No real mud run

Saturday I completed my first ever race! It was the Tucson Mud Run which was promoted at a 5k (3.1miles) race with obstacles with the promise of taking home as much mud as you could carry! So naturally I signed up!

The week prior to the event nerves began to set in and as the big day approached I started dreaming about the race. I am happy to report that there wasn't any alligator filled pits nor did I get bitten by a rattlesnake as in my dreams. Friday I went and picked up my first ever race packet. I was so excited to get my bib number (416) and running socks. I came home and pinned my number on to my shirt, set out my shoes, socks, and running shorts. I was ready for the next morning. I set my clock for 5 am because I didn't want to be late!! I actually fell asleep easily but I was awake at 430 and ready to go.

After getting ready and fueling up on a granola bar with almond butter and Gatorade, I set out. It was chilly at first and I was happy I brought a long sleeve shirt to throw on, but as the sun came over the mountain it quickie warmed up. The day was promised to be in the triple digits! The course has also changed to 3.6 miles. I had brought two Gu gel packs with me and took the first one about 15 minutes prior to the race start. I lined up with the second wave and nervously awaited the air horn to signal our start. As I'm awaiting the the start I hear an announcement about rattlesnakes but the horn sounds before I can process that one!!

And we are off, I know better than to run full speed out of the start line, but I do take off running with the plan to run for about a minute and then slow to a walk. I was worried I would be the only one walking but quickly there are six of us walking. I am walking with two other girls and we ended up taking a wrong turn and went a little bit out of the way and had to turn around and come back. The third wave start sounds and we are a really tight portion of the trail so we edge over to the side and let the faster runners come by. Soon it is apparent that I cannot keep walking with these girls because they are going a bit to slow for me not to run into them. I bid them farewell and pass them up. About half a mile in I see the first obstacle, a tire obstacle with a 8 footish wall climb. I'm okay with the tires but the wall climb was the thing I had been dreading!! I wait for my turn and I'm quickly through the tires and before I know it I am up the wall! I have a little trouble at the top turning around but I'm quickly down and running again. I have the biggest smile on my face because I have just conquered one of my fears!!

Soon the second obstacle appears, a giant log ladder thingy. I see my husband in a small group of spectators and I know I have this in the bag. The official/volunteer tells us we can go around if we are in a hurry, but I can't do that! (ok the thought did cross my mind). Again I wait my turn and I'm up and over and running again!! I have a huge smiled on my face when I see the photographer! I hit the water station and hydrate and I'm off again. All this time I have been walking and jogging in semi regular intervals, but the trail had a lot of loose rocks and dirt so I have to be very careful too.

Then I round a corner as see the third obstacle, a man with a water truck and a hose. I know that water is not going to be warm, so I pick up my pace. The joy of not running with the pack is that the guy with the hose has the ability to get you drenched! It was awesome!! It actually felt refreshing! Right after that is the log crossing. My shoes are wet and muddy but I pick my log and I'm over it in no time! I run up the hill and there is the fourth obstacle, the slip and slide. There's a guy yelling "SPRINT" so I start running and take a dive!! I slide about half way across and crawl the rest of the way and take a step into a pool of muddy water! This is so much fun! This is totally what I signed up for!

Then comes the hills. We start climbing the mountain and the first hill is a monster! The trail is now winding and curving and going up and down hills and washes. The path is uber rocky and most of the dirt is really loose. I run when I have a solid path, but for the most part I walk, and walk, and walk. It seems like forever and there isn't an aid station for about a mile and a half. The aid stations are set up at the mile markers, but we were warned that the mile markers are not accurate. I am starting to worry that I am just dragging and it is taking too long. I know this isn't a real competitive race, but I don't want to come in last!

As we come down the hill I see obstacle number five (unless the hill was number 5) and it is a sand dune and another wall climb. Right after that is the water station and mile marker two. So you have to climb the wall to get to the water. Talk about incentive!! I wait for a couple people to go over and then I am up and over, even quicker than last time. I hydrate and the ground is pretty solid so I'm off running again. I hear them say we are about half way. About half a mile up is another water station. I use my second gel pack because I am start to slow down and I hydrate and I'm off. Only half a mile to go.

