Warrior Dash. Their motto is 'The Craziest Frickin Day of Your Life'. Well I can tell you this, I have had some pretty crazy days in my life, and I thought the Warrior Dash last year was one of them, but they were just teasing Charlotte, NC. They were merely tempting her with the firey blasts of the start, the cute little climbing gymboree obstacles, and those heavenly smoked turkey legs that make your knees weak as you come around the home stretch. Last year we were lulled into thinking that there wasn't anything worse they could do to push us to our last limit. This year, this day, we found out different. We found out they mean it when they say it will be 'The Craziest Frickin Day of Your Life'.
Steve woke me up at 5:15 am and I must admit I haven't been up that early since Fitness Ridge three weeks ago. Now every day has it's hero, and this day was no exception. My sweet and wonderful father-in-law volunteered on very short notice to come with us and watch the boys while we ran our heat. Steve would run it at top speed first, and then because of my hip injury, he would come back and go with me to help me over the tough obstacles. Hero number two! I am such a lucky, lucky girl to have such great men in my life. Let me just say this would not really be my father-in-law's idea of fun; it would probably rank just after cleaning out the refridgerator. I knew he would enjoy it once he saw the heckler at the mud pit though. They post a guy there with a mic to yell at the runners and this year it would be my hiking bud and trainer from Fitness Ridge, Sione Fa. He was a contestant on Biggest Loser and has lost 156 lbs. We actually saw him at the Start line when we first arrived and he crossed the road to welcome us and meet my family. It was so good to see him again. We went to packet pick up and I couldn't help thinking about my girls Tiffany (the Ironwoman) Gust and Jenn Morton going to packet pickup a few weeks ago for the Iron Man in St George, Utah. You girls are my inspiration *smooches*! The pic below is of Sione calling the mud pit.
So enough of the chit chat, let's get down to the nitty gritty pictures. I only wish you could taste the blood, have your eyes burn from the sweat, smell the stink of the swamp pond, and feel the throb of my muscles as I climbed that last hill! Warriors...prepare for battle!!!
Victory Bananas with my Numero Uno Baby! I couldn't ever do this without you Steve. You and I have been though a lot in our 15 years of marriage. Like you said, sometimes it's just a walk in the cornfield, and sometimes it a crawl through the mud pit. I'm glad I get to do life with you.
Waiting in line at the 11:00 heat. The NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne ran the heat before us with his pit crew.
Ha! How do they know??? Maybe they have lojack on me;)
It's the chicken walk. If you notice on my number there is a pink bit of toile. This is in memory of my friend Lynn Ramano. She won the fight with breast cancer 2 1/2 years ago, but lost the fight with brain cancer last Friday. Today they buried her and since I wasn't able to be there, I did the Dash in her memory. God bless you Lynn, love you girl!
My high school gym teacher probably doesn't even remember me LOL!
1.5 miles in, they also changed it from a 5K to 3.8 miles. Sweet Warrior Dash!
Somehow we always find a lost soul needing help to get through. Leave no Warrior behind. Michelle is currently going through kidney dialysis and didn't have the strength to run. She wanted to do the obstacles, but needed someone to talk her through. You know my sweet husband always helps out where he can.
And down the other side.
Take that Indiana Jones! This was actually kind of fun in a twisted sort of way.
You go Michelle!
OK I did, a little, but just because I thought of all of you blog readers and how much fun it is to share my life with you guys! You are all my inspirations!
Walking on Sunshine:)
Thank you for junk cars and no dumpsters. This was a piece of cake, well, a piece of FORD!
This was some strange new torture device they inflicted on you this year. It was V shaped and had little feet holds on the side you had to walk on then climb over two crotch shelves. Hmmm...our vote is still out on this one.
This was insane! Half way through the race we saw our first mud. When you got in all the way it went as high as your neck if you were short. Then you had to go about 100 feet uphill in more mud slipping and sliding all the way.
My sexy husband hoofing it up the wall of terror. After helping 5 other people up first.
I couldn't get a picture of this as we did it. So here is a far off pic to let you in on the full effect. You started off swimming to the floating barge, had to climb up on the barge, then swim through the middle, and climb up and over again, then swim to shore. Seeing as how I didn't want to tweak my elbow again, I chose to go under the floating barge, in the stank water...TWICE!!!! OK, now I know I'm crazy. I can't describe the stinch of this water and Steve said when I came up I was covered in mossiness, leaves, and what looked like a leech LOL! It turned out to just be a booger ROFL!!!
Someone on the bank snapped this picture of me as I popped out on the other side. Warriors Unite!!!!
This is the waterslide. It was kind of lame until I caught a wave. So then I'm rushing down the hill and hit some sand and got a killer case of road rash on my back side. Only injury of the day. Not bad:)
Michelle and I climbing up the cargo ropes. You had to go up one side and down the other. One of my favorites.
Steve came up with this technique to get us across with speed and less leg cramps. We were hoofing it!
The 'Warrior Roast' - last year's pic was better, but you get the picture, right:) After this is the mud pit where after I was good and muddy I gave Sione Fa a nice muddy hug! All's fair with warriors:)
You crawl through this muddy pool on you hand and knees and pull yourself along under the barbed wire, yes, I said barbed wire.
My two heros:) And my crazy husband sucking in his gut LOL! Don't mess with the photographer or you will get yours:0
Absolutely worn out and feeling great all at the same time! The whole reason we do the Dash. Now where did they put that smoked turkey leg???
Dad was seriously afraid I was going to give him a hug too! LOL!
My husband after running the Warrior Dash twice in 4 hours. You are my hero honey! Thank you for being a good sport:)
Dang I love this picture! Look for it to be my new profile on facebook:)
Finally at home with our medals and cool new tshirts. I like these better than last year's. Until next year my blog friends. Oh and you better start training now if you want to do it with me. I can only imagine the fun they will have up their muddy sleeves. I assure you it won't be easier!
This is what my hair looked like when we got home, more of that pond scum. Had to wash it three times before it was normal again!
Steve goofing off with all his medals. State games, kettlebell meets, 5Ks and Warrior Dashes.
