Tag Archives: Road running

2013 Boston Marathon: Moving Forward, Hand in Hand

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It didn’t seem real, the events of Monday’s Boston Marathon. One moment I was taking a break at work, receiving mass updates from all of my friends who were running the event. Full of so much joy for all of the runners. The next instant, I was inside watching the news poor in, the images spreading across every TV channel…

How? Why? Who? The questions are endless. The reasoning will never be understood. One thing is for certain though, as many times as bad things happen… I am reminded of the compassion that humans can have for one another. The news showed so many videos where you saw people running TOWARD the chaos to help in any way possible, even if that meant putting themselves in danger.

This is why I run races. This is why I believe that people in the running community are some of the most incredible, selfless human beings you will ever encounter…. Exhausted ahletes who just tested their endurance for 26.2 miles coming to the rescue as a makeshift medical team. The reminder we needed that this is NOT what our world is coming to.

I know that we as a community, will (and already have) come together hand in hand and move FORWARD. We will all still strive to some day toe the line of The Boston Marathon. Boston will continue to celebrate Patriots Day with pride and love.

So, instead of looking back and dwelling on this tragic moment. I propose a toast.

Cheers to each and every one of you. Cheers to everyone who toed the line yesterday morning at the 117th Boston Marathon. Let us look forward with hope, love and strength. Let us always run out of love, passion and dedication, NEVER out of fear.

San Francisco Marathon Training: An Update

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In 3 months I will be running my very first marathon in one of the most beautiful cities in the USA. 10 weeks of training for the San Francisco Marathon have completely flown by. Between work and the time spent training, it’s beginning to feel like I have a part-time job on top of my full time job. Not that I think of running as a ‘job’ — just as far as time put into training goes…

Which has left very little time to sit down and write a blog post. Okay, that isn’t entirely true… I’ve had time but I’ve instead enjoyed the brief moments of relaxation or socializing. Sue me ;)

With 15 weeks left of training there are only 2 more weeks of base building before my mileage starts entering territory I’ve never been…. Quite frankly I’m getting a bit nervous about it! My body is still adjusting to running 25-30 miles (and only increasing) and working 50+ hours on my feet a week. There are days that I really don’t know if I’m remotely cut out for running 26.2 miles. But I just tell myself that the time on my feet is going to benefit me in the long run so long as I rest properly and don’t get injured.

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This is what happens when your feet are always in work or running shoes…

I’ve been playing with my training and rest days the last several weeks. Trying to find something that works for me and my schedule. The last thing I want is to have my long runs set for the day of or before I work a double shift or have to close the restaurant at 3 in the morning….(Which is typically the weekends… when normal people do their LRs ;) ) Something tells me when I start hitting those big scary numbers the last thing I’m going to want to do is work on my feet for 12 hours after. 

With a majority of my training still in front of me, I have still thoroughly enjoyed and learned a TON from these early weeks of marathon training… It’s also a huge adjustment to run in the warmer weather… I lived in Dallas for several years, but I wasn’t a distance runner at the time. Heck, I wasn’t a runner at all back then… So adjusting to the increasingly warmer and humid weather is fun. While it certainly got warm in Maryland, it was a lot more dry. After this weekend’s 90 degree and humiiiiid 10 miler I solemnly swear to never go out for more than a few miles without wearing body glide between my buttcheeks.

Life lessons you learn during marathon training, y’all.. Life lessons. ;)

 

You musn't be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling - Inception

I may cross the finish line on June 16 and decide that marathon running isn’t for me. However, I’m going to put every ounce of passion and energy I have into the next 15 weeks and push through all of the pain, because after the pain comes the euphoria. I’m going to train hard, have fun, and come my birthday I will be a marathoner! :)

Are you training for anything right now?

