One of the most extreme running events in the country got underway in North Texas over the weekend despite concerns the race might be canceled.
The Warrior Dash was nearly shut down when Kaufman County filed a court order saying the promoters didn't have the proper permits.
Organizers made changes to the event to meet requirements stipulated by a judge.
Approximately 18,000 people signed up for the sold-out 3.5-mile Warrior Dash in Kaufman County.
The 3.5-mile race was run in waves of 500 racers.
500 racers at a time took to the course to battle their way through nine grueling obstacles during the two-day event.
The course featured a run through gale force winds, across wooden planks, down a river, through uncharted forest, a slippery riverbed, up a muddy incline, down a muddy slope, through a creek and up a mud embankment, over giant hay bales, through water and over logs, over wooden barriers and up cargo nets.
The race ended with a leap over fire and a scramble through the mud under barbed wire to the finish line.
Participants walked away with a warrior helmet, t-shirts and custom medals.
The Warrior Dash Facebook page featured many posts from racers calling the event a big success.
Red Frog LLC, the company behind the race, told the Dallas Morning News it does want to bring the Warrior Dash back to Texas next year, no word if it will take place in Forney again, but organizers aren't ruling out the location.
