Keeping Pace

Keeping Pace

A Goal Without a Plan…

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Last week, I read a fabulous article describing the difference between a wish and a goal.

A Goal Without a Plan is just A Wish – Shona, WodPrep

I immediately thought about my recent race experience and my goal to join the Trifecta Tribe by completed the race. Although I wasn’t sure if it was realistic, my actual goal was to do the Beast in approximately 6 hours. Of course, if you don’t work on being fast, you cannot expect to be fast on race day. After all, we get good at what we practice, and I had practiced moving at hiking/backpacking pace. So, although I knew I could go the distance, it was certain that I would not do it in under 6 hours. Then there were the obstacles.

As for the plan, I wasn’t exactly following a plan. Although I certainly I only had a rough idea of what I would face on race day, my “plan” was only in my head. In my head, the extent of my plan was simply to do what I could in order to get strong and more agile, develop grip strength and the ability to hang from my hands. Running wise, I knew what it would take but just didn’t make time for it even though I knew that the course would be mountainous and long. Instead, I hiked and told myself that I was developing endurance and put off doing the work of actual running.

Now I have no excuse; I know what I can expect from the Spartan Sprint, Super and Beast. I know the obstacles which cause me to take penalty burpees: Monkey Bars, Multi-rig, Twister, and Spear Throw. I also know the obstacles which I always need to get help with: Walls & Hurdles, and the Olympus. And although I don’t have access to walls or the rigs listed to gain these skills, I can work more diligently and smartly on the body movements and strength these obstacles require.

It’s time to plan and execute. Five weeks until the Spartan Stadium Sprint at AT&T Park (San Francisco). Aroo!!

Trifecta

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This past weekend, I completed the Spartan SoCal Beast, and returned home safely with the final puzzle piece (medal) to complete my Trifecta.

Thanks to my posting the collection of photos taken along the way on social media, I almost feel like there is nothing left to say.

As expected, Spartan dished out an über-challenging course. While the ascents were humbling, numerous, and never-ending, it was the descents that brought us to our knees (or butts rather). Apparently the bridge walks I’d incorporated into my training – without really knowing why – had a purpose.

I got to take on a few obstacles I had not experienced in prior races including the Tyrolean Traverse. Additionally, the majority of obstacles which I had encountered before were taken to a new level of difficulty.

Fortunately, Lil Sis and I had the pleasure of navigating the course alongside Jen and George, two seasoned Spartans. Between the four of us, we each took turns overcoming challenges unique to us (e.g. constricted breathing, leg cramps, increased back pain). We also took turns spewing forth expletives. As a result, we each found ways to support one another at various times along the 13+ mile trek (with over 3500 feet elevation gain). George, however, gets the award for literally and repeatedly letting all of us gals walk all over him – in an effort to get over the walls. I clumsily leaped over the Fire Jump at the end and finished with an official time of 8:50:48.

Much like when I crossed the finish line at the Boston Marathon, tears followed. However, at this event I had three amazing humans at my side sharing the joy of this uniquely momentous occasion. I have now earned my Trifecta.

Reasons to Believe

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Three days from now, I will be finding my way up and down the hills of Tejon Ranch.  My mental and physical strength, agility, and stamina will be put to the test with a number of obstacles which have yet to be revealed. I am excited and nervous. But… I will NOT be alone.

In addition to the many Spartans who have signed up to take on this Beast of a course, I will also have the joy of having my sister, Carol (aka Lil Sis) doing this thing with me.  The process of reassuring her — that she would be able to show up and take it on — has reinforced that I too am ready to find my inner beast.

We each toe the line with different strengths that will provide us with a nice compliment of reasons to believe that we can and will succeed. Even so, please pray for us to have a safe adventure (including the the race as well as the trip to SoCal and back).

Just-In-Time Training

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It has been nearly a month since I made the judgment that my Spartan training was sub-optimal. The decision to bail on my planned race soon followed, although I continued my efforts to get stronger and further develop my grip-strength. I added box jumps to my training with an emphasis on overcoming my fear of whacking my shin on the box’s edge. In the process, I faced my fear and made myself keep up the effort. Why I didn’t resume my running efforts, I cannot say? I simply didn’t make time for it.

Yet, for reasons I cannot explain, I did not process my deferral and continued to search the web regularly for hotels at a reasonable distance from the start – just in case. So, when Jen and George, two of my biggest Spartan inspirations, reached out to me about the upcoming race, it didn’t take much for them to talk me back into going for it. You could even say that I was secretly hoping for it.

Of course, I now NEED to do some serious just-in-time run training. I pulled up my old training logs from my distance running days and plotted out a plan on the calendar. Within 2 days of opting back in I’ve run 7+ miles. It’s going to be a push. It’s definitely going to hurt…but I think know that I can do it! Right?

Success

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Successes come in a colors, sizes, and styles. Sometimes we recognize our successes, and other times they pass unnoticed. Successfully doing a 72 hour fast is, in my book, a big success.

Until you’ve tried to pull off this task, you have no real idea what it takes. In doing so, I was surprised at how easily my body took to it. The strength of my mind, however, was what was really being tested. Of course the nursing side of me monitored my glucose and ketone levels, blood pressure, and urine output for signs that I should end the attempt. I did my best to keep busy but not overdue it. I kept to my regular routine (minus the eating) as much as possible.

On Day 3, after weights and yoga, I packed up a few snacks to use for reintroducing food at the end of the day. The day was just beginning but, in the back of mind, already I was considering the possibility of extending past 72 hours. I tucked the snacks in my glove compartment as I drove to work.

That evening, just 30 minutes before hitting the 72 hour mark, I seriously wondered if I should just continue. I felt FABULOUS. I joked with my brother and Lil Sis that I was high on ketones. I had plenty of chores to keep my evening occupied and food was the farthest thing from my mind. Until… it wasn’t.

I realized that I had no idea what I would eat if I were to break my fast then and there. What? What would I eat? 

Before long, I had decided that a good steak was in order. Yes, that’s it. A rib eye steak would be nice. Ahhh, but we are out of propane. I should pick some up tonight so I have it when I am ready to eat again. While I am at it, I might as well get the steak too.

Well you can see where this was going. Right? All of that thinking and planning what I was going to eat (when I was to eat again) got my salivary glands flowing, my stomach grumbling, and my ghrelin levels rising. By then, it was a done deal. The fast was ended.

So… I ate.

And it was good. Oh, so good.

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