5k OCR - Success on all 20 obstacles

I was pleased to conquer all 20 obstacles at last Saturday's Spartan obstacle course race.  

Failure to execute on the obstacle results in 30 time-consuming and energy-zapping burpees.  

More importantly it is satisfying to see tangible improvement from the park training sessions that dominant my recent workout program. 

The big accomplishment was knocking off the spear throw.  I had worked on technique at an obstacle course training park, but still figured it was a wing and a prayer on my one shot in the race.  

Now if I could just learn to run. 

The other elderly men and women athletes in my heat absolutely exploded out ahead of me when the starting gun fired for my age division wave  -- similar to the crazed starts of the young kids races I had been watching prior to my start. 

Things turn around a bit after the first set of obstacles -- I managed to steadily move past other participants, but my splits were not nearly as fast I would hope. 

Still I managed to place 3rd in my age group in time of 42:10 for the 5k course, and I am grateful to have opportunity to race.