You know it's a funny thing. Every time I do a race, I run through the same motions. Every time!!!
I HATE having to get up so early in the morning. I am not a morning person, and I don't appreciate waking up any earlier than I have to. However,the mud run is a little more labor intensive, because you need to make sure you have a change of clothes, bath soap, a towel, flip flops, etc....
As I scurried around the house grabbing everything that needed to be taken, I was in my head wondering, "Why do I sign up for these things?".
For the last three years, I have been on the computer at midnight on New Years Eve, signing up for the mud run. Exactly six months earlier than the race. And as the race gets more popular, it gets more crucial to be ready to sign up so it doesn't sell out. I'm pretty sure the urgency has a lot to do with it.
Julie came right at 7am, to pick me up. She looks about as happy as I am.
As we pack up the car and start heading out, we both express our 'almost' happiness at being here. As it is, we are already starting out late, but hopeful this won't cause an issue.
On our drive, we started talking about how far we have come from the days of couch-potato-ness and overweight status. As she has lost 30lbs, exercise has become a part of her life too.
We talk about how hard it is to stay on track sometimes, because when life gets in your way, sometimes you handle it and sometimes you don't. Lately, we have both been struggling.
We started talking about the mud run and what it has done for us.
When I did my first mud run, I was so scared, I barely slept the night before. I was certain I would die on the trail, and my body be left for dead. I was certain of it.
When race day came, I took the course, flew over the walls, sauntered through the lake and skipped to the finish line. I did and was capable. I remember the thoughts that ran through my head, but the most important one was, "If I can do this....what else can I do?".
We spend our lives limiting ourelves. Believing what others tell us and living in a box. Very few people take the road less traveled and really put themselves out there. After all, "out there" is a very scary place.
I watched others who ran, and I looked at them as if they had tentacles growing out of their heads. I didn't get it. WHY would someone run? It's so boring and so hard to do.
And when I started walking and decided to start trying to run (without commitment, mind you), I realized that my inability to run was my own limitation. It was my lack of belief in myself. I also had this mindset that to run, means you run without stopping for the whole run. And to this day, I have not achieved that. But still accept the accolades of running. Because it is something I said, I would never do! Yet here I was.....signed up for yet another race....and on my way there.......crazy, I tell ya!
As we get to the race, we are late. It took longer than we anticipated (which is why we left earlier last year...now I remember) and we parked a mile away. But it's okay, because the trail isn't going anywhere and it's a lovely day.
We tried to locate my niece and brother, but missed them by a mile. Because we were looking for them, we started out of the gate a few minutes late. Everyone was gone from the corral when we got there, so we just did the best we could to catch up.
Julie slowed back before I did. I trudged my way through and started passing people. This gave me energy. I always look a the bodies around me on these runs and they vary so much, there is no one category to fit us all into.
As I was going up the mile + long hill, I ran into a friend running with her dad. As I ran further, I saw two teachers from my kids school. Same two I ran into last year. I can't find my niece, but I'm finding everyone else. Crazy again.
I took off on the downhill and went over the first wall. A bit harder than last year; I'm not in as good of shape. However, the lake walk was a breeze for me. I bounced all the way across the 1/4 mile lake, practically pushing people out of the way.
Over the next wall, through the tubes and up the steep, wet, slimey hill. I'm exhausted at this point. But I keep going. As I run down the final hill, an turn the corner, I'm met with the pit. The only way to get through this pit is on your belly. I sink down, drag myself through, with marines yelling the whole way. I'm loving every minute. I'm almost to the finish line. It wasn't a strong run, I wonder what my time is.
As I round the corner and hit the finish line, I see 1hour, 34 minutes. I am stoked. Way better time than last year. I am in disbelief, so I ask the lady next to me, "Is that the real time?" She said, "Yeah...sucks, huh?" Clearly we are on different wavelengths, but I'm okay with it. I don't care about her time, I care about mine. And I'm proud!
After I go through the finish line I take my place for the next 20 minutes to wait for Julie. She came through at my last years time, so we are both better off than last year.
And as we stand there, in completion of our race, we are elated. We did it, and we did it in better time. We are both ready to sign up for next years challenge.
Racing...it's a crazy thing.....
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