Most 5K and 10K races don’t include free beer, live music, costume contests, barbed wire, cargo nets or mud...unless you're one of hundreds of body-painted, spandex-wearing runners who battled 17 obstacles during The Gladiator Rock’n Run at the Rose Bowl this past Saturday.

Runners encountered obstacles such as the Dumpster Dive: three 8-foot dumpsters that “Gladiators” climbed into and out of; the Polar Bear Plunge: an ice-filled pool of water that gladiators swam through; and Muddy Mayhem: a trough of mud under barbed wire that participants crawled through on hands and knees.

Aside from military-type obstacles, the atmosphere at Mud Runs is more energizing and lively. The main goal of a normal running race is survival; runners just want to get it over with and accomplish a goal. Mud Runs, on the other hand, look at fitness as a fun celebration with live bands, yummy food stands, dancing and beer afterwards. Every participant received a shirt, medal and one free beer after completing either the 5K or 10K.

“Almost there, you got this! YEAH!,” runners cheered to one another during the race.

Volunteers had fun by shooting light-hearted insults mixed with encouragement at every obstacle. When my roommate Tessy Sproul – an experienced mud-runner – and I jumped into the Polar Bear Plunge, the chest-high ice water shocked us.

“You have to do it!" yelled a volunteer when we debated jumping out and going around the pool instead of swimming under the obstacles. "Dunk your head under the water! There you go! Great job!”

The obstacles are challenging and help make the run quick and enjoyable, but can be dangerous if runners aren’t careful. I actually didn’t even finish the race. During Muddy Mayhem I ripped open my leg on the barbed wire and had to end early. However, most people finish the race without problems.

Even with an injured leg, it was a great experience to see people laughing and enjoying their work out while benefiting a charity. The Gladiator Rock’n Runs “raise money for a bad-ass charity: TACA-Talk About Curing Autism,” according to their website. 

Runs are popping up all over the country; Arizona, Texas, Georgia, Washington and California all have had Gladiator mud runs over the past year. Registration fees range from $55 to $85 depending on race length and date you register.

So if you “secretly love spandex” and want to be “baptized by the fire and adrenaline that only conquering a challenge can bring,” the Gladiator website urges you to give mud-running a try.

FitGirl is a weekly health and fitness column. If you have any questions you want to see answered feel free to email me.