Southern Frigid Running

I spent this year's first few month's moments of spare time preparing to run a race with my older brother and sister in Texas. He is stationed there with the army and invited us to come on down and run with him. Who doesn't want a WARM(er) run? Plus a kid-free vacation? STOKED! I may have spent nap time running one million laps around our yard to get the miles in- but other than weird looks from our dog- I got them in!

Training completed. Tickets purchased. Body Glide packed.

I found out right before I left that we were in fact expecting #3, so the wonderful wave of fatigue and nausea were in full swing but I was DETERMINED not to quit! I could do this! I was pregnant, not broken. 

At this point the goal was to finish, not PR, but finish. If that meant I walked, then so be it! As the days approached we started to notice a cold front heading for Texas. A cold front. And by cold, I don't mean 70 degrees. I mean COLD! So in the days leading up we began to prepare for this cold, but can you ever really prepare for it? You don't know? Let me tell you! NO! No, you cannot! You know that you will sweat as you run, and then you will be all sweaty which means you catch something terrible... All because you exercised in the cold. That's dumb. (How did I prepare for it? I ran mostly inside.... I am not a good cold runner... I should relocated somewhere tropical.)

So how did it go? Well... every time I think of Texas; I want to cry. Like a baby. And hide under a table in a dark corner so no one will make me go. Does that help?

The flight was interesting- which should have been a clue as to how the whole trip would be! My sister (oh yeah- she did this with me but let's all not act surprised by that! If Katie is doing something crazy, more than likely Amy is in the thick of it too.... Or behind it) ended up missing her flight. I have never experienced someone missing their flight before, and it happened. A storm had moved into KC that day and slowed down the highways, at least that's the official reason. What do I think happened? I bought her lunch, since she was running late, and her tray of cheese, apples and hummus cost me $20. TWENTY DOLLARS. I sure did carry that all the way to Texas with me and delivered it to her five hours later, it was $20 hummus people. And she ate it, either because I terrified her or she was actually hungry at that time.

Once we ALL finally got to the airport, some of us were waiting more patiently at the Texas airport than others for my sister's plane, my brother picked us up and we headed for the hotel. That was two hours away. People, when I run a half marathon I go to bed at 7:00 pm, that is before my (4) year old goes to bed. Here it was 9:00, we were checking in and I still needed food for breakfast before the race. Ay yayayayayayayay. Drop off bags at the room, take some nausea meds, go to Target, take some nausea meds, check the weather (have about 15 minutes of pure shock and dread at the weather report), try to sleep. And by try I mean I think I finally conked out three hours prior to needing to be up to go.

5:00 am... We are up, fed, dressed in what we were willing to carry if we got to hot, the duck was ready and we needed to get to the shuttle. This race was offering a shuttle as most do, so we thought it was no big deal, EXCEPT their plan of five shuttles changed that morning when only one showed up. for hundreds of people. Oh, and it was raining. RAINING and in the 30's. 


SERIOUSLY. I have never wanted to quit a race in my life, but at this point even where my thighs naturally rubbed to keep warm was cold! This was not a good sign. After about 17 hours, OK 45 minutes, of waiting for the shuttle we were dropped off at the starting line about two miles away. 


We barely made it across the starting line before they started to tear it down for the 5k finishers, we were off to a great start. Walking was no longer an option, if I was going to make it out there, I was going to have to jog simply to stay warm. And at first, it wasnt bad. The first four miles were okay, and things were moving nicely. Then the rain started, or shall we call it sleet? Let's call it sleet, that sounds more terrible. Because it was terrible! 

At mile 8, I was OVER IT. I was out of fruit snacks, granola bites and body warmth. My feet were still dry and that was the only thing still dry. All I wanted was a finish line, or a cart picking up the slow pokes- I would have had no issue hitching a ride. None.

BUT... I didn't quit. None of us did. Not even my mom who stood at the finish for the better part of an hour with new blankets and snacks to help us survive our trip back to the car.




Amy and I survived (seriously that was the goal- and yes she beat me), and my brother finished his first full marathon. I got a blanket, a medal, some fruit snacks and a nap... It was a fantastic end to a race I will always think of and shudder. 





