I tend to be one of those people who’s mantra is “stick to what you know” doesn’t mean that I avoid risks, but I like to happily take those risks doing something I’m comfortable doing-sounds like an oxymoron- I know. Simply put, I don’t want to do anything that might affect my weight lifting. If I break a leg I’d have to back off squatting for a few months, GASP, life as I know it is OVER!
YOLO?
Precisely why over a year ago I created my Fitness bucket list-a dumb list of horrible pain inducing things that I really want to do but avoid doing. Life is short and in a blink of an eye we’re old, maybe injured and why not experience everything this journey we’re on has to offer?! Hell, I might actually be good at something else that doesn’t involve tossing around a bunch of weights.
I wanted to do the Tough Mudder in part because my sister does a ton of adventure races, from kayaking, biking and running so it seemed fun, at least she always looks happy in pics. I love that she hasn’t put herself into this weight lifting box like so many of us have…so I figured why not add this to my list and be just like her. Maybe cause:
- I can’t swim
- I hate running
- I CANT swim
- I HATE RUNNING
- OH and this…. I CANT SWIM!
Enter my friend Peeh and Incipio who decided to sponsor and put a team together. Of course, we all got headphones, ear buds, shirts, and waterproof phone cases <<<proof that I can be bought and bribed-maybe I should run for office.
Tough Mudder is pegged as one of the hardest races-with 11 plus miles and around 20 something obstacles standing in your way to the finish line. My training included approximately 3, three mile hikes-they were exhausting to say the least and I was seriously dreading race day. I actually started thinking of ways I could get out of it, but I didn’t want to be a flake and let my team, Incipio and myself down.
SUCK IT UP BUTTERCUP
Driving to Temecula that morning I had that-WTF am I about to do feeling-I avoided looking online at the obstacles because I didn’t want to see what was in store for me. I had heard all the horror stories about the ice cold water, knee deep mud and the shocker obstacles. Signing a death waiver doesn’t make you feel any more confident about your decision, but once we got to the start line and the energy from the crowd gets you going you actually feel like you can do it…(that and a lot of people looked miserably out of shape and I was like- if THEY can do it I can too) time to suck it up and get to work.
To give a fair account I did avoid two obstacles, not knowing how to swim I couldn’t see myself standing on a 20 ft plank and jumping into a man-made lake of water. The volunteers had actually cautioned you heading into this obstacle that you should avoid it if you weren’t a strong swimmer-doggy paddling doesn’t count as a strong swimmer in my book.
Pictures are worth a thousand words…..
Luckily I walked away with only a few bruises, and a gash on my forehead. They were not lying when they said those obstacles shock. I was hit in the back of the neck and let’s just say that water and electricity DO NOT mix. My body went into fetal mode and my head hit a rock. On a good note, I got through 11 miles without a side ache, muscle cramping, an oxygen tank or the medic wagon.
Here’s to another adventure being scratched off my bucket list, meeting some awesome girls, becoming an honorary Asian for a day and to those that laughed at me for running 11 miles….my cardio requirement has been met for the year-TAKE THAT!
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