WARRIOR DASH
The Challenge:
After dabbling in several 5ks & even a few 10ks, I stumbled upon an event that intrigued me to the point of no return. I fell prey to a piece of brilliant advertising, succumbing to the pressure of catchy taglines: "Are you a warrior?" ($#@% Yeah!), "Can you handle it? (Bring it on)", and "Mud, Sweat, and Beer" (Huh? Dirty, smelly, drunks?). How dare they question my inner warrior!!! Little was I to know that this event would kick start an insane addiction with obstacle runs.
The Event:
Warriors unite! This event was amazing! Contests included: best warrior beard, hatchet target throw, and a costume contest. I was surrounded by legendary warriors like Captain America, Mario & Luigi, Iron Man, Dora, Bart Simpson, Batman, Wonder Woman, and the cast from that Capital One commercial. The elaborate detail in costumes rendered mine quite inconsequential by comparison.
The Race:
The death waiver I had to sign did not scare me away and thank Zeus, because my 1st obstacle race did not disappoint. A 3.2 mile course running in the mud, crawling under barbed wire, climbing cargo nets, and other fun obstacles designed to bring out my inner warrior. While all the obstacles were a blast, I have to admit that during the whole race my mind was thinking "When do I get to jump over fire?".
The obstacles were fun, but I found them lacking in terms of a challenge. Perhaps that can be attributed to the countless hours of training I put in to prepare, but I'm thinking "not". The race is set up with the intent that anyone with medical clearance can participate. Several people walked the course or bypass certain obstacles. There were also times when we had to wait in line to complete an obstacle. A spirited warrior waits not when given opportunity at Mortimer Crossing or Petrifying Plunge. A few times I got caught up in the moment and let out a few warrior calls. One person looked at me like I was crazy and yet they were the one wearing the plaid kilt with pink leggings. (Maybe he wasn't in costume?) The toughest obstacle was running up (what seemed like the never ending) muddy hill. Once reaching the goal I noticed Mario & Luigi not too far behind. I was cruel when they reached the top and I gave away a major plot twist yelling "Congratulations Mario, but the Princess is in another castle". As I bounded away, I heard grumbling but was confident at least Luigi was laughing on the inside.
Finally as the finish line was in sight my wish was granted...
My shoes were so muddy, I decided to donate them to charity, as did a few others...
Final Analysis:The warrior dash is not just a race, but rather it's an event and an experience. Those going to the dash should plan on investing some time. If you are going just to compete in a race you will be disappointed. The dash was designed to be more fun than it was challenging. I had a blast dancing to live music and a DJ, eating food fit for a warrior, and meeting other fellow warriors. I'm willing to bet several people were motivated by the free beer included with their registration. People were dressed up in costumes, drinking, dancing, and enjoying life.
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