Obstacles

Ginger, Jennifer, Me, Sami, John
(Not Pictured: Diane - she was behind the camera)

This weekend I did my first (and probably last) obstacle course race, the Rugged Maniac 5K, with some great friends from back home. In the continuing tradition of challenging myself, going outside of my comfort zone, and testing my fitness in grand ways, Rugged Maniac is something that I would have NEVER considered a year ago. There are many things about an obstacle race that are so not me - mud, climbing things, heights, tunnels, the threat of injury, wet feet... but as much as I tried to talk myself out of it (and get others to talk me out of it - believe me, my Oly coach tried) and as much as it seemed like a bad idea, I still really wanted to give it a try and see how much I could do.

During the three mile course and the four hour drive home I had a lot of time to reflect on my experience and wax a bit poetic on the parallels I found between the race and life and in particular, my journey.



Here's what I learned:


1. Starting Isn't Easy. With this particular race you had to climb a four foot wall just to get into the
holding pen at the starting line. I immediately felt a little defeated, knowing I couldn't get over it on my own. How was I going to get through this race if I couldn't even start?! That's what teammates are for. Shout out to John for giving me a foot hold and hoisting me over the wall. Sometimes you need someone to throw you over the wall, kick you through the door, push you into the pool... Starting isn't always easy, it's often the hardest part, but if you have someone to help you, it's a little bit easier.

2. Get Dirty Right Away and Get it Over With. Sometimes it's the best policy to jump in head first. Don't try to ease into it or find a way to just dip a toe in, go all out and give it everything you have. If you're already dirty in the first hundred yards it won't be so difficult to get even dirtier a mile or so in. For me, starting my journey like this was key - full commitment to changing my diet, four WODs a week (sometimes five), no use being afraid, no excuse to not at least try everything new. Get dirty and get going on the journey.



3. Don't Get Used to Smooth Terrain. Just when you get used to the level path, dry out a little bit, get your breath back, that's when the next obstacle appears. The course/life/any worthwhile journey isn't going to be a straight-shot, level road that's easily followed. If it was, what would be the point? Feeling pretty good about getting through that barbed wire crawl? Think you're in the home stretch? Well let's trudge through six pools of waist deep mud the consistency of peanut butter. Okay? Celebrate the little victories along the way, but don't get comfortable and forget you're still on the course. You better be ready for the next obstacle that crosses your path, because it will. It always does.



4. Hold on Tight and Be Ready for Others to Rock the Cargo Net. Any time you're trying to do something new and difficult there are going to be moments where you doubt yourself and will want to turn back, climb back down, and give up. Rarely do you exist in a bubble where what you are doing is unaffected by others. Other people who might be on the same path, other people who are taking a different approach, other people who are going to jump onto the cargo net or roll across it and cause your stable foothold to be shaken. Don't let go, don't cry, hold steady, keep your head down, and keep moving forward. Eventually you'll get across and be glad you didn't let the others rocking the cargo net allow you to fall through a hole and be stuck dangling 20 feet in the air with a rope wedgie, so to speak.

5. Pick Your Battles/Know Your Limits. There are likely to be obstacles in your way that are seemingly insurmountable. They may or may not actually be impossible for you to overcome, but sometimes you have to weigh the difficulty of continuing to struggle and expend energy on a task that you really don't have to complete to move forward against the benefit of saving that energy for the things that really matter, like finishing and not getting hurt (my main goal for the race). There were several obstacles that I went around without trying (like the walls because I didn't have anyone that could help me over them and I wasn't strong enough to get over them on my own) and others that I tried but failed to complete, like scaling a muddy hill by pulling yourself up by a rope, all the while keeping yourself from being snagged by the barbed wire overhead. I tried, I really did, but at one point I had nothing left in my arms, couldn't get a foot hold, and realized that if I kept trying I would eventually hurt myself. So I chose to go around without finishing the obstacle, but was okay with the choice because I gave it a good try.



6a. It's Okay to Choose the Path of Least Resistance... especially if it means not falling into a smoldering fire pit. See also #5 above. When I got to this obstacle, knowing that my jumping ability is limited to about a four weight-plate height and distance, and gauging the middle of the fire pit to be more than that, I chose to jump over the end that was lower and not as far across. I still jumped over the fire and got to the other side, I just scaled it to my ability. I didn't necessarily take the easy way out, I just accomplished the task in a way that prevented failure and being burned alive which, in my humble opinion, is always the most desirable outcome.

6b. Avoid Being Burned Alive Whenever Possible. This really needs no further explanation.

7. Be Not Afraid of Dark Tunnels. You may not be able to see it, but there is a light at the end. Even if you can see it and feel like you'll be in the tunnel forever, if you keep moving forward a little bit at a time, you'll eventually make it through. There are moments in any journey when you get mired down in darkness, doubt, and get focused in only on how much you're struggling. It can seem never ending, but try to let your eyes adjust to the darkness and you may actually be able to see that every little step you take forward, even if you're crawling along a half inch at a time, is progress that will eventually lead you out of the tunnel. In situations like this it also helps to have a friend at the other end saying "follow the sound of my voice" assuring you that you won't get stuck in the tunnel and you're just five more good pulls away from getting out.




Me and Jennifer
She clearly finished long before me and was already clean.

Thank you to my fellow Rugged Maniacs (Ginger, Jennifer, Sami, and John) for taking on this challenge with me, and especially Diane for sticking with me through the whole course, capturing all these great moments, and being the voice at the end of the tunnels. I couldn't have done it without you.