Warrior Dash (non) Race Report!

Let me say first off that had I actually ran this race, it would have been the most difficult race I have ever done in my entire life. As it was, the girls I was running with had a hard time (as did many) and so we walked the entire race.

We headed up to Barrie around 12:30 and hit traffic on the 400 highway as we suspected. We had lots of time to make our 4:30 wave start so we cruised, chatted, stopped for Ice Capps and texted with our fellow racers who were ahead of us.

We got off the highway and made it to parking after a bit of confusion being turned around a few times by officers telling us we couldn't go this way or that way. We met up with our fourth and her boyfriend and got on the school buses for the 2 minute drive to Horseshoe Resort. The scene was awesome with loads of Warriors milling around pre and post race. The mud on those who had completed the race was amazing.

We then saw that people were lining up to be sprayed off by fire hoses after their race. Wow.

We checked our bags, hit the washroom and then started to line up but not before I ran into my cousin (watching her complete her first marathon at Mississauga in 2009 really inspired me to become a runner). She had just finished and repeated what we were hearing all around us: The hills were BRUTAL, the obstacles were nothing, we would get muddy.

Soon, it was time to start and the gun went (as did the fire at the start line!) and we were off. The very first obstacle we hit was a mud pit and while we all thought we were prepared with shoes tied on super tight, one of the girls lost her shoe. She dug it out and we stopped to let her empty it and then put it back on.

This is where the 'race' part of the race went out the window. The three ladies I was with were all out of breath (all smokers, all with asthma) and we decided to walk it. It was brutally hot and we literally were walking up a black diamond ski hill. We were in the back of the pack and I was doing fine, so I settled into my role as cheerleader.

I don't have much more to report. As I wasn't racing, I didn't pay much attention to times or anything else. After the halfway point, we caught up with another group of 4:30ers who were struggling up yet another steep hill and we joked around with them. It was at this time that the 5:00 wave front runners started to pass us and I started to cheer them on as they could barely run up the hill (it was that steep and trust me, these people were FIT). I was doing leg kicks and cheer leading moves saying, "Go 5:00, go 5:00, go 5:00 wave! You're doing it! You're lapping us 4:30ers! Keep racing! Keep racing! Keep racing shirtless please!"

At least I got some laughs from those who were struggling badly up the hill (even though my friend Flo (who I did the Santa run with) was ready to kill me and my positive attitude!). We made it up that hill and from that point on it was mainly downhill through the last obstacles. I climbed the final cargo net, jumped the two fires but did not get down on my stomach for an army crawl through the final mud pit. At that point, I wasn't feeling it. I am short enough that I was able to crouch down to get under the chains even though some people were walking over them.

We finished and grabbed some water and photos:


As you can see, I'm not muddy!

We then went to the fire hose to clean up a bit (I donated my shoes), changed to cleaner clothes and got our free beer (the timing chip was good for a free beer):


I would do this race again. 100%. I would race it though, but with someone who could stay with me. It would be no fun to do it alone. I'm very glad I stayed with these four ladies throughout. If you decide to do this race next year I only have one recommendation: Get ready for hills!

Time: 1:10:29
Place: 9417
Place F30-34: 864