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"We Ran It!\\nSELF Editors Marissa Stephenson and Jaclyn Emerick take on a Warrior Dash and deliver the down and dirty blow-by-blow. Not only are these girls fit, they are also seriously funny. No joke.\\nWe heard *everybody* is doing mud runs (92 percent more people have tried muddies, along with events like zombie runs, in the past year!). So naturally, we had to do a race. And one that sits on top of a mountain, and requires fire-jumping and crawling under barbed wire. Because you know what we didn't hear everybody's doing? Half-assing it. Here, our diary of how we prepped for the altitude, conquered the course and came back with the best race stories ever.\\n__9 p.m.__ Tonight we had a sleepover. In the SELF magazine conference room. We pitched a Hypoxico __[altitude tent](http://www.hypoxico.com)__ that simulates what the air's like at 13,000 feet. How? In very unscientific terms, a tube sucks the oxygen out. The tent's supposed to help us acclimate so we're not gasping for air on the course. And we hear Michael Phelps slept in one leading up to London, so we're pretty sure it's going to give us superhuman racing powers too.\\n\\n__10 p.m.__ We did a Duane Reade run in Times Square for survival snacks (chocolate-covered pretzels, ginger snaps and gummy worms, naturally), then settled in for a few __[Funny Or Die](http://www.funnyordie.com/)__ videos. Everything was made more comfy thanks to our blow-up mattress, blankets, decorative throw pillows and a shaggy rug. Clearly we should be moonlighting at Domino.\\n__10:30 pm__ Was it the thin air, or is this *[Peeing in Pools with Ryan Lochte video](http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/bbf2c287fe/peeing-in-pools-with-ryan-lochte)* hilarious?\\n__10:36 pm__ It was the thin air. Sorta feels like you're in a helium balloon in this thing, minus the flying. But we liked that the oxygen-sucker-outter gave off a comforting hum. (If you're reading this, Hypoxico guys, we're still working on that fancy lingo.)\\n\\n__10:45 pm__ The only thing between us and sweet sleep are these damn office emergency lights.\\n__12 a.m.__ Fact: Office emergency lights never go off. So we smothered our eyes with pillows and wrapped our heads in sheets, mummy style.\\n\\n__5:15 a.m.__ We both had to jet for workouts. When we zipped out of the tent, we could totally tell the difference in the air. It's almost thick outside\u2014rich, delicious air. This better be worth it.\\n__3:30 p.m.__ Because it's always been our dream to act out the Hannibal Lecter scene in *Silence of the Lambs*, we scored altitude masks from our friends at Hypoxico (seriously, those guys rock!) for more thin-air breathing. Same as the tent, these masks keep us at 13,000 feet.\\n\\nThere's also a valve that allows us to crank it up to 21,000 feet (think: Himalaya Mountains-high). A five-minute session there\u2014the longest amount of time we're allowed to clock\u2014produces *Pineapple Express*-like effects. The chances of us completing full sentences after a few minutes at that level? Slim.\\n\\n__Our game plan:__ Suck on these babies as much as possible before heading out to Colorado.\\n__10 a.m.__ Touched down in Denver and went straight to the Avis station to pick up our wheels. The guys behind the counter perked up when we told them our names. The convo went something like this:\\n\\n*Avis:* \\\"Emerick...OK, here's your rez. Ooooooh!\\\"\\n\\n*Us:* \\\"What is it? Hummer? Maserati? Something with suicide doors?!\\\"*Avis:* \\\"Nah. Better. Prius!\\\"*Us:* \\\"Um...does that work like a normal car?\\\"*Avis:* \\\"Eh?\\\"Just like in *[The Office](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMaehoA1VJY )* episode, the Prius really *is* a silent killer. Not that we killed anyone. But we could see how it could happen. (Especially since we were unsure how to put the car in park, for, like, the first 10 minutes after stopping at a Starbucks.)\\n\\nWe had a two-hour drive ahead, and the worst possible radio options at our fingertips.\\n__2 p.m.__ After checking into our hotel in Frisco, we drove (silently, of course) to __[Copper Mountain](http://www.coppercolorado.com/)__ the site of the weekend's __[Warrior Dash](http://www.warriordash.com/)__. With three hours until we were able to pick up our race packets, we decided to take advantage of everything the mountain had to offer. First up? Toasting cold ones. We have priorities, people. Colorado Native Ale specifically, because we like a bit of a theme. Nearly 11,000 feet high and just one beer deep, things were already starting to feel like a par-tay.\\n__2:45 p.m.__ We decided to take our beer-and-lack-of-oxygen buzz on the summer lift. Since we like to live on the edge, we opted not to put the safety bar down.\\n__3:30 p.m.__ Two words: Go karts. Much louder than your average Prius. And not going to lie, we were in it to win it on the course. Because few things feel better than beating kids to the finish line.\\n__4 p.m.