Good-Bye Austin Half Marathon, Hello Air Cast

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I haven’t wanted to talk about this.. However, it has become more clear to me that it’s time to lay it out there. Once I talk about it, I’ll start to get over it a little bit. I’ll lose the chip on my shoulder… With that being said, I’ve been trying to write this since Sunday night and I keep allowing myself to become distracted. Obviously, there is a part of me still not ready to come to terms with things.

You know those moments that flash before your eyes in slow motion but you just can’t stop them? Well, one of those situations happened to me Saturday morning. I awoke bright and early that day to get in 4 easy-paced miles before work. I headed down MLK toward campus just like I do every weekend. Campus is practically empty on the weekend mornings, making a peaceful and beautiful route to run. I turned up my tunes and completely lost myself in my thoughts as I entered the UT Campus. I was ticking along when I suddenly got the urge to go a different direction through campus than I typically do. I find myself taking a right turn toward Robert Dedman, and up past the Football Stadium. Then the moment came. I’m chugging along and suddenly I launch my foot off the ground to notice (too late) that there was a step down on the sidewalk. The moment passes so slowly that I can feel myself realize that I’m about to do some damage on the landing. Yet, it was too late to do anything about it… I had already launched off the ground. My foot slammed into the ground funny and rolled to the outside.

Down I went.

There was an instant pain shooting up the outside of my left ankle and top of my left foot. Every single curse word in the english (and even some from the italian) dictionary came out of my mouth. There was a super nice, helpful gentleman running the opposite way and came to my rescue when he saw me go down. He asked me if I was okay. I just kind of sat there… No words came out of my mouth. He knelt down on the ground next to me, as if to see if there was any life in my eyes or something. I shook myself, literally, and told him quite frankly “I don’t know. I think so” and hopped to my feet. I couldn’t put my weight on my left foot. I started crying.. Not out of pain (which yes.. I was in pain, but not enough to cry) but because I was terrified I had ruined my chances of running SFM in June. The pain felt exactly like I remember it feeling when I was diagnosed with Peroneal Tendonitis in high school when I was a gymnast… I had to take nearly a month off and very very slowly build my training back up once I returned. AINT NOBODY GOT TIME FOR THAT!

The kind gentlemen swooped me up and helped me hobble to the bus stop. It was time to swallow my pride, thank the guy, and take the metro home to dump my foot into a bucket of ice before heading to work. All day at work I was favoring my left foot as much as possible and cringing with every step. Several hours later, I yanked my shoe off as soon as clocking out….

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….Fantastic…

Sunday morning I crawled out of bed to discover it was even more stiff, and the swelling/bruising hadn’t gone down at all. I was supposed to close the bar that night, I am 20 weeks out from San Francisco Marathon, and I work 5-6 shifts a week on my feet. I wasn’t taking any chances to do serious damage and off to Urgent Care I went for X-Rays and to pray for the best. A chuckle from the doctor, something silly.. Maybe a “just lay off it for a few days and you’ll be good as new.”

Of course, we never get what we’re hoping for in the doctor’s office, now do we? Nope. The doctor came back, films in hand, chart in the other, just shaking his hand. “I have good news and bad news. Which do you want first.” I hate when they say that. Don’t give me options, just lay it on me flat.

The verdict? I will not be running the Austin Half-Marathon in February. I will however, if I take the right amount of time off, do the PT exercises, and ease back into training, be able to catch up on Marathon Training!!

I know what you’re thinking, Give me the DEEETS!
It turns out it’s a Grade II Ankle Sprain.

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I get to sport this super stylish air cast and compression brace until I’m able to put weight on my left foot while it’s straight. At which point I will start adding in dorsiflexion–plantar flexion (aka pumping my foot up and down) Which I’m not allowed to start doing until the end of the week. (insert fit of frustration, here) At which point I’ll start adding in other ankle exercises and some walking. I’m hoping within 3 weeks I’ll be able to run again and ease back into Marathon Training. At this point, I’m just thankful this happened at the beginning of Marathon training, rather than when I’m only a month or two out.

If I’m not able to run on February 7th… Just watch out world, that’s all I have to say.

