What is Warrior Dash?
The Warrior Dash is an epic race in which you will have to tackle anywhere from 10-13 obstacles over a typical Warrior Dash course distance of 5-6K. You’ll be crawling through mud, hurling yourself over walls, swinging by your arms, grunting and growling as you use every muscle in your body to overcome the challenging route.
You’ll be wondering why in the world you subjected yourself to this insane torture, while also having the time of your life. When you cross the finish line, muddy, sweaty and exhausted, you’ll feel amazing pride at what you have accomplished.
Warrior Dash obstacles are varied and brutal – a 20-foot high cargo net, a near vertical wall with just a rope to pull yourself over, two lines of fire to jump over and much more. If this is your first time attempting an obstacle race event like this one – here’s what you need to know.
Proper Training is Important
If you try to take on this challenge without building up your strength and endurance with a training program first – you’re going to be sorry. This event is tough and will push you to your limits, so you’re going to want to prepare. Of course, you’re going to want to do a lot of running to build up your cardiovascular fitness and endurance – but that’s not all.
Full body strength building exercises are great for getting your body to the point where you can pull yourself up over the obstacles. Do pull-ups, push-ups, planks and body weight squats regularly in the lead up to the race.
You should also practice running on trails, grass, dirt and other uneven surfaces. If you are not comfortable on this type of terrain, you will be caught off guard and it will slow you down. A cross country race can be a great way to train for the Warrior Dash, as you will get lots of practice running on varying terrain and uneven surfaces.
You might also want to take a few classes in Parkour. You will learn some valuable skills that will help you to quickly surmount obstacles and climb more effectively. Don’t forget to add in some sort of flexibility training like yoga as well.
What to Wear to Warrior Dash
Wear tight-fitting clothing. The mud is heavy and if your clothing is loose it will get dragged down by the end of the race. The less you wear, the less fabric there will be for the mud to cake onto. You will see plenty of men running the race in swim-trunks and women competing in shorts and sports bras.
Swimsuits are also a good idea – they dry quickly and are tight fitting. Just bring along a pair of shorts and a t-shirt to throw on over the swimsuit afterward.
If you have long hair, avoid putting it in a high bun on the top of your head. You may need to crawl underneath barbed wire at one point in the race and you don’t want your hair to get caught.
Also, bring along a pair of gloves – climbing the rope obstacles can be very hard on your hands.
Tie your shoes tightly, so that they don’t get pulled off by the mud. Your shoes will be sodden and filled with mud at the end of the race, so bring along a pair of flip-flops to change into afterward.
More Essential Warrior Dash Tips
Here are a few more crucial things that you need to know before attempting to complete the Warrior Dash.
– Bring along a garbage bag to put your mud-soaked clothes into after the race.
– Don’t forget to warm up before the race. You may have to sprint, then jump in cold water, then run up a steep hill – which will put a lot of strain on your muscles.
– Don’t do anything that feels unsafe – you know your own limits. If your gut tells you that you will hurt yourself if you attempt an obstacle, you can always just go around it.
– It’s a good idea to bring along a first aid kit with you so that if you scratch or scrape yourself you can get it bandaged up right away.
– Also, don’t forget some old towels or sheets to protect your car seats on the way home – you are going to be a complete mess!
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