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Soldier to Super: Spartan Racing Gives Helps This Vet Maintain His Military Mindset
- Chris Moreland
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
There’s a certain image most athletes wear after a Spartan Super race, especially at the end of a Trifecta weekend. Mud-caked, drained, and bent over from sheer effort. Cole DeRosa did not look like that. I met him just after he finished the Super at the 2025 ATL Spartan Trifecta Weekend in Conyers, Georgia. The course had been hammered by rain, turning the terrain into a slippery challenge. Obstacles grew heavier, footing vanished, and Spartan miles stretched longer.
Yet Cole ran elite. At 53 years old, he finished second in the Super.
He stood upright when we started filming. Alert. Energized. In Army terms, high-speed. The race had taken 63 minutes of near-seven-mile punishment, but there was no visible drop in intensity. No performative hype. Just controlled adrenaline and clear focus.
Cole recently retired from the U.S. Army after 29 years of service. You can see it in how he carries himself: direct eye contact, measured speech, tactical framing of effort. He doesn’t talk about racing emotionally. He talks about strategy, execution, and preparation behind the scenes. This mindset is what sets him apart and what Spartan racing taps into for many veterans.
The Spartan Challenge and Military Discipline
Spartan races demand more than physical strength. They require mental toughness, adaptability, and strategic thinking—qualities deeply ingrained in military training. Cole mentioned the spear throw, the shifting terrain, the rain, and how the course changed overnight. These factors required quick adaptation.
Adaptation is a key word here. For Cole, obstacles in Spartan races are training grounds. Military obstacles, Spartan obstacles, life obstacles—they all blend into one continuous challenge. This perspective helps explain his longevity in the sport.
He has been competing in Spartan races for over a decade and has reached elite podiums for eight consecutive years. That kind of consistency is no accident. It’s discipline layered over time.
How Spartan Racing Supports Veterans
Spartan racing offers veterans a unique way to channel their skills and energy after military service. The physical demands mirror military training, but the community and mission behind the races provide something deeper: purpose and connection.
One of the most powerful examples Cole shared was about Team Red, White & Blue (Team RWB). This organization is one of the largest veteran wellness communities in the country, focusing on physical and mental health. It connects veterans through fitness and social activities, helping them build new support networks.
Cole described the Old Glory Ultra Relay, a 3,000-mile journey from San Diego to Washington, D.C., completed in 15 days by 12 veterans carrying an American flag. This was not just an endurance event; it was a mission. The relay symbolized resilience, teamwork, and a shared commitment to veteran wellness.
The Mental Edge: Strategy Over Emotion
Cole’s approach to racing highlights the mental edge veterans bring to Spartan events. He doesn’t rely on bursts of emotion or adrenaline alone. Instead, he focuses on preparation, pacing, and adapting to changing conditions. This mindset reflects years of military experience where success depends on clear thinking under pressure.
For example, the spear throw obstacle requires precision and calm nerves. The rain-soaked terrain demands careful foot placement and balance. When the course changed overnight, Cole adjusted his strategy rather than reacting impulsively. This ability to stay calm and adapt is a skill veterans often carry into civilian challenges.
Cole’s Support of Lionhearts Fitness is Hands-on and Intentional
He shows up, races alongside the team, and reinforces the mission through example.
With 29 years in the Army and a decade in elite Spartan racing, he understands that physical training is a combination of performance and preparation
“For them to start kids at a very young age, exposing them to fitness and then, oh by the way, putting them out here in courses like obstacle racing, like Spartan and Savage, that’s going to set these kids up to become more resilient early at an early age so they can adapt and adjust to all those stressors and all those obstacles that are going to be thrown at them in life.” - Cole DeRosa
He sees Lionhearts and Luccketta as early resilience training — teaching kids how to handle stress, discomfort, and adversity in controlled ways so they’re better equipped for life outside the gym.
Longevity in Spartan Racing
Maintaining elite performance over eight years is rare. Cole’s story shows how discipline, consistency, and a tactical mindset contribute to long-term success. He trains with purpose, focusing on recovery and mental readiness as much as physical fitness.
Veterans like Cole often find Spartan racing a natural extension of their military lifestyle. The structure, goals, and camaraderie echo the values they lived by in service. This connection helps sustain motivation and drive, even as the physical demands increase with age.
Building Community and Purpose Beyond the Race
Spartan racing is a community. For veterans, this community offers a sense of belonging and shared purpose. Team RWB exemplifies this by creating spaces where veterans support each other’s physical and mental health journeys.
Cole’s involvement in events like the Old Glory Ultra Relay shows how Spartan racing can fuel larger missions. These events bring attention to veteran wellness and create opportunities for veterans to lead and inspire. The relay’s success depended on teamwork, endurance, and a shared vision—qualities that resonate deeply with military values.
What Veterans Can Gain from Spartan Racing
Physical fitness that challenges and builds endurance
Mental toughness developed through strategic problem-solving
Community support from fellow veterans and athletes
Purpose and mission beyond personal achievement
Adaptability skills useful in life’s unpredictable moments
Spartan racing offers a structured way for veterans to continue growing, pushing limits, and connecting with others who understand their experiences.
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