Stick A Fork In Me: Bulldog Challenge & #ChsRunForBoston Recap
By admin
My weekend has been jammed pack with running, lifting, competing and hanging out with friends. Though my muscles are aching in places completely new to me, I wouldn’t have traded the events for anything.
I am happy to announce I am done! I have completed 3 pretty intense events in 3 weeks… wowza! Sure, I am exhausted but in a “wow, I can’t believe I just did all of that” sort of way.
This weekend ended with the Citadel’s Bulldog Challenge and this mornings #ChsRunsForBoston 5K.
If you missed my recap of the other events check them out:
Cooper River Bridge Run (PR’d)
Now, for the Bulldog Challenge Recap.
17th Annual Bulldog Challenge
Started out with my pre-race vegan pancake, of course!
Sorry for the not so great picture. Our dining room lights are far too yellow.
I was blessed once again with a killer team: Katie (check out her blog); Dan, Amanda, and Myself:
You know you’re in for it when you have to arrive 3 hours before your start time for a “Briefing” which is why we enjoyed a great selection of Cliff Bars and strawberries while hanging out.
I know Dan was a bit nervous about being the only guy. He anticipated having to “carry the team” (literally), but we all worked really hard to carry our load, work together and tried to make it so that no one person had to out perform the others to get us to the finish line.
This obstacle course was unlike any traditional mud run I’ve done in the past (like the Marine Corp). It combined so many elements like a ropes course, tire flip, pull-up bar station (we had to complete 60 total as a team), caring 30-lb sandbags (3 per team for about 80% of the 10K course)…
(images from yesterday provided by Tag Your Pix)
Stadium stairs, fireman’s carry, garage climb, push-ups, flying burpees (Leg burner!), uphill army crawl…
Thanks to Katie’s husband, John, for taking picts along the way!
I love obstacle course races because it forces you to not only work as a team but to think differently. There were times when I wanted to take off but Dan and Katie would tell me to save my energy (Katie knows I can get a bit ahead of myself) and I was so thankful.
Especially at the pluff mud…
We had a ton of rain the night before and the marsh was saturated. It was like going through quick-sand. There were girls around us getting stuck and a few had tears. Their fear and panic kept me calm. I knew if I panicked then they would freak out more. Katie, Amanda and I worked patiently and stayed in control to slowly get us to our “flag” and back.
Yes, it was very cold! But at least finishing this part of the course meant we were almost done! All that was left was to carry some big ass water jugs around a building then grab some “guns” and head to the finish!
We did it. They haven’t released the times yet but you know, I don’t care. Just like the Palmetto 70, it wasn’t about a time it was about the finish. I am loving team work lately and the camaraderie that we all feel when it’s through.
We all kicked butt and pulled our weight for sure. One way I know is because all 4 of us are sore this morning. Sore = accomplished.
I want to thank Srgt. Letterle for allowing us to partake in the Bulldog Challenge and all the volunteers. They were extremely organized and supportive from start to finish. Thanks!
After we got home, Dan and I crashed. Because I knew my weekend wasn’t over yet in terms of exercise.
My alarm went off at 6:15am this morning to participate in the:
Charleston Runs For Boston 5K
To be honest when I got up and realized how sore and tired my body was I thought of every excuse to not go. But then I asked myself how I would feel if I didn’t and that got me moving.
I wanted to run with my city for those who couldn’t cross the finish line at Boston. And wow am I glad I did.
There was a great turn out, and the energy was amazing. I had no intentions of running for time, that wasn’t what this was about. I even stopped to take some pictures! It was just too beautiful of an event not to.
The roads were clear, the sun was up and everyone had smiles on their faces. Okay, maybe my legs were burning and my smile was more of a smurk, but it was there.
I ran without my gps, but estimated 8-minute miles. I was thankful for the finish but even more thankful for the opportunity.
At the end, I started to walk away towards my car, but as more and more runners finished, they started to congregate at the end and loudly cheer on one another. I couldn’t walk away. I turned back towards them and joined in the celebration. It was the most love and support I’ve ever seen as each person started clapping and shouting out. I was almost brought to tears when we began to chant “Boston Boston Boston” as a city of runners. It was incredible.
No, when my alarm went off, it was the last thing I wanted to do. But wow, I am so glad I got to be apart of this experience. #CharlestonLove
Now it’s off to edit some great interviews from last week! I can’t wait to share.
What is 1 thing you did this weekend?