Why Anyone Can and Should Do the Insane Inflatable 5K

Saturday morning I participated in the Insane Inflatable 5K...and it was insanely awesome.

When I first arrived at the fairgrounds, I noticed that three-fourths of the contestants - men and women - were dressed in bright colors, tutus, and other sorts of crazy outfits, and being a more conservative, slightly dull person, I was thinking, "What did I get myself into?"

However, the moment I went down the "starting slide," I was having a blast. The first obstacle we came to was a sort of bumpy inflatable mattress, and seeing how San Angelo had just been in a monsoon the days before, it was muddy, wet, impossible to walk on...and one of the greatest things I have ever done. The entire course was a fun-filled muddy mess, and the hundreds of contestants enjoyed every second of it.

Now, I am normally obsessed with cleanliness; I wash my hands close to 257 times a day and the sight of dirty clothes makes me cringe. At the end of this run, I was covered in mud; my brand new shoes were practically ruined; and, my hair was a mess. I didn't care. I slid over the finish line with a huge smile on my face, ran towards my husband telling him how fun it was; and, of course, he looked at me wandering what was wrong because I didn't complain about dirt.

When I decided to do this, I literally knew nothing about it except that it included an inflatable obstacle course that was slightly over three miles long. I didn't read reviews or look at pictures; I just signed up and went for it. The length of the course was not intimidating to me because I normally jog anywhere from 2-4 miles about four times a week. My expectation of the inflatables was that it would be more "bouncy house" type--merely there for some entertainment, but not exactly challenging to get through.

I was wrong.

For one, I underestimated the size of the inflatables; they're huge. It requires quite a bit of climbing and balance, and I used every muscle in my body. However, I do believe that anyone can and should try this, and here are the reasons why:

• While it is physically demanding, it isn't exactly difficult. If you can walk, bounce, and use your arms, you can do this.
• "Exercise gives you endorphins; endorphins make you happy..." The only quote from Legally Blonde that I can guarantee is 100 percent accurate. You will be happy at the end of the course; you will be tired and dirty, but you will be happy. "...and happy people just don't shoot their husbands. They just don't."
• A portion of the proceeds go to the American Cancer Society. I would like to believe that the majority of the population enjoys donating to charity; so, here is your chance to do something good while doing something fun.
• It's family friendly. There were participants ages 7 to 70 walking, running, sliding, and bouncing.
• It's not a competition; there are no winners or losers. It's all about having fun. It's also not timed, so people can take their time getting through the course.

While the Insane Inflatable 5K is gone from San Angelo until next year, there will be one in Midland on April 23rd. Even though my muscles and bones ache at this very moment, I am highly considering attending, and if you're looking for something challenging and fun to do, I would encourage you to do so too.

There is plenty of time to register at insaneinflatable5k.com/central-texas/.