A little over two months ago, some friends approached me with an idea: get a group of guys together to run the Warrior Dash. At the time all I knew about this “Dash” was that it was a 5k with obstacles including, but not limited to: water, mud, jumping over cars, haybales, 14’ rope ladders, hurdles, barbed wire, and jumping over fire. After reading the Warrior Dash website I thought it sounded like a fun idea.
There was one problem though: I wasn’t a runner. I had tried running in the past to extremely limited success. Shin splints, doing too much too soon, and not really being motivated to push through were limitations I faced in the past.
Merrell Trail Gloves
A number of friends had told me about running ‘barefoot’ style using minimalist shoes like Vibram’s Five Fingers (VFFs). Given that the VFFs aren’t the most practical looking shoes, I decided to seek out an alternative while still maintaining the essence of bareform running. One Saturday morning when Amelia and I were strolling through downtown Lawrence we stopped in at Sunflower Outdoor and Bike shop and I saw the Merrell Trail Glove shoe. After conversing with the staff, I found out this was Merrell’s entry to the barefoot running craze. At that moment I knew this would be the shoe for me. Though it turned out that Sunflower didn’t have my size, Brown’s ShoeFit did so I made my purchase and promised myself they wouldn’t gather dust.
Though you can find out all about the benefits of barefoot (or bareform, which I prefer) running through a few quick searches, here’s the basics that attracted me to it.
- Bareform running forces you to strike midfoot, ensuring that you land with your knee partially bent rather than striking heel-first with your knee completely straight. This slight change completely redefines how the body absorbs the shock of impact when running on any surface. This was really important to me because as a veteran of 7 years of marching band, my body was trained to heel-strike and I suffer shin splints as a result. Heel-striking while running was one of my biggest downfalls that always ensured that it would be weeks between each run because of the pain.
- Bareform running helps you be more aware of the terrain on which you are running. Due to the fact that the Trail Glove shoes are so thin-soled, it is very easy to feel the changes in the terrain and it has made me more mindful of how I’m running and how my stride affects how I feel and how much impact I’m making.
Couch to 5k
Once I had the shoes figured out, I needed a plan that would work to get me trained for the running portion of the Warrior Dash. Luckily, I had heard many success stories about the Couch to 5k program. After downloading the plan and looking over it, I felt like it was the right one for me. The very next day was a Monday, and what better day to start than a Monday, right?
I followed the plan pretty much to a ‘t’ though there were some days when I slacked off because it was too hot or I didn’t wake up in time to run before work. I made excuses on these days and definitely paid for them when it came time for my next run. As my Dad, track coach of 30+ years says, “Skip one day, no one notices; Skip two days, you notice; Skip three days, everyone notices.” Overall, the training went very well and I was continually impressed with myself for keeping up with the demands of the training. Before I started Couch to 5k, the thought of running more than one mile without walking was daunting and seemingly out of reach.
The Warrior Dash
Fast forward to Sunday, July 31st, the day of the Warrior Dash. My training was complete and I was mentally psyched to finish the race, have fun, and not get hurt. Although two of the original 4 guys who registered were not able to participate, my friend Brian and I banded together and completed the Warrior Dash in just over an hour. I’m not particularly proud of the time that it took but there are few things to consider: Temps were in the triple-digits, the course was extremely hilly and very very muddy (we ended up having to walk a good 1/4 of the course due to mud) and we had 10 obstacles of varying difficulty to deal with. In the end though, Brian and I met our three goals:
1. We finished
2. We didn’t get hurt
3. We had fun
The Warrior Dash was physically one of the hardest things I’ve ever done but I’m so glad I did it. To complete a ‘bib race’ as Brian called it made me really feel like I’m a “runner.” If you had told me 6 months ago that I would complete a 3.10 mile course with hellish obstacles, I would have laughed at you and told you that I don’t run. Today I’m given the opportunity to look at my race bib and the “Warrior Dash 2011: I Survived” medal that are hanging on the wall behind my iMac. It’s an extremely proud moment in my life and I look forward to future 5ks, 10ks, and possibly a half or full marathon. Six months ago, thinking of running 2 miles was a laughing matter. Today, 13.1 miles sounds difficult, yet feasible.
Thank you to my wife who believed in me from day one and didn’t question my ability to train for or run the Warrior Dash. Thanks to all those who encouraged me along the way, even if you don’t know it. Thanks to Brian for keeping me going during the race. And thanks to Merrell for creating a shoe that lets me run in a way that I no longer have to worry about shin splints and debilitating pain that would normally keep me from running for weeks.
All these things plus a little determination and will power have taken me from my couch to the finish line of the Warrior Dash and beyond.
