Race week

As I'm sitting here I have 3 days until Tough Mudder Wisconsin *deep breath* 

I can't tell you how excited I am, or how nervous. I've trained, I've mentally prepped, and I have 2 BA soldiers going into this with me, but the nerves are still there. On the bright side I am also VERY excited! Everything has fallen into place nicely. I've got my duds ready and I'm winding down the workouts.

This week has been rest so far, today I plan to tear my legs up and tomorrow hit total upper body. After that Thursday and Friday will be travel and rest days, with a nice meal Friday night, then RACE DAY! 

I decided on full length all weather tights and a Nike Pro Combat compression top with sleeves. So far the forecast is showing a high of 83 and a low of 60, partly cloudy all day, but there will be a breeze. My thought was with the Arctic Enema being the first obstacle (jumping into a giant dumpster filled with ice water, pictured below) if I run into backup at any other obstacles the cold might start causing my muscles to cramp up, so I opted for warmer, quick drying clothing. 

Arctic Enema

The other obstacle weighing heavy on my mind is Electroshock Therapy. TM offers the following description

 "Sprint through a field of live wires — some carrying as much as 10,000 volts of electric shock. Watch out for hay bales and deep mud, or you will face-plant into some electrifying mud. Some Mudders℠ try to stealthily wind their way through the wires without getting shocked, while others barrel forward to get through as quickly as possible. Either way, you are guaranteed to get zapped with as much as 10,000 volts of electricity and it does NOT tickle. This is always the last obstacle Mudders must overcome before they cross the finish line."

One lucky lady in the throes of "Electroshock Therapy"

I feel like there is really no way to prepare for this. I mean honestly who wakes up and says "I better train for electroshock today" and goes to find some live wires to run through. My plan is to cover my face (after hearing stories of eyebrows being singed off, etc) and barrel through as quickly as I can after 12 miles.....yeah....wish me luck on that! The girl in the photo looks like she is having tons of fun right!?

All in all I know I'm ready, I've trained and I've been waiting, but I'm still shaking in my Asics. 

I can't wait until I can tell you all about the experience and how I rocked it. 

Can't quit, won't quit, NO QUIT! 

The Warrior Workouts

IT'S AUGUST!

It occurred to me last week that July was almost over, leaving me precious little time to finish preparing for Tough Mudder. In a panic, I realized I had lost focus of my strength goals by pouring all my energy into cardio training. That's when I emailed Ashley. 

In case you haven't noticed I'm a huge fan of Ashley John's and what she does with her brand, Fierce Forward. I've always admired her physique as well as her positive, yet no BS attitude. Among her many accomplishments is making herself a Tough Mudder earlier this year; I knew if anyone could help me it would be her. I shot off a desperate email explaining my predicament and asking if she could put something together for me on such short notice. All I can say is, I asked for it.

I received my plan and the first thing I noticed were that the workouts were named as follows...

"Leg TORTURE with a hint of shoulders"

"The back chamber + abs"

"Shoulder Assault" (I had mentioned that having ripped shoulders was a personal goal of mine, I feel so special) 

"Tricep, Bicep, and Chest Killer"  and my personal favorite...

"The you're gonna wish you didn't workout day" 

The exercises are super-sets and there is cardio worked in, with HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) as the focus.  

I'm beyond excited to share this journey with you! I debated on whether or not to post my stats but ultimately decided on full disclosure, hoping for accountability and motivation so here I am...in inches. 

8/5/13 - Day 1 

Height - 5' 9"

Weight - 155.3

Biceps-12"

Chest- 36" 

Waist-29.5"

Hips- 38.5"

Thighs- 23.5"

Calves -16"

I'd love to change my body composition and trade up some fat for more muscle, so I'm also making dietary changes. My goal is to keep it clean as always with a focus on lower carbohydrates and higher protein content with lots of leafy greens to help keep me healthy and of course, a gallon of water daily. 

 I'm willing to put in the work, now lets see what I can do. As always HAPPY TRAINING TO YOU! 

Going for the Gold

July has been a whirlwind! I can scarcely believe as I'm sitting here it is already the 22nd, it has been a month full of blessings as well as challenges.

I was able to participate in Moonlight Chase 2013 in Eldridge, IA which was an absolute BLAST! I gave myself permission to just relax and have fun so no PRs there. If you ever get a chance to go I HIGHLY recommend it. The people in town are friendly, and the 4 mile course is flat and fast! The race starts at 9 pm as you run through town people play music for you, there are even a few live bands. Spectators hand out glow sticks and high fives as you run by. There are usually a few sprinklers set up for you to run through on the way and it ends with a huge party on main street. This year I ran with my girl Kelli (more small town running royalty, she is the pretty blonde in the photo) and couldn't have had a better night! The "Girls Gone Muddy" were up to no good again!

Me + Kel = Girls Gone Muddy...even at a non-obstacle race! 

Last month my husband noticed that a mole on my back had changed and "didn't look right" so I scheduled an appointment with my dermatologist. She took one look and said it needed to go, it was most likely malignant. A few weeks later it was removed and sent in for a biopsy which confirmed their suspicions. The good news is she felt no further treatment was needed and as long as I didn't notice any other changes I could come back in 6 months. This really wasn't a surprise, being a fair- eyed redhead with 7 of the 10 warning signs for skin cancer, but I hadn't expected it to hit at 27. The good news is as long as I stay on top of my sunblock and my checkups this shouldn't be a problem down the line. We can catch any other problem spots before they become a real issue. I would be remiss if I didn't throw it out there, if you haven't had a check, you should get on that. It doesn't hurt and most insurances will cover it. Get it done!

Training with the stitches in my back has been a challenge. They had to cut deep to get all the tissue removed so I need to keep them in until the beginning of next month, and they seem to be seriously throwing off my game. They pull with every movement and I can't wait to have them taken out and get back to normal.

On July 20th I hit up the Puckerbrush 5k in Forest City, IA and had the privilege of running with my 2 brothers. The race course was fun and well organized, as well as awards for the overall male and female winners they awarded medals for 1st and 2nd place in each age group. They also gave out a TON of awesome door prizes courtesy of the race sponsors.

My little brother Dan took home the overall win with a time of 18:18, and my older brother Johnny landed a respectable 4th in his age group, I am ridiculously proud of them. I knew going into it I was off, my stitches were pulling and I was sore but I gave it my all. Disappointingly, I ended up missing a medal by 1:00. Even so, I had a awesome day. I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful family and it was special to get to run with the guys.

My Brothers and I! Dan on the left, Johnny on the right! 

Dan accepting his Award for overall winner! 

After coming so close to another medal for the summer I'm moving forward with a new purpose. My next 5k will be the Lisbon Kraut Route on August 10th and I am going for the Gold! I'd like to take 1st in my age group as well as PR for a 5K, it would be extra special since the race is right outside my front door. I'll also start hitting the weights again in August, working on my upper body and core strength.

I have less than 50 days until the big one, it's time to get pumped, and get down to business. I couldn't be more excited! Life is good! 

Warrior Dash for the win!

So, it's the Monday after my first Warrior Dash weekend and as I sit here on my sore (yes, I'm still sore) behind I thought I would share my experience and what I learned about obstacle racing with you! Hopefully you can put some of it in your pocket and use it on your own adventure!

The event was very well organized, I found this to be a pleasant surprise as I was expecting at least a minor amount of chaos. Parking was provided at $10 per vehicle and there were friendly staff directing traffic through the lot. I feel like they did a good job keeping things moving. Once we found a parking spot you walked to the bus area where you could load up and get a relatively quick ride over to the race venue. In my case, Afton Alps. The bus ride gave a feeling of heading off to summer camp as we wound down through some wooded areas towards the venue. It was a fun chance to shoot the bull with other would-be Warriors and, of course, take an abundance of photos. I kind of felt like a loser not having my camera out so I got this gem for you.

We stepped off the bus to be greeted by music, dancing, and of course MUD! If you plan to attend this event as a spectator I suggest you drop any illusions of staying clean immediately. From the bus drop off point you could walk directly to the packet pickup station. They were friendly, and efficient. Gear check was provided for free and located right next door to packet pickup. I believe the time between setting foot on the bus and checking my gear was only 30 mins at most. READ, you don't have to waste a ton of time standing in lines. WIN!

