Blisters, no sleep, and physical exertion? Sign me up!
As I sit here eating a cherry strudel and drinking my second cup of coffee of the day, I'm ready to put one of my goals in writing. It's a goal that will not allow me to be eating cherry strudel and drinking too much coffee. I want to participate in an adventure race. I'm not talking Eco-Challenge here, especially after reading about all the lovely infections in Borneo. Of course, if I became good enough to be in the EC, I certainly would, but my sights are a little lower now. I just want to do it.
This goal isn't one I've kept private, but I don't' think anyone but J has ever taken me seriously. Most of the time, I get a sideways stare and asked, "Why?" In the backs of their minds, I'm sure they are thinking I'll never really do it, that I'm saying this like most people say they want to go to Europe but never make plans to get there. Until now, they've been right.
I already had a goal to really get in shape. I was doing so well earlier this year, then I don't know what happened. That rebellious side ambushed me and wanted to eat lots of chocolate and junk food. My routine changed with the dog and then with both kids in school instead of just one. Add a whole lot of emotional stuff going on inside me, and it was just a matter of time until I would be shopping for my biggest clothes ever. So I've been psyching myself up to jump back on the bandwagon and enjoying my last few weeks of not caring what I eat.
J and I decided we are going to join a gym together after the holidays and after all the New Year's resolution makers have given up. I've had gym memberships before and always used them, so I don't have to worry about wasting money on something I won't use. J wants to get in better shape too (can't be fat and try to make it as a rock star), so I figure we could be one another's buddies. Not only that, it will give us more time together, and with on-site daycare, that time will be alone together. It's better than sitting in a movie theater eating that wretched popcorn.
The idea of training for an adventure race was always in the back of my mind when I thought about getting in shape and having access to a gym with weights and things I don't have at home. I thought if I could get in good shape, then I would be ready to start actively looking for a race in which to participate. Then a single message came through an adventure racing list I'm on. The list never gets messages, probably because people who do that sort of thing don't sit around on the computer when they could be training or being outdoors. The message simply stated the Hi-Tec Adventure Racing Series calendar was up for next year. Guess what city is on that list again this year?
I knew about the competition this year and even thought about going up to see what it was all about. I found out about it only a week before it was scheduled, so there wasn't going to be any hopes of training for it at that point. Plus, I was in the midst of unconsciously working on expanding at that time. Since I was so self-conscious, and the race started very early and was a good drive away, I decided not to even go check it out. I wish I had. I always regret those decisions made because I'm worried my fat butt can't be camouflaged by any amount of black, slimming clothing.
One of the big reasons I haven't gotten really serious about my dream of adventure racing was because I didn't know much about it. I let the perfect opportunity to learn more pass me by, and I could certainly use that as an excuse not to pursue this goal any further, but I won't. The race is coming to Pittsburgh again next year, and I'm going to be there. I'll just have to learn as much as I can between now and then and train my ass off. I might end up being a big pussy rookie, but this is something I want to do, and I'm sick of putting off my dreams because someone might think I'm an idiot.
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One Year Ago Today:
