Spartan World Champs Tahoe – Kevin Gillotti Multi-Sport Racer Endurance Athlete

Kevin Gillotti Multi-Sport Racer Endurance Athlete

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Races 2018

Spartan World Champs Tahoe

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Yes, I skipped BB as I've done it yearly since Y1

Yes, I skipped BB as I've done it yearly since Y1 in '17 (Beast podium that year 2:50:29). Plus, it was impossible to determine if I could get enough USNS points to pull my self up from 6th to 3rd (1st was locked in) since #spartanagegroup points calculations is unnecessarily convoluted. So, I felt no love loss skipping it. It's also the 1st year, since the USNS use to be the NBC series, I didn't do all series races or land on the final AG series podium. My CO move jacked up my mid-season on several levels. But it was damn well worth it & in the end, it'll prove race AND life beneficial, even if I had to make initial race concessions.
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30 min AMRAP:
-3min rollers high RPM
-2x 1 handed hoists 67#
-5x spears
-1x rig pass
-2x10sec #tiregripper 120#
÷
But zero worries. Why? Because I've been more focused w/ chipping away at a long overdue personal '21 goal that is way bigger than the USNS for me personally. And this weekend I'll head to @spartan Dallas to try to build on that very goal.
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#itsalifestyle #goalsetting #goals #traintorace #amrap #hiit #hiittraining #hiitworkouts #streetparking #spear #spearthrow #javelin #iamspecialized #mountainman #mountainview #activeasfuck #spartanathlete #griptraining #gripstrength #fastedcardio #intervaltraining #intermittentfasting #eyeontheprize #donttreadonme #carpediem #ꓘG

This... THIS is living to me. This is why I moved

This... THIS is living to me. This is why I moved here. This is exactly what I want to be doing. Regularly. It makes me feel alive. It tests my metal, confidence, temperament, knowledge, fitness, skills, abilities.
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I know people that live near the mountains & they never utilize the mountains. It blows my mind. It's such a waste. If you wanted to stay a flatlander, why move to a mountain state? For me, the pull & the draw to the mountains is almost like a subtle continuous voice whispering, "Kevin, come & play". So I listen.
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@garikslettedahl & I hitting some beautiful backcountry & off piste trail breaking today on the way to earning 12.6mi, 1627 of ∆, 3:36RT & a max altitude of 11574'. Crisp, clean air, exposure & vast mountain expenses as far as the eye can see. This... THIS is living.
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🔊#itsalifestyle #thisisliving #godscountry #backcountry #themountainsdontcare #flatlander → #mountainman #earnednotgiven #baggingpeaks #peakbagging #findyourmountain #mountainview #skyrunner #skyrunning #mindset #gearjunkie #alwaysgohigh #abovetreeline #mountains #coloRADo #frontrange #trailrun #trails #keephammering #optoutside #beardgang #solitude #rockymountainhigh #beskilledatmanythings #offpiste

Do you want to see me get emotional (because you p

Do you want to see me get emotional (because you probably don't think I'm capable)? Well this is your chance. And you better jump on it, because I'm not going to show this very often. If ever again 😎
÷
You're not seeing emotions of sadness. You're seeing deep seeded emotions of gratitude, gratefulness, happiness, aw. Emotions that still overwhelm me to this day like, "oh fuck, I did it. I actually pulled this move off & fulfilled the dream! Holy shit."
÷
I've told a few friends recently that I feel like the last 30yrs in CA, but yet coming out to CO yearly for those decades & before, that in some respects, I was just stifling what I really was inside all for the benefit of my original #duathlon goal from the '90s. I have no regrets. It's all good. Perfect in fact. It was exactly how it was supposed to be & helped make me who I am today. But from just an identity standpoint, I'm not so sure I was ever really a SoCal guy. Hmmm.
÷
I was built for this. I thrive in these conditions. They don't scare me. They don't make me nervous. I don't feel lonely. It's everything I'd hoped for & more. If I go to my grave alone, but doing what I love, feel no pity for me because I live the way I want to live, how I want to live, I answer to nobody & I live on my terms. And nobody that can say that, deserves pity.
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#itsalifestyle #uglycry #traintorace #silenceisgolden #livingthedream #findyourmountain #alwaysgohigh #mountainman #mountainview #mountains #noregrets #optoutside #mountainlife #lifeonmyterms #blessed #skyrunning #skyrunner #positivevibes #positivity #coloRADo #trailrunning #rockymountainhigh #rockymountains #nopity #carpediem #thisiswhatido #activeasfuck #rambospath #ꓘG

