Just above the surface of the river, the heat of the day was swirling in waves. The only sounds we heard were those of our paddles’ rhythmic dancing in and out of the water. The paddling, when done correctly, is magical. The paddles slice delicately up and down, back and forth,  and the kayak glides along the surface of the river. Many months of paddling have hardened our bodies. This no longer feels like difficult physical exertion, rather it has become for us, physical and active meditation. The muscle memory from hundreds of miles paddled takes control, and our minds are allowed to wander freely. Conversations happen and they don’t. Silence is okay and comfortable. Beavers, muskrats, and numerous avian species share the waterway with us. With the physical exertion, the pressures and stresses of the day leave our bodies. We are filled with the serenity, beauty, and simplicity of the river. After paddling up river for a couple of miles, we disembarked on a small island, and there we waited patiently for the moon to shine. It took just a few minutes for our full moon, in all of its “Thunder Moon” glory,  to rise above the barren sagebrush covered hillside.  I have to just stop and wonder about the moon’s publicist.   I  have to admit first, to spending a fair amount of time looking at facebook.   It seems that every month, there is some new and different type of fantastic full moon to be discovered and explored. I have seen posters promoting  Super Moon, Harvest Moon, Blue Moon, Blood Moon, and now, Thunder Moon (just to name a few).  Apparently the full moon in July is being called the “Thunder Moon” because there are so many thunder showers in July (oh, brother).  Ridiculous naming and publicity stunts aside, it was absolutely delightful to gently paddle back down river with only the light of the full moon leading us back home.

Splashfit Tuesday 

Warm up Elliptical 5 minutes
Run 1.75 miles (moderate pace)
100 Grass Picker Squats
Run 1.25 miles (moderate pace)

Superset x 3
50 sumo squats with lateral leg raises
Sprint 220

Run .5 mile to gym (moderate pace)

Superset x 4
Leg Press 210 x 15, 250, 290, 310 x 10
Stiff Leg Deadlift 60 x 15
Ass Burners 25 each leg
and done!

Wednesday was an active rest day for me.   Again, ridiculously hot temperatures sent us out onto the river for a 4 mile stand up paddle.  Of course, I should note, that two of those miles were paddling up river against the current, so I’m not entirely sure I would classify it as a low intensity activity.   Sigh, a girl just can’t catch a break!

Splashfit Thursday

5 minute warm up elliptical

Repeat 5 x
Pushup Burpees x 10
Cossack dance bench dips x 10
Lateral Walking Plank x 10 "steps" each direction
Sprint 100 yards, stairs
Jog 100 yards, stairs

Plyo (hand clap) knee pushups x 10
Triangle knee pushups x 10

Bench press drop set to failure

Superset 3 x 
Cable Squat Row 90 x 10
Seated Cable Row 90 x 10
Close Grip Cable Pull Down 90 x 10
Tricep Press Down 35 x 10

and done!

Leaving the gym this morning, I feel completely wrung out, but it is in a good way. Fitness tax, levied and paid. I realize that we are just about 23 days out from our Warrior Race.  We have worked really hard.  I think we will be fine.  I was having a conversation about entering races a while back, and this man, incredulously, asked, “why would you even enter a race, if you didn’t think you could win?”  Ouch.   I will not win this race.  I will probably never stand on the podium for any race that I enter. In fact, in some of the races I have entered, my only goal, was to make it through the entire course without being forced into the “sag” wagon. My fiercest competition lives inside of me.  I strive not to win, but to finish;  not to dominate, but to survive, and not to be perfect, but to improve. Motivation is a very individualized thing.  While aforementioned gentleman would only be motivated to enter a race that he thought he could win; there are, I believe, a lot more everyday regular people out there, who enter races to compete with themselves;  to inspire them to greater fitness, to provide a reason to exercise, and to prove to themselves that they can do it.   Setting and achieving goals is a powerful life tool.  My “aha” moment in that regard came while on the summit of Mt Rainier (14,410 feet) for the first time, it was there that I realized I could do absolutely anything that I set my mind on.   For now, my eyes are firmly set on the finish line of that race.  I will not win, but I have no doubt that it will be a stronger person who crosses the finish line.