I’m kind of freaking out, because yes… I know that an ankle sprain, even a grade II, isn’t exactly the end of the world or the end of marathon training. With the proper time to heal I will bounce back from this.. However, I work on my feet. I work long, and hard, exhausting hours that make my feet and ankles hurt even when I’m not injured… How does one go about healing properly while marathon training, when they have bills to pay, and those bills are paid by running around a crazy busy restaurant for 10+ hours at a time? I’ve taken this entire week off… But I can NOT afford to take any more time than that off. I just can’t afford it. I also can’t afford to be injured for more time than I already will be.

FUDGE.

Anyone out there who has been injured while working a job on their feet? How do you deal? How do you prevent yourselves from becoming more injured while still putting food on the table and a roof over your head?

Guest Post: TINKER BELL Virtual Race

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One of my first ever Blends (blog friends) Was Jennie from Running Jennie.. We were both training for our first half-marathon (which we both accomplished!!) Both fairly new to the blogosphere. Today, Jennie has a guest post for y’all!!! :)
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A year ago, if you had told me I would be training for my third half marathon while trying to raise $5,000 for charity, I would have told you that you were crazy.  I had not yet run my first half marathon and have never been a strong fundraiser.  To find myself doing both right now is shocking.  But here I am!
When I decided I wanted to run another half marathon this coming winter, I knew that I wanted to make it about something bigger than me.  I had heard a lot about Team in Training, a group that trains for endurance events like half marathons while raising money to support blood cancer research and programs.  I decided to join them.   Although I am blessed to not have a personal connection to blood cancers right now, I know many people who do have stories, and I know that there are many more people that I don’t know yet who have stories.  I am running for all those people.  There are people in the world who will never have this opportunity, for so many different reasons, and I count myself lucky that I have this chance to make a difference.

One of my fundraisers is a virtual run.  A virtual run is  a race where you sign up, pay a “race fee” (donation), and run the race on your own (or with friends!) on a date of your choosing and at a location of your choosing.  You run, jog or walk either a 5k or 10k distance on your own or with friends, outside or on a treadmill.  All proceeds of this virtual run are going to Team in Training, and participants have the opportunity to win fantastic prizes from great companies like Endorphin Warrior, KT Tape, Larabar and SPIbelt.  Participants will also receive Tinker Bell themed “bling” as a thank you for your support.

Registration is open now, and will stay open until November 23rd.  You can complete your run at any time from now until November 30th.  If you want to sign up, please check out [this post on my blog] (http://runningjennie.blogspot.ca/2012/10/tink-in-training-virtual-run-team-in.html).  That post also has all sorts of information about participant goodies, the prizes and more!

I hope you all can join us for this virtual run to raise money for Team in Training.  For more information about Team in Training, you can visit [their website] (http://www.teamintraining.com) and for information on my fundraising progress or to make a donation, visit my [personal fundraising page ] (http://www.tinkintraining.com).  Thank you for your support!

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Virtual Runs are becoming more & more popular! I mean, who doesn’t want to get a sweet Tinker bell bling to show that they helped the lives of cancer patients??

You can find Jennie at her blog RunningJennie.blogspot.com or via twitter at @JennieRunning

Race Strategy: Believing Is Half The Battle

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I feel sort of silly writing this post today. On the tail of a wicked Marathon weekend, where so many of my friends absolutely rocked the course and winds in DC at the Marine Corps Marathon (Yeah that’s right Caitlin… I’m lookin’ at you!) and NYC Marathon in under a week now…. My little ole Half Marathon in TWELVE FLIPPING DAYS doesn’t seem so big and bad anymore.. haha.

But, to me.. It is. To me, it is more important than my first half-marathon. Why? My first one was all about finishing. This one, is about proving I can do better. This one, is about shutting up that little voice in my head that says “I can’t” It’s about proving that my life didn’t end when my engagement did. It has just begun. I’m better, stronger, more independent and powerful than ever. This is my life, and I am in complete control of it.