I had 5 goals (wow) for this race; ❶ do a new @s

I had 5 goals (wow) for this race; ❶ do a new @spartan venue ❷ start & finish ❸ have a clean race ❹ earn a 5th trifecta ❺ hit a podium in my 1st new home state race as a Coloradan.
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And yesterday, I felt excellent. I followed a similar strategy as Tahoe since it worked out well for me then. In the end, I had a tight race off (.04) w/ @northwoodsnative who #earnednotgiven that coveted top spot👏. I saw him doing burpees as I was coming into the multirig. I felt confident & strong enough to make a hail mary move to try to make up a few secs & I swung/jumped from the final ring right past the 2 thick ropes to #ringthebell. This risk did make up some time because we then went into the rope climb, hoist & bender together. But he made a move right out of the bender that I just wasn't prepared to make yet as I needed 10m before I could make my kick - & there's your 4 seconds. However, in that 45sec window, another opportunity presented itself to fight yet another younger strong racer in a run off across the line. That one went in my favor by a mere 2sec.
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Now, I don't get bent out of shape about beats like that. In fact, to me, it's rather thrilling because it's the epitome of exactly why I'm there; TO FUCKING RACE!! That's racing & that is proof that #everysecondcounts. Podiums are cool. Fighting somebody to the bitter end is 10x cooler. When I can spend an entire 3hrs chipping away at 1 man (my iron sights were on him the entire time & he knew because we talked about it) & close a gap that was minutes down to seconds, how are you going to be bummed by that? AND, how are you going to hate on the guy for holding you off when you were in full court press mode? I'm not... 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹. 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹. 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹.
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#itsalifestyle #letsrace #ocrAG #spartanmbas #spartanagegroup #2ndplace🥈#youllknowatthefinishline #camaraderie #spartan2021 #goals #spartanbeast #spartanuwc2021 #spartan #spartancolorado #sufferfest #obstaclecourseracing #spartanultra #spartanathlete #winter #snow #findyourmountain #telluride #coloRADo #carpediem #spartanpro #activeasfuck 0088🇺🇲 #ꓘG

In '19 I traveled to Greece to race my 2nd TWC in

In '19 I traveled to Greece to race my 2nd TWC in 80° temps. Just 5 days later I flew to Åre Sweden & raced at the UWC - a 1st time @Spartan venue. It was 0°. I did the 2 Supers (I have no ❤️ for the Ultra distance) & here's a few interesting facts most don't know about those races, because they weren't publicized or as arduous. (Which makes sense because they weren't the focus for the wkend.)
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𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝟭 started late in the afternoon. So we raced into the sunset & finished in the pitch black dark. It was ah-fucking-mazing! To run a high mtn ridge, in the dark, & look down & see the ski town (like out of an enchanted Xmas movie) w/ the glow of headlamps across the ridge & spotted by giant fucking bonfires right out of GOT. It was epic emotionally, visually, physically.
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𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝟮 started early that next morning as the survivors of S¹ lined up in the dark down on a frozen lake. Cold as fuck. But this time, we raced into the rising sun. But in a way, the unexpected ass-kicker was that between S¹ & S² we had ±12hrs to walk of shame home in the bitter dark cold, wet & tired, rush to dry all our gear, rehydrate, fuel up, try to sleep & recharge, all before a pre-sunset wakeup, dress & make the dark cold walk of shame back to the start line. It was a mentally & physically taxing harsh turn-around. But in the end, it ranks up there w/ one of the coolest race experiences I've ever had in ±500 lifetime races.
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I head to the '21 UWC in Telluride CO tomorrow to once again participate. No Ultra, Beast only, but I'm looking forward to experiencing another new 1st time Spartan venue. I've MTB in Telluride before & it's beautiful, so I understand what this course (& weather) could hold.
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#itsalifestyle #sweden #åresweden #spartanuwc2019 #spartanbeast #spartanuwc2021 #spartan #spartancolorado #sufferfest #obstaclecourseracing #ocrAG #spartanmbas #spartanagegroup #spartanultra #spartanathlete #winter #snow #findyourmountain #telluride #coloRADo #carpediem #nopainnogain #spartanpro #activeasfuck 0088🇺🇲 #ꓘG