__ Unfortunately Copper doesn't have an *actual* bungee jump (because we'd have been ALL OVER that). But they do have a quad trampoline. So we worked on our flips. Turns out, we have mad skillz.\\n__4:45 p.m.__ Props to the Warrior Dash peeps for having awesome signage. Our favorite one along the course is the *DON'T WORRY. WE DIDN'T TRAIN FOR THIS EITHER* sign. Because, to be perfectly honest, we are kind of winging this thing.\\\\*\\n\\n\\\\*But YOU don't have to! Prep for any mud run with [these moves](/fitness/workouts/2012/10/mud-run-training-slideshow).\\n__5 p.m.__ The race expo opened and we signed away our lives on what we're pretty sure is the longest race waiver ever, which just makes this all the more thrilling.\\n__5:45 p.m.__ Spotted on the drive out of Copper: one of tomorrow's obstacles. Marissa jumped out to give the wall a test run, but she went at it from the wrong way. Still, nice try. Tomorrow we'll learn that you actually climb up the back like a ladder then jump or slide down the back. But if it were reversed, we like to think Maris would totally nail it. (*Riiiiighhhht.*)\\n__11 a.m.__\\n\\nWe got suited and booted for the mess. And we want you guys to see what it's really like to do a mud run, so we each wore a __[Drift Innovation HD action camera](http://driftinnovation.com/camera/drift-hd/)__ around our heads. (This was definitely a conversation starter. Single ladies take note, you can impress cute guys with your hard-coreness wearing these babies.)\\n__11:20 a.m.__ OK, the Warrior Dash also wins the award for having the best timing chip ever. It doubles as a free-beer token. Brilliant!\\n__11:30 a.m.__ We had to stop this girl for two reasons. 1) She duct-taped her shoes so they wouldn't get water- or mud-logged, or fall off. Genius! And 2) she used neon duct tape. Hot!\\n__11:45 p.m.__ As you already know from reading our [race-day checklist](/fitness/2012/10/mud-run-gear-slideshow) you *can* dress in technical, athletic clothes for a mud run (such as trail shoes, tight-fighting capris, and tech socks). Or, you can go balls to the wall and wear the craziest shiz you can get. Before we headed to the start line, we trolled Copper's Warrior Dash village for cray-cray costumes. [Here are a few of our faves.](/fitness/2012/10/mud-run-costumes-slideshow)\\n__12 p.m.__ We're off! We had 3.1 miles and 12 obstacles to cover. Here's a shot from our head cameras. The top is the famed mud pit. It's, well, gritty and goopy. But it feels awesome. Think of it like a spa treatment that was included in your race fee! And you can swim through it. We did a little freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke. We decided to spare our fellows racers our attempting the butterfly. The bottom pic is of the dirt-covered sewer tubes you have to crawl through, Army style. The best part about that obstacle? Being done with it.\\n__12:20 p.m.__ No, we didn't have to dodge any high-speed, aerial fire balls (someone\u2014and we're not naming names \\\\*\\\\*cough\\\\*\\\\* guy at the Frisco MooseJaw bar\u2014actually thought this was a real obstacle). But there was fire. Two fire hurdles you had to jump over. Or through, depending on how good your hops are. Surprising bonus: If you didn't shave your legs for this, well, the fire kinda does it for you.\\n__1 p.m.__ We think there's an undisclosed, secret 13th obstacle at Warrior Dash. And that is the stretch from the mud pit to the finish, where you'll likely be chewing on mud while trying to keep your pants from falling down. It's exhilarating, really.\\n\\nOnce we made it through the finish line we headed straight for turkey legs and beer. Commence: a superfluous amount of ridiculously muddy post-race celebratory shots. There was dancing. There was climbing. And there was a (terrible) rendition of Journey's *Don't Stop Believing* where we may or may not have used our turkey legs as microphones. Speaking of parties, check out our list of [go-to-brews](/fitness/2012/10/mud-run-beers-slideshow), post mud-run.\\n\\nAnd we think we deserve an extra medal for not getting our Drift head cams muddy. Thanks again, Drift!\\n__1:10 p.m.__ There's really only one way to eat a turkey leg. Tap into your former caveman and just go HAM on it. *Who do we need to talk to to get these in the Cond\u00E9 Nast cafeteria?*\\n__1:30 p.m.__ We know. The post-race Warrior Dash signage picture is SO MUCH BETTER than the pre-race one.\\n__1:40 p.m.__ And in case the race course doesn't challenge you enough, you can engage in some after-Dash [CrossFit](/fitness/workouts/2011/10/crossfit-slideshow). Your Workout Of the Day (WOD) is written on the signature dry-erase boards. These chicks k-belled and burped their hearts out. Mad props!\\n__2:30 p.m.__ Had to leave our mark on Copper. And what was more appropriate than a pile of our muddy, muddy clothes? We couldn't think of anything either. At least anything that would've been legal."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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