To Run And Not Be Weary: R.O.C. Race 5K

Distance: 3.2 miles
Time: ?
Location: Del Mar Fairgrounds

Well that was certainly something new! My second 5K of 2014 was the R.O.C. (Ridiculous Obstacle Challenge) Race in Del Mar, CA. After running the Timberwolf 5K in February, a low-key, no-frills road race, I opted for something out of the ordinary for my next run. I happened upon an ad for the R.O.C. Race back in March, and it seemed fun and something out of my element, and so I figured it would make for a nice, different sort of challenge. I signed up for it and there was no turning back. My training plan consisted of eight weeks, three runs per week, which I finished two days prior to the race on May 8th. But this wasn't to be a very competitive race. It was mainly for fun, as it consisted of silly obstacles, and it wasn't even going to be timed.

Since the race was way down in Del Mar, my wife and I decided to make a weekend trip out of it. On Friday, May 9th, we loaded up the car and headed down to the San Diego Zoo, since we got a year pass last month. We had fun taking Nathan around to see all the animals, and the weather was superb (as it always is in San Diego). It had been hot and windy in the desert, so it was nice to escape to a more pleasurable climate. After the zoo we went to Road Runner Sports Store in the north part of San Diego to pick up my packet for the race. Then we continued on to La Jolla where we'd be spending the night. The next day, Saturday, May 10th, was race day. My race time wasn't until 1:30pm, so we didn't have to rush at all. We ate breakfast at the hotel, a nice hearty breakfast (since I'd have plenty of time to burn it off), and then packed up and headed north to Del Mar.

Once we got to the site, we realized it was a much bigger production than we anticipated. The turnout was huge, and it was way more than just a race. In addition to the elaborate obstacles strewed about the fairgrounds and racetrack, in the middle of the facility was set up a veritable fair, with food, vendors, music, and various other forms of entertainment. I was anxious to get going right away! We had some time to kill at first, so we walked around for a while. A quick look around revealed a bizarre mix of people (not your average 5K crowd, that's for sure). A lot of people wore costumes and many people did not appear to be in it to run (which I'd soon find out was true). Many people were just there for the atmosphere and the fun of it all. But I guess that's the nice thing about a race like this -- no pressure, just let loose and be crazy and silly! Finally, just after 1pm I headed for the starting line. The race course was laid out all over the racetrack and around the fairgrounds. The starting line was on the track itself. It was pretty cool to be running where the horses usually run! They staggered the start to spread out the runners, so lines wouldn't form at the obstacles (a pretty smart move, as I recall many lines at the Apple Valley Mud Run I did back in 2010). So I got moved up to a small group at the start line and a guy standing up on a platform began pumping us up as loud music played. Then a countdown and we were off! Before I knew it I was running along the Del Mar racetrack with a bunch of costumed people heading for I-knew-not-what! This was a surreal 5K for sure. But before long I came to realize that the majority of the people at this race had no interest in running at all! Less than a minute into it I could hear people complaining that the first obstacle hadn't arrived yet. And once we finally got to the first obstacle, a rope-walking challenge, and through it, practically everyone stopped running. Since many people were running in teams, it was understandable, as they had to wait for all team members to finish the obstacle. But as for me, as soon as I completed an obstacle I hit the ground running. I didn't train for eight weeks for nothing, timed race or not! The second obstacle was a doozy. As we approached it we could see it was a giant slide. They handed us inner tubes and we made our way to the top and down we went in our tubes straight into a pool of water! And just like that I was soaked head to toe. But I continued running anyway. I felt heavier from the water weight, but also refreshed because of it. After that the course took us through the stables north of the racetrack. We began encountering more obstacles -- a wall to climb over, monkey bars, a slip-and slide with foam, etc. For the most part, the obstacles didn't give me much trouble. They were fairly easy and made to accommodate everyone. The first one that I really faltered on was a ball bounce, where we had to climb up on a platform and hop along three giant rubber balls. I had little confidence going into this one, and, sure enough, I leaped onto the first ball and was tossed aside rather quickly. I simply had to hop along the side to exit the obstacle. But soon enough I was running again and thinking little of my failure at the ball bounce. I couldn't believe how many people I was passing! Only rarely would I see another person running. I had passed all of the people I had started with and had caught up to the 1pm group. Running from obstacle to obstacle also allowed me to bypass lines and get ahead of a lot of people. Some other obstacles back within the stables were another giant slide (though this time without an inner tube), a "moon bounce" (a giant inflatable mat we bounced across), and a rope swing. But the last three obstacle were probably the best. After the rope swing, the course veered south towards a large building where it looked like they held indoor horse-riding events. Inside was an obstacle called "the sweeper," a large, padded beam that swung around and tried to knock people off a narrow walkway as they tried to get across. This was a large and quite elaborate setup. When I got there there were a lot of people waiting to get across, waiting for the rest of their team to arrive I assumed. But as I was racing solo I simply charged towards the sweeper, waited a second for the right moment, and ran across the narrow walkway without getting touched by the swinging beam. I had made it! The excitement propelled me to the next obstacle. After exiting the building I was back at the main racetrack heading towards the start line area. I could see the next obstacle in sight, the "wrecking balls," another elaborate setup, two large padded balls, swinging from a crane, trying to knock people off a narrow beam into water below. For this one we were given life-vests and we walked onto the raised platform. I saw my wife and Nathan watching nearby (they unfortunately weren't able to see the majority of the obstacles). When all was ready I darted across the beam, water on either side of me. Avoiding the balls was fairly easy, I just had to focus on keeping my balance. And somehow I made it across without a plunge! I tossed aside the life-vest and ran off towards the final obstacle, a huge inflatable slide. I climbed to the top and plummeted down towards the finish line, successfully completing what was probably the wackiest race I've ever been a part of.

At the end I was soaked and dirty but still full of energy. The frequent stops obviously made this less of an endurance run, but my weeks of training definitely still helped out. This race was tons of fun, and one I would definitely do again. At the same time, though, it was pricier than the average 5K, and it was overall a bit too much of an ordeal (packet pickup the day before, race location far away, etc.). I was also bummed that my wife wasn't able to see more of the race. But I'm glad I did it, something completely different and not at all what I would imagine myself ever doing. The door has been opened for other new and unusual 5Ks. However, after the hoopla that is the R.O.C. Race, I'm feeling more like a traditional road race for my next run. We'll see what's in store. For now, I'll take a restful week off, then get in some casual runs as I ponder what my next race might be. I've done a winter race and now a spring race so far this year. Time now to plan for a summer race.