Warrior Dash a muddy good time for Andrews Airmen

MECHANICSVILLE, Md. -- Staff Sgt. Jonathan Propst (left), 459th Maintenance Squadron, and Senior Airman Lance Horne, 459th MXS, donate their mud-soaked shoes after finishing the three-mile Warrior Dash here May 21. The Warrior Dash is a nationwide extreme race that pits thousands of racers against military-style obstacles like wooden wall climbs and staggered logs. The dash also has unique features like a mud-covered slide and rusted automobile wreckage to traverse. Airmen from the 459th Air Refueling Wing participated in this year's race along with over 8,700 competitors during the Saturday race. (Submitted photo)

Warrior Dash a muddy good time for Andrews Airmen

MECHANICSVILLE, Md. -- Tech. Sgt. Jonathan Propst, 459th Maintenance Squadron, leaps over a row of flames during the three-mile Warrior Dash here May 21. The Warrior Dash is a nationwide extreme race that pits thousands of racers against military-style obstacles like wooden wall climbs and staggered logs. The dash also has unique features like a mud-covered slide and rusted automobile wreckage to traverse. Airmen from the 459th Air Refueling Wing participated in this year's race along with over 8,700 competitors during the Saturday race. (Submitted photo)

Warrior Dash a muddy good time for Andrews Airmen

MECHANICSVILLE, Md. -- Senior Airman Lance Horne, 459th Maintenance Squadron, leaps over a row of flames during the three-mile Warrior Dash here May 21. The Warrior Dash is a nationwide extreme race that pits thousands of racers against military-style obstacles like wooden wall climbs and staggered logs. The dash also has unique features like a mud-covered slide and rusted automobile wreckage to traverse. Airmen from the 459th Air Refueling Wing participated in this year's race along with over 8,700 competitors during the Saturday race. (Submitted photo)

Warrior Dash a muddy good time for Andrews Airmen

MECHANICSVILLE, Md. -- Staff Sgt. Dempsey Anderson, 459th Maintenance Squadron, leaps over a row of flames during the three-mile Warrior Dash here May 21. The Warrior Dash is a nationwide extreme race that pits thousands of racers against military-style obstacles like wooden wall climbs and staggered logs. The dash also has unique features like a mud-covered slide and rusted automobile wreckage to traverse. Airmen from the 459th Air Refueling Wing participated in this year's race along with over 8,700 competitors during the Saturday race. (Submitted photo)

Warrior Dash a muddy good time for Andrews Airmen

Published June 20, 2011
By Tech. Sgt. Steve Lewis
459th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

MECHANICSVILLE, Md. -- What do you get when you combine a three mile run with rugged terrain, low-crawling through mud, leaping over fire and rappelling down a ravine? These are ingredients that make up the annual Warrior Dash.

The non-military-affiliated extreme race is held in multiple cities across the U.S. and this year it came to Mechnicsville, Md. on May 21-22. Because of the race's close proximity to Joint Base Andrews, several brave Air Force Reserve Airmen from the 459th Air Refueling Wing participated.

The Airmen joined close to 8,700 other dashers, some clad in warrior helmets, running shoes and other battle-ready garb, in a shot for the quickest and dirtiest finish.

For the first mile and a half, the course started with a traverse through rubber tires then onto a quick slide down a water-soaked slope. As the trail progressed, the Airmen climbed over obstacles reminiscent of Basic Military Training like wooden walls and staggered logs. Then, to add to the race's toughness, a field of rusted old cars and gigantic hay bales were thrown into the mix. The three-mile dash was complete with a signature leap over a row of hot flames. Racers were congratulated at the end with a complimentary warrior helmet and a t-shirt that read, "I survived the Warrior Dash."

For Tech. Sgt. Jonathan Propst, 459th Maintenance Squadron hydraulics specialist, the Warrior Dash was all about completion and camaraderie. He recruited two other Airmen from the 459th MXS to join him including Staff Sgt. Dempsey Anderson, hydraulics specialist and Senior Airman Lance Horne, electronics and environmental specialist.

"The Warrior Dash was all new to us. I got an email a while back about the race from this Map My Fitness website and told the guys about it," said Sergeant Propst. "I thought it'd be great to see what we could do."

Prior to the dash, the three maintenance specialists and full-time Air Reserve Technicians spent some of their Physical Training time to get ready. The unique obstacles and other race elements, however, made preparing a challenging feat.

"The Warrior Dash wasn't just about running, but I do feel better trained to be fit to fight" said Sergeant Anderson. "I thought we all did well overall, it was pretty impressive."

Sergeant Propst and Sergeant Anderson both finished in the top percentages of their respective age groups during the Saturday race, with Airmen Horne also placing strongly overall that day. Sergeant Propst placed in the top three percent overall and finished in the top six percent of his age group. Sergeant Anderson placed in the top four percent overall and finished in the top six percent of his age group.

For next year's race Sergeant Propst said he plans to get more Airmen to join him, Sergeant Anderson and Airman Horne. Until then, the three maintainers will have their sights set on a future helping of muddy trails, rows of flames and automobile wreckage that is the Warrior Dash.