2013 Goals and Improvements

I know, I'm a day late and calling them goals and improvements. I just feel like New Year's resolutions die after the third week of January once the holiday has escaped our fore thoughts and the gym membership and smoking cessation commercials have slowed. So, I have 2013 goals and improvements. The things I plan on improving will help me reach my goals.

Unless this is your first time reading this blog, you are well aware that Spartan has changed me by making fitness and health an integral component of my daily life. I transitioned from a person who wanted to work out but who also thought working out at the gym lit by florescent lights was a chore. Hence, I never had long term success. I was your typical gym member who would make make month long appearances from time to time. This did not work. Starting in April 2012, I learned a new way to work out. I learned running through the woods was a real sport. In fact, you could buy special shoes for this. As a kid my mom used to yell at me for going into the woods all summer because I'd return with poison ivy. But I loved exploring the trails with my friends and I always went back despite the threat of torturous itching. Now I can do this as an adult. Even better, after 2 doctor visits and spending a month on Predisone for my first Poison Ivy rash of the season, I found Tecnu Body Wash so no more Poison Ivy EVER. Besides running in the woods, Jon and I worked on our Gym in the basement and around the house. Over the year I slowly accumulated more equipment, by either making or buying it. I would make up routines the night before by jotting them on notepads, so I wouldn't have to waste time figuring out what to do in the morning. In fact, at one point, Jon asked me if I was following some sort of a schedule. "No, I just make this shit up." And I do. I've taken what I've learned from the Spartan WODs, Google, YouTube, Insanity Infomericals, my Spartan Chick Group, etc. and make up work outs. I also keep them all in a binder. When I first began, I would print out the Spartan WOD and put it in my binder. I've since stopped doing that, but will print my fav's or save some of the ones I create. The binder is great for when I have Training Block.

And this has worked for me. I can work out when it is convenient for me without the commute to the gym or the lines. I get to go outside before my 8+ hours at a desk in a windowless office. I train alone, which has also made me stronger mentally. I have to be the one that decides to do one more rep, that the pain is temporary, that its time to get out of bed, that I can do this. Its changed my perspective on life. I think I appreciate the simple things more. I learned the fruit of my labors. I learned the value and reward of hard work even if it takes me some time to accept it. Despite the occasional aches, pains, and soreness, I've never felt better. And, I am genuinely happy.

So,where does that leave me for 2013?

Goals:

Top 10 Female finish for any local OCR's I race. 
Top 20 Elite Female finish for IN Spartan Sprint in April. - This a doozy and will be extremely tough.

Improvements:

This is how I'm going to achieve those goals. First, I need to get faster. This means more running, more sprinting, more pacing with my running watch, and more 30 count burpees for time. Second, I need to improve my nutrition. I'll speak more to this in a later post. But basically less chocolate chip cookies, processed foods, meat, cheese and eating out, much more veggies, fruits, whole grains, and legumes. I know sounds terrible, but I'm looking forward to feeling the results. Finally, I need to improve my confidence in myself as an athlete. I've definitely gotten better through the course of the year, but there's room for improvement. I was at the front of the starting corral in the local OCR's but still mid-pack my final two Spartan Races. I'm good enough to be up front for all of the OCR races. I won a race and had a really tough time accepting my victory as an athlete. Sheesh, you would have thought that would have boosted my ego, but nope. I am too darn humble. In both the Super and Beast I found myself stuck behind walkers. I mentioned this to some of the TeamTX members at our After-Spartay and one of them told me to just shove people out of my way. Well, I can't do that. But that's the assertiveness I must apply when on the course. Let people know I'm a coming and to move over. A Ludacris song comes to mind. Probably not best to sing in order to get by, perhaps a loud, "Excuse me. Coming through" will suffice. So that's it. My Macro-Goals and Improvements.

Happy January 2!

Me Jane, You Tarzan

After several weeks of my manila rope hanging out on the floor in our living and not in a tree, we finally got it hung. Yippee! Special thanks to our amazing neighbor, Kristen, for letting me hang a rope in her tree. I approached the rope with trepidation. Kristen and I were actually talking prior to hanging the rope, and I told her I didn't think I'd be able to do it. If you recall, I tried to climb a rope attached to a cinder block in the woods a week or so ago and majorly failed.  It would just have to be one of those things I would have to work at steadily until I got it. Once hung, Jon climbed it first to test it out. He got about half way using only his arms. I, on the other hand, have been studying rope climbing on YouTube, watching videos of different techniques, and mentally going through it in my head. When it was my turn, I told Jon how I learned to create an 'S' with the rope around my feet and push up. I grabbed onto the rope, gave it a good tug, and then jumped up 'S-ing' the rope around my foot as close to my chest as possible. Aha! I was up. Okay. Push up and grab higher. Scissor kick to 'Re-S' around my foot. Repeat. It was glorious and also painful. In the future long socks or pants will be worn. I have a nice rope burn on the front of my left chin from coming down the rope. Yet this is one Spartan Obstacle I feel comfortable conquering.

This morning I decided to venture out into the cold. I checked the weather before dressing: a cool 43 degrees. Time to test out my new Under Armour Cold Compression tights that I scored at my favorite store, Marshalls. I also, got to try out my New Balance runner's cap I got from The Clymb for like $6. I also, wore my Nike+ SportWatch GPS to track my mileage. Once to the park, I did 8 hill sprints with my 30lbs weight vest counting with 4 rocks on my back bumper. I manage to do all 8 without stopping and zero water. I was also finally able to gauge how long my uphill was: .07 miles or about 112 meters. After my 8 sprints, I hit the trail for one loop around. At one point I had a cramp in my right side. My friend, Bridgid, had told me if you drop and do some quick oblique work you can squeeze out the lactic acid. I thought I would try it. I had nothing to lose. The verdict: It worked! So next time you cramp up, DROP AND GIVE ME 20!!

In other news, I will be starting an event page and team for the IN Spartan Sprint in April. I hope some, if not all of you, will join me. Below is a LivingSocial deal for a $30 registration fee. Trust me: This is a great deal. Having doubts? Don't think you can do it? Sign up!! You have 7 months to tell those doubts to Shut the Spartan Up! Aroo!

http://www.livingsocial.com/adventures/442024-spartan-race-obstacle-run?msdc_id=130-fort-wayne

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.