Running an obstacle race through snowball fights and snowbanks, I felt like a kid again

Last weekend we spent a wonderful wintry weekend at Horseshoe Valley resort in Barrie, Ont. We were there to run the Polar Rush 5K Obstacle Race with my kids David, 13, and Ella, 12, and my sister-in-law Susan.

During the race, I was in awe watching our kids practically float through the course with ease and confidence, as I trailed behind. My visions of cheering them on at each obstacle quickly evaporated as the reality sunk in that they were going to be the ones encouraging me since they had completed each challenge long before I arrived. Don’t get me wrong, I was happy that they waited for me and I was happy too that their aunt could keep up with them. This is our new reality in our obstacle races together and I couldn’t be more proud of them.

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There was a lot of uphill track during the race… I mean it was hosted at a ski resort. The old adage of “what goes up, must come down” certainly rang true. We especially enjoyed the crazy carpet and tubing obstacles that took us on the downhill. We learned pretty quickly though that as you embark on a tube, it’s best not to give any indication that you’re nervous. Show signs of weakness and you’ll be given a spin as you’re launched down the course.

There were some snowball fights happening between participants as snowballs whizzed by my head as I ran. It was like being a kid again. I can’t remember the last time that I ran up and over giant snowbanks (and for the record, no this didn’t count as an obstacle, to my dismay!) The snow provided a fabulous cushion to my many falls, and we laughed so hard our sides hurt by the end of it all.

It was our kids’ first foray into spending some time immersed in the ski culture, and they loved it. They can’t wait to not only try more obstacle races but to test out skiing as well. They especially enjoyed indulging in the Beaver Tails and hot chocolate while sitting on the outdoor patio at the bottom of the ski hill by the fire at the end of the race.
This was a day that my daughter would talk about for days to come, saying it was the best day of her life and she wanted to do the whole day over again.