The Big Mud Run

Ashley just turned a year old in August.  So prior to that, I was preggers and sick, sick, sick through out my pregnancy. Needless to say my body, as far as exercise is concerned, is starving. In a moment of sheer weakness, I agreed to participate in the Keel and Curley Winery Blue Berry Stomp mud run on a team of four. That being said, a mud run or something like that has been on my bucket list for a while now but there has always been a good reason not to participate. This time, no good reason. I decided I'm just going to do it. When I signed up I had 56 days till the big run. PLENTY of time, I told myself, to prepare physically. I would get up in the mornings a few days a week and run. I could get my work out video's out (dust them off) and do those. I will walk nightly with my husband and kid. NONE of which happened. Well, if you count walking strolling down the street around the cul-de-sac and back home...approximately .0026 miles, then in that case I worked it out HARD! Or not. Once I got close to the big day I decided I better not train because I am always a bullet out of the gun the first time I run/work out or like Toby Keith said..."I'm not as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was!

The big day was upon me. I jumped out of bed at 6am, made my coffee and breakfast and I was out the door. Jamming out all the way to Colleen's (BTW she is the culprit for signing me up). When I got there we were all smiles. We stood around for a bit talking up the anticipation and excitement. Then we were off. The winery was crazy packed but the buzz of excitement was all around. We were out with the 9am group. WOW. Now, I realize this run in terms of mud runs (at a mere 2.5 miles) is probably considered "easy"....it was not. Literal mud, ravines of mud, mounds of mud, hay stacks to climb, barrels to bear crawl over, planks to walk, etc. and just the freaking running in between. Oh. My. Word. I am out of shape. When I crossed the finish line I was pleasantly surprised. I did it! I completed my first "run". Part of the allure of signing up was you got a free wine glass and two free drink tickets for afterwards...score! So we drank and ate. Just all of us girls. And it was SO NICE. It felt good to be there. Good to be me. Good to be out of the bubble of my normal life. Good to be with other women and moms. Good to be a muddy, sweaty, buzzed mess.

When I woke up the next morning EVERYTHING hurt. WOW. I am not 20 anymore and I cannnnnnot just physically jump into something like this. Two days later I'm still sore BUT I smile because its an "I'm still alive" sore. I can still do anything I want in this life. I just have to decide. Or Colleen will just sign me up...haha! This will not be my last run; however I will "train" for the next one. The truth isn't 100% of what Toby Keith said..."I'm not as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was!" My body just isn't the same...but my heart is.