Yesterday was a great day. The sun was shining, the
first hints of Spring were in the air and I got my spark back. I found it at
the Badass Dash, a 7K obstacle race held at Stone Mountain Park. Maybe it was
the beautiful weather. Maybe it was the fun obstacles. Maybe I was just ready.
The course and obstacles for the Badass Dash were
posted online, so we had a chance to check them out ahead of time. This race
looked fun, more like the Warrior Dash or the Down and Dirty. I was not nervous
at all, just looking forward to spending a day outside in the woods. There was
no mud pit at this one, which was nice. I love mud as much as the next gal, but
it was good to finish a race and have an easy cleanup afterwards. No freezing
hose torture here. And no burpees if I couldn’t complete an obstacle.
In the Badass Dash, I finally felt the exhilaration
that had eluded me during the Spartan Race a few weeks ago. I was climbing over
stacks of pallets, dashing over picnic tables, crawling under nets and walls
and running free in the woods. For the first time ever, I tackled the
super-high wall. I climbed up and over a
10-12 foot wall without hesitation. When I got to the top, I looked down and
got dizzy for a second, then I took a deep breath, swung my leg over and
made my way back down.
I faced another high obstacle with a rope net, this time
it was climbing up and over a semi trailer. I didn’t think twice about doing it. I was
confident and fearless as I approached the net. I could even look down as I
made my way to the top. I was feeling so great that
I managed some flirty banter with the cougar bait who was assisting at the
top of the obstacle.
The sense of accomplishment was back. I ran more and
walked less than any other race, I was able to climb over high things without
being sick with fear and I completed every obstacle on the course. Some of them were challenging, but I did them.
We finished in 1:29, not too bad. This was my sixth
obstacle race. I have never been too concerned about my finishing time. It was
fun to compare the times from one race to another and see how I was progressing,
but I am not really a competitive person and I usually felt great about my performance if I completed the course. I guess at this point I do not really consider myself an
athlete, just a middle aged chick with an unusual hobby.
This time was different. I felt a twinge of
something that I suspect might be a little competitive streak creeping into my
psyche. I was happy that I was making such good progress. I was running more,
my race times were improving and I was completing every obstacle on the course.
But deep down, I knew I could do better. I could push myself harder.
I had made great strides over the past year, but I
had to admit to myself that my approach to health and fitness was still often
half-assed and inconsistent. I have good weeks and bad weeks. Sometimes working
out is a priority. Sometimes other obligations are. Some weeks my diet is
perfect. Other times it isn’t. I still
lack discipline. I always have, but it never really bothered me until now.
Doing these races and pushing myself out of my comfort zone has made me aware
that I can do better. I can be better. I am no longer satisfied with the
mediocrity which I have accepted until now. From now on, it will not be enough
to just cross the finish line.
In fact, it will not be enough to just work out once
in a while, to just run a couple times a week, to just eat right when it is
convenient, to just make health and fitness a priority when I am not focused on work stuff, house stuff or kid
stuff.
Sure, I have made some progress. I am getting in
shape. I have lost some weight. That should be good enough. Nope. Good enough
is not good enough anymore. Something in me changed on that course. After
that race, I was ready to set the bar higher for myself. I just needed a
plan.
I decided to give myself a 30 day challenge. To be
the best I could be, to do the best I could do when it came to my health. No
more slacking off. For one month I will make diet and exercise my number one priority. I will
clean up my diet and be 100% paleo. No grains. No sugar. No dairy. Just fruits and veggies, meat, eggs and nuts. And protein smoothies. Not just most of the time – all of the time. For
one month.
I will challenge myself to get some form of exercise
six days a week. At least two days a week will include strength training,
either lifting weights at the gym or doing squats and pushups at home. Three
days a week will be for cardio – running, using the rowing machine at the gym or
hiking up mountains in my area. Now that the weather is warming up, there is no
reason why I can’t take advantage of the beautiful parks and hiking trails
around me. After all, that is one of the main reasons I moved to the mountains.
Spending more time in nature will be good for the body and soul.
April is the perfect time to embark upon a challenge
like this. After all, Spring is the time for renewal. I am determined to have a
new focus, to embrace the strength and peace of mind that comes with discipline
and to continue the sense of accomplishment I felt after the Badass Dash. Sure,
I still have a hectic life and many other obligations. But I can make excuses
or I can make changes.
I am not looking at this month as a time of
punishment and deprivation. That is how I have always viewed diets in the past.
That is why I have always failed in my
previous attempts to lose weight. I know that I will be giving my body what it needs to function optimally. I know
that I will feel better, have more energy and release the sense of guilt that
hangs over me when I am not doing as well as I could. I want to see how much
progress I can make in 30 days – on the scales and beyond.
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