OMG! OMG! OMG!    This morning, I followed an email link to the website of the Warrior Race that we just completed.   The email had communicated that there were professional photos from the race up on their site.   I clicked the link and was scrolling down the page, and there it was…  Again, OMG!   Age Group Race Winners….  scroll some more, and there in black and white, is my freaking name.  OMG!   You know, I don’t think that there is anyway that those race organizers could have done more to make the day of this former fatty.   I wonder if I can figure out how to get a screen shot of that page to print out… clearly, I need to print and frame this wonderful milestone in my fitness evolution!

You might think that with my lack of sleep the night before the race and my all out effort during the big event, that I would want to kick back and chill for the rest of the day, but you would be wrong! After I headed home and spent several hours taking care of my 95 year old grandmother, we headed out in the kayak on the Okanogan river. Not only did we paddle for 8 miles, but we paddled half of those miles up and over the rapids and against the current.

Sunday we really did have an active play and rest day.  All of my ladies and various others, headed to Omak Lake for a relaxing afternoon of sunshine and water.  We paddled across the lake to a lovely little cove where we climbed the cliffs and jumped into the crystal clear and brilliantly turquoise blue waters.  We sprawled along the beach, swam out to a little island, tried our hands at the stand up paddle board, and finished with yet even more playing in the muck.  I would have thought that we got our fill of muck and mud during the warrior race the day before, but clearly, I was wrong about that!

I woke Monday morning with a slight flare up of plantar fasciitis.   I had planned to go for a long run, and amazingly, I was even looking forward to it.  However, the last time that nasty little tendon had a flare up, I was out of the game for nearly 4 weeks.  I opted to take a complete rest day hoping that would allow my foot to heal. This was a great plan, as I awoke Tuesday morning, ready and raring to hit the gym!

Splashfit Tuesday
Warm up 15 minutes elliptical
Run 4 miles moderate pace
Superset x 4
Leg Press 230, 250, 270, 310 x 15
Stiff Leg Deadlifts 60 x 15
Superset x 3
18" Box Step Ups with Knee lift 30 lbs x 10 each leg
Seated calf Raise 65 x 10
and done

Our run was unique for us, in that it was just a straight, pure and simple 4 mile run. There was no stopping every half mile to do a hundred squats and lunges, there were no sprints or burpees or assburners thrown in for fun. It was just a run, and I completely surprised myself by thoroughly enjoying the simplistic nature of the single event. It felt good! It made me seriously ponder what alien lifeforce had inhabited my body. Aren’t I supposed to hate running? What happened to that girl?

We have been pretty visible in our gym during the past several months.   My training style opts for high intensity intervals, and alternating heavy weight training with high rep (think one hundreds) training. Needless to say, we work harder than almost anybody else in the gym.  This intensity garners quite a bit of attention.  We all wore our “Warrior Race” T-shirts to the gym on Tuesday.   Of course, we were asked how we did, and it felt great to re-tell our stories of the race.

There is a woman who works out at the gym, she is about my age.  Several months ago she had told me that I was her inspiration. She said, “you always work so hard that it inspires me to push myself a bit further”. It seems clear to me that she wants to get back in shape. Feeling a kinship with her that only those who have struggled with their weight would understand, I suggested that she join my morning fitness group. She hesitated, and her face turned red as she blurted out, “oh, I could never do that… I’m too old and too far gone.” It gave me a lump in my throat and added a bit of huskiness to my voice. If she only knew! I tried to swallow away the growth in my throat that was threatening to send me running for the locker room in tears. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and then told her some of my own story.

I softened my voice and said, “no, you’re not too far gone. I need you to know that just three years ago I had told myself the same thing.” I told her of my struggle with my health and with my weight. I tried to convey that we were more alike than we were different. She smiled and thanked me for sharing my story, and then walked away. I have to admit that I feel a bit sad that she didn’t grasp hold of my outstretched hand. Even though I’m feeling a bit of a failure in not effectively helping her to turn the proverbial corner, I do hope that I have at least, planted the seed of hope.

The bright spot of my day came when one of the young high school athletes training at the gym approached me. She asked about the warrior race, and said it was something she would like to do someday. I smiled and told her, “next year… you should do it next year!” Her face beamed at the notion, and she earnestly asked if I would be her trainer. Grinning from ear to ear, I promptly responded, “absolutely!” So, it looks as though I am in for a penny, in for a pound… next year, we will once again strive to achieve that much coveted status of “warriors “.