We Finished the Warrior Dash - Next Stop Tough Mudder!

This is me at the Starting Line - I blurred out everyone else to protect their privacy.

This summer, my family and I ran the Warrior Dash - a 5K through mud, hell and fire. That's what they say anyway. Because the entire course is set on ski slopes, it's almost  ALL up or down hill  (black diamond hills!) and that makes it a little hellish. The rocks, steep drop-offs, and ruts are all a little ankle-wrangling.

Other than the hills, it was just plain fun. Running through tires, jumping over cars, scaling vertical walls, climbing ropes, jumping fire, crawling under barbed wire, jumping hurdles, balancing on multi-level teeter totters, sloshing through mud, getting blasted with fire hoses.....good times.

It was really pretty awesome!

Here's a look at the fire jumps.

It was really crazy to jump fire! I only wish my shoes would have stayed on (note to self: do not wear velcro strapping shoes through a muddy race - velcro + mud = no contact.)

I felt really good about this race, and it reminded me of why I like races. I like to conquer and do things people things people think I can't.

Like the vertical wall - I was over that in just a few seconds. My upper body strength rocks these days! The sand pits - ran right through 'em. I never quit or even felt like quitting. In fact, I could have ran even more. After we crossed the finish line, I felt like going back out and finding the rest of my family. That's not allowed, of course. But I had the energy to keep going and going...

Me crossing the finish line - I like your beard! And FYI  - my butt is not that huge - my shorts were  loaded with wet, droopy mud.

I realized that I'd ever want to do a "normal" race again. It would have to at least be a trail run. Or even better - the Tough Mudder. 12 miles of intense hell. Ski Slopes again (of course) and more barbed wire, cliff jumps (eek!), endless ropes, electric shock cords(!?!?!?), underground tunnels, fire,  and even more mud!

I already pre-registered for 2012. Yeah! Check out some of the awesome obstacles on this site or  in this video:



2012 - I'll see you there!