Last week I was all over the place. My emotions were high in the beginning of the week, and toward the end of the week I was seriously freaking out about my hip. I was a mess. Pre-race jitters a few weeks early? Who knows. But I do know one thing. That is all in the past.

I sit here confident today. I have a strategy for this race. Columbia had no strategy. My only goal was to finish and not be in last place. I accomplished both, but still ended up disappointed with the time on the clock. That isn’t going to happen this time.

My goal is to negative split, that way I can start the race at a comfortable pace that I know I can maintain for an extended period of time.. Once I hit the 10k mark I plan to drop the hammer. This way, I don’t push my lactic acid threshold too early in the race and can kick it into overdrive during the second half. I hope to stick near the pace group until toward the end of the race and then leave them in the dust. ;)

I learned during my first half-marathon that essentially, it’s a 10 mile run with a 5k race at the end. Once I get to that final 5k I hope to be feeling good enough to start picking off the runners ahead of me.  Using runners up ahead as targets. Increase the effort slightly to gain ground on the competition & to keep from slowing from my goal pace.

Not to the point where I want to hurl before I even make it to mile 12, but enough to push myself. See what exactly I’m really made of. We’ll never know what we’re capable of achieving unless we step outside our comfort zone.

However, once I hit the 13 mile marker, it is GAME OVER. Sure at this point I’ll have been running for over 2 hours and I’ll want to just lay down on the side of the road and call it a day… but, at this point what is another minute or two? I plan on running my little heart out and running so hard my legs want to fall off. Granted, I’m sure they already will at this point.. But again.. that last .1 is nothing compared to what was just accomplished.

Essentially my strategy is to start out slow and steady and gradually increase my pace until the last few miles where I plan to put it all on the table and see what I’m really made of. Will this actually happen? Who knows. If there is one thing I have learned with running, it’s that you never really know whats going to happen on race day until you cross the start line.

However, I have put in the training. I have logged the miles, rested the hip (in fact I’m actually debating running the full 10 miles on my training plan this weekend. I want a fresh hip and giving it extra time to stop throwing a temper tantrum might be the smartest decision.. We’ll see later this week) and the RNR San Antonio course is pretty flat…

I see no reason I shouldn’t be able to blow my goals out of the water.
Believing is half the battle.

Running Lingo 101

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I’ve noticed the last several months, that my most popular search terms on my blog are “running for beginners” and “fartleks” which leads me to believe I’m attracting a lot of people new to the running scene. So, I thought I would throw together a post of all the important running lingo that new runners should know (if for no other reason, than being able to do more than just not along during a conversation ;) ) It can be really daunting reading all of this jargon that makes the 12 year old humor come out in all of us. I mean, fartleks… hehehe. COME ON! :P

While on the subject… Lets start with Fartleks – Speed Play, or “Fartlek” in Swedish (the concept originated in Sweden) is a speedwork format using variable pace running; A mixture of slow running, running at a moderate pace and short, fast bursts. Used to increase speed and endurance.

DNF – Did Not Finish. This is when a runner doesn’t finish the race that they started. “Dropped” is another common term thrown around referring to this.

DNS - Did Not Start. When someone has registered for a race, but never made it to the starting line.

400 Meters - One lap around the track.

5k – 3.1 Miles

10k - 6.2 miles

Half Marathon – 13.1 miles

Marathon – 26.2 miles

Ultra Marathon – Any race over 26.2 miles.

PR – Personal Record. Best time someone has run a specific distance.

Taper – Reducing your mileage in the few weeks before a big race to ensure top performance on race day.

LSD – No, not the drug kids…. the Long Slow Distance; Running at a low to moderate intensity for a longer distance or time. LSD is known to improve endurance and maximum oxygen uptake.

LR – The Long run; A longer distance run typically used once per week during training cycles.

Bandit - A person running a race without having registered or paying for said race.

Intervals - Set distances or times that are meant to be run fast and followed by periods of recovery.

