Warrior Dash – Bonney Lake – 2015…
I often hear about races such as the Tough Mudder (which now has a city version called Urban Mudder), Spartan Race, and the Warrior Dash, and how much fun they are! As I had never given any of them a try, it was time for that to change! I signed up for the Warrior Dash and it was definitely a fun way to enjoy the beautiful (but very hot) weather!
Previously, I had thought that everyone was in peak physical condition and in their prime. This was not the case as there were people of all shapes, sizes, and ages. It became more about challenging yourself at whatever level you are at, and to be there to support others you know and don’t know alike. Some people even dressed up in great costumes!
Afterward, it was time for a basic shower to get the majority (not all) of the mud off. There was also an option to donate your shoes, and changing rooms in case you brought extra clothes. They also have several food and drink options (including a free beer voucher). For the following several hours, they had events going on as racers continued to finish and have a great time!
Depending on the location you are at where the Warrior Dash is hosted, you may come across different obstacles. For example, the Bonney Lake location does not have the Alcatraz obstacle which is primarily a swimming obstacle.
The time came for my wave to start, and I was ready to go! Most of the running is at the beginning which is helpful when you have the most energy. However, running hills in 90 degree weather in sand is far from an easy thing to do! Another portion of the running was done through a forested area with lots of tree roots and uneven ground. By the time I came to that portion of the run, everyone was walking.
Ultimately there are 12 obstacles, but here’s my thoughts on a few…
One of the obstacles was Pipeline, which is essentially tubes made out of cargo nets. Some people use the strategy of going in upside-down and pulling yourself forward. I didn’t try that tactic because eventually you have to turn around and transition into other tubes. My vote was on using the crawling technique.
Another obstacle that essentially occurs twice is crawling underneath barbed wire. The first time, I did not crawl as is the traditional technique. If you lay on the ground parallel with the barbed wire, and just roll, it can be much faster! This was indeed a MUCH faster approach, but I found myself quite dizzy afterward. Maybe this was partially due to the heat and a lot of running prior. But maybe after a bit of practice with this technique I can alleviate the dizzy result.
The Mud Mounds were quite entertaining! Some people would keep trying to climb up and keep falling down. Teamwork on this one can definitely help a lot! Either that, or being a bit lucky in foot placement does the trick too! I saw several people that would try to jump from the top of one mound to another. Most of the time, those people had no traction when they landed and end up slipping back into the muddy water!
The obstacle I had the hardest time with was the Great Warrior Wall! This wasn’t due to the physical challenge aspect of it, as it was moreso due to the mental. The website says that the wall is 14 feet tall, but it felt more like 24 feet tall! Climbing up with the help of a rope was fairly easy, but it’s the transition from going up one side to going down the other that was the challenge for me. The top of the wall has very little width to it… maybe 1 foot at most. There’s no room to be comfortably stand up, turn around, and start working your way down. By that time, your grip may be a bit slick too. After a few deep breaths, I was able to swing my legs over and make my way down!
From my perspective, it seems like the signature obstacle of the Warrior Dash is the Warrior Roast, which is jumping over fire! You have the option to skip obstacles, but you almost have to do this one, right?!?
Towards the end was an obstacle called Goliath. It starts out with a cargo net climb and then walking on a balance beam with spraying water. Afterward, it concludes with a water slide!
The last obstacle was Muddy Mayhem. Think of this as a low-depth swimming pool with mud, and also with occasional strands of barbed wire roughly chest high. Some people end up trying to crawl through it with people sometimes pulling them along and staying at a consistent height. I found it to be a bit quicker to walk through it and just duck where need be under the wires. With that said, you can’t stand in one place for too long, otherwise you will start sinking and your shoes get all the more stuck!
The finish line was shortly there after!
I definitely learned that technique at the Warrior Dash can play a very helpful role when it comes to the obstacles!
It was definitely a fun and great experience!