Thu March 29, 2012
By Mirna Alfonso
Originally published March 29, 2012 on Patch.com
The Diamond - home of Storm Baseball - will be full of spectators, food and muddy people Saturday as Warrior Dash comes to Lake Elsinore Saturday.
The event is a 5K, though not a straight-shooting one.
There will be obstacles, such as fire, barbed wire and mud, to make the race as grueling as organizers can make it, according to Meredith Harmon, promoter with Red Frog Events.
There will be a capsized catamaran, where runners will have to swim and climb; a petrifying plunge, that will have competitiors sloshing down a slippery slope; and a vertical climb, where racers will go up a rock wall and slide down the other side.
At the end of the race - set to start at 9 a.m. with the first wave of runners - there will be beer and food to refuel the warriors, and live music to keep their legs from cramping.
Organizers expect 13,000 participants.
"Warrior Dash provides an incomparable experience for participants and spectators," said Race Director Alex Yount.
"The unique combination of athleticism, live music, turkey legs and beer keeps Warriors coming back for more," Yount said.
Warrior Dash this year will have as a partner St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. At every Warrior Dash event held in the region, racers who raise more than $250 in donations for St. Jude will get to enjoy private showers, a lounge and catering service, organizers said.
The goal is to raise more than $1 million for St. Jude.
Warrior Dash is also aligned with GreenSneakers, which collects sneakers and refurbishes them for others. With the help of Warriors, 500,000 pounds of tennis shoes were donated and refurbished in 2011, organizers said. Click here to read about last year's event in Lake Elsinore.
This year, USAgain, a textile recycling company, is joining Warrior Dash to help racers recycle reusable race clothing. USAgain's mission is to provide consumers with a convenient and eco-friendly option to rid themselves of reusable clothing of all kinds, organizers said.
Warrior Dash races are held all over the United States and North America, including Hawaii and Quebec, according to the Warrior Dash website.
To see footage and learn more about the Dash, click here or contact Kendra Alley here.