I've ccovered many of my training philosophies ove

I've ccovered many of my training philosophies over the years such as:
→ Consistency & repetition
→ Specificity of training
→ Functional fitness (vs) gym BS
But here's another I subscribe to & often note in my workout details, but rarely expand on: negative splits or, as I think of it, 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦.
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I see a huge racing ROI that comes from training which incorporates late workout negative splits. An example from today, pick it up enough in all 5 disciplines such that the final split is the fastest of all 5. And NO, it's not legit if you sandbag the opening 4 rounds - knowing you've saved enough to pick it up in the 5th - just to meet this goal. You have to push on all rounds, but find something to push harder in the final. So if you're feeling good all 4 rounds, fine. You just need to dig deeper & find a gear on the 5th round.
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#itsalifestyle #negativesplits #spears #spear #consistency #specificity #spearthrow #javelin #ballandchain #griptraining #gripstrength #functionaltraining #olympus #functionalfitness #obstacletraining #spartanathlete #goals #traintorace #training #trainingmotivation #workoutmotivation #obstaclecoursetraining #ꓘG

I may have ridden like shit today, awful actually,

I may have ridden like shit today, awful actually, BUT I got to investigate a new (to me) trail on the MTB bike. A trail in Roosevelt Nat Forest that's a mere 10min fire road ride out my front door.
÷
When I say I rode like shit I mean; picking terrible lines, tons of balance toe touches, not cleaning tough technical sections I should glide thru normally. I just couldn't find a rhythm. It's instantly technical, starts climbing right off & never lets up. So there was no easing into a rhythm (especially at only 10min in). It was a battle from the start. Fortunately, my legs & lungs felt strong + my descending was smoother given momentum & a better feel for the trail (out & back).
÷
But hey... I got to do something I ❤️, in a place I'm coming to ❤️, in a life I do ❤️, so it's all good. Even if my perceived performance blew.
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#itsalifestyle #nodaywasted #cycling #lifeisgood #nocomplaints #mtblife #mtb #mountainview #singletrack #mountainman #mountainbike #beskilledatmanythings #dohardthings #mountainbiking #mountainlife #mtbpictureoftheday #switchbacks #multisportathlete #positivevibes #tattoosleeve #mondraker #mondrakerbikes #hardtail #hardtailmtb #cyclinglife #bikelife #rideordie #lyonscolorado #pinkbike #ꓘG / @mondrakerbikes @uswesports /

I saw a quote last week that echos my own organic

I saw a quote last week that echos my own organic thought I had prior to seeing it. So the timing was impeccable. My thought is specific to racing, but the end result is the same; "𝑆𝑢𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑤𝑎𝑙𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑓𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑓𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑛𝑜 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑒𝑛𝑡ℎ𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑎𝑠𝑚.” ~ W. Churchill
÷
My analogy is; to show up at a race & have your ass handed to you, or some other perceived 'disaster' result, BUT to go home & still know in the back of your mind you're not thru yet, you just had an off day & you WILL get back on that podium. Not only that, but you can envision it & play it out in your mind's eye. You're undeterred. You know it's just around the corner, just not which corner. You're willing to keep coming back for more over & over because you know the end of the story hasn't been told. A poor result was just a bump in the road along a decades long drive, but not a drive off a cliff.
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My application is; compared to the disaster I had in WV, at Sat's @spartanrace NAC in Tahoe, I felt like a whole different man across the board. More energized, focused, relaxed, rested, patient, recovered, calm but hyped, organized + w/ a significantly lower RHR. I was so discombobulated in WV & I see that now (given how I felt this past weekend). It all culminated in a 2nd place podium, my 4th '21 trifecta, my 138th Spartan race, my 8th state, a clean race, in a Beast, at an NA Championship. Sheeeeit yeah! I knew I would turn this ship around. I knew I had it in me. I just wasn't sure how long it would take. But for the 7-10 days lead up of an 8wk chaotic journey, I'd been saying I turned the corner. This 𝑠𝑢𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑠𝑠 seems to corroborate that intuition & personifies 𝑒𝑛𝑡ℎ𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑎𝑠𝑚, no?
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🔊#itsalifestyle #success #intuition #believeinyourself #betonyourself #turnthepage #goals #motivation #stoked #earnednotgiven #carpediem #talkaboutitbeaboutit #wysiwyg #keephammering #spartanathlete #spartan2021 #spartannac2021 #selfworth #competitor #thrive #patience #enthusiasm #consistency #2ndplace #tahoe #activeasfuck #winstonchurchill #letsrace 0088 🇺🇲 #ꓘG #livingthedream

