My response. "Is it free?"
it was
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| Ricki and I pre race, getting pumped up |
So we continued to party through the night, I took a detour from my strict diet and ended up having some sort of sugar overdose that ended about the same way as a 21 year old birthday party.
With less than 3 solid hours of sleep I drag my miserable body out of bed, pump up my spotify playlist "YEAH BUDDY" and got myself a talk black coffee.
The Dirty Dash is a non competitive 5-10K obstacle course of sorts. . This consisted of trail running, climbing up and down muddy trenches, jumping hay bales in stacks of 1-3 high, climbing over A frames with ropes, crawling under pipes, running across boards over muddy trenches, a segment of a wooded run (over or under fallen trees), and did I mention mud? Lots and lots of mud.
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| Post race victory dance |
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| C4 pre workout shot 15 minutes before the race started |
The mud was one of the more intense aspects of the race, many contestants lost shoes, were blinded, injured, slipped, or became discouraged from it. My friends shoes were proven to be less than ready for the job of staying on her feet after the first obstacle... The trenches.
Now these trenches were solid walls of mud that slid down into puddles of untold depths of cold water. Many contestants were able to climb over, but found themselves crashing into the puddle below.
I somehow was leading the charge for our group. The funnest part for me was being so charged with energy that I easily leaped out of the water onto my conquered mound. Then reaching back and pulling the others up who would not otherwise be able to climb the mound on their own.
It was really a beautiful metaphor for life.
but this gets better, I am still leading the charge of my army and we have crossed the first obstacle. I turn back for my friend and she is nowhere in sight.
It was really a beautiful metaphor for life.
but this gets better, I am still leading the charge of my army and we have crossed the first obstacle. I turn back for my friend and she is nowhere in sight.
So I see that the trenches had weighed her shoes down and she was struggling to go on barefoot with shoes in hand. I retreat back and help her, then we get her shoes cleared out. From there running eagerly to the next obstacle, wherever it may be.
As time goes on Ricki I noticed was falling further and further behind me. I was continuing on with a light jog and a constant "Come on Ricki. You got this babe. Keep pushing. Dig deep. Don't quit."
Together we get to the next obstacle. This is where my fear gripped my heart like ice. The A frame.
You have to climb up this frame, cross the top, and use the slippery rope to complete the transaction safely. I have a fear of heights and falling. On top of this I am very uncoordinated and awkward with some movements. Transferring weight when in small high places is probably one of my weakest places. Thankfully my friend was able to support me and gave me words of strength to conquer this fear.
After jumping off the second A frame, hands shaking, feeling like a champion for conquering such an intense fear of mine. We continue on. through winding muddy trails.
Ricki in the meantime is having a harder and harder time keeping up, my drill sergeant motivation can only go so far. I run to her and grab her hand. On we march together, I refused to let her momentum no matter how slow come to a halt.
Then an uphill climb did her in. Ricki was fatigued and unable to catch her breath. I was feeling great so I decided to pull a Sam and Frodo maneuver. Up on my back she went and I marched on. All the while I was coaching her to breathe deep and repeat after me.
I can do all things.
Through Christ.
Who strengthens me.
Phlippians 4:13
Luckily our prayer was heard. She recovered her strength enough to climb the last hill, pass the slide obstacle with enthusiasm, and sprint with me hand in hand through the finish line.
What a great experience it was to do this race with friend and have the opportunity to inspire someone!
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