This race was crazy tough and crazy awesome!!!
Not even sure where to begin.
Roughly 1200 participants divided into several different heats. Fonz and I had made a deal, I would run the Spartan if he would run SGM and I had to sign up in the competitive heat. I have be so nervous and sick about running it, but am beyond ecstatic that I did.
The terrain consisted of wicked elevation gains and losses above Soldier Hollow and 18 military obstacles. The obstacles were insane, including climbing up ropes, wading through mud pits that were higher than my navel, climbing over walls, dragging cinder blocks, jumping through fire, target shooting, throwing javelins, a rubick's cube, monkey bars, slick rocks, crawling under barbwire in the mud for roughly 200 yards with some military man yelling at you, balance beams, lifting up tires, and even running through a pit of gladiators (who knocked me over and threw me like a barbie doll) at the end!!!! CRAZY CRAZY CRAZY stuff. I have a few injuries (but nothing that won't heal and nothing that should keep me from running: shoulder and stinking thumb) and I look pretty dang beat up (bruises and cuts all over) but the trophy I got was totally worth it!!! Seriously, best trophy EVER EVER EVER!!!! And an experience that I will NEVER forget! :)
Miraculously, I was second overall female (first place was 10 minutes ahead of me, 3rd place was 5 seconds behind) and Fonz was the third overall man. The mens competition was definitely greater than the womens. According to Hobie Call (The Spartan King, I believe he has won 10 straight Spartan races) this was the toughest course in the series. He usually runs them just under an hour and this one took him 1:09. My goal was to double Hobie's time and try to beat it. I was thrilled with the result!! Not only did I get the coolest and heaviest trophy EVER but I also got a $150.00 pair of Skull Candy Rocnation Aviators (sadly my ipod is too old to use them ... I might have to remedy that) and qualification and entry to the 48 hour Death Race in North Carolina (which I will definitely NOT be doing).
BEST PART: Ry decided to run this last minute!!!!! He is the man!!!! He did AWESOME!!!! :) :) :) Seriously, I am the luckiest woman alive! (He said it was a good thing he didn't know what he was in for.) It was a GREAT day!!!
Oh yeah, so this was super cool and kept my fire burning throughout: about the last half of the race I was jockeying for 2nd, 3rd and 4th places. It was the coolest feeling when I would be in 2nd or 3rd place because when I would complete an obstacle you would hear one of the military people get on their walkie talkies and say, "2nd (or 3rd) woman just finished obstacle number blah blah blah." DANG THAT WAS AWESOME!!! Of course, I wasn't sure if it was exactly accurate because this was time chipped and I started towards the front. I definitely pushed myself to new limits in this race. I feel Spartan tough!!!! :) :) :)
Everyone should do this race at least once! http://www.spartanrace.com/
Ry and Me before the race! :)
Hobie Call and me. :)
Awards ceremony.
Fonz and me. :) |