Smoke from the fire jump obstacle

When it came time for the running to commence we made our way to the starting line. To avoid obstacles being bogged down they had divided each heat into 2 smaller groups to start 10 mins apart. I really appreciated this as I did not have to stand in line for a single obstacle, MAJOR points for that. The MC had us duke it out for which group got go to go first by having us cheer and "Throw up the horns", my side won, naturally. 

We took off up a monstrous hill and it was all good muddy fun from there. (Ok yeah, there was some work in there too ;)  As it turns out I had overestimated the obstacles and grossly underestimated the running. The hills...ohmygoodness the hills. I knew it was important to train for them but apparently I didn't train hard enough. I was feeling the burn. Obstacles included climbing nets, ropes and walls, shimmying under barbed wire, jumping over fire, all fun and relatively simple. Keep in mind this event was not meant to scare people off, it was created to be fun and inclusive regardless of athletic ability.

After swimming through a final trough of muddy water I was greeted by yet more friendly staff at the finish line where I was rewarded for my efforts with a hearty high five, a medal, and a beer on the house. (In addition to my super sweet swag bag with a t-shirt and fuzzy viking helmet!) I'd say it is easily worth the $65 entry fee. (note: I registered relatively early. As with most events the price climbs the closer you get to the big day) 

A few things I learned about obstacle races (AKA Mud Runs) 

1. TRAIN FOR HILLS!!!! I am fairly certain the race creators use every single one at their disposal. They probably sit somewhere watching from an eye in the sky and laugh as you trudge up the umpteenth one laughing and saying "They PAID to do this!" Show 'em who's boss! 

2. You may want to opt for a taller sock, or at least something ankle length. I found it helped to keep the sand and grit out of my shoes. Wet feet + sand/grit/rocks = torn up feet. No fun! 

3. Bring some plastic sandals to slip on after. I intended to donate my race shoes, so in my infinite wisdom I packed a SECOND pair of trainers "Because then I'll have a dry pair". Well considering the rest of me was still sopping wet and filthy when I put them on my "dry pair" didn't last long. Should have thought that one through a little better! 

4. Be sure to pack some cash for incidentals. Parking, food/drinks, any souvenirs you may want, etc. There was a water station provided, as well as a free beer but food was on your dime and there were some pretty yummy things available. (see giant turkey leg below) 

As of today all that stands between me and Tough Mudder is two months and a handful of 5Ks. I am going to take what I learned this weekend, modify my training and keep on trucking. Thanks for hanging in there with me! I'm happy to answer any questions I can and of course Happy Training! 

Success and the "Appreciation Challenge"

"Success is going from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiasm."- Winston Churchill

Failure is not a fun word. Failure is something to fear, something to be ashamed of, something no one wants to be labeled as or experience. Success is something we strive for. We set goals for ourselves, create a plan to achieve them, and get to work, assuming once we hit our "end point" we will experience and in essence become success. What we tend to forget is, without failure, there can be no success.

In the world today we are constantly bombarded with images of what it means to be "a success". Things we need to posses and molds our appearances should fit into. When we inevitably don't fit these molds our feelings of self-worth begin to erode. Depression builds over things we don't have but didn't know we "needed" until someone told us so. In the end feelings of emptiness creep in, as if we, as people, have no value. Nothing could be further from the truth.

This week I am doing my best to take a moment to step back and truly appreciate what God has blessed me with. I will appreciate the changes in my body, and how much stronger I have become physically and mentally. I will appreciate my family and the love we share. I will appreciate our home, and my ability to serve those who live there. The strength to truly savor the moment, to revel in my journey instead of fretting over how far I have to get to my goal. This is living, this is a gift, and to me this is success.

I challenge you to join me in this pursuit. Take a few minutes for yourself each day to experience gratitude for what you have, and how far you've come. Let it humble you, let the deep sense of peace and joy cleanse your soul of worry. God is good and so is life, if you just take the time to notice.

I would love to hear what success means to you, and what you are grateful for. I'm here, and as always, Happy Training!

No going back

Something changed for me today

I was having a conversation recently where there were some comments made about my weight during a certain period of my life about 5 or 6 years ago. I was called "chunky" and "fat" and then told "But look how far you've come!" as if that should erase the hurt of what was said.