Negative Split – To run the second half of your run or race, faster than the first half.

Bonk/Hitting the Wall - To become literally exhausted, depleted and unable to keep moving forward at a desired pace. This occurs when your glycogen stores are depleted.

Junk Miles – Low quality runs used just to get your mileage for the week higher.

Recovery Run - A recovery run is a short, slow run that takes place within a day after a longer, harder run. This helps teach the body how to work through a fatigued state.

Chip Time - A runner’s race time measured by a chip typically attached to their sneaker or in their bibs. This is the actual time it took to get from the starting line to the finish line.

Cadence – Stride turnover -or- the number of steps taken per minute.

DOMS – Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. This is common around 24-48 hours after a particularly intense run.

ITBS – IT Band Syndrome. The IT Band (Iliotibial band) is a thick ‘band’ of tissue that runs from your hip, down your thigh, across the knee, and through the shin. Between the bone and IT Band are bursa which are supposed to aid in a smooth motion while running. However, when inflamed, it does not rotate in a smooth motion and as a result of how it is now moving, there is pain.

Runner’s Knee - This is the most common injuries among runners, also known as Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS). This pain is located on or around the kneecap and is commonly explained as feeling like your knee is giving out.

BQ – Boston Marathon Qualifying time.

Tempo – A training run performed at 75%-85% effort over a particular distance.

Carb-Loading - To maximize the storage of glycogen in the muscles, endurance athletes consume a diet high in carbohydrates a few days prior to a longer race.

Splits - Times given or recorded at particular points throughout a run.

CR – Course Record; The fastest anyone has run a particular course.

Pronation – The slight, inward roll of the foot as the arch collapses as it has strikes the ground.

Overpronation – The foot rolls inward too much. As a result, the foot and ankle have problems stabilizing the body & the impact isn’t absorbed properly.

Underpronation – The foot doesn’t roll inward enough after the outside of the heel lands. As a result, the impact is absorbed on the outer part of the foot, causing more stress on the lower leg.

 

I’m sure I’m missing some great ones! Whats the most ridiculous running term you’ve heard?

Running With My Heart

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When I first told my friend and coach, Jason, that I registered for my first marathon, he asked me a question. “What motivates you as a runner?” Okay, that’s easy… I started rattling off all of these various things that motivate me. He just shook his head and said a simple “Wrong”… What? How is that wrong? I think I know what motivates me. All he said was “That’s not entirely true, and the sooner you figure out what it is, the easier marathon training will be.”

Pfffft. My friends are all a bit out there, but I was pretty certain he lost his marbles for a minute there. But, like a good little student I listend to his advice and started thinking. He was still wrong!

Until yesterday I couldn’t fathom what he was trying to get me to understand.
Now I do.

I woke up yesterday morning to 16 missed phone calls, 5 text messages and countless facebook messages. One of my smartest and most earnest friends has died. I always thought of him as a dreamer and an optimist like myself. We were both rather misfits growing up and similarly sensitive to the world around us. (for anyone keeping count, that’s 3 in 6 months)

I couldn’t deal with the influx of phone calls, text messages. Everyone I’ve ever known and loved back home in a panic. So, true to form I went to the fitness center. I pumped my treadmill up to 6.4 turned the tunes up as high as I could… Next thing I knew I had run 4.7 miles at 6.4 mph.

That’s a 9:28 minute pace! For a nearly 5 mile run that is FRIGGIN FAST for me! That’s when it all clicked.

I’m an emotional runner. I let my feelings fuel my runs. My brother’s death is what really got my butt in gear during Columbia 13.1 training. The day of my first ever 10 mile race, I woke up to news that my baby niece was born. Today, Nick slipped out of our lives…. I got to thinking more and more, and realized that even the beginning of my running journey was fueled by emotion. My emotional breakdown over how much I hated my body, and how much I wanted to take control of my health. I texted Jason “I run with my heart!”

