A Bit Much? Not for Me!
Photo Essay from the Racecourse
“Come on, girl! Tits first!”
–A fellow racer as I climbed a wall. Also Liv in Just Your Type because sometimes real life does seep into my books. ;)
If you don’t know, I run obstacle course races (OCRs). For fun.
Why do this? Why, as a grown woman, do I voluntarily bang up my knees, sustain bruises on my elbows, and slither into chest-deep mud? Because I love it! Spartan races are hard as hell and equally fun. The people who run them are out for adventure, but they’re also great sports. We encourage each other. We boost each other when needed. We are all out there on this huge, adult playground, testing our endurance and saying hell yes to risk.
It isn’t for everyone. But, please. Don’t give me that look of horror/disgust that I’ve seen too often. If it’s not your jam, I hear you. It’s totally been my jam since 2016. Let me have my muddy fun, please and thank you. I promise not to make you join me. But if you want to join me, well. Let’s go!
On Saturday, I cinched 2023 as my trifecta year. Meaning, I’ve run all three Spartan distances. I ran the 10k here in Nashville, the 21k in Atlanta, and the 5k in New Jersey. Nashville was my 9th Spartan of all time. Atlanta was my very first half marathon distance.
Many people like to run their trifecta in a single weekend. There are medals for completing multiple trifectas in a year. I learned that the record holder is going for 38 this year. That’s right. She’s running 3 obstacle course races 38 times. Respect to all of these people and their passion. To run the 21k on Saturday, then turn around and race (the same course, just shorter) twice the next day? Wow. Just, wow. And a lot of people do it.
I am not them. And I don’t want to be them. I’m very proud of doing them all in a year. It’s enough for me.
On that point, I thought as I ran last weekend that I’m not sure how many more Spartans I’ll do. I kind of feel like I’ve “done it.” If I do another, I will definitely take one of their training classes first. Part of racing for me is testing limits–and also knowing limitations. I cannot do monkey bars or anything of the sort. I need boosts to get to the top of a high wall. And I still can’t nail the spear throw, dammit. All of that is absolutely fine. I run penalty loops or do burpees, then I move on. But as I’ve raced so many times now, I feel ready for a new challenge. Either that, or to master some new on-course challenges. (Or both!)
What do race photos have to do with self love?
I should think that was obvious. Every one of these races affirmed not only my own strength, but also my connection to others. To admit when I needed help. To cheer on others as they triumphed over their own limitations. To play. To get hurt and know you’re still able to go on. To jump a line of fire and say, I did it my way. All of these things are about audacious self-love.
They don’t have to be the way you love yourself. But for many of us Spartan men and women, they are a beautiful testament to this wild and precious life.
So, since this is my last Spartan of 2023 and possibly the winding down of my OCR racing life (possibly), let’s look at where I’ve been and what I learned from my races. I present a photo essay of my Spartan races and what I learned along the way.
There is a YOUR TURN at the end! Please drop your comment and tell me how you define adventure!
1 &2. Killington, VT, September 2016 & Edinburgh, Scotland, July 2017
Killington was my first time! And, IYKYK, but racing Killington as your first is like taking on Everest for your first hike (hyperbole acknowledged).
Scotland was built into a bigger trip the next year. It was on a sheep farm outside Edinburgh. I remember a moment, on top of the A-frame, looking out and thinking, holy crap. I’m on a farm in Scotland, doing this! (Also thinking there’s definitely sheep sh*t in this mud.)
I raced these two with my then-husband. We needed a thing to be into, so we got into this. What did I learn? That I could do things I never, ever dreamed I’d be able to do–with help. His help. I also learned that he didn’t want my help, even on the obstacle I was good at and he struggled on.
We had fun doing these. But it didn’t hold us together.
3. Long Island, NY, October 2018
My first solo race. Ex and I had split that summer. It was the most broken season I’ve ever had. I didn’t wish we’d reunite. But you don’t dismantle a life in the span of a few months without feeling the shockwaves.
I signed up for this race to remind myself that I could do things on my own. That I could claim things I had loved from our life as mine. And, that I could find a way to do the hard sh*t without a helping hand.
What did I learn?
There are always helping hands. I got boosts and chatted with people as we ran. I never imagined that would happen. Amazing what you learn when you’re on your own, isn’t it?
This is also the only race where I had a spectator. The guy I was dating came to cheer me on. It was another affirmation of how not-alone I was in my new solo life.
(Also, I fell off these rings moments after the shot was snapped LOL)
4 & 6. Mt Vernon, NJ, October 2021 & 2022
Race 4 came after a fairly long hiatus, as you can see. It was also my first 10k distance. On a mountain. It was a bruiser. I crossed the finish line and all the adrenaline left my body, nearly buckling my knees! But I was so dang proud to have done the longer distance that I did it again the following year.
No spectators for me. No buddy to run with. And absolutely no problem with either. I made more friends-for-a-moment on the course. It was awesome.
5. Palmerton, PA, July 2022
I talked a friend into racing with me! It was great to go have fun with a friend on the course. And, as a coach, I was so thrilled when she gritted out the slip wall and got over on her 3rd try!
7. Atlanta, GA, March 2023
My first and only Beast. Over 14 miles and 30+ obstacles. And so. much. MUD. It had rained the day before in Atlanta. It was 35 freaking degrees when we started. I spent a large portion of the race soaked from the chest down. At one point, I thought my socks had fallen down. I was wrong. It was mud in little piles under my toes!
Again, I know these are common events for many people. Not for me! It was absolutely the greatest physical and mental challenge I’ve ever endured.
So, you know. It was awesome.
8. Mt. Vernon, NJ, April 2023
I went back to Vernon to tick off the 5k distance. As you can see, MUD was again a situation.
9. Nashville, TN, October 2023
Nailed it lol.
YOUR TURN
How do you define adventure?
Wow, Skye, just wow. AWESOME and inspirational and did I mention awesome?
Congratulations on such an amazing accomplishment! You're definitely a hero of mine for doing all these things. For me, I'd say adventure is pushing yourself to get out of your comfort zone and into something you've maybe never tried before just to challenge your preconceptions...and you've definitely inspired me to do that! So thank you.