Anyway, on to the first question...why do a 5K? It's a fairly short race, for one thing...there's a great program called Couch to 5K (http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml) that helps people go from zero to running a 5K in a few months. Also, there are a lot of races you can participate in, from fun runs and holiday-themed runs to fundraisers for charities. It's pretty easy to get a crew together to run with, and being part of a team can be a fun way to get to know people (or get to know them better). And hey, there's usually some fun schwag (giveaways) at the event.
Now on to the tougher question...why run a 5K where you also crawl through mud, climb over large wooden walls, and jump over fire? Well, the people who do this are usually of a slightly different breed than those who run 5K's. The names for these races are very impressive-sounding (Warrior Dash, Tough Mudder, Hell Run) and those that participate tend to glory in the filthy and grimy, and feel very hardcore. I personally don't like getting dirty, but I was attracted to this kind of race for a different reason, one that I'm sure others share. It's kind of a dirty little secret of mine. I hate running (there, I said it). Like, really despise running. Long-distance running, that is. I have an abundance of Type II muscle fibers (also known as fast-twitch) which makes me very dangerous over short distances (like the dwarf in Lord of the Rings). Give me a workout where I can do something for a minute as hard as I can, then do something totally different for the next minute, ad infinitum, and I'm in heaven. Ask me to do the same thing for a half hour? I'm in hell. That being said, I inherited heart issues from my Dad, and I know it's important for me to be in good cardio health. I've achieved this in my adult life mostly by kickboxing, but I've found it harder to get to classes in the last few years since my second kiddo. I need something I can train for at the gym or outside by myself. So the idea of a 3 mile run broken up by 7 obstacles that I can clamber over or crawl under seems like a reasonable compromise.
These are some things I've considered while training for this event - if you're thinking of doing one, these might be helpful! Wear shoes that you don't mind throwing away when it's over...I suggest Value Village. Prepare yourself mentally for running/jumping in conditions that are unfamiliar to you, like having clothes and shoes full of mud. And let a good part of your training mirror as closely as possible what you're going to be doing. In addition to longer, slower runs and strength training, I've been doing this ridiculously hard interval training. I run for .4 miles, then hop off the treadmill and do some pullups. Then I hop back on for another .4 miles, and then it's bear crawl time. I pretty much want to shoot myself around the 3rd round, but I've gotten up to 6 rounds so far and am feeling good about my preparation. We'll see if it's enough to get me over the gauntlet!
The race is this Saturday. My Hell Run nickname is "Galactic Ninja." I will be in costume. Pics to come! :)
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