The miles I run give me a safe space from the expectations of many people. Its a space that lets me grieve, lets me think the dark thoughts that I have to deal with from time to time. We can change everything around in our mind if we shift our focus. Running does this for me. When I jog through my neighborhood park, ideas pop into my head that I hadn’t had before. It’s like a laboratory for ideas and emotions. They fuel my runs, and when I return home I have a whole new perspective on things.

I’m an emotional runner. I run with my heart.
What type of runner are you? What motivates you to run?

Just Call Me Crazy – My First Marathon, REGISTERED

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I finally bit the bullet. After talking about it, tossing back and forth my capabilities, and debating whether or not I’ll die somewhere on the course (I’m guess mile 23 for some reason) Today I registered for my first FULL MARATHON. It’s real, now.

The Flying Pig Marathon! I have had my sights set on the Flying Pig since I decided I was going to run my first Marathon in 2013. I chose the Flying Pig for several reasons. The first selling point was that Zack has family in Cincinnati. I was super happy to find a Marathon in a place where Zack would have people to spend the day with. On top of that, though, I have never heard a bad thing about this marathon! Everyone I have told so far that has run it says its one of the most fun races they’ve participated in! People who haven’t run it say they want to because of its reputation.

The biggest contributing factor, as weird as this may sound… was Emily from Daily Garnish. She was the very first running/healthy living blog I ever read. I liked her blog for two reasons (other than the fact that I just love her blog) she was a Culinary student (I was too at the time) and she was a marathon runner. Reading her Flying Pig recaps are the first time I remember ever thinking I wanted to run 26.2 someday. Is that totally strange?

The best part now that I’ve been looking into the race more, is the BLING! It’s always relatively similar with slight changes each year.

Is that not adorable? a flying pig on the front, and his adorable little booty on the back. LOVE. :)

So its really, really, real y’all! After San Antonio in November, I will have just enough time to recover 100% and then begin Marathon Training!

Marathoners, what was your first 26.2?
If you haven’t run one yet but plan to someday, what Marathon is in your sights for 26.2 #1?

Half Marathon Round Two! Back for Revenge

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Today is the day that I have anxiously been looking forward to. Not because it’s a holiday, birthday, or a no work day. Rather, it is the day that my training for the RnR San Antonio Half Marathon begins. Originally, I had taken the intermediate Hal Higdon training plan & tweaked it to suit my current needs… Resulting in a 12 week schedule. However, with my pelvic tilt being something I’m still consciously working on correcting, my “coach” Jason thought it’d be best to do a 16 week plan. That way I can stick to the 10% rule every step of the way and not risk inflaming the Bursa.

I’m not entirely thrilled about it. While the 10% rule is smart, it also can be a bit conservative. But, I am going to do whats best for my body and will get me my goal time, as well as launch me into full marathon training with a happy, healthy body.I’m looking forward to training this time around 10 billion times more than training for Columbia. I know this time around that I can totally tackle the distance. It’s all about doing it better. Being stronger & faster. On top of that, good grief am I so stoked for long runs. Life is SUPER STRESSFUL right now. A strict training plan is going to help ease the stress a TON!!!

I’m very confident that this training is going to go fairly well. I have a friend who is a certified running coach “guiding” my training. I know a lot more runners in the area now who I’m excited to hit up NCR Trail with, plus I’ve made a commitment to head downtown for Charm City Run Thursday Night group runs! (Bmore runners, join me!! The CCR crew is awesome & the runs start in front of the McHenry Row store! Usually running between 3-6 miles. ALL paces welcome!!!!)

