Anyone do run and gun 5K or 10K biathlons? I just did my first one at Waco Tactical Fitness - a 10K with physical obstacles and 7 pistol and rifle stages. It was tough as heck but a lot of fun. Here’s their website:
Theirs is part of the Texas Lonestar Run and Gun Texas Championship series. I’m hooked and can’t wait to do it again next year.
Sounds like fun. Ahh, to be young, I would so do that.
I hear ya! I’m 52. Not that young, either, but not quite old I guess. I suffer from Crohn’s disease and had a bit of a cancer scare last year. So I decided I wanted to do some kind of physical activity on my “new lease” on life so to speak. I met another guy in his early 40’s who said he had real high blood pressure. So he started doing these about a year ago and his blood pressure went back down to normal.
I despise running, but really enjoy target shooting. I’m a complete noob to the shooting sports, though. But running and shooting? Sounded like fun, so I figured I’d try it. Way tougher than I thought, and way more addicting! To say it kicked my butt is an understatement. I completely failed two obstacles, timed out and DNF’ed every stage but one, and kept asking myself why the heck am I subjecting my 52 year old body to this? I thought I trained sufficiently for it by jogging 5 to 7 miles with 15-20 lbs in my backpack, doing push-ups, pull ups, and weights, and even lost 10 lbs of body weight, but I still felt weak on some of the obstacle courses.
Anyway, there was a 58 year old guy there, too. I’ve heard of a guy in his 70’s do the Pecos Run and Gun (the venue that started this whole new awesome sport), but I don’t remember seeing anyone that looked to be that old at this one. Most looked to be in their 20s through early 40’s, and Texas A&M University even sent a team of their marksmen who looked to be college-aged and who completely dominated everything, including all the hard, physical obstacle course stages. The few older guys that did it walked most of it (you don’t have to run the whole thing). I jogged most of it and walked a bit in the real muddy, slippery parts, while reloading or just trying to catch my breath after a hard obstacle (climbing stuff while carrying about 20 or so lbs of rifle and gear).
The one I did also offered a 5K “sprint,” but it was sold out by the time I went to register for it. So I probably bit more than I could chew by signing up for the 10K. So glad I did, though. I learned a whole lot and what to expect of my gear in real wet and muddy conditions. Definitely want to do another one.
As a matter of fact, I’m one of the organizers of that series. 
I’m glad you loved WTF! I had to cancel going at the last minute to that one.
RnGs are super addicting. Each one is very unique as each event has different terrain which greatly impacts the types of stages you’re gonna go through.
Check out our calendar, events for next year will be announced soon: https://www.texasrunandgun.com
And give us a follow on FB!
If anyone wants to know more about RNGs, I’m happy to answer questions and here’s two articles that would interest you.
https://lockedback.com/wtf-biathlon-2016/
https://lockedback.com/gear-for-a-run-and-gun-shooting-competition-a-multi-mile-2-gun-match/
Wow, awesome to know you’re on here! I first heard about these events about a year or so ago and thought they were a really cool setup. Real glad you and other folks organize these events. And thanks for the facebook group links, I’ve already joined and follow their feeds all the time. Aside from friend and family contacts, it’s one of the other few reasons I keep a facebook account.
Are you in the Waco area?
Austin - so not far at all, especially by Texas standards.
Oh, ok. I’m up in Waxahachie, about an hour and a half northeast of Crawford. So not too far from WTF or the one in Cresson, which I’d also like to do.
Y’all are awesome for setting up and organizing these Texas events, by the way. I saw all the work that was put into making each stage and the creativity involved in them and the physical obstacles.
I’m glad you enjoy them!
Be sure to check out Impact Run and Gun. Quarterly events, but much smaller. That one does some pretty unique and fun stuff.
Whew.
Eghads, I’m plumb exhausted just from reading about this.
Do you have a division for really old guys?
You know with ATVs?
No age division I’m aware of. Also no division among gear/caliber types, either. It’s more a “run-what-ya-brung” in whatever “young-and-fit” or “old-and-decrepit” physical stage you may be in. So theoretically, I could try it with a cane and a limp and a beat up old Mosin and revolver if I wanted to. Texas A&M University sent their college-aged marksmen team, all of whom looked to be in excellent condition and some of whom easily flew right pass me as I tried to jog along the muddy course. But the overall winner looked to be much older than them, a physically-fit looking guy who looked to be nearing middle-age.
Despite all that, for me this event was more a way to help me gauge my own strengths and weaknesses in physical strength, stamina, gear selection and shooting skill, and not so much as a competition against others. It was humbling enough that I DNF’ed every stage but one, but glad I didn’t come in last! Even so, I now know that as muddy as my AR and Pmags got, I had no malfunctions! Also learned I don’t like running with a battle belt, I need much more water and way less .223 ammo, and I need to bring spare rags, diaper wipes and a small IFAK kit in plastic ziploc bags next time the course is a wet, mud-slogged mess. Also need to work on my climbing and belly dragging crawling skills and shooting in weird positions.
Some events will have a gear division. For example, an event recently had a M1 Garand division where everyone shot Garands, obviously.
Most of them don’t bother with divisions as this event kinda self regulates. You gotta carry your gear across multiple miles through harsh conditions and over obstacles - so people don’t want to carry heavy or bulky gear as that causes problems.
Although, Impact RnG mentioned he might get an old guys division going.
The winner is one of the best shooters I’ve met and he can run despite his looks.
Oh, I didn’t mean to imply that he looked bad. He looked tough and in good shape! Where is he from?
Shooting with a Garand sounds like fun. I’d like to try a 5K with a Garand and a 1911!
I know. He doesn’t look like a stereotypical person who would run and shoot fast, that’s all.
Do it! Some people try stuff like that even if there is no division for that. In the spring, someone did WTF with a Mosin Nagant.
Run n’ Guns are fun and will help you decide what you need to work on. It’s one thing to hit steel standing still with a resting heartbeat. Ramp it up to 175 bpm and try it. It’ll be and eye opener.
I agree Nick! Throw in having to carry about 20 lbs or so of gear, shooting in the rain, mud, heat, cold, dealing with cuts and abrasions, contorting into weird and uncomfortable shooting positions, dealing with shaky arm muscles after climbing walls and fences just before shooting, etc.! Definitely a fun learning experience.
The website doesn’t list anything for next year. When are they typically held? I need to work on everything that this tests, so I am interested.
The specific dates haven’t been finalized yet. We only just finished with a few events and are occupied with organizing the championship.
The next one will be in April. There will be at least one more in the spring and a few in the fall.
Check out Impact Run and Gun on Facebook as well. He puts on smaller quarterly events. Much laid back with lots of unique elements. Very fun.
There’s also a Run n Gun facebook page that talks about all of the different 5K, 10K and 20K events in the country.
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