
Welcome to Diamond D Ranch
The Diamond D Ranch never fails to impress! Need to park your car in a field with parking attendants on horseback? Consider it done.
Want to stroll through a petting zoo on your
way to registration? Absolutely. Eager to tackle a mud crawl filled with more biological material than the escape scene from The Shawshank Redemption? We've got you covered. Welcome to Diamond D Ranch, the inaugural stop in the Spartan Championship Series in Jacksonville, Florida, kicking off the east coast race season in sunny Jacksonville.
History of the Region
Geology and Topography
The geology and landscape of northern Florida are increidlby unique and can easily be missed if you're only thinking about the beaches. Northern Florida's shape has been molded by ancient marine processes, limestone formations, and stable tectonics (no volcanoes!) that have kept the land pretty much the same for millions of years. Here's a quick look at the key factors that shaped it, showing the terrain we ran on this weekend..
Ancient Marine Deposits
Back in the good old Paleozoic (541–252 million years ago) and everyone's favorite Mesozoic eras (252–66 million years ago), Florida was covered by a shallow sea called the Western Interior Seaway, part of the Tethys Ocean, which connected the Gulf of Controversy and the Atlantic. This long period of being underwater led to the buildup of various sediments that eventually shaped the area's geology.
With lots of marine life living (and dying) in these warm, shallow waters, their remains played a big part in creating huge amounts of sediment deposits. The remains of coral reefs, shellfish, and other sea creatures, mostly made of calcium carbonate, piled up on the sea floor, forming what's now the huge Florida Platform. This platform is known for its rich limestone deposits, which are super important for both the environment and human use.
Karst Topography
The Floridan Aquifer, one of the biggest and most productive aquifers around, is located under northern Florida. It's mostly made up of porous limestone, which easily dissolves when it comes into contact with slightly acidic rainwater. This process has a big impact
the area's landscape.
This limestone dissolving has created a unique karst landscape, featuring cool geological formations like sinkholes,springs, caves, and underground rivers. Places like Devil’s Millhopper State Park and Ichetucknee Springs are great examples of this karst action, showing off the area's natural beauty and geological importance.
Because of its karst geology, northern Florida is famous for having lots of sinkholes. These are basically dips or holes in the ground that happen when the surface layer collapses. They form over time as underground spaces develop, and when the ground above gets too heavy, a sinkhole suddenly opens up. This not only changes the landscape but also brings unique challenges and opportunities for local ecosystems and human structures.
Fossils in Northern Florida
Florida's cool geological past, when it was just a shallow sea, has left it packed with limestone and sediment full of awesome marine fossils and ancient land creature remains. This fossil treasure trove gives us amazing insights into the area's prehistoric life and its old-school environment!
Shark Teeth – Some of the most popular finds are the teeth of the Megalodon, a giant ancient shark. You can often find these teeth in the thrilling waters of rivers like the Suwannee and Santa Fe, drawing in fossil hunters and fans eager to snag a piece of history.
Mammoth & Mastodon Bones – The grand beasts of the Ice Age, like mammoths and mastodons, used to wander around Florida. Their bones have turned up in various spots, giving us a peek at the animals that used to live here and how things have shifted over thousands of years.
A colossal Eremotherium, native to Florida and parts of Central and South America, towers over a modern human silhouette, showcasing its impressive size. Giant Ground Sloths – The remains of Eremotherium, a massive ground sloth, have been found in riverbeds, showing off the variety of prehistoric life that once thrived in northern Florida. These discoveries help us get a better picture of past ecological dynamics.
Travel Ideas
Jacksonville Airport might be on the smaller side, but it connects well to major U.S. cities, making it a handy spot for travelers to start their journey. A lot of folks I chatted with at the race decided to drive, and with Interstate 95 nearby, it's a pretty easy trip. But if you've ever been on I-95, you know it can be a bit of a wild ride. It's important to stay alert and drive carefully because the traffic can get pretty hectic and unpredictable.
I've been crashing at the same hotel for the past eight years—a Sleep Inn that's about 20 minutes from the race site. It's super convenient since it's right across from a local BBQ spot, which has become a must-do for my race weekend. My usual plan is to check into the hotel, grab some tasty BBQ, across the street at Bono's Pit BBQ and stock up on stuff for the weekend, including snacks for the brutal 7 hour drive home after the last race.
Scheduling Conflict with Jacksonville Marathon
There was a significant scheduling conflict with the local Saturday Jacksonville Marathon, which likely resulted in fewer attendees than anticipated. Many locals opted to participate in the marathon instead of the Spartan event. Typically, the Spartan Jacksonville race takes place in late February, so choosing a date in March may not have been ideal. While this didn't significantly impact those traveling from out of town for the Spartan race, it might have deterred some local newcomers from attending. Upon arriving at the hotel, I checked the marathon website to see if any road closures would affect my route to the Spartan venue. Since my hotel was west of the city, there was no real impact, but future racers considering staying within the city limits should check for potential marathon date conflicts.
Venue
Up until 2023, the early season race and East Coast kickoff went down at WV Motorcross Park, famous for its swampy trails, rolling terrain, and a lake that threw all sorts of challenges at participants. But now, it's all happening at Diamond D Ranch, shaking things up with fresh challenges and experiences for racers.
Parking at the Ranch is super easy, thanks to a short entrance road leading to a big field. Cowboys on horseback help guide traffic, making sure everything goes smoothly. You can park anywhere in this massive field, and it's just a quick walk past the ranch's petting zoo to reach the registration area.
Diamond D Ranch is mostly a working farm, with not many muddy trails and lots of open fields with hardly any trees. At WV Motorcross, racers tackled water obstacles early in both the Sprint and the Super, with lots of running through shaded tree groves. That venue also had a large lake as one of the first obstacles, which I thought was awesome. There are no water crossings at Diamond D.