The goal is to run with the 2:15 pace group. My finishing goal isn’t 2:15 but I do want to stay between the 2:15 and 2:30 pace teams the entire race… That’s all I can say. I always have this ridiculous fear that if I say my goal time on the blog, I’ll totally jynx myself. haha. I have a lot of work ahead of me… But I really truly believe I can do this. Having the right mindset is half the battle, right?! ;)

As a training kick off and “OH MY GOD CAN ANYTHING ELSE IN MY LIFE GO WRONG THIS WEEK” treat to myself I decided I could justify buying a clip on mp3 player. NO MORE ARM BAND! woooo!! What I wasn’t expecting, was finding one, brand new, on ebay for 99 cents… And winning the auction!!! Probably not the best sign that I’m the only one who bid on the product, but whatever… I can’t be too upset if it breaks quickly when the grand total with shipping was $4.26

Have any big races coming up?
Have you already run your goal race of the year?

Warrior Dash Maryland – Revenge of the Mud

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Warrior Dash…. I have a lot to say about this day – but let me start off by saying that if you have the opportunity to, SIGN UP!

The day started pretty early for a race that didn’t go off until 12:30. I hadn’t originally realized Mechanicsville is over 2 hours away, I was just so excited when I saw the words “Warrior Dash” and “Maryland” on the screen. Oh well, no big deal. Got up around 8 & were on the road by 9.

…On the road again

The drive in was a breeze, and just as I expected – we came to a dead hult as soon as we turned onto the road the event was being held. We were in line to park for easily 35-40 minutes. It was the most frustrating part of the entire day… When we got in it was smooth sailing from there.

…Yeah…

We parked, made our way into the festival area, stopped at the port-a-john and had me checked in within 10 minutes of paying the once we got through the ‘gate’

LETS DO THIS THING!

Everything about this event was well organized and efficient. The volunteers were incredibly helpful and kind. Despite the intense sun and heat, they had smiles on their faces. Huge props to everyone involved in today’s Warrior Dash in Maryland! You made what could have easily been a chaotic day run great!

The atmosphere was wild. Everyone was full of energy, but unlike most races it wasn’t nervous energy. Shirtless, shoeless, muddy people laughing and dancing and singing all around with huge turkey legs and pints of beer. Not to mention the viking hats :D

i heart this man

& before I knew it, it was 12:30 and we were off!

holy crap was that fire HOT when standing underneath the gate! woah

Ready for people to start MOVIN’ it…

This is where I have the ONLY gripe about the race itself and it isn’t on WD by any means. If you’re afraid to get dirty, this isn’t the event for you. That’s fine! Not everything is for everyone. I do understand trying something new (hey this was my first mud run too) and not really being sure of what to expect.. But the entire first 1/2 mile I wasn’t even walking. I was walking, being brought to a hult. The course launches you right into some mud – I of course expected this but apparently not many did because everyone ahead of me seemed to be stopped because they were all trying to climb the side to get away from the mud that was MAYBE 2 inches deep… Finally a buff, BIG guy right ahead of me just  JUMPED into the mud puddle and splashed it everywhere. THANK YOU WHOEVER YOU WERE, now we’re all muddy, get used to it and let’s carry on, shall we? ;)

Sorry, my rant is over now :P

The first obstacle we approached was the “Barricade Breakdown” where you had to hurdle over a wall and then crawl under barbed wire. Easiest obstacle of the whole race — except that the last one seemed to be hanging lower than it should have. I’m assuming someone got caught at one point and it came loose. Thanks to an awesome warrior (and a hunk to look at. What? I can look ;) ) stayed and held it up for everyone and was cheering us on.

Here came the running. UPHILL. Any and all running in this race was either uphill, what seriously felt like at a 90 degree angle, or down hill, equally steep. Neither of which are exactly easy on the legs. My right hip, which has been giving me issues the past few days (more on that later) started saying “yo, knock that sh*t off” Of course I just scoffed back at it and carried on, trying not to face plant in the mud.

The next obstacles might be a little out of order. I am never very good at remember at which point in a race something happened. Only if it was the first half or second half of it. haha. I’m too in the zone or something? I’m not sure.

