In line with the Surgeon General's Performance Triad, Tripler Army Medical Center's Nutrition Care Division completed the challenging Spartan Race Saturday as "The Mighty Masticators."
The 11-person team trained for nearly four weeks in preparation for the grueling multi-course, 5k mud run, and according to Maj. Rodriguez, they started as a team and finished as a team in less than two hours.
The Surgeon General's Performance Triad consists of three components: activity, nutrition and sleep. The race posed a rugged test incorporating the first component, activity.
"We wouldn't have gotten through without the team", Maj. Rodriguez said.
Team members said Mighty Masticator, Sgt. Smith, was particularly helpful in assisting team members climb over 8-foot walls, and even helped other race participants. "The key is having someone tall on your team", Cpt. Khan said. She noted how Sgt. Smith scaled the walls with ease and still had energy to burn at the end of the race. "You would see his fingers grip the top of the wall, and then his whole body was over".
Sgt. Smith, however, said the best part of the race was his fashion choice -- neon green shorts, and watching team member Spc. Bain do a front flip into a pool of mud. "We're bruised, battered and broken", Sgt. Smith joked.
The Mighty Masticators endured, barbed wire, uphill runs, tire flips and rope climbs -- all while covered head-to-toe in mud. "Just when you thought you were as muddy as you could possibly get, they sent you through a mud pit", Cpt. Khan said
Aside from a couple minor injuries, team members are left with bumps, bruises and their mud-tinged team shirts to remind them of the event. The Mighty Masticators plan to compete in next year's race, which is classified as a "Super" Spartan Race and includes at least 20 obstacles throughout an eight mile run.
"We know what we need to work on now", Maj. Rodriguez said in regards to training for next year's event. Training will include robe climbs, pull-ups, upper body work and squats, among other cross-training exercise. Training will take place daily on the back lawn of Tripler at 4 p.m., and anyone looking for a tough workout is welcome to join The Mighty Masticators.
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