Challenge yourself at an adventure race

Road races, marathons and triathlons have long been popular throughout Eastern Iowa.

But lately, a variety of adventure races have gained popularity — you could even say a cult following — as a way for people to challenge themselves beyond your typical road race.

Linn County Supervisor Ben Rogers, 34, has been an avid runner his whole life, from starting to run with his dad when he was young to completing several half and full marathons more recently. But in the last few years, Rogers has taken on some adventure race challenges that are physically demanding in other ways.

He has competed for the last three years in the Squaw Creek Army Challenge in Marion and also has done two Tough Mudder races in Wisconsin.

Tough Mudder is a 12-mile course with a variety of very difficult challenges — everything from running through electrified wires and climbing 20-foot walls to slogging through hundreds of yards of nothing but mud. 'The goal is not to race, but to challenge yourself and be part of a team,' Rogers says.

The team camaraderie that exists during the challenges, Rogers says, is what he enjoys most. 'Everybody is experiencing the same kind of pain, fear and difficulties, but the team helps the individual dig deeper and find more of themselves in the pain.'

Rogers says the most difficult events he has competed in so far have been two 12-hour GORUCK Challenges held in Cedar Rapids.

'GORUCK is designed to give you a slice of Special Forces training by having participants wear a backpack weighing 40 pounds and doing a variety of challenges for 12 hours straight,' he says.  The challenges are done as a team with current or retired Special Forces personnel leading the group. Having completed this challenge, Rogers says he now has his sights set on completing the 24-hour GORUCK Challenge.

'I love to do these challenges,' he says. 'You find out quickly that you are mentally and physically stronger than you ever realized.'

In the last year, Whitney Pino, 32, of Cedar Rapids, also has had that realization. Just a few years ago, Pino would not have called herself a runner. But she, too, has gotten into adventure racing and has enjoyed it immensely.

Her first race was a 5K challenge held at Bloomsbury Farm in 2013. That was the year she ran her first 5K, which, she says, she couldn't run straight through. 'I huffed and puffed through the entire thing, but I did it and it was fun.'

Pino says that first race gave her the confidence to try others. 'I realized in that race that there were people at all different levels of health and fitness that participate. '

So for Pino, 2014 became the year of the race. With a group of friends, she traveled to Chicago to participate in Mudderella, her first timed mud challenge run. It was 6 miles long and featured 13 obstacles. 'I ran the entire time,' she recalls. 'The atmosphere was so much different from just going out to run on my own."

Pino also traveled to San Diego with girlfriends to participate in Super Gladiator. The race is held in the mountains outside of San Diego and features an 8-mile course, trekking up and down the mountains.

Like Rogers, completing the races she has done so far has only encouraged Pino to take on more challenges. She plans to do the Spartan Run in Chicago in September.

She says signing up early works to your advantage. 'If you register early, you not only save on your registration fees, but you have that deadline on your calendar to commit to and train for. And many of these races have online training schedules that you gain access to.'

And she agrees with Rogers about the camaraderie of the races. 'There are 1,000 people there that you don't know doing the race, too, and everyone is willing to give you a high five,' she says. 'Plus these are adult races so the post-race parties are pretty fun, too.'

The reactions Rogers and Pino get from others — including family members and friends — are varied.

While some people are genuinely impressed, Rogers says, other find it crazy. 'My mum worries that my heart will give out in the middle of it,' he says. 'But I think it is crazy to not challenge yourself and step far outside your comfort zone.'

They also hear from a lot of people who say they don't think they personally could do such a race.

'I tell people not to psych yourself out,' Rogers says. 'You will find out you are stronger than you give yourself credit for.'

Pino agrees. 'A lot of people think they can't do this, so I try to be the champion that tells them they can. Physically, you could do it and mentally, everything just kicks in.'

After every race, Pino says her 7-year-old son asks her if she won. 'I tell him 'Yes.'  I just love the sense of accomplishment at the end of each race.'