I have recently had a period of enlightenment. In fact, I call it a resetting of my frame of reference in regards to pain and what "in shape" means. As most of you are already aware I have ran races for years. I run local races and races that are out of town that are convenient. I constantly train to run as fast as I can. This past year I decided I would do something different and out of my comfort zone of my normal running a marathon, 1/2 marathon or 5K. I decided that I was going to run an obstacle race. More specifically a Spartan Race! If you don't know what this is go to Spartan.com and check it out. It is definitly not for the average person. A friend of mine recommended that we do one together since we are always running and in the gym lifting weights. We came to the conclusion we could put ourselves to the test of how good we are actually training. We had 60 days to train and get ready for the shortest of the Spartan Races "The Sprint." The one we were going to do was actually 4.5 miles with 22 obstacles. The running was no problem for me. I can run 4.5 miles in around 35 to 37 minutes depending on the day. However, stopping and having to do something 22 times is a different story. Doing obstacles requires a lot upper body and core strength that can wind you pretty quickly. Not only that but if you fail an obstacle you must do 30 burpees to move to the next obstacle. Look up on Youtube what a burpee is and try cranking out 30 of those things! It will wind even the most physically fit human being. So I trained and trained and trained. I did gym workouts, crossfit workouts, work outs of the day, running, sprinting, you name it I did it. I woke up at 2 am sometimes to get all my training in for the day. In two months I shaved off 15 pounds and was down to 5% body fat. Considering I was in great shape before I was definitely ready for whatever this Spartan race could dish out. At the starting line I was confident in my training and I was injury free. It wasn't too hot or too cold but it was raining which made everything really slippery. Which made it impossible for me to use my speed in running to my advantage. For 1 hour 49 minutes and 31 seconds I battled not only this course but myself. Out of the 22 obstacles I was unable to complete 6 of them. That meant 180 burpees! At the finish line before I crossed I had to stop and gain my composure from doing my last set of 30 burpees. I couldn't believe it had taken me that long to complete a short 4.5 miles. Although I finished in the middle of my division I was humbled. I never knew what it would take to run and also do something difficult like 22 obstacles. Once I got back to Panama City I dwelled on things to do better and healed up. I had a few injuries but nothing a week of time wouldn't cure. When I did my first training run about three days after the race I decided I would not look at my watch to see how fast or slow I was going because I knew it would be slow. When I finished my run I looked at my time and I had the fastest run I had ever had. I wasn't winded and was thankful that I had no obstacles to complete. I came to the realization that the pain (physical and mental) I took in the Spartan Race made it very easy when all I had to do was run in a straight line. When I thought I was running slow I was actually running fast. My whole frame of reference of running fast shifted and I realized that I can run faster if I want to. I thought back at the times I believed I couldn't do something only to find out that I could do it and probably more if I just did it. Needless to say this whole experience englightned me to train hard and keep moving forward. I also figured out since I was in such great shape I could be in better shape than this so I signed up for another Spartan Race! October 29th about 60 days from now I will be competing once again but this time in their "Beast Race" which is 13 miles and 40 obstacles. I don't know what time I will do this in and I am sure it won't be the normal two hours I can do 13 miles in but I know that I will complete it and that I will have a resetting of frame of reference so that I can take whatever obstacle life has to throw at me and conquer it. It is either that or 30 burpees! Hahahaha
Ben