The Next Step

Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible. - Tony Robbins

 

Arctic Enema - Mid-Atlantic Mudder

Please don't be nervous that this post begins with a self-help quote from Tony Robbins.  This isn't a self-help post but merely a look-ahead to our next step as a team.  A great deal of this year has been about setting audacious goals and then going after them.  Our biggest goal looms ahead and the countdown clock keeps moving at a seemingly rapid rate.  At the Virginia Beach Mudder (which is absolutely nowhere near Virginia Beach just in case you were going to get in some beach time afterwards) we are planning to run three laps.  To be more specific we are doing two laps on Saturday and one additional lap on Sunday.  This next goal will likely include well over 30 miles and 60 obstacles.

Two Laps - Carolina Mudder

This next goal is both exciting and completely nerve wracking at the same time.  The nerves come from the fact that I've never covered that type of distance and I'm still pretty beat up from the Mid-Atlantic Mudder.  There is no time to heal so the plan is to run through the shin splints although Web MD seems to disagree.  The excitement comes from knowing that we stand a great chance of completing the challenge.  Individually each of us up for adventure and a challenge.  Collectively, we can turn into a nightmare always trying to up  the challenge.  This couldn't have been more obvious with the two lap challenge in South Carolina.  I knew that if either one of them turned the corner that I would have to go as well.  They both were up for the challenge and I went along for the ride.  It's great to have people push you beyond what you thought was possible.  I would never have taken on the challenge alone.  Together, we completed the two laps and even have the picture to the left to prove it.  DC and Patrick still get a kick out how pained my face looks in the picture.  The point is that you don't find yourself getting shocked, jumping into ice, climbing walls, and running through fire without great people pushing you.  This push will propel us at VA Beach even if  Patrick and DC are pushing me in a wheelchair on Day 2.  

I am a few days into the official start to my VA Beach Mudder training.  DC and I completed back to back training sessions with an 8 mile trail run and a interval training day at the track.  This coupled with back to back P90x2 sessions has every part of me hurting.  The house smells like Ben-Gay and I'm installing my own industrial ice machine to keep up with swelling which means the training is off to a great start.  I will need every one of these sessions to be ready for the next step.  We really have to show up and go big for the next mudder.  It is our hometown Mudder geographically speaking even though none of the three of us really know where Charles City is.  Three laps have now been committed to and 32 days remain until game time.  Motivation, mental grit, and thoughts of the real gazelle run through my head!  The next step will undoubtedly hurt but the goal of three laps is becoming visible.