Written by Bryce Ethridge, Asst. Entertainment Editor

On Saturday, VSU held the Ultimate Blazer Challenge, an event replacing this year’s 5k Blazer Dash.

The challenge was open to all students and faculty, but participants had to be in teams of two. The challenge consisted of stations where participants would test their minds with puzzles, their bodies with balance beams and their spirits of adventure with a forest setting.

The challenge included a slip-and-slide dash, balancing challenges, tests of aim, running and more.

“We wanted to offer something different to students and the VSU community other than a 5k because we have so many of those,” Sarah Thomas, coordinator of Campus Wellness and program director of the undergraduate exercise physiology program, said.

Thomas said one new idea was an obstacle course, and Campus Wellness, Campus Recreation and CORE came together to make that event happen.

Chelsea Holcombe, coordinator of Wellness and Promotions for Campus Recreation, said the Blazer Dash was replaced with the Ultimate Blazer Challenger due to low attendance at the 5k dash in the past few years.

“We (Campus Wellness) decided to kind of come up with a different idea, and this (the Ultimate Blazer Challenge) is what we came up with,” Holcombe said.

Thomas said the challenge was not for anyone to win but to promote wellness and health. At the end of the challenge, participants were greeted by members of Campus Recreation, CORE and Campus Wellness, while also getting their picture taken and receiving a medal.

Kyle Hopkins, a junior, said the Ultimate Blazer Challenge required participants to not be impulsive.

“To me, the balancing challenges were the hardest, but then again, there’s a strategy behind it all, so you just have to find it as fast as possible,” Hopkins said. “You’re already tired when you get there, so you just want to get through it, but you have to slow yourself down and think it through.”