I have the opportunity to participate in a just a few fun things in the last few months. In May, I ran the Urban Dash 5k in Dallas. And it was pretty fun. But in September I ran my third half marathon (my first in Texas!) with some very fun new friends! I met a few of them at the last aerobics class (and only one I did last year) at the NRH campus in May. So in September when they started up again, I was excited to get going! I met some really great friends. I found out they were running the Plano Balloon Festival Half and I wanted in!! Except I only had three weeks to train for it. But that's never stopped me before! haha In fact I think I'm becoming known for short train times. I had been running, so it wasn't from the couch to 13.1 miles. Overall I ran a faster time than my last half. Or at least I would have had my knee not about exploded on me at mile 9. The exciting thing though is that I actually RAN the first 9 miles!!! Without stopping! I could barely walk the last 4 but, darn it, I finished! I plan to train for my next half the right way so as to not hurt anything and run the entire 13.1!
Jill, Kendra, Tana, Jocelyn, Dian and me!
At the finish line! (ran for the picture...lol!)
So I rested my knee for the next two weeks, icing it, stretching and strengthening. After only a few days with it taped, I had no more pain (and none since!). At my workout class, I finally met someone who was willing to get dirty with me!! So on October 19th, Jill and I along with her friend, Amber and husband, ran the Halloween Hustle Mud Run 5k! I have been wanting to do one for a very long time. And I'm telling you it was the most fun thing I have EVER done!!! This company does 4 mud runs a year and I want to do them all!!! We had the best time!! It was fuh-reezing that morning, so swimming in the cold creeks and ponds was not exciting me, but it actually wasn't that bad. I warmed up fast.
Before the start... I was freezing! I have a towel wrapped around my head! brrr (that's Jill!)
The Start Line!!
These "spools" were pretty tricky to climb over and under. I was proud of myself!! hehe
This was the second to the last obstacle and I was VERY nervous! It was the only thing that scared me! We had to climb up the back of that structure (no ladder and no safety ropes!) 25 feet or so! And then fly through the air on the zipline and drop off before an abrupt stop in the middle of the pond. It was a 20 foot drop!! Let me tell you, I don't like high dives!!!! I had so much water in my sinuses!!! And yet, still, SO fun!!
This is where you actually, finally, got really dirty! The last mud crawl!
Amber, Jill and me!
The toughest girls around!!!!