The time period in reference was a rough one for me on so many levels. My husband was away for 6 months attending an officer training course for the Army and I was home alone working a high-stress sales job that kept me tethered to a phone and confined to a desk the majority of every day. What no one knew was even though I had gained weight I was deep in the throes of bulimia.

When people think of disordered eating they think skinny. It's just the way it is. This is also a huge misconception. Disordered eating does not fit into the two tidy boxes of anorexia and bulimia, it is as individual as the person suffering. That person might not even know there is anything wrong until they are in so deep they can't get out on their own. It starts with the negative thoughts "I can't believe I ate that, I'm such a fatty!" and progresses to feeling dirty from the inside out every time we eat, no matter what we eat, until we develop a real and crippling fear of food.

I spent my days at work sitting at my desk surrounded by food. In the office environment every menial accomplishment by a team member was celebrated with a 10 pound pastry. I studiously avoided eating the food provided, packing myself meager lunches of healthy fare that I would eat alone in my car during my break. The stress of the job ate away at me mentally and my body ached from disuse. When I went home to my empty apartment I was horribly lonely, mentally exhausted, and constantly hungry from starving myself all day, and so I ate. I ate until I was in physical pain and then I threw all the pain back up.

Despite the purging my weight hovered near the top end of what was considered "healthy" for my 5' 9" frame. No one would have looked at me and seen what was happening, and I didn't ask for help. This wasn't my first rodeo with an eating disorder and over time I began to take steps towards improving but it wasn't until my pregnancy with my first son that I was truly able to put bulimia behind me.

When those comments were made all of this came flooding back. I sat there holding back the tears and feebly protesting that I wasn't fat, then laughing it off because continuing the conversation would only hurt more. I've spent the last couple of days feeling bruised over what was said. Doubting who I was at the time, thinking "I was fat" started morphing into "I am fat" and the negative though patterns started to come back "Your butt is so big, you don't deserve it eat.", "look at all the fat on your belly, disgusting." and then I made a choice.

I made the choice not to go back. I made the choice to be stronger than someone else's words. I refuse to go back to a place where I beat myself up over every bite of food that passes my lips. I won't let someone else's opinion of who I am, was, or should be shape how I see myself. Every day that passes I put myself closer to achieving my goals. I work hard, I eat well. It is not realistic for me to say I am never going to touch sugar again or that I won't have carbs until the scale says what I want it to. I am giving myself permission to be human. I can't go back and change the past but I can shape my future, one positive choice at a time,

and it looks pretty bright from here.

New art!

May was an exciting month for me both in terms of training as well as developing No quit in her. In addition to increasing my weekly miles run I was able to complete the project of new art for my Facebook page and of course this blog!

I was fortunate enough to be able to hire a friend, Kitty Redden, (who just happens to be a graphic art genius) to help me turn my ramblings into something real. My first thought was to embody the concept of the phoenix. I felt the legend of the bird being cyclically reborn was a perfect analogy for NQ, but I wasn't sold on the typical art associated with a phoenix so we branched out. 

It was very important to me to put a touch of myself and my style into the art and with that in mind we settled on the Valkyrie wings.  In Norse mythology the Valkyrie is one of a host of female figures who decide which soldiers live in battle and which die. It's easy to change the story and apply it to your life. You are a soldier, the battle is your day to day relationship with health and wellness. You can choose to "live" by focusing on making positive choices for yourself. You can earn your own set of  Valkyrie wings! 

We started with my scribbles. With Kitty being based out of Washington state we had to communicate via the internet but we were able to send photos back and forth to help us zero in on the finished project.

After a few sketches and a first draft we settled on a blue/black color scheme and kept it pretty clean and simple. My hope was for it to be eye catching and convey a feeling of strength. However, I didn't want anything overly busy or overwhelming. 

It was so exciting for me to see my vision come together, and take this step towards making my dream a reality. I honestly couldn't be more excited to share this with you. I hope that when you see the art you are reminded of how strong you are. Once you've made the choice to live nothing can hold you back! The power to grow and change is in your hands. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts, as always drop me a line anytime and happy training!