4.1 miles. 28 obstacles. Prizes consisted of a shirt and medal:
What did I do? I moved 4.1 miles. I climbed walls including a 12 foot one, humped through and over mud, climbed out of a 10 foot pit, tried swing across water obstacles (and failed miserably), crawled on my face in mud, climbed a 15 foot tire chain and then back down, climbed a slanted wall with rope, carried a 40 lb bag for a lap, hammered a block of wood with a sledge and back, and ran and walked through mud. And more mud. 4.1 miles worth of mud.
And all I got was this T-shirt and medal.
One might wonder why a person would do such things. And it would be reasonable to wonder. Even if one was to win the competition, the purse probably pays for the race (just). I finished tired and sore and covered in mud (showering was an hour long affair).
Why do it? Bragging rights, for sure - I finished. I made it. I tried every obstacle (although I failed at a number of them). But I can hold my head up high.
More importantly, I found out I can do things I did not think were possible. I climbed a wall with help and then helped other climb. I heaved myself over and through and under is ways I could not expect. I managed to do one or two obstacles - the 15' tire climb and the slanted wall with the rope -that I not think that I could do.
And most of all, I finished. I kept moving.
How did this change anything?
Because today when I hit a problem I could not solve or something that bothered me instead of getting worked up over it I simply said "I climbed walls and things and crawled through mud this weekend - if I could do that, I can do this."
Maybe I did not find my outer limits this weekend, but I sure got a little closer.
An achievement indeed my good man.
ReplyDeleteThank you John. It really feels like one.
DeleteTB - sounds like you were put through an obstacle course very much like basic training. good job, my friend!
ReplyDeleteyour friend,
kymber
Thank you Kymber! Although if this is similar to what they do in basic training, I would have been embarrassing as a soldier. I am sure you were much better!
DeleteLhiats, TB
buddy - you have to remember that in basic, i did my first mile and a half training wearing my own running shoes. did it in 7:36. then they strapped combat boots that were at least 3 times too big for me for the next 7 weeks. i managed to do my mile and a half in just under 14 minutes! i just made the cut off.
Deletebut i was in basic training. you did this because of trying to test your metal which is so much different! i am glad that you were able to succeed as much as you did! and i am glad that you got a lift out of trying as hard as you could!
i am sure that you feel that a lot of the stuff on that obstacle run could have shot you down ---- except that it didn't! and i think there is a lesson to be learned from that!
your friend,
kymber
Thanks Kymber! Overall I would say that I did not successfully complete most of the obstacles I anticipated but there were one or two that I did do that I did not think I would be able to. That was very satisfying.
DeleteLhiats, TB