It was the worst experience of my life, but I love that I had it. I loved being with my brother and sister and my mom and enjoying the rest of the weekend (that didn't involved running)!

May your runs be dry and warm....
~K

I am a Judgy Judgerson...

Don’t judge a book by its cover- I know my parents instilled this lesson into my brain over and over-- but it never took.

In my journey to get my last 18 pounds off by Christmas (I can do it, I can do it…) I have decided to venture out of my normal routine. How many times have we heard that when you hit a plateau to change it up. I like change as much as the next person- but if it means this last 18 pounds then bring on the change!

A while back I attended a boot camp class with my sister at a local community center- and I had an OH DURRR moment… I live in a community, and we have a center- three of them actually- SURELY they have a boot camp class at one of them. SURELY. So I went digging online and sure enough…

“EXTREME BOOT CAMP – SEE GREAT RESULTS AND GET WHOLE BODY BENEFITS FROM THIS FAST-PACED PROGRAM. CHOOSE YOUR METHOD EITHER HIGH OR LOW INTENSITY”

I maaaaaayyyyy have missed that first word, got overly excited about the affordable class, it’s right down the street (literally), and had time slots that I could make work (with some help) for childcare, that I didn't stop to think about what I was getting into! But I did this class awhile back… I would be FINE!

It was time to head to the class. After my sister kicked me off the phone so I could go in (I may have been stalling… maybe), I paid the nice old man at the counter and settled into this huge old gym. It was big enough for a basketball court and more, with two stories of stairs off to the side (who needs stairs in a gym??), and plenty of room to move around. While I was waiting for class to begin, I started to check out the other people trailing in. Okay, okay, I was judging the other people trailing in. And my confidence began to build. I was (by far) the youngest person in there. I think the next youngest in age was in their 60’s, followed by other women in their 80’s. I got this in the BAG! I mean, I am a half marathon runner, right??

The instructor came in, super fit and super nice, she walked right up to me (the new face in class) and explained to listen to the ole body, and only push as hard as I could- avoid injuring myself. Oh lady- I am an expert, I am an exerciser right here. She headed to her mat, began the wonderful workout music and the party was ready to begin.

As our warmup progressed, I was feeling pretty great- jogging and stretching is no problem! Nice and easy, breathing fine and still able to hold a conversation. I had a smile on my face and the world was a great place. Then it happened. My perfect little world began to crumble…

We went from pushups to squats to planks and then to jump squats in a matter of minutes. Burpees... As soon as the word left her mouth I wanted to throw up. Never stopping!

Did you need a drink? Oh well!

Did you need to stop? Suck it up buttercup and keep on going!

Do you know that 60 seconds can last for an ETERNITY when you are doing plank-jacks? AN ETERNITY. And just when I thought I had surely finished the 45 minute class, I look up and it had been five minutes. FIVE MINUTES.  As the workout continued the instructor would call out “keep your butt down”, “keep your arms straight”, and “don’t stop now” and as I looked around during those instructions, I realized, she was talking to me! Those elderly ladies were on top of their game. They smoked me in pushups, not to mention they can plank like there is no tomorrow! And then it happened I found out why those stairs were in the gym. I found out nine times. Well eighteen if you ask me, I feel like going up should be one and coming down should be two, but the instructor was not interested in my opinion. Sprints, bicep curls, stairs, planks, pushups in a form I haven’t even heard of before and more stairs. The longest 45 minutes of my life. You knew where I was stationed because there was sweat everywhere and at any given time you could see me lying flat on my back like a turtle trying to take in my last breath.

As class ended, my elderly comrades jumped right up and began talking about attending the next class. And by next I mean the very next class she was teaching next hour! All the while I was just trying to get from all fours into a standing position. For the first time since I bought my car I regretted buying a stick shift and wasn’t sure if I could work the pedals to get home. Getting out of the car once I arrived was even worse.

All that being said, I did it. I survived. I didn’t die and I am sore, but I am stronger. And I can’t wait to go back! I am excited to see how boot camp changes my body in the next few months (yes I signed up for more than one—crazy I know)! Moral of the story... maybe I need to work on my judging skills because in this case the cover was very deceiving! Those old ladies kicked my tail!

