Warrior Dash: A wild workout in Florida

Warrior Dash-ers don Viking-like helmets and power through over-the-top obstacles. Credit: JOE MARINARO.

By Jennifer Olvera

If you’re into wacky, obstacle-driven fun on your Florida vacation, the Warrior Dash – a three-mile race along an extreme course – is for you. Slotted for Dec. 3 in Deerfield Beach in South Florida, and Jan. 21 and 22 in Lake Wales in Central Florida, the beer-soaked extravaganza features costumed participants in warrior helmets, and challenges from fire-leaping to hay bale-climbing at every turn.

During the South Florida race, stampede through awreckage-filled scrap yard, bobble into a rubber jungle, and skirt a tipsy tightrope. Looking to get dirty? Count on it toward the end, when you scramble a mud-caked field beneath barbed wire.

The Central Florida course features adrenaline-pumping treks through Alligator Alley, a river run and Great Warrior Wall. You’ll also bust through a thick palmetto grove, scale cargo nets and – as the pièce de résistance – sprint to a summit’s peak.

Spectators aren’t left in the cold, however. There are designated viewing areas, and day-of parking costs $10 per car. When it’s all said and done, there’s also plenty of partying to the tune of live bands.

Registration is underway, and Florida hotels near the courses fill up fast. So, get cracking on making your costume – and solidifying plans. If you’re headed to South Florida’s event, the newly renovated Wyndham Deerfield Beach Resort offers a peaceful getaway on the ocean. But if Central Florida is calling, the Holiday Inn Express in Lake Wales offers a convenient stay in Old Florida, just off the Ridge Scenic Highway.

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Jennifer Olvera is a Chicago-based author, editor and food enthusiast, who travels often – usually in search of her next great meal.

Tagged: Florida