I just happened upon the Go Commando 5K adventure race put on by Team Ortho during my registration for the Polar Dash 5K (Jan 1, 2011) also sponsored by them. Amber and I tossed it around for a mere second before declaring our intent to do it.
What goes into an adventure race? Is it Go Commando because you're running around with no underwear? No, my friends the Go Commando is in reference to a boot camp style race. It's one of several popping up including the Warrior Dash in Hastings and the Rugged Maniac. These races don't focus on distance, but on cross functional fitness. They take your typical 5K and turn it on its side by the addition of rough, changing terrain and obstacles!
There's hills, mud, water, climbing, balance, even jumping over fire! For an avid runner this proved to be an empowering and yet humbling experience. I love hills and there was one that proved to be just too much for me. I felt my quads burning and I was barely over half way so the executive decision to stop was made. The best part of this was that time was not even an issue. My team faced it as that. While the first 1/2 was mostly small batches of us, the last 1/3 we stopped, waited for the rest of the team to catch up and finished together.
Not a single one of us left the race feeling bad about our performance. We left exhilarated and empowered. When I was a kid, I never could have envisioned bounding between hay bales. I couldn't do it as a 12 year old. Yet, I did it with no hesitation on Saturday.
I'm left feeling that I can conquer the world...
That said, though, next time I will train more. I would like to get to a point I don't walk up that big hill or have to merely step over the hurdles.
I look forward to continuing to push myself in new directions and travelling that journey with wonderful friends!
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