Mud, Sweat, and Tears

It all started in April when my brother called to see if me and Jon (my husband) wanted to do the Spartan Race. It was a 5k obstacle course race about 20 minutes from our lake house. I quickly agreed, thinking its only 3.1 miles. I can run that, no problem. April 21st changed my life. It was the toughest 4+ miles I have ever traversed (Spartan likes to give you extra miles for free.) Never mind the 3 log carries, the 200 yards of barbed wire crawls, the steep, rocky slopes, or the endless mud pits. We were up against Mother Nature. It was billed a Founder's Race, which meant the course was constructed from elements from the surroundings. I don't think the Founder's expected Mother Nature to put up the challenge she did. It was a cold 45 degrees with overcast. It was windy. It was miserable. My sister-in-law wore a winter coat. All we could think was, "What the hell did we get ourselves into?" I was literally scared out of my wits. The course was set-up so spectators could watch some of the obstacles. Sure there was a rope climb and giant log hurdles that required a buddy to act as a foot stool to get you up and over, but there was a swim. Yes, a swim. Full bodied swim. Better kick your feet or you'll drown swim. Across a lake. Later we learned that the lake was a cool 50 degrees. Less than 70% who took the field, finished.

Well, we did it. Jon and Jason finished together. I let them pull ahead since they were faster. I met many people along the course. Although I did the course alone, I never felt alone. There was an amazing Spartan Team spirit. Perfect strangers would hold the cargo net down to provide a tighter climb so I could get up and over it. At a rope climb, me and 2 Navy guys helped each other to the top cheerleader style. I helped a woman navigate the barbed wire by making sure her butt was clear as she crawled through. My dad said at the finish there was a racer who was struggling to get out and over one of the mud pits. A volunteer on a bull horn announced, "Attention Spartans, a fellow Spartan needs your help." He said about 10 racers came over and literally threw her ass up and over the mound. That is the essence of the Spartan Spirit. Following the race, their Facebook page was flooded with similar stories. Everyone commented on the team-like spirit that existed on the course. Mother Nature dealt us all a doozy, but we weren't letting her take us down.

Runners talk about the runner's high. After finishing the Spartan Race, I had a Superman High. It consumed me. I could do anything. There were no limits. Its all I could think about. Its all I could talk about. You feel like a badass after finishing. As someone who sits in an office for 8 hours a day, it was the primal, gritty, challenge that I needed. It made me feel human. It made me feel strong. And I wanted more.

I'm going for the Spartan Race Trifecta. In October I will be racing the Super Spartan which is 8-9 miles, and in December we'll be headed to Texas for the Spartan Beast (13-14 miles). Finishing three races earns a very special Trifecta medal. I have also completed the MS Muckruckus, and will be doing the Cincy Mudathlon and Lake Santee Triathlon. This is it. My mud, sweat, and tears.