The Warrior in Me

I’ve been hooked on obstacle races since I walked into La Ti Da hair salon three years ago. The moment I sat in Kelly Farris’s chair and saw a photo of her jumping fire, I was intrigued. And, I have been obsessed ever since that day.I’ve claimed many rainbow-colored headbands and socks, and I’ve clutched a few warrior dash medals, but I’ve also learned something about myself from the obstacle races. I know now that after many obstacle runs I will be scrubbing mud or paint from my toes and skin for weeks after the event. However, that’s not the real lesson I learned.The day that taught me something about myself began beautifully.A procession of cars lined the roadway, waiting for their turn to meander through the meadow that had been converted into a parking lot. A frenzy of Warrior Dash competitors hiking up through the muddy pasture waved enthusiastically with toothy smiles as the cars crept to their chosen spots.The air was frigid but the sun shone brightly on the warriors making their way to the starting corral. Black fuzzy warrior helmets and colorful tutus glistened under the rays of the morning sun. The athletes hustling to the gates chatted easily as they proceeded to the check-in tents with their gear–towels, change of clothes and shoes, along with other necessities—all crammed in the backpacks strapped to their backs.My son, daughter, and I happily joined this throng of warriors braving the cold and ready for obstacles. We checked our bags and eagerly entered the corral excitedly awaiting the start, even though we felt a little anxious about the cold the water obstacles. Little did I know that the cold water would be the least of my worries and that four inches would cause fear to swell within me.When the siren screeched the start of our heat, I found myself sprinting to a pit and plunging my body knee-deep into muddy water and muck and smiling the entire time.We endured a gauntlet of fun with muddy pits, freezing ponds of water, and fire. The 3.1 mile obstacle course brought us face to face with the ground as we crawled or pulled ourselves under the barbed wire strung only inches above the mud-soaked ground. For my kids and me, this is fun.We joined thousands of other extremists in the Tuscaloosa Warrior Dash, digging through muddy tunnels, crawling through the mud on our belly with barbed wire strung only inches above our heads, and clinging to the side of a mud hill grappling for any muddy root we could find to pull ourselves out of the muck.It wasn’t until obstacle seven or eight that this 12 extreme obstacle race taught me something I didn’t know. There are four inches across the top of one of the obstacles that are very powerful. I knew heights bothered me, but what I didn’t know was how heights could paralyze me. The Warrior Dash taught me this about myself.The only obstacle that gave me a problem was the one with height. Climbing the rope up the 15-foot-high wall was no problem. Rappelling down the same wall was also easy. Pushing my body over the top four inches was nerve racking. I could not seem to mentally take my body over the area that was only a little wider than my arm. It was a mental barrier—so I improvised. I climbed up. I climbed down. And I walked around the four inches. Apparently heights paralyze me.But this paralysis only applies to heights and will not hamper my warrior spirit. On the hike back to the pasture that temporarily served as a parking lot, I was already plotting with my son and daughter our next race as warriors.I will take on another 3.1 miles of the Warrior Dash this year. Maybe even conquer two or more of them. The race has released some inner warrior within me, and I’m addicted. I want more. More mud, more water, more fire, and apparently more heights.Even though the residue of dirt still falls from my dryer’s lint tray, and after two scrubbings my running shoes are still covered in a thin layer of mud that seems to seep into every crease of skin on my feet, the 5k was absolutely worth every sweat, cramp, and fear. I encourage everyone to find that inner warrior and take the challenge. The children at St. Jude’s will benefit from your sacrifice. 78