Metro Dash Boston 2010 Experience

24″ Box Jumps?

Tabata’s?

Sled Drags?

Star Jumps?

Sounds like a session at Robert Belley Fitness in Marshfield. But indeed it was a event in South Boston at Condon Elementary on D Street this morning. The event? Metro Dash.

Designed by a Navy Seal, Sean (who by the way is a really cool individual and was a pleasure to spend over an hour talking with) that tests fitness enthusiasts on their capacity for both long distance running and body weight/apparatus exercises.

I will be honest with you. Going in I was excited about this. After receiving my preliminary information I thought this may be too easy. After completing it I underestimated the length of running involved and the terrain which made this fun again.

One of my major hiccups going in was that the rep counts and time finish is based on the honor system. For Sean, with his background, this is a no-brainer. The individuals who make it to his level rely heavily on trust and honesty to accomplish unbelievable tasks as teams and personal goals.

On the civilian level, f#$kers cheat.

So, he did instruct us before the event to keep people honest. Tell them if they’re not doing something full movement. I executed this level of power during the very first Tabata challenge, at the corner of Seaport Blvd and Sleep Street. Gorgeous location and wonderful view of Boston. I was hitting the mark of 16 full body weight squats in 20 seconds and some people we’re doing mini-squats. No go! I spoke up. But you have to. Or more will follow believing it’s okay or commendable.

It’s not fair, or even the same event, if some cheat and others perform the correct movements. It’s frustrating to view someone next to you, or ahead of you, and know they cheated, but got away with it.

So I did what I could, without seeming too much of an ass, to help regulate exercise form.

After the push-up intervals, of 8 per 20 seconds for men, the run back to the start line was pretty challenging. I was running faster than normal and underestimated the effect of the squats earlier.

Challenge point 3 was “The Gauntlet”. The 8 foot wall was my favorite to scale. Love hopping fences and tall obstructions.. and I got to twice this event! Totally rad!

Took about 6-8 minutes depending on your fitness but a challenging succession.

Now the entire route was cool because there was no route. You had to do your homework and figure out ahead of time what streets you would take to ensure the least amount of distance and easiest path.

Very cool feature unlike most road races. I’m not a fan of road races for myself because I find them relatively boring. But this was great for someone like myself who enjoys mystery and confusion. I’m weird, what can I say kids })

At challenge point 4, on Columbia ave near William J Day Blvd, we had to perform star jumps. Brutal when lactic acid is flodding your tissues. We did 76 in a row at Robert Belley Fitness this December. Really fun. Basically you squat down, touch your toes and leap up while opening your appendages so you resemble a star. These suck. Haha. I averaged 10 per 20 seconds. There was no set number but to just keep doing them. I asked the timer.

Next we ran along the beach to G Street. There we met a burning set of walking lunges in the sand, and a bear crawl back.

I told Sean it was great to do after so many events because in the Belley Fitness Challenge I had already planned on doing this and it was excellent for me to experience first hand. It sucked. But manageable obviously. Sean runs this route each city in advance. So he knows. Of course he’s fitter than most 😉

Fifth we ran up G Street and navigated our way to the top of Thomas Park by the monument (commemorating the Patriot drive of British out of Boston). This is a spectacular location. Boston is so beautiful from this vantage point. Atop the hill we did sit-ups. Again, cheaters!

I did full sit-ups every set for the prescribed 10 each interval and others were doing mother f’n crunches and still claimed the same “Champion” medal at the end of the event. Total bush league. People disappoint me.

Even when my hamstring was pulling I laid my legs flat and muscled my upper body up past vertical. That caused my abs to cramp up. But worth it to know you set out and did something legit. Never cheat yourself.

But after we only had to run a half mile back to the start/finish line at Condon Elementary.

Narly right?

My hamstring started to pull, but thankfully the men I began running back with were motivating and kept my focus on not letting the pull detract me from slowing down. And I’m thankful for that. We just made the cutoff time by seconds of a “Champion” medal for “Dash Time”.

Last, and self-created, was our jump over a fence to cut a street out. I loved it! We all scaled that thing with ease. Unfortunately the same man who encouraged me twisted hurt his Achilles on the drop and began hobbling towards the finish line. I helped him across the line. I would have rather sacrificed the medal to help another individual in need. He and I came across together and I hope I can locate a picture later of us doing so.

So all in all it was much more fun than I anticipated the night before.

Now shout outs:
The first pacers I met were a couple from northern Massachusetts, whom the gentleman runs his own fitness service. Ultimate Fitness I believe. Will have to find out more through pictures later. They were a tremendous help most of the race for me to keep pace. Totally needed that push. They finished ahead of me and they were a lovely couple.

I met a great couple from New Hampshire earlier. Gave the gentleman my Crunchy Peanut Butter Clif bar. Told him it would be his favorite bar by far by Clif. LOL. Helped Kelly, his wife, to begin foam rolling too. She was fast, and with foam rolling for her tightened muscles she will only become faster and feel better before every run.

I spoke with a upcoming fitness professional, Dennis, who interned out of the Crossfit at Fenway, near Fenway Park. Cool facility. I’ve seen it a bunch of times while driving to Red Sox games. He was a very motivating young man.

And after the event I spoke with Sean, the director and creator, and helped him pack up. It was an enjoyable near couple hours. Really got to learn his hopes for the event traveling across America and he was definitely one of the coolest cats I’ve met. Par for course too for a special forces individual. They don’t speak much of their credits. They often blend in very well with society. But they have this inner drive and ability that is absolutely out of this world. Insatiable really. I talked a lot, go figure, but the little he did speak of I was truly appreciative for his time and allowing me to help him out.

So all in all, I suggest you try it yourself. You can go to http://www.metrodash.com/ and find your metropolitan on the list. Do it! The views of your city will leave you happy with your participation. Especially if you live out in the sticks or along the ocean as I do. Boston is majestic to view.

And by the way, the t-shirts you get totally rock!!!! They are absolutely form fitted for athletic people like ourselves. You’ll look sexy in it 😉 For sure.

Live the dream!

Rob

Metro Dash Boston 2010 Experience by Robert Belley of Robert Belley Fitness in Marshfield.