Up & Coming Weekly

May 19, 2015

Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.

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May 20-26, 2015 UCW 13 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Special OperatOrS challenge: are YOu up FOr it? by STEPHANIE CRIDER Challenges. Some people shy away from them. Others embrace them. Ivan Castro, founder of Special Operators Challenge, relishes beating the odds. He beat the odds when he was wounded in combat and lost his sight in 2006. He never regained it. Since then he's challenged himself by running more than 50 marathons, including the New York, Boston, London and Marine Corps marathons, as well as two ultra-marathons. In 2012, he cycled across America. More recently, he skied to the South Pole with England's Prince Harry. Castro knows that he is not alone in his love for pushing the limits and crushing expectations. With that in mind, he created the Special Operators Challenge. Last year was the inaugural event. It was a huge success and was voted Endurance Magazine's Best Obstacle Race in the Triad for 2014. The Second Annual Special Operators Challenge is set for May 30 at the Carolina Horse Park. Don't be intimidated by the name. This race is for everyone and includes kid- friendly events that make this an activity for families as well as competitive athletes and everyone in between. "We really just want people to come out and challenge themselves and have a good time," said Castro. "We don't want to haze, belittle or harass you. We want you to have fun and to feel great about what you have accomplished when you are done." The day's events include the Little Muddy Mile and ½ Mile Races are for kids ages 5 and up. A registered parent/guardian runs for free with child challengers. This is a mini race with horse park obstacles and a few added surprises. All child challengers will receive a moisture wicking race T-shirt, finisher's medal and prize raffle ticket. The Boomerang is a 5K track and obstacle run with the added challenge of a few beers and a bratwurst. Fans of the Krispy Kreme Challenge may want to give this race a try. "We give all the participants who are 21 and older a beer at the starting line," said Castro. "They drink the beer and start running. When they finish the lap, they get a bratwurst and then run another lap. When they finish the second lap they get another beer to finish up that last lap. It's called the boomerang for a reason — we don't want to see any of those brats coming back up." Water and other beverages are provided for those who are underage or prefer not to drink alocohol. The Muddy Nick 10K resilience run is not for the faint of heart or weak of spirit. It's 6.2 miles of mud, dirt, water and military-style challenges. "This run is modeled after the Nasty Nick challenge course that Special Forces candidates go through," said Castro. "The obstacle count is not finalized yet, but so far we have 16 challenges for the participants to go through. The Muddy Nick is brutal. It will be a tough one." There are two waves for this race. The Competitor's Wave starts at 10 a.m. and is a team event. Each team must consist of two participants. There are 15 spots for this team. Teams compete for two Remington Rifles. "Second place gets a Spartan blade knife," said Castro. "Third place gets a pair of running shoes — so they can train a little bit harder." The Challenger's Wave starts at 10:30 a.m. and is open to all individuals, as well as teams. All challengers will receive a moisture wicking race T-shirt and a finisher medal uniquely designed for the event. Also, every challenger will receive a free raffle ticket and every challenger over the age of 21 will receive one free post-race celebration beverage: a beer. The winners get to go to the hyperbaric chamber and recover there. There are plenty of giveaways and raffles. Some of the items include one-on-one at a martial arts studio, a sniper rifle with a scope, a one-year YMCA membership, four memberships to First Health Gym and more. There is an after party at Rail House Brewery. The first beer is free if you have a bracelet from the race. Spectators are in for a treat, too. Vendors, food, music and activities are planned for everyone. "We are giving away Dell tablets, a bike from Hawleys Bicycle World, Little Gym has given passes as prizes," said Castro. "The Climbing Place will have its climbing wall there and they are donating passes to the cause as well. We have four matted and framed prints from law enforcement and firefighters. A tandem parachute jump will be given away as will supplements from Maxx Muscle. We have a month of free yoga to give away. There is face painting for the kids. Many of our sponsors will be there, too. We have so much." The participants can look forward to a day of strenuous challenges and personal accomplishments. Spectators will be entertained and inspired. Firefighters, the FBI and other organizations will educate people and interact with the crowd. Everyone gets a chance to connect with local businesses that, just like Castro and the team at Special Operators Challenge, believe in striving to be better than you ever thought you could. That's why Castro has partnered with them. "There are so many great small businesses in our area and the owners have such big hearts. We really want to give back to them and give them a chance to shine," said Castro. "We have partnered with local business owners for every aspect of this race and they have all been so supportive and generous." While the day celebrates strength and endurance, it is also an opportunity for competitors and spectators alike to share their good fortune with others who are not so lucky right now. Bring two cans of nonexpired, nonperishable food items to donate to a local food bank as the cost of parking. Formula, diapers and clothes are also welcome. All donated items will be given to local charities to help families in this community. "Another great way to help even more on day of the event is to buy a pass band for $5. It goes straight to local nonprofits," said Castro. "During the race you can use it to bypass one of the obstacles." The Special Operators Challenge sponsors several nonprofits, which include the Fayetteville Running Club, National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Special Forces Association Chapter 62, Special Forces Charitable Trust, Step Up for Soldiers and Team Red, White and Blue. Castro feels strongly about giving back to the community and sees the Special Operators Challenge as a way to bring the community together. "There are lots of good events out there, and some of them, you pay the fee and have no idea where the money is going or you wonder who it is helping," he said. "It is all about choices. I wanted to give a choice of nonprofits to support. It is so easy to say 'I can't do it,' but just give it a try. You may be surprised. Life is an obstacle. I want to touch someone. I live every day trying to make a difference." Find out more about the Special Operators Challenge at http:// specialoperatorschallenge.com. Register at active.com. There is no race day registration, and participation is capped at 800 registrants. Parking and spectator admission to the event are free. Push yourself to the limit at The Special Operators Challenge. STEPHANIE CRIDER, Editor. COMMENTS? Editor@upand- comingweekly.com.

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