We were surprised to learn recently that one of the fastest growing amateur sports is obstacle course racing. They’re anything from 5K mud runs like the ToughMudder to the Spartan Beast, a 14-mile and 30 obstacle race. For Spartan races, sponsored by Reebok, elite athletes compete for cash prizes, but those of us in the not-so-elite categories can challenge ourselves regardless of our background or fitness levels by conquering a short race first.

Some of you might be thinking – but I can’t do one of those. They’re scary and dirty and I’m afraid to climb over a wall. But as the saying goes, sometimes the thing that scares you is the very thing you should do.

Having done five of these races in the last several months, I was surprised by how emotionally moving the experience was. There were teams partaking for purposes of team building, celebrating their life/health, or merely to band together in their health and fitness goals. At a recent mud race, I spotted a team of breast cancer survivors wearing pink tutus, a group of special education teachers with a mud-proof selfie-stick taking video to inspire their students, a mother and daughter team who had collectively lost fifty pounds, a middle-aged woman conquering her fear of heights, and a bachelorette party. I was amazed to see the beautiful bride kept her tiara on for most of the race, albeit muddy by the end! I spotted her and her besties later in the beer garden toasting the bride to be. Can you imagine the memories they will share of that special day?

We are all capable of much more than we think we can, especially when it comes to physical endeavors. Many times we think of fitness as merely a way to look good, but there is so much more to taking on a physical challenge than just how we look in our jeans – we like that part too, don’t get me wrong. But taking on something we’re not sure we can do will move our souls as well as our feet, bond us with loved ones, and give us memories that will last much longer than the feat itself.

We love to hear inspiring stories from our clients. Do you have one to share with us about conquering a physical challenge or fear? Send it our way. We’re always excited to hear from our clients.