I finished my first obstacle course race this past Saturday, the Dirty Dog Dash . The event consisted of a 5k run and 10 obstacles all on Boyne Mountain. Staying true to the event’s name, there was plenty of water, mud, barb wire, agility obstacles, and a seemingly never ending 1/4 mile climb up the mountain just before the finish. It was a smaller event with 4 waves and only about 350 people participating, which made it very nice for a first- timer like myself. The course was well marked, and there were event staff positioned throughout the course to direct you through any tricky spots. Best part of all was that this event (and most other similar races) was raising funds for the Wounded Warrior Project. At $45.00 for a late registration I though this event was a bargain. I recieved a t-shirt, finishing medal (a dog tag!) and a free beer after the race. Awards were given to the top 2 males and females in each age group and the best individual and group costumes.
I have only discovered this type of race recently and there are many more of these races around than I could have ever expected. Here is a list of just a few of the races out there.
The distances of these races vary greatly, as do the type and number of obstacles, and some require that you run with a team so be sure to do your homework and understand what you are getting yourself into! If you are a first timer you may want to try to find a smaller local event so you can get your feet wet in a much smaller crowd of participants.
If you are looking to do one of these races here are a few suggestions on how to prepare.
1. Be sure to strength train. Many of the obstacles will require you to climb or pull yourself up. You will really be able to cut your time if you can get through the obstacles quickly.
2. Cardiovascular conditioning! A 5k may not sound difficult but when going through over and under obstacles you will putting additional demands on your body beyond just running and you will need to have excellent cardio endurance if you plan to finish runnning. Personnally, I trained with Insanity and Rev Abs as these programs include both cardio and strength training.
3. As for race apparel, I wouldn’t wear anything you want to wear again. Find some light synthetic fibers that won’t hold water. If you have shoes that drain well that would be a plus, as you don’t want to try to run wearing ten pound shoes.
4. Go in with an open mind, get dirty, and have fun!
gregsiesz 