Warrior Dash 2011

I made it!! I survived Warrior Dash 2011. My mom and sister accompanied me as support (Seth got called in to work :( )  We arrived in Logan Ohio about 1:15 got parked and then bused to the actual Warrior Dash location. Once we were on site I got my packet and gear, attached my chip to my shoe and walked around a bit taking everything in. There were people from all walks of life and in all states of fitness. Some were costumed, some taking the whole thing way too seriously. We met up with my buddy and run partner Janet about 2:15 and at 2:45 we made our way over to the starting line and spectator area. You could only see two of the 14 obstacles from this area: the cargo climb and the balance boards. At 3 on the dot they did the countdown and my heat was off. The first half mile of the "run" (let's be honest we walked the whole way) was going up hill. A very steep hill. Once you got to the top and headed back down you were into the first obstacle which was tires suspended by ropes really close together which could give you a beating if you weren't careful. Then as you came down the hill you saw the pond. Once in it was about 5 feet deep and there were 4 logs floating in it that you had to get over, we whooped that good by teaming up with a couple of other ladies and helping each other over. After this you made a little jaunt up a hill and around to the next obstacle which was three sets of wrecked cars with tires in between, the idea was that you climb over the cars and then step into the tires one at a time to make your way across. This was actually pretty easy and we got through pretty quickly. After this was a water stand, we got our water and the girl there warned that the next mile would be solidly up hill. Boy she wasn't kidding. That was the hardest part of the race one because we were wet, as were those who came before us, so the path was really slippery and two because it was a really steep hill. But we paced ourselves, stopped when we needed it and made it up. At the top they had a spider web of bungies tied between trees that you had to go over or under or both. Getting through that you went downhill a bit to a tunnel about 2.5 feet high that you had to crawl through. It wasn't bad, just muddy and crowded. Past that you went down hill a bit more and came out to the spectator section and my mother and sister screaming like idiots. :) We got up the cargo net more or less fine, but both of us kind of panicked at the top (we were not alone in this). Once we got our heads together we both made it over and moved on. We waved for cameras on the way to the balance beam, which we got over easily. That lead you to the edge of a little river and down into the water. You trudged through the water about 40 feet until you climbed a platform back out. Out of the water you found another cargo net, this time horizontal. I found the best way to cross it was to roll as far as you could then climb. Coming off this obstacle Janet found a slick spot and jarred her ankle a bit. But she walked on it a bit and it regulated, so we moved on. In the next clearing was a climbing wall with a rope. I made it halfway, but my hands were slipping on the rope so bad that there was no way I was making it over. Janet didn't make it that far because of her ankle. We decided to walk around this one obstacle, with about 20 other people. You came around the bend and there was the finish, only 2 obstacles to go! We took off and jumped both fires easily and then joined hands to leap into the final mudpit. After shimmying under the last piece of barb wire we were done and were presented with our medals. Next year we are planning to do it again, and I think Seth, Mom and Shmoo all want to run as well. We are thinking of themes for next year, so we can all dress up. For now though here are the pics.

Ready to go...almost.

The Rum Runner!! 

Our Pirate Names!! 

Flexing for the Camera. 

Shmoo

The starting line...obviously. 

Waiting for the start. 

Smurfs. 

More of the Smurfs.

Coming down from the tunnels

Approaching the cargo net. 

Clinging like a bat to the top of the cargo net.

Cargo net done... moving on. 

WE MADE IT! 

Oh, so muddy. 

Posing with my banana. 

Worn Out. 

The victors!! 

The Medal. 

After being hosed off. 

Shmoo

Janet's boyfriend, John

Mom

Muddy sneakers for recycling... mine are in there somewhere.

All clean, well sort of, in my new shirt. 

Two guys for the 5:30 heat. Yep those are Iron Man Underoos. 

Shmoo and I in the bus to the car.