Deadly Dozen vs Spartan Race: distance, stations, price & difficulty compared (2026-27)

Deadly Dozen is a hybrid fitness race that began with a track race in Macclesfield, England, in mid-2024, founded by Jason Curtis. In the original Track Race, athletes alternate twelve 400 m runs, called Journeys, with twelve functional exercise stations, called Labours, for 4.8 km of running in total.

Athletes can race solo, as pairs who share the Labours, or as a relay team taking turns. Alongside the Track Race, the brand runs Deadly Sprint, Ultra and Hybrid formats, a youth race, a swim edition and gym-based races, including strength and barbell formats, through affiliate gyms. UK track races are held at athletics venues such as Lee Valley, Sheffield, Middlesbrough, Bristol, Macclesfield, Edinburgh, Crawley, Liverpool and Portsmouth, and the organisers say the network now spans 44 countries. First-timers are welcome, and the movements are designed to be accessible while still demanding.

Spartan Race is an obstacle course racing series established in Vermont, USA, in 2010, with events in more than 40 countries. Courses combine off-road trail running with obstacles such as walls, barbed-wire crawls, monkey bars and a spear throw, and they often include mud and water.

The main distances are the Sprint (5 km, 20 obstacles), the Super (10 km, 25 obstacles), the Beast (21 km, 30 obstacles) and the Ultra (50 km, 60 obstacles). Completing a Sprint, Super and Beast in one calendar year earns the Spartan Trifecta, and many venues host Trifecta Weekends with all three races. Spartan also runs Stadion races in sports stadiums, trail races, kids' races, competitive Elite and Age Group heats, and endurance events. The Sprint is pitched at first-timers, while the Beast and Ultra suit experienced racers.