A How To Guide In Convincing Your Friends to Do Obstacle Runs

In 2011 I did my first 5K.  In prepping for the first race a boring ol' 5K to benefit the local moose lodge did nothing for me.  Just running seemed boring, and I can tell you with confidence after a few half marathons that running is in fact very boring.  So when I heard about Warrior Dash that spring I decided that was the route to go.  Obstacles, more challenges, mud, and at the finish line I get beer AND a turkey leg AND a goofy hat?!?!  This was a no brainer.

But for me to make the trip to Charlotte I could not do it alone.  At the time Jenn was not anywhere close to being on board with climbing walls and crawling through mud so I had to look elsewhere.  Luckily after some swift selling I convinced John Monroe to convince his wife to join me for a boys weekend that would start a series of nonsense over the next several years.

HOW TO CONVINCE YOUR FRIENDS TO RUN AN OBSTACLE RACE.

Step 1:  TALK UP THE AWESOME-NESS OF THE RACE.  Luckily this isn't too far of a stretch.  These races are awesome.  It is an excuse to go do manly things for a weekend, you more than earn the beer and terrible food you are bound to eat on a guys weekend, and brings the folks closer together.  Plus you get bragging rights at work for being awesome and enduring a 10,000 volt shock at the finish line of a 10 mile race.

Ignore the bad stuff, don't remind them of the 30 burpee penalties and the week or 2 of bruises/cuts/scratches.  Don't bring up the death waiver you may or may not have to sign or how much it hurts sliding back down a plywood half pipe for the 3rd time in a row.  Remember........beer, turkey leg, goofy hat.  Those things will overcome all concerns.

Step 2: QUESTION THEIR MANHOOD.  Typically you won't get a yes on the first go around unless your friends are crazy.  In this situation simply call them soft.  "Dude, It's ok, we know you're soft but we thought we'd atleast offer since the rest of us are going to head down there for beer, turkey legs, and goofy hats.  While we are proving our manhood that weekend let us know how your spin class is before you head to Bed Bath and Beyond."

........80% of the time, it works every time.

Step 3: RECRUIT MORE PEOPLE.  Once you have 1 teammate on board it is like a snow ball going down hill.  Have your buddy call another buddy, go back to step 1 and repeat the process.  Its just like one of those business models where 1 person tells 2 people, they tell 2 people, etc etc.  Not a pyramid scheme though, not even close.  But the more people on the team climbing walls, being tazed, rolling in mud, swimming through swamps and filth the better the weekend.  But more importantly the more you will enjoy your beer, turkey leg, and goofy hat.

With that said, Spartan Race is coming March 7-8 in Atlanta.  Who's on board?

WORKOUTS THIS WEEK:

TUESDAY WAS RUN DAY!  With this being my ramp up week I only did 30 minutes.  Covered 2.86 miles in 30 minutes pacing ~10:30 minute mile.

Wednesday was a different story.  Focusing on circuit training and for the next 5 weeks will be doing the Spartan Beginner circuit.  On paper it looks like nothing, but I was sweating like a mule on the last circuit.  It will continue to ramp up, but this was a solid starting point.