2015 Gladiator Rock N Run Recap

Saturday, September 26th I ran my second Gladiator Rock'N Run obstacle race. Like last year it was held in Export, Pa. at the Steel City Raceway.

Swag: T-shirt and finishers medal

The course: The course is a 5k course with roughly 16-20 obstacles. Some are designed to test your strength while some are designed to just get you a muddy mess.

Post Race: Beer, music, and food.... what else do you need!!! Oh ya, showers and a changing area.

My Race: I was registered for the competitive wave which started at 8:00 am. I arrived about twenty minutes early and did some stretching. Once in the shoot we were divided into 2 groups, this was done to make sure there would be no waiting at obstacles and your time would not be effected due to someone else. The first wave went and I stood waiting for Nitro (former American Gladiator) to send my wave.

From the start you headed down a hill made a turn and headed up the hill to the first obstacle. Burpees with a cinder block. The competitive wave had to do 30 while open waves did 10. My arms were already sore and the race had just begun. Once finished with the burpees you headed down the hill and back up and was handed a sand bag. You took your bag and continued up the hill and then turned back down the hill before handing it off. You then headed back up the hill to 2 huge inflatable
blobs is what I am going to call them. We were told it is possible to get over without help, but I didn't see anyone do it. Even in the video of them doing in online they are running down hill and jumping onto the 6 foot high blob. We were running up hill. What is nice about these types of races is most participants understand you may need help or may need to help someone. We took turns boosting each other over and then once up on the blob we would help pull others up. After helping a few people I headed across the top of the hill to the next obstacle, rope climb.  I had no worries about this obstacle and like last year I crushed it. After the rope climb you made your way across the field to a cargo net about a foot off the ground and had to climb under it on your back. It was a muddy mess and you really had to use your arms to pull you up the hill. I remember thinking I am not sure how much more my arms are going to be able to handle. There was a nice little break until the next obstacle except you still had to go up and down the hill. Once at the bottom of the hill you went over and under walls, and of course the under was in a muddy mess. Next you headed over to and empty dumpster and had to pull yourself up and in then up and out. You then head too 2 ten foot walls that you had to climb over. There was foot hills so it was pretty easy. Next you made it to the tire carry. You took a tire and had to do lunges up and down the hill. Not real hard but it killed your leg, and of course you had to run up the hill to the next obstacle, The slide. A huge water slide that was the length of hill and had you land in a pool of water. It was refreshing for me and I needed it for what was to come. The next obstacle was 50 squats with the cinder block and then carry the block up and back down the hill. This was the hardest thing I did. It took me so long and I had to take breaks going up the hill.

 Once finished with the blocks you ran back up the hill and had to crawl under a cargo net. Normally wouldn't be hard, but your legs were already beat. You then ran back down the hill and headed to 2 cargo nets.

After the nets you knew you were close to the finish. You just had to run up the hill toward the start. If you did the open waves and were on a team you had to lift a telephone pole and carry it, but since I was in competitive we skipped that and headed to barb wire mud crawl.

 

 If you were clean at this point you were a mess. My shirt kept getting snagged on the barb wire but I managed to make it through without any cuts. After the mud crawl you made your way to a slanted wall with a rope. This obstacle was very hard but could be done alone. However most of us once again were helping each other up and over. I took my turn helping others and then made my way to the final obstacle. Fire jump, A small fire you had to jump over before crossing the finish line.  After I finished I headed to the showers and then changed and watched some other runners make their way to the finish. I finished the course in 1 hour and 4 minutes. Not to shabby since it took me almost 2 hours last year.

If you ever want to try an obstacle race this is a good one to start out on. It's not to long and there isn't to many obstacles that will really beat you down.