I can hear the crowd getting louder and I know I'm almost there. I know there are are least two more obstacles coming. I am walking now with the plan of running to the finish line. I catch up with a friend from the race and we start jogging (actually she catches up to me, but my story). Of course the finish line is uphill but that's okay. We see the "mud" pit and start to walk. We wait in line for our turn in the pit and my legs are all weak. I am having foible keeping my balance. I let her go first and she jumps into the murky water. I follow and splash down into it! I swim/crawl to other side and get out. I run up the little incline and wait for my turn at the last slip and slide which ends in the pool. I slide into the pool and waddle to the end and get out. I have just finished my first race!

Official times were posted today and I finished in 1:06:30.2 which is approximately 8.5 miles per minute. I think this is an excellent time! I was a bit slower than my usual run, but not by much especially since I walked most of it and had to wait for people to finish obstacles and then complete said obstacles. This was an amazing experience. The blisters caused by running in wet socks will heal, the sunburn will fade, but my memory of my first race will not!!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Road ID

My friend Lora recommend an awesome product to me and I have to share.  The product, Road ID (www.roadID.com), is a bracelet, anklet, necklace, or shoe tag that has emergency contact information on it.  The site is geared towards athletes, but it is a really awesome idea for anyone who has any kind of medical need.  I actually think it is a good idea for everyone to have regardless of medical need.  The point of the band is to give emergency medical responders the information they need to get in contact with someone if something were to happen to you.  

I know most of us carry an ID on us when we go out, but ladies where do we put this ID?  In our purse!  What happens if you get separated from your purse? I have a medical alert card for my gastric bypass in my purse and I was thinking I was golden, but then I remember what happened after my car accident.  I was so flustered and if I didn't grab my purse before we went to the hospital, I wouldn't of had anything on me!  I was lucky to be conscious, but if you are in a car accident or something else happens and the EMT needs to get you to the hospital, they are not going to root around your car or probably even think to grab your purse.  Their number one priority is to get you to the hospital!! This band could save your life.

It was recommended to me that I carry a medical alert on me because of my surgery.  The ER needs to know that you have had bypass because they have to be careful about a couple of procedures that they preform.  In Flagstaff I wasn't worried about this because FMC had done my surgery and I assumed that they would have it in their system.  This is funny because, well because it just is.  FMC couldn't remember I had a corn allergy when I pregnant with Lilly and it was in BIG RED LETTERS across the door of my hospital room.  

Anyway, I have looked at a lot of medical alert bracelets and such and I have never found one I liked until now.  I think I like this one because the price is right ($15.99 to $29.99 depending on the style) and they have interchangeable bands that you can buy ($1-$3 for the ones I bought).  I chose to get the interactive band that sets you up to a website that EMTs and the ER can access via a code on the back of your bracelet and you get the first year free for EACH bracelet you buy.  I bought the sport band to run in and another band for day to day.  So I get two free years and then it is only $10 a year for each additional year.  If you lose a band with the access code, they remove it from your account so no one can access your personal information.  I did this because I want to be able to update medications and phone numbers in the event something changes (like my ever changing cell phone number).  

I received a coupon code from RoadID.com for $1 off  your next order.  So feel free to use it and share.  Coupon Number: ThanksKimberly5710022

 This concludes my rant!!

One step at a time!

For the sake of having someone holding me accountable, I have decided to create a running blog of my journey to my first half marathon and maybe even farther!!  I am not claiming to be some amazing jogger nor to I expect to come in first at a race anytime soon, but this is amazing for me!  Six months ago I weighed closed to 350 pounds and couldn't walk a mile much less run!!  Now I am doing a run/walk combo and finishing 3 miles in about 50 minutes!!  (the run/walk combo is said to actually make you go faster since you have some recovery time on your walk sections).  Most, if not all, of my information come from a very dear friend of mine, Lora.  So away we go!!!