Another Mudder down. This year was a lot more fun for me. I didn't quite flash the whole thing this year. Once again, the monkey bars got me. My grip strength is poor and my mastectomy side is still not strong enough. I'm sure if I had a few less pounds, it would be easier but I'm trying not to get sucked into that mindset. Nutrition and exercise should be a lifestyle. I don't believe in "diet." It's ironic that dieting is what got me in this mess in the first place. The body doesn't get what it needs, the metabolism shuts down and the body stores fat. So now, it's about giving my body what it needs, leaving out what it doesn't (sugar), and getting a balance of exercise that doesn't lead to overtraining.
This year's TM course started out with a bang. The ice bath was the third obstacle. This did not bode well for my aging tissues. That ice cold submersion makes my body not want to move, but I had 9 more miles to go. Last year, it was at the half way mark which made it a little easier to tolerate. This year, it was at the bottom of the hill climb. I hesitated before jumping in this time. I knew how awful cold it was going to be. Then Kwan Jang Nim Jon dove in. OMG, head first. While it was probably the smart play, I couldn't do my head first. I jumped in, went under the board, and climbed out. I turned around to see Seema and Andee jumping in. This was one rare occasion I was happy to have a little extra bodyfat.
The climb went well. I flashed the "Just the tip" obstacle this year, which set the stage for the rest of the day. The anticipation of the "electric eel" was a little intense. I hate getting shocked. In fact, the anticipation of many of the obstacles we'd done before contributed to the experience. It was, in fact, harder for that reason in a mind over matter sort of way. I was actually good with that. This year, I was determined to make it over the walls without assistance, at least the 8 footers. However, this year, all they had was 12 footers. My heart sunk a little. I didn't think I could make it over the 12 footers (without help). And that's exactly why I didn't get over the first wall. I took the boost after two failed attempts. However, my angst got the best of me and I ran faster at the second wall and made it over! I was sooooo excited. I was with Matt, Jay, Andee, Tony, and Dave. I think Matt was excited as I was. I got a big cheer from the crowd too. That was kinda fun.
From there, the course went down. I was cold and my legs were starting to cramp. There were more cold water obstacles ahead, 6 miles worth. I did not want to shiver the whole way. The sun was shining and it was supposedly at least 80 degrees, but I was freezing. I thought of how I like to lay on the concrete when I get out of the pool and I'm cold. We were waiting for one of our group and I was still way too cold. I laid down on the ground and it was sooooooo warm. Everyone thought I was nuts. I did not care. I was warm and happy. I laid there for a bit and then Andee made me get up. It was smart to keep moving.
The rest of the day, we hiked together, had a few laughs and jumped into more freezing cold water. We had a new obstacle this year, the cage crawl. It was a true test of my focus. I started to freak out. It was a ditch filled with water with a cage over it. You had to pull yourself in the direction of your head, on your back, submerged in the water, with your face 2 inches from the cage. The water was cold. I was doing fine until the person in front of me stopped. I could go no further. This is when I was about to panic. I had to really focus on my breathing. It was a bit unnerving, laying there in the water. then I saw Matt. He said "you're almost there!" and that made all the difference.
We finished strong. It was super fun to see everyone smiling and happy to be done. Our WCMA team has finished two very difficult events together and I feel a real bond with many of these people.
No beer for me. Still don't drink. Protein bars, electrolyte replacement and home for a slab of chicken, a salad, and a good night's sleep.
Black Belt training starts on Monday.
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