2,856 Hours...

After finishing a workout with my Tough Mudder Team this morning, I decided to figure out just how much time there is left to drop this last 10 pounds, build up my stamina and completely convince myself that I can do this 10 mile course!  As of this very moment I have 

2,856 hours

which is 171,360 minutes

or 10,281,600 seconds...  

However, I guess the most effective measure is 119 days from today!

But I think I like looking at the minutes best.  It makes me feel like I have more time. :)

This morning I followed my fellow Mudders through an interesting course. We went back to a playground with a small ski slope.  We ran around the field, up the hill (a very STEEP hill, mind you... ok, so that's when I have to confess that I NEVER run up the entire hill.  I run up about 1/3 of it and then pray to God that my lungs won't explode while I'm walking to the top to meet my team), through all kinds of obstacles on the playground, did pull-ups (I can't do ONE!), suicides, side crawls, push ups, and more.  We worked hard for an hour.  


                I only thought I was going to die 3-4 times...                                                                 improvement!


It's funny... when I work out alone I feel like I'm getting stronger!  When I work out with my VERY young teammates, I feel like the old lady that I truly am (ok... I know I'm not old, but compared to my team, I might as well be using a walker).  


         But it's good.  
               I like the challenge that they bring.  
                      I HATE pushing myself that hard during the hard parts, 
                                 but I like feeling GOOD the rest of the time.  


Down 5 pounds since I signed up.  Up to 5 push ups.  Moving in the right direction.  


Hoping to post a picture of the team soon.  Then you'll "get it" when you see my young compadres. But don't hold it against them that they're young and beautiful.  I love them! (until I'm trudging up the hills behind them... then I strongly dislike them for just a few minutes...)


119 to go...

Getting Stronger

It's been 3 weeks to the day since I signed up for Tough Mudder VT 2012.  For three weeks I've worked out just about every day.  For three weeks I've died with Jillian (from Biggest Loser), been beaten by Amanda (who's showing our team how to run) and tried to whip myself into some sort of shape so that I don't feel like I'll DIE on Mt. Snow come May 5th.

It's beginning to pay off!!!!

Saturday I had the best 3 mile run.  It actually felt good to run!  And today I walked with Tim for 2 miles, and then did Jillian's 20 minute SHRED.  And I didn't feel dead when I was done!  I think I'm actually beginning to get some strength, increase my lung capacity and generally have more energy for my workouts.  YES!  This truly feels really good! 

As of today I have 4 months and 4 days to train...

Tomorrow I head out with my Tough Mudders for a 4.2 mile run, followed by a one hour workout.  I'm feeling less intimidated by it than I was a week ago.  That's progress!  Tough Mudder suggests that by the time you tackle the 10 mile course, you (I) should be running 5 miles twice a week.  So that's my goal.  But more than that I'm working on upper-body strength... an area of weakness for me.  So most days I work on push-ups and use weights to build strength.

I must confess that I've HATED moments of this.  There have been several times that I thought, "Why did I lock myself into this?  I'm hating this and now there's no backing out!"  But more often than not, and especially now that I'm geting stronger, I realize that it's worth it.  It's GOOD to push myself.  I LIKE getting stronger and more fit.  So if you find yourself H A T I N G the discipline that you've committed to in the New Year, in the long run the payoff is worth the investment!

Hebrews 12:11  All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

Happy New Year!  Here's to a year of change...

My Team!

Before my co-worker, Carol (who, by the way, is just a fabulous encouragement!), decided to join Tough Mudder with me, a couple of young ladies that I know (yes... YOUNG... like half-my-age young) had already signed up and were encouraging me to join them.  They had formed a team of 4, and asked me to be #5.  I told them,

     "NO!... I don't want to slow you down!"

But after some encouragement and promises that I wouldn't totally ruin their workouts, I decided to hook up with them to start working out together.  So today I met Jennifer and Rachel and, along with Samantha and Amanda, began the effort to whip our bodies into something other than marshmallow.  

Although it's been the holiday season, Christmas Eve I went for a run and ended up sailing through 4.2 miles (ha... sailing... that felt like a good word to use but that makes it sound easy, hu?  hummm....).  So I came into this workout feeling like that was at least something.  But Amanda successfully tortured us with a gritty 3-mile run at a pace faster than I'm accustomed to (but much slower for her) up and down hills followed by a short walk on a trail in the woods.  We did ok.  We even picked up some logs and jogged up a hill, and Jennifer found a barbed wire fence to crawl under.  You go girl!

In the end, I feel like today is truly the start of the big push.  We've got just over 4 months from now to go from barely doing 2 push ups and wheezing through 3 miles to piling through a rugged 10 mile course to obtain the coveted orange headband.  

In planning our workout for next week, the "girls" said,

"Lets meet at Samantha's and run to meet Rachel and Jennifer.  It's just 4.2 miles!"

Ok... so we're gonna run 4.2 miles and THEN start our workout?  Did I mention that these girls are 1/2 my age?!?!  Well then, 

BRING IT ON!  

Hello Rubber... Meet Road

I cannot be sick again!

But I am... *sigh*

Back in October I came down with the flu.  No big deal. My boys had been sick, so when I got the body aches, headache, etc. I knew that it would pass. That was on a Sunday.  The week went by and on Friday I started feeling a bit better.  Then Saturday... I started feeling - not-so-hot. I drove my hubby to the airport (he was taking a rare work trip to North Dakota for a week) and figured I'd wake up feeling better on Sunday.  I went to church, then came home and crawled into bed and stayed there for the entire day.  THE ENTIRE DAY!

For those that know me... you know that does NOT happen.

So I continued to tell myself each day that I just needed to sleep it off. Thursday night Tim called to say they'd asked him to stay an additional few days in North Dakota.  I told him I was so sick that he should just stay (but THOUGHT... please come home and take care of me!!).   Had a strep test on Friday.  Negative.  Then I thought, "What a WHIMP!"

Long story short - after 3 1/2 weeks I went to the doctor to BEG them to figure out why I still felt terrible.  Diagnosis?  Strep & sinus infection.  So, two days before Thanksgiving I started taking meds and I finally felt all better.  Phew!

Until last Thursday night.  *sigh* 

That's when I started feeling tired again, with just the tiniest sore throat.  By Monday night I was laying in bed, hardly able to sleep because I felt so awful.  Back to the doctors yesterday to get round 2 of anti-biotics. 

So this morning when I woke up at 5:35, the LAST thing I wanted to do was work out.  I'm tired, I'm sick, and the meds haven't kicked in yet... go AWAY Jillian Michaels! 

But I DID work out. 

20 minutes of Shred and it feels like 20 hours! 

I DRAGGED myself into work, having those thoughts of  "WHY am I doing ToughMudder?  WHAT was I thinking?  WHO do I think I am???"

But then... C O F F E E!!!  

So now it's 10:01, the ibuprophen has kicked in, the caffiene is traveling through my veins, and my co-worker, Carol, has decided to become a ToughMudder with me.  Ah.... life is good!  I can do this!

Now... for challenge number 2 of my day.  The company lunch at a chinese buffet... Self-control here might be harder than Jillian Michaels at 5:30 in the morning...

3 miles...

I had planned on taking the day off from working out today.  Instead, I eked out an hour to myself to run.   I'm not a runner, really.  Unlike my dear friend Amