Race Preview - Warrior Dash

"Warrior Dash is a mud-crawling, fire-leaping, extreme run from hell. This fierce running series is held on the most challenging and rugged terrain across the globe. Warriors conquer extreme obstacles, push their limits and celebrate with music, beer and warrior helmets." So its extreme, or likely XTREAM!!, has interesting and fun sounding obstacles and you're forced to crawl through mud. I can definitely say that every race I've ever been in has been clean and not really described as extreme.

Race Info
The race is at the Afton Alps ski hill, we'll start at the top near the middle. Run along the top, then down the hill, then along the bottom and back up, it's three miles. There are 12 obstacles along the way.

• Wind and water
• Car heap
• Rappel down a hill
• Barricades and barbed wire
• Horizontal nets
• Big blacked out tent
• Vertical Nets
• Big wooden wall
• Big teeter totters
• Hill-sized water slide
• Fire
• Mud pit

Goals
I've outlined my goals by obstacle, I won't be in it for time, sorry coach, I know I need to "want it" but what I'll be looking for at the end is a drink.

• Wind & Water - Don't blow over - don't catch a cold.
• Car heap - Don't slip on wet metal - avoid tetanus.
• Rappel down a hill - Pretend I know what I'm doing - avoid rope burn.
• Barricades and barbed wire - Don't be the tall guy who can't get over medium height obstacles - protect the family gems.
• Horizontal barbed wire - Don't look too much like a gangly spider  - avoid rope burn.
• Big blacked out tent - Don't hesitate noticeably when entering pitch dark - avoid shoes to my pretty face.
• Vertical nets - Don't let flash backs of nets in gym class ruin it - avoid rope burn.
• Big wooden wall - Don't be the tall guy who can't get over medium high obstacles - avoid rope burn - protect the family gems.
• Big teeter totters - Don't fall off - don't take a swinging teeter totter to the face.
• Hill Sized water slide - Hide deep seated aversion to partial wetness - avoid water wedgie
• Fire - Jump over fire - avoid fire burn.
• Mud pit - Keep mouth shut - avoid need for Orbitz gum

Closing Comments
Overall I'm feeling pretty good coming into this event. I think the neighborhood will really appreciate that the obstacles will be coming down and they'll be able to just walk down the street without a recording of my best banshee impersonation and makeshift flame throwers randomly going off. I'm also not sure how much my wife has appreciated me using the van as the car-heap training, so she's probably looking forward to that being over. These things have really helped me not only prepare mentally and physically, but also allow me to fine tune my goals.

If you're going to be down there, I'm in the 12:30 heat on Sunday.