WARRIOR DASH 2011

Richard, Jennifer, Nicky and I all climbed into the Aveo Sunday morning from our hotel in Kansas City. The weather was hot, landing just under the one hundred degree mark. We traversed the countryside looking for our destination, bristling with excitement. Then we came upon a clearing with tents, a stage blasting classic rock and thousands of people wandering about. Some had face paint, others were in costume but most were simply sporting athletic wear like Richard and I. So as the girls parked the car, us two blokes tightened our laces and slung our pride over our shoulders as we entered the gate that read… Warrior Dash.

This was an awesome event! I have never seen so many people excited to get their asses kicked in the heat just for a fuzzy helmet, cheap viking medallion, commemorative t-shirt and a free beer. Then again, they had me at the free beer. I had expected it to be filled with macho meat-headed guys all grunting and chest bumping. But to all of our surprise, there were probably more chicks than dudes. It was nice to see an array of people from young to old and from fit to fat. I have a lot of respect for those bigger peeps that kept on trucking' though it all. On a side note, I have to mention the inordinately high amount of male and female eye candy. Muscle men and athletic women in tight cloths all covered in mud as far as the eye could see. It was quite a sight to behold and we all drooled accordingly.

Nicky and Jen waited in the smoldering heat for us in what little shade there was to be found as my brother and I ran our races. Yep, Nicky in all her pregnant glory sweated rivers just to support her man. How's that for love. Richard went first and pushed himself pretty hard. I didn't quite push as hard as he did. He's in a lot better shape and I knew there was no way I would win against him let alone the scores of gym rats out there. I just wanted to have fun with it. But Richard actually placed 144th out of like 4,700 people! Pretty dope.

The obstacles were easy but the course itself is what made it hard. The terrain was far more rough, muddy and steep than either of us had prepared for. It wailed on us pretty good. But next year we will dominate on our 2011 times. To make next years event even more rad, Nicky and Jen are running with us. Get some.