Modifier: Strength

Floating Steps - 3

Oh YEAH! Shane was PUMPED for this! He was gonna charge through and be the very best! That no one ever was! His heart was pounding in his chest as he approached the first obstacle: the Floating Steps. Part leapfrog, part pinball, eh? That sounded entertaining. Maybe he'd get some good momentum off each step, and he could bounce his way to victory.

Unfortunately, his confidence lead him to a false start. Once he hit the third platform, he felt himself start to slip, and that "felt" became a "oh god actually slipping whyyyyy". Fortunately, Shane was mighty, and he was able to cling to the platform for dear life and pull himself up. Chin-up power, yo! In any case, once he got over that mess, the rest of the section went decently. Could be better, but wasn't awful.

Big Dipper - 2 (becomes 3 due to strength modifier)

Why was this called the Big Dipper? Okay, sure, there was a dip that happened before you flung yourself to the next obstacle, but that still didn't add up. Maybe if there was an actual spoon-type platform, or something... it seemed that Shane's rumination over the meaning of the obstacle's name nearly caused him trouble, but a man of his strength was able to hold on with no trouble. Actually, there was one trouble: getting enough air to sail to the next obstacle. That didn't happen. Well, it DID happen, but not as much as he'd like. Booooo!

Pipe Fitter - 5 (4 due to 3 from previous round)

Shane made it to the Pipe Fitter, if less gracefully than he'd like. He was feeling fairly confident about this particular step; it required strength to hold on to the funny little pipes. Swing like a monkey, that was how it tended to go. Gather momentum, then FWOOSH!

At some point, his vision dipped a wee bit lower than it should have. Brrr, that was a long fall. A long fall into a very wet pool. Looking down was BAD. Eyes on the prize, Shaney. That was how it had to be. He had to focus, or he wouldn't get anywhere.

Block Run - 3

Uggggh, another momentum challenge. Shane was starting to see a pattern here. These challenges seemed to be catered to the fast, not the strong. What a bias! He'd complain later if there was an opportunity, maybe. But that was later. Right now, he had to get through this obstacle. And he did, but not without a lot of stumbling. Awkward? Yes. Did it do the trick? Yes.

Spin Cycle - 4

Oh, Shane had seen these doodads at playgrounds before. They were pretty fun to hang off of. This was no playground, of course; instead, it was a challenge to die for, and he was determined to succeed. Though his endurance was being tested, he managed to swing his way through the spin cycle without too many issues. He did, however, wonder how his time was coming along. Given his lopsided performance prior, he was feeling a bit uneasy about it all, but now was not the time to fuss over that. He had to keep moving!

Warped Wall - 6!

Flawless, you say? Flawless indeed! As though he'd been waiting for this moment (which he had), he ran up the warped wall with no hesitation. He was able to run up instead of forward, his legs pushing him along, and he gave the finishing button a good smack. What a relief! Now he could worry about his time, the bias towards fast people, and if a strong finish would work in his favor. A moment to catch his breath was welcome.

WC: 584