Try something new- you never know… you may just enjoy it! 

Much love and burned calories to you!
~K

I am a Maniac!

Well, we did it AND we lived to tell about it! I have never been so excited for an adventure before and let me tell you, WORTH EVERY PENNY!

The Rugged Maniac was a 3 mile course loaded with 25 obstacles. It was hosted at the local ski slopes, and the weather was perfect for it. When I pulled up to wait for my spot, I just started laughing and then I realized that when my sister arrived (who was NOT excited about this adventure) she might just strangle me. And although I don't know why I was surprised to see it, but the race failed to mention that we would in fact be running UP AND DOWN these ski slopes... more than once. I was STOKED!

I got to go on this adventure with my sister, my sister-in-law and a very good friend of mine. We met up prior to our 9:30 wave start time and realized to get to the start line you had to get over a straight 3 foot wall in front of the waiting crowd... That was a bad sign of what was to come!

The duck showed up again! AND he brought my parents and my brother in law.... We were ready to go!


The race began, and although we had decided we weren't going for a record time, we still attempted to make good time at first. And then we got half way up the muddy ski slope and i realized we were in for a long hall.

 Although I don't recall every obstacle by it's name-- I remember the moments that are worth sharing! Once we got to the top of the hill we had (3) 4 foot walls to scale, just in case you're wondering- this is not the point in time that you want to have boobs. They got in the way.... EVERY TIME! We had a few 15 foot "A Frames" to climb over, which were more about height than difficulty- but I realized at this point that having short legs was going to be hard in scaling over the tops of these obstacles and just hoping your foot catches the foot hold quick enough! From there we followed the path around the back of the slopes and went STRAIGHT DOWN a mud trail. This is where we decided that holding onto the nearest tree branch or bush was the way to do it! (No one would let me hold onto them... ridiculous... I know!) At the bottom of the hill we had to trudge through the SMELLIEST water pool I had ever smelled. It was stagnant and murky and there was no way around it. I decided that my sister was older than me and by birth right she could go first... and she did... turns out she also found a log in the stagnant water and down she went! All the way up to her chin and I did the sisterly thing... I  LAUGHED SO HARD I ALMOST PEED MY PANTS. And I couldn't move for a few minutes... so funny. But we continued on....

Although the order from here is fuzzy.... The adventure included the following moments...

There were a few 15 feet tall Jacob's Ladders and Cargo Nets that we had to climb up and then down. These weren't bad-- the problem was my short legs. Even though that doesn't seem high- your muddy and wet and teetering to the other side was about a 5 second panic moment!

Wading through a water pit that was about waste deep- yet you didn't know when it was going to hit that point. I was fine in the water pit but climbing out of the water on the mud hill I lost my footing and not only went right down on my butt but I then slid a few feet-- laughing hysterically the whole time! The next water pit was more like a river and had floating PVC pipes in hit that we had to get over to continue. Same thing on this one, the depth would change and you wouldn't know it-- but by then the water felt GOOOOOD!

We went up a teeter-totter and then back down enough times that I actually stopped crawling and walked like the rest of the adults! Amy and I helped each other balance on ladders across a mud pit, balanced through blown up bags while balancing on ladders and willingly jumped off into a big pit of (relatively clean water). We crawled through a few tunnels and went down quite a few muddy hills, mostly on our behinds! We helped each other over 15 foot flat walls and survived jumping over fire! We all attempted the swinging rings (grab one ring and swing to another, then another...) and by attempt I mean we at least tried to touch the ring before we just jumped in the water!

Turns out fire jumping while muddy and soaking wet is in fact NOT flattering... In case you need to know!

The worst of them all was the Pipe dream... This obstacle started with sliding (on your stomach) down a large pipe ending up in a mud pit under barb wire. From there you army crawled a good distance to the other pipe in which you had to grab a rope and with nothing but upper body strength pull yourself out. Did I mention that half way through the pit- you ran out of water and mud and got to crawl on sharp little rocks. So fun. And my exit from the tube looked like a terrible birthing video... Nothing about it was decent or pretty! Not to mention when we got to the top of the next hill we had to crawl through another mud pit covered in barb wire.... we were over it!

As we were running down the last hill- again mostly on our butts- I looked back and there was my sister-- flat on her back and not moving! When I walked over to her she just said "Leave me, I AM DONE!" After I was done laughing at her we hurried down the hill, fell at least (5) more times and rounded the corner to meet the one obstacle I was afraid of... The warped wall! (Dunnnn dunnnn duuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnn)

But we were going to try everything, once, and that was what I was determined to do. I would try it once. The bad thing about this was that as the racers were lining up for their turn, the spectators had gathered around to cheer each attempt... No pressure. Here was our attempt...

After my one attempt, we went up the side ladder, over the train cars on a cargo net and down the slide.

Would I do it again? In a heartbeat! I cannot write enough words to describe the adventure it was for me, not to mention the sense of accomplishment I felt afterwards. For our team, The Blood, Sweat and Beers... all in all we came back with four holes in my (very tight) spandex shorts, one case of poison ivy, multiple scrapes and bruises, a swollen ankle, blood was spilled and many many many laughs were shared!

I cant wait until the next one!




So I will leave you with this... I totally get being afraid of something in the physical activity world, of being to fat to finish (or even try), or being to scared that people will laugh at you or judge you before you even start. Do it anyways! Keep your head up! It will hurt, it will be hard and IT WILL BE WORTH IT! this was NEVER something a girl like me could do! I wasn't strong enough, light enough or good enough... But I threw that out the window and we CRUSHED IT!!!! I was afraid to fall, and afraid I wouldn't be able too... But I did it. And now I feel like I can conquer anything

Blood, sweat and beers to you all!

And until next time....

~K

A maniac preparing to be rugged...

Hey you awesome nerds! How is it? I cant believe the last post I did was talking about how I was starting my training for Rugged Maniac and now the race is only a few days away!

The training regimen I had sought out for myself provided many different "health" obstacles for me on my journey! I have spent so many years telling myself that I couldn't do something due to the plump nature of my lifestyle that I was so stinking excited to put myself out there and try something completely out there! But I did it and there are a few laughable moments I thought you might enjoy...

When I was out of time, or just too lazy to get up before my husband went to work, my workouts included assistance and participation of my awesome little people.... (I am not sure why I am surprised the my 4 year old can operate my phone camera as well as she does!)





"Mom, you aren't sweating hard enough."


"Brudder let's tackle mommy!"

"Daddy! There is no talking when mommy works out- we have to sit quiet and watch!" (uhhhhh that has never escaped my lips!)



"Mom! I cannot take your picture if you do not stay still and smile!"

What kid doesn't want to run hills? Granted they tended to roll down most of them instead of run- but it was a blast to watch!

Keeping track of hills in the dirt is a wonderful idea... Until your 1 year old adds his touch as well and you lose count....







4 honks, 2 cat calls and 1 "keep it up" later I survived my first run in a skort.... and probably my last!










Working is out is a WONDERFUL idea... Because you can eat things like this!








5:30 AM actually stands for.....

5:30#ActuallyIthinkIshouldbeinbedstillandMyfriendscanrunwithoutme


After all those workouts, I finally feel ready for the race! Or at least confident that I will survive it!

Here it is... Our list of obstacles this weekend... And although my sister doesn't think we will survive (she is getting her affairs in order) I am stoked! A little nervous about that warped wall- but I promised myself I would TRY everything before I pass it and hopefully I can keep that up!

1)      Wild Turkey Climb

2)      Barricades

3)      Jacobs Ladder

4)      Commando Crawl

5)      Hay Bale Descent

6)      Mud Pit

7)      Beam me up

8)      Surprise

9)      Shoe Catcher

10)   Let’s Cargo

11)   Whoops

12)   Tipping Point

13)   Water Works

14)   Napoleon Complex

15)   Pipe Dream

16)   The Gauntlet

17)   The Ringer

18)   Speed Trap

19)   Balance or Bust

20)   Pyromaniac

21)   Pack Mule

22)   Ninja Escape

23)   Accelerator

24)   Warp Wall

25)   Mount Maniac

Stay tuned for the final results and just keep going!

~K