If you're thinking about joining the race next year, get ready to spend a lot of time in the sun, going around several big working fields. Depending on when your heat starts, this could be a good or bad thing. Those who started after 9:00 AM dealt with temps in the mid-70s under clear skies, which felt nice but can sneak up on you with the warmth. I came from North Carolina where it was in the 50s, so I made sure to stay hydrated both days of the event. But the heat and sun can surprise you, so it's super important to be prepared. I suggest using sunscreen, wearing a hat, and bringing a water bottle. Even though there were plenty of water stations along the course, it's always smart to have your own water to stay hydrated and ready to take on the race challenges.
The Course(s)
Super/Sprint Day One
The super course, along with all the other races, kicked off in a nice shaded area under the trees before diving into the same mud pit we dealt with last year. This section initially slowed down the group I was running with due to the ankle-deep black mud (mental note). After getting through the mud, we started looping around a bunch of big fields. Around mile 2, the Sprint and Super courses split up, with the Super course taking a left into a bigger field section that we ran around the perimeter. This part was pretty dull—completely flat, no mud, and super easy running some of the easiest terrain we will see unitl Newberry in the fall.
After looping back to mile 2 of the Sprint and mile 5 of the Super, we hit the mud crawl and headed out for another loop around the field to the finish line. There wasn't much tree cover in some spots, and if you're not used to the Florida sun, it could be a problem. So, I recommend sunscreen, staying hydrated, and wearing a hat. I know some of you tough guys won't bother, but once you're dehydrated, there's no going back. The final stretch toward the finish line looped back near the original mud trail, ending in another sloppy finish to an otherwise pretty clean race.
Sprint/Trail 10k/25k
The sprint course for Sunday's championship race was the same as Saturday's. Both trail races started bright and early at 7am, which is kinda different since they usually set the trail
after the OCR, but they mixed it up this year. I've heard some grumbling about the muddy start, which meant runners had muddy shoes all day. I did the 10 last year before my Sunday Sprint, and while it was muddy, that's just part of trail running. They had a solid turnout for both races, but the marathon clash probably affected how many people showed up.
Obstacles
There were a few big changes and memorable challenges that might affect future races. But
Let's dive into the big one first: the mud crawl. It had four different sections with low barbed wire and big logs scattered everywhere. The mud was at least 6-8 inches deep and super slick and sticky. If you ran this weekend, you went through it two or three times, giving you plenty of time to ponder the obvious. If we're on a farm and this mud is black, what's the dirt-to-organic material ratio? My rough guess is about 80% dirt, but I took a sample and sent it to the OCR Kings lab for more testing. I doubt the results will disappoint. The inverted wall and sandbag carry came right after this mess, making those obstacles twice as tough.
Heading back into the Festival Area, the Slip Wall had really short ropes, totally changing how you approach it. You can't just lock in and go Batman anymore; you need a big run-up to grab the bottom of the rope and hoist yourself up—a real challenge. Rumor has it this will be the norm for all championship series. I'm definitely adjusting my training based on this info.
The Spear Throw looked brand new, with fresh spears and hay bale holders. In fact, a lot of the signage for Registration and other areas seemed pretty new. This was a welcome change for me with the Spear Throw, since success really depends on the obstacle. I saw a lot of Spear Throws stick this weekend, which is a good sign and something that makes new racers come back for more.
Other obstacles seemed spread out. There were no new obstacles, and the buckets were pre-filled and pretty tight, probably new as well. This makes it easier to carry without worrying they'll fall apart and give you a penalty.
Festival Area
Even though it looked like there were fewer people at the festival area, the vendors were out in full swing, which was a big change from the earlier So Cal race. There was an awesome coffee truck, Up in Smoke BBQ (you have to wonder if that name was intentional), The Coast Guard, Mood Brew, FitBar, Swamp Fitness, and The Vitamin Shoppe. I'm planning to start posting videos of the vendors from each race next week. I believe we can do more for these vendors since they really contribute to the race weekend vibe.
Shoutout to David Best
Our very own David Best celebrated his 100th race at this event. High-performing athletes need to take a moment to acknowledge their hard work and achievements, and David did exactly that this weekend. He had a sign made that we all signed, and I'm sure it's hanging in his home gym right now. Congratulations, David, here's to the next 100!
Summary
It's a long season, and we're just hitting March. The early races are pretty flat and straightforward, which I think is a smart move. It helps you get back into the swing of obstacles after running all winter and lets you adjust to the travel, which is an extra challenge. The new spot at Diamond D Ranch is a nice change from the Motorcross Park we've used before. It's got easy logistics, flat open fields for running, and it's a great warm-up for what's ahead. To stir up the controversy started by the OCR Kings, there's no doubt that with the addition of the 25k Trail, Spartan could host a Beast here. There's plenty of space, so it might be due to the level of interest rather than the ability to stage a longer event.
All in all, it was an awesome weekend as we get ready for the tougher part of the schedule.
References
Bryan, J. R., & Jones, D. S. (1989). Neogene and Quaternary Fossils of Northeastern Florida. Florida Geological Survey.
Scott, T. M., et al. (2001). Geology of Florida. University Press of Florida.
Florida Museum of Natural History. Fossils of Florida. www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu
Florida Geological Survey. Surficial Geology and Fossil Deposits of Northeast Florida. www.floridadep.gov/fgs
Hulbert, R. C. (2001). The Fossil Vertebrates of Florida. University Press of Florida.
Opdyke, N. D., & Spangler, D. P. (1987). Magnetostratigraphy and Paleontology of the Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of Florida. Geological Society of America Bulletin.
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Coastal Geology of Northeast Florida. www.usgs.gov
Very detailed and informative article from Tom….. I rate it a 10+