Next up was the Cargo Climb, where you had to climb up cargo net turn around at the top and climb back down. Now, let me just say that I have no fear of heights, at all. I love heights in fact. But – turning around at the top in shoes that were now caked in soaking wet mud, made me a little nervous… The next few were similar variations. Each one got a little harder. The Deadmans Drop, The Warrior Wall… A little repetitive, but still fun! & Definitely a great upper body workout! ;)

If I remember correctly, after a hellacious uphill power walk came the WATER SLIDE!!! I so so so badly wish I could have gotten a picture of this! It was by far the best part of the whole event. & only 30% because I was dying of heat in the 80 degree sun at this point. (& only 10% because the wind felt incredible waiting in line at the top of the hill) ;) It was so fun!!! There were two guys at the top of this huge hill with giant firemen size hoses spraying down the giant hill… I went FLYING down that slide, threw my hands up and pretended I was at Disney World for a second ;) I even nearly lost my shorts in the process.. No, I’m not joking.. I grabbed them just in time haha.

It was so refreshing… But now I had 1.5 miles to run soaking, sloshing, dripping wet… But it was alright, the next few obstacles were pretty easy and right in the open field so the sun started to dry me off pretty quickly. The first obstacle I came across in the field was the trenches… Big logs with trenches under to climb in and out of… Next up was a cargo net you had to climb straight across. Then there was a little bit more running, and then we had to walk across little beams up, across, down. This was easy for me. I can balance really well. Perk of being a gymnast growing up….. The means were followed by the most pathetic, 2 tires just laying there.. lame. I was a little disappointed it wasn’t more difficult than that.

After the tires was a downhill sprint. Again with what felt like a 90 degree angle. Only, I much prefer the downhill! WEEEEEEEEEEE

Immediately after the downhill sprint were two fire pits to jump over. They weren’t very big but they were radiating intense heat.

Thank you 75M hurtles in middle school track. oohhh ya ;) … If those girls weren’t in front of me this has the potential to be an epic picture. Bo0

weeee

And just when I started sprinting ahead because I thought it was over….

The real mud came. I was starting to wonder… everyone was SO muddy and THIS is why…

Thick. THICK. THIIIIIIICCCCCCCCCKKKK mud y’all!

As you can see I nearly DID faceplant. I slipped hardcore trying to save my shoe from getting stuck.. At that point I got on my knees…. I’m not even going to lie, that mud STANK. I can’t tell you for the life of me WHAT it smelled like, but it smelled bad. After wearing it for about 15 minutes, I was gagging by the time I got to the hose to be “showered” off. It was thick!!!

THIS was the last obstacle. I had finished my first Warrior Dash! & It was every bit as fun as I anticipated it to be. Over all the obstacles were fun but not extremely difficult. The insane hills were what got to me. I need to definitely add some hill work to my training!! YIKES.

But. I IZ A WARRIOR

This is where I started chasing Zack trying to give him the muddiest hug ever. I was determined to catch him until he realized I was serious and no longer found it funny. He’s lucky I love him….

I survived!

I had one mission, and that was to be COVERED in mud, and I successfully accomplished that! ;) I’m also really pleased I didn’t eat any mud. I saw a few girls in front of me eagerly dive into the mud bath of doom at the end, and drink it up like a milk shake! GROSS! I probably would have tossed my cookies. Just smelling it was making my stomach turn!

All in all, the entire day was a blast. I’m not sure why mud runs get such a bad rep. What is so bad about wanting to get dirty and have some fun? I’ve said it time and time again that I believe incorporating fun into our training will enhance our performance significantly. If you’re 100% serious 100% of the time something somewhere is going to snap. LIVE AND LET LIVE.

I am now committing myself to do a Tough Mudder event. With marathon training and the wedding taking up 2013 I’m going to be realistic and say 2014 I will be a tough mudder. I think it will be the ultimate test. Today was SUCH a workout and it was SUCH fun. I think we thrive when we’re having the most fun, and I definitely felt like I thrived today (other than my stinkin hip)

I will be back for Warrior Dash Maryland take 2 in 2013! It’s going to be a long year waiting for it!

Have you ever done a Mud run or Adventure Race?
Would you ever consider it?