My son Tanner and I did our fifth Spartan Race of the year last weekend. It’s an extreme running/obstacle course race.
I got up at 4 am. I didn’t want to, but I did. We drove 2 1/2 hours, starting in the dark. I didn’t want to, but we did. We got in the gate for our 7:30 start in the Elite class – the first group out on the course. I had pulled a hamstring sprinting two days earlier. Would my legs work today? Self-talk…
Go! “See ya’ son, go get em!” Short straight and then left up the first hill in the woods. Ughhh, this sucks. I don’t feel like it. Top of the hill, hayfield, 100 yard crawl under barbed wire. Hating it half way through, finished it, loving it now. Downhill now, I earned it. I knew the “Twister” was coming up. It’s a new obstacle that most people don’t make it through. Would I? If not I’d have to do 30 burpees, and that is significant punishment and would wind me for the next uphill. Self-talk.
I had prepared. Here it is. The Twister. I wish I didn’t have to do this. One rung at a time. Ring the bell! Yes! Pass all those guys suffering through their burpees! Uphill. Ughhh. More obstacles. Bucket Carry coming somewhere up here. I hate it. Self-talk… Dump the rocks out of the bucket back where they came from when you get back down the hill…whew – lovin’ how that’s over with.
The Spear Throw is up here somewhere. One shot. 90% miss it – 30 burpees. While I usually hit mine, I missed it last week. Check the self-talk. “I got this.” Visualize it going right into the hay bale 30 feet away. The trail opens up to a small field. There it is – along with all the guys doing burpees. Bullseye! See ya! This is fun.
Another mile or so. What’s this now? A huge tire to flip? That’s new. OMG this thing is heavy! Argghh. I hate this. Flip it back now? Arghhh. I hate this. Over it goes. I love this. Next….
Rope climb, mud pits, dunk wall, slip wall, fire jump…Finish line!
I’m wet, I’m cold, I’m muddy, something stung me…but I feel great!
The whole event is an exercise in doing what you don’t want to do, what you don’t feel like doing, and what is uncomfortable or much worse. You override those feelings and do it anyway so that you may feel the satisfaction and exhilaration of knowing you did it.
Spartan Race or weekly/daily life. Should it be any different?
I don’t want to do it ! ! !!
Congrats on the race Larry.
My week was not the Spartan race, but in its own way, it was. Lots of self talk. Last sprint today. Yay me!
Great story about hard work and reward. Thank you for sharing.
Sounds more like bragging than motivational thinking. That’s ok, I’ve been known to brag from time to time, then my wife warns me of it and bring me back to the ground. Yee hah.
Striving and struggle are inevitable! Starting the hard thing is the battle of the mind. Persavering through the daily training in preperation to compete & finish well for yourself and your team is satisfying. Running the race is a culmination of preparation. Then starting again to train for the next race or goal is a never stagnant persevering mindset. Go for the hard things and see what is possible! 🙂 Thanks again Larry!
Wow! I The way that story was told, I felt like I was with you! :))))