My First 5k and Obstacle Course Race

Knocking another item off of my “to-do list” last weekend August 3rd, I participated in the 5k Foam Fest; my first 5k race, but this wasn’t your typical 5k race, it included obstacle courses.

I arrived at 7 a.m. to check in and get my number only to find out they could not find my name. As I stand there looking confused I am pointed towards another booth who also could not locate me. Now, I knew I was registered because I had received about 10 emails confirming my participation, all of a sudden it clicks, since I signed up using my FB account it snagged my FB name which is my nickname and middle name, sure enough there I was! So I proudly pinned my number to my belly and met up with my co-worker. We checked out the scene and took it all in.

As the foam began to grow we became excited; we were part of the 8:40 am group so we watched as the two groups before us prepared and took off. About 10 minutes before my start time my mom and the kids showed up and began to take photos. It was such fun!

Finally it was our time to take off and we did, my co-worker and I agreed we would meet up at the finish line. We ran through water, we slid through suds, we crawled through mud (where I lost my number) and even got zapped by electrical wires (ouch). We climbed 6 and 8 foot walls, we climbed 50 feet in the air only to be dropped another 50 feet back down into a pool of muddy water. We climbed ropes then climbed back down the other side, and we even ran across lily pads in the middle of the water.

Finally, I saw the finish line and at the end there was a foamy slip and slide and I jumped on and splashed into the foamy pool of water (ingesting some…yuck!), with my face covered in foam I looked around and a lady says “you’re almost done”, so I dashed to the finish line where I was greeted by another lady with my medal and my co-worker. My kids were busy playing in the foam pool they had for the kids but I heard my daughter yell out “grandma, grandma there goes mom”.

I went to the booths and collected my free gifts then washed off as much as possible in the showers, changed into some dry clothes and grabbed a bite to eat for the kids and I. After that we went back to my mom’s to wash our clothes (2x) and shower with soap and water and I passed out for 5 hours.

I swear my body went to heights it had never been through before and I was a bit banged up but I wouldn’t trade a minute of it and I’m excited to do it again next year.

And…It Is What It Is!