Monday, September 10, 2012

I am a Warrior!

As you all know, I've been training for the past 8 weeks for the Warrior Dash. Well, this past Saturday was the big day!

It was sooo much fun!

Here are some pics...

Hubby and Me Pre-Race
Our Team Pre-Race
Mud Hills
Me, Splashing thru the Mud Hills
Mud Pits and Barbed Wire
Me, coming out of the Mud Pits
Crossing the finish line!
Hubby and Me Post-Race
We are DIRTY!
We are WARRIORS! :)
Race Recap:

The obstacles were a lot easier than I anticipated. But the running was tiring, because you were running on uneven terrain. I should've trained in more fields.

My goal was to complete the dash in 45 minutes. Actual time? "43:30"! That's faster than 857 other women in my age group! *happy dance*

Biggest Realization and Accomplishment:

You all know that I suffer from endometriosis. And at times, this disease is debilitating  Many women are in bed for days. So, for me to complete the Warrior Dash at all, let alone in my goal time, is such an accomplishment! I do have pain when I train, but I enjoy training. I enjoy working out. I enjoy taking care of myself. This disease has tried to take so many things from me and I refuse to let it take things that I truly enjoy. So, my stubbornness is what sometimes gets me through the workouts. I run through the pain. And it's worth it. And that makes me a Warrior far more than completing any kind of run!

To learn more about what it's like for someone like me, please please please take a minute to read the following article. It was written by an Endometriosis Specialist and will really open your eyes to what tons of women are dealing with. If you suffer from Endometriosis, I will warn you, this article will likely make you tear up.
 http://www.vitalhealth.com/blog/endometriosis/what-it-really-means-to-have-endometriosis.

For a quick recap of what the blog says, that directly relates to what I deal with, you can read this excerpt below...

"This disease can be like having tens or hundreds of excruciatingly painful blisters covering the inside of the pelvis...cyclic pain that can exceed the level of pain patients experience after major surgery...In this tragic situation, she is effectively held prisoner and tortured by her own body in broad daylight, with no one who fully understands her situation or who can effectively help her...Initially most days each month are pain-free, but the number of these days slowly decreases until there are a greater number of non-functioning pain days...You would most likely pass right by them in public, having no idea of the devastation they are dealing with..."


Next Goal:

I started to feel a bit depressed after the race. Sort of like, now what? So, I knew I needed to find the next goal. You know when something is a good goal for you, because you're a little scared to announce it. Kind of like I'm about to do now...

I am aiming at running in the Get Lucky 7K next March!

Reader Questions
What is your goal? Have you run in the Warrior Dash? Do you push through your endometriosis pain to still do things you love?