Dozens of friends, family members and acquaintances of Jen Callahan gathered at the Hideout Bar & Grill in Becker Sunday evening to watch a local gal compete on Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge on national TV.

 

“I was overwhelmed,” said Callahan. “I never expected that much support — especially from that many people on a late Sunday night.”

 

Callahan, as featured in last week’s Citizen-Tribune, flew out to California last July to compete on the Steve Austin show against seven other women from all over the country. One of them was a well-known celebrity — Kacy Catanzaro — who became famous overnight a few years ago for her accomplishments on the American Ninja TV program.

 

Jennifer didn’t go head-to-head with Kacy on the Broken Skull program, but the girls became quick friends through the experience.

 

Sunday, as Jen’s supporters milled around the bar/restaurant to get a good seat in front of the TV, the throng waited with baited breath for the opportunity to see their friend, family member and loved one grace the big screen TV.

 

Jen, who along with all the contestants, was sworn to secrecy on how she finished or any of the details from the program filmed last summer. As the broadcast manifested itself on the high-definition monitors, Jen sensed a deafening quiet as every viewer craned their neck to hear and see every moment.

 

One of the first viewings of Jen on the screen was when Steve Austin went around and asked the girls why they were there to compete. Jen answered confidently that she used to be in law enforcement and went on to verbally challenge her opponents in a self-assertive kind of way.

 

“There’s a lot of smack talk between the girls and I got caught up in the moment,” she said.

 

The crowd gathered at the Hideout exploded with cheers after seeing their girl, the oldest competitor in the bunch, deliver  courage and conviction.

 

The competitor’s first challenge at the ranch was called Trench Warfare and featured two challengers on opposite sides of a 50-ft. long, two-feet wide trench filled with water. The objective is to race from one end of the trench past your opponent and be the first to ring a bell on the opposite end.

 

Jen knew she had a physical advantage in head-to-head situations and went into the contest brimming with confidence.

 

“With my smack talk at the beginning, I knew I had to back it up with a win and there was no way I was going to lost this first competition,” she said.

 

Her opponent in the first round was Molly, a 23-year-old power builder from Texas who checked in at 5’5” and 120-lbs. Jen was listed as a 39-year-old at 5’5” and 115-lbs.

 

Both girls ran the course with two completely different strategies.

 

“My goal — and I told myself I was going to do this — was to physically overtake her and drag her to my bell and make her ring it,” said Jen.

 

It’s exactly what happened.

 

At the starting gun, Jen and Molly raced to the middle of the trench and Jen stopped her in her tracks. She grabbed her leg while Molly desperately tried to pull away. Steve Austin hovered over the scene and called the “play-by-play” and at one time — when Jen lifted both of Molly’s legs above the water — Austin proclaimed, “She’s levitating!”

 

Jen had the advantage at that point and used her brute strength to drag her opponent the 25-feet or so to her bell. With the “ding” of the bell, Jen was moving on to round two while Molly was eliminated.

“I trained for fighting like that and for physical challenges head-to-head,” said Jen. “I knew that if I took her feet away, she’d have nothing to beat me with.”

 

The next round featured what is called “High & Dry” and was a completely new competition for the show. The competitors would line up side-by-side with each having the same obstacle course directly in front of them.

 

The course again featured a water challenge.

 

“I was the last one to participate in the trench warfare and the first to compete in High & Dry,” Jen said. “I looked at the obstacle and felt okay about what was ahead of me.”

 

What was ahead was a pool of water with two floating logs in it. The girls were to grab progressively heavier sandbags and dive into the water, duck under the logs, jump out of the pool, throw the sandbags over an eight-foot wall, climb the wall and finally, ring a bell.

 

Jen’s next opponent was Terry from Florida. She too was 23 years old and checked in at 5’3” and 118-lbs. Her area of expertise in fitness is weightlifting.

 

At the start of the High & Dry contest, each girl was tasked to pick up a 20-lb. sandbag, then race to the water and get to the end. After heaving the soaking wet bag over the high wall, each competitor raced back the same way to retrieve an even heavier bag, this time 40-lbs., and race through the course again. The final sandbag weighed 60-lbs. — dry.

 

“After the first sandbag and as I got in the water with the next, I honestly thought to myself, “how am I going to do this?, said Jen. “My breath was short and my muscles ached and my legs were like Jello.”

 

For those who know Jen, the aches and pains and struggles would never be enough to cause her to quit. And sure enough, Jen battled through the agony all the way to the end. As the third level of the challenge was closing, Jen was lagging behind Terry with her heaviest bag in her arms. Terry was standing at the wall giving all she had to get her 60-lb. bag over the eight foot wall. She struggled.

 

The struggle opened the door for Jen in her comeback and when she reached the wall and heaved her bag up, it precariously got hung up on the top beam without falling over to the other side. Terry’s next throw was enough to get her nag barely over the wall and all she had to do was climb it, jump down and ring the bell.

 

Which she did, eliminating Jen from advancing in the competition.

 

“That was mentally and physically draining,” said Jen. “But quitting was not an option for me.”

 

Terry went on to beat her next opponent to take first place and gave her the opportunity to take on the Broke Skull obstacle course — which she failed to complete.

 

“I hate losing, but I was so pleased with how I did and where I placed (fourth),” said Jen. “It’s pretty humbling realizing I was out there competing as one of eight other girls in the nation chosen as top athletes by the producers. I have no regrets.”

 

And she had no detractors at the Hideout either. As the viewers experienced her loss on the screen, there were no heads hanging or “I’m sorrys”. All Jen’s supporters applauded their hero and praised her for her achievement.

 

What’s next for Jen? For those who’ve looked her in the eye lately — they know something’s brewing.

 

“I’ve got my feelers out there and we’ll have to see where this takes me,” she said. “Who knows? Maybe I’ll get the chance to continue following my dreams.”

 

A dream this former deputy sheriff knows is just on the other side of a wall.