Just prior to heading to Tahoe, I finally felt lik

Just prior to heading to Tahoe, I finally felt like I'd fallen into a productive rhythm & a good weekly protocol I was digging. Digging enough so that I'm going to replicate it up until I head to Telluride. After, I might make some tweaks. But not before.
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It's not so much the exact 'makeup' of each workout as it is the exact 'placement' of each workout during the week. For example, imagine workouts A→ B²→ C²→ D→ E→ F²→ G. The ideal routine might actually be G→B²→A→C²→F²→ E→D. Each workout is critical to me & the order they come in can make more of a difference in the final product then one might think. I know, because I test my theories.
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The routine I've developed, late season, in my new location, allows me to cover all of the bases that I value as a functional fitness based athlete who's constantly in training; consistency, speed, endurance, strength, grip, duration, repetition, carry, lift, HIIT, specificity, runs, rides, obstacles, 2-a-days, easy, hard - I cover it all.
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#itsalifestyle #traintorace #goals #obstaclecourseracing #ocr #obstacletraining #spear #spearthrow #tattoos #griptraining #gripitandripit #sendit #fullsend #activeasfuck #keephammering #enduranceathlete #workoutmotivation #trainingmotivation #spartanathlete #multirig #strength #garageworkout #consistency #functionaltraining #thepit #mountainview #mountainman #findyourmountain #iamspecialized #ꓘG

Just 1 weekend like this can make an entire season

Just 1 weekend like this can make an entire season worth it. It can be the unexpected highlight of the year & set me up w/ motivation & fuel for the next season. At least, that's the effect it has on me.
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To be able to stand on the stage of a @spartanrace North American Championship race, in my weakest distance... holy shit! Especially when I think about where I was at just 1 month ago in WV feeling like I was on my death bed. To this race where I was, literally, positive talking to myself during the race like I was the fucking Terminator on a mission; Unstoppable. Undeterred. Unflappable. It felt like nothing was going to stand in my way.
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And having a cool & tight #spartanmbas community & crew, I'm telling you, it's one of the most amazing feelings you can have if you're into racing & this lifestyle. It's the culmination of everything you work for in a year. It's the rare moment when everything comes together. There was honestly nothing more I can think of that I could have done during this race to do any better than I did; I cleaned every obstacle, I power hiked the shit out of every hill w/ a sense of urgency, I bombed down every downhill, I opened up on the flats, I had gears & held them, I transitioned in & out of obstacles smoothly. And positivity, mentally, physically, emotionally, organizationally I was just a whole different man this race. But this is the Kevin I know. This is the one I was sure was still inside. It's the one I had to just be patient & let resurface. But it's also because I trust in myself. I bet on myself. I believe in myself & I have enough experience doing this to know what I'm capable of.
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𝘚𝘦𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭. 𝘎𝘦𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭. 𝘔𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭. And for me, that's Telluride. Are you seeing the patten yet?
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#itsalifestyle #earnednotgiven #thisiswhatido #spartanNAC2021 #2ndplace #spartan #spartanmbas #spartanagegroup #terminator #spartanusns2021 #spartanathlete #spartanpro #activeasfuck #mindset #positivity #squawvalley #palisadestahoe #tahoe #manonamission #beunbreakable #obstaclecourseracing #ocrAG #motivation #goals #spartanbeast 4x #trifectatribe 0088 🇺🇲 #tireflip #spearthrow #ꓘG

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2nd Place 50-54 2021 North American Championship

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Selected As ’21 Team Captain for Team USA TWC in Greece

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