Wednesday 19 June 2013

Spartan spirit


Not that kind.  This kind:


When I made my New Year's resolutions back in January, one of the goals I set myself was to run a Spartan Race.  For those of you unfamiliar, it's an obstacle race that combines various distances of trail running with crazy obstacles like climbing walls, crawling through mud under barbed wire and jumping over flames.  I had actually signed up for one last year on the recommendation of a friend, but for the first time ever in my life I'm ashamed to say that I backed out on a race.  With all that had been going on with our infertility and my DOR diagnosis, I just hadn't had the energy to work out and was in no way prepared for the punishment that the race was sure to unleash on my body.

This year is different.  This year I've stuck to my workout plan like a demon and am actually feeling like I'm in pretty good shape.  I've dropped a few pounds since January, but more importantly I've gotten a lot of cardio endurance back and have been working on adding some strength training as well.  I am fully intending on running this thing.  And I'm doing the Spartan Sprint, which is the easiest one at a distance of only 5k with 15-ish obstacles.  But I have to say...I'm still scared shitless.

The race is coming up this Saturday.  I tried to convince M to sign up with me, but he's been recovering from a leg injury and doing some physiotherapy and just isn't feeling up to it yet.  He's promised to make the 1.5 hour drive to Barrie with me to cheer me on, but it won't be the same as having him with me in the race where we can encourage each other if the obstacles start to freak us out.  I know race environments are usually really fun and strangers cheer one another on, but it just won't be the same doing it by myself.

That said...this thing is gonna happen.  I am gonna go there, get muddy and sweaty, and I'm coming home with my participant medal.  Or a disfiguring injury.  Or both.  If anyone has run one of these things and lived to tell the tale, I'm all ears.

21 comments:

  1. Ohhh I've been dreaming about a Spartan race for a while but WAY too chicken to do it. Good luck!!

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  2. You go girl! That is awesome. What a great accomplishment it will be on Saturday!

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  3. Sounds like fun, good luck!

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  4. Impressive!! I am pretty sure one of my facebook "friends" does this. he's always posting pictures of him competing in things like this. Good luck!!

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  5. Woohoo! So impressed! Can't wait to hear how it goes :)

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  6. That sounds like fun and tough and something that I don't think I could ever do! It's wonderful that you have the drive to train for this. Best of luck and have lots of fun!

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  7. Good for you!!! I've never heard of the Spartan races before, sounds really tough but worth it. Good luck!

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  8. Good luck!
    Last year I did a race called "Run for your Lives". It was a 5k/obstacle course where you are also running from zombies. It was really fun. I imagine the spartan race will have much tougher obstacles. It was great once I jsut let go and got all muddy!

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    Replies
    1. Holy shit you have no idea how excited this just made me! I immediately Googled and found that, though they have no Canadian races, there are two races in New York state later this year (Buffalo and NYC in August and October, respectively). M is now excitedly yapping about a trip to NYC to include the zombie run. If I don't get pregnant next IVF, this is now OFFICIALLY what I want to do as my consolation prize!!! Thanks Jen!

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  9. Omg that sounds insane!! But so much fun. It reminds me of those weird Tough Mudder races that are so popular now, except maybe less disgusting. Can you take photos??

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  10. so excited for you! this is awesome! good luck! post pics!

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  11. I was just talking to someone at the gym today about this race! Good luck!!!

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  12. This sounds awesome!!! Granted, I get why you're a bit freaked, because something this cool would also have me second-guessing myself. So, I'm going to give you the same advice someone gave me a couple of years ago: make it so you feel like you don't have an out. Take a deep breath and sign yourself up. Tell M he has to drive you to the race, even if you're trying to talk him out of it later. And whine, bitch, moan here about how you're having second thoughts because we'll support you in this awesome adventure. Because once you're in the middle of it, you're gonna love it. And you're going to find that the people that participate in this stuff are super supportive of one another, encouraging one another to tackle each obstacle.

    Keep training and I wish you a hell of a good time!

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  13. Just go for it! That medal is yours!

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  14. I am so late commenting on this, as you're probably headed home by now, but Go Aramis!! I have only ever seen a race like this on TV, and that's probably as close as I'll ever get to one. I love that you're brave enough to take this on!

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  15. I have a few friends tha have done some races like this, but haven't ventured there myself. By now, you've already done the race! Hoping I get to read about it in the next few posts. Sigh.... I'm hoping to someday catch up in my reading.

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