BATTLEGROUND

I've always hated running, mainly because I couldn't do it. I'd get a quarter of the way around the track at school and be so winded that actually completing the 400 metres wasn't even an option. Once a year I'd be forced to participate in our schools mandatory cross country run, which for my friends and I was really a leisurely walk that got us out of our geography class. If a teacher came into view at a check point ahead of us we'd summon all of our effort, breaking into our best slow jog, until we'd turned a corner and were away from their prying eyes. We'd happily walk across the finish line whilst the rest of our year group was showered and changed and making their way to the next lesson. We were fairly certain that people who actually liked to run, if they actually existed, were completely insane.

Years later and I can run, but I still come to the same conclusion; I really don't like to run at all. I'm always looking out for a way to make it fun. Music helps; pretty surroundings help; but I heard about something else that really did sound like fun- running with obstacles! Las Vegas hosted the Warrior Dash; a 5K with 12 obstacles and lots of mud and on my birthday Ryan surprised me with registration forms.

Since we were guaranteed a medal whether we came first or last, we waited at the back of our group to avoid the crowd. We waded through a waist deep river of mud, crawled under a web of barbed wire, conquered a 9 ft wall, and almost got stuck in the thick thigh high clay that claimed several peoples shoes. We climbed cargo nets, crossed balance beams, ventured through even more mud and completed a tyre crawl.

As the race was coming to an end we walked through another river; this time the water was almost clear, washing away most of the mud that caked our legs. We were relieved, since running with shorts and shoes ladened with heavy clay isn't the most fun. We thought for a moment we were going to finish the race almost as clean as when we started. We even wondered why we'd seen people who were covered in mud from head to toe. We supposed they must have fallen into the clay, and since we'd been more graceful we'd wind up clean as a whistle.

But then we turned a corner and after leaping over fire we stopped in our tracks. (I also stopped in my tracks before leaping over said fire.) Before us was a giant mud pit, and this time barbed wire mesh overlaid the whole thing. We crawled through the mud, bathed in the stuff, and just when I was thinking I'd managed to keep my face clean the girl in front of me decided to try out the breast stroke, covering my face in a mud mask as she kicked. Thank goodness the race was set up at Lake Las Vegas and we could have a swim once it was all over.

We had so much fun; the obstacles definitely made the 5 kilometers we ran much less noticeable. And I found another way of making running more enjoyable- it turns out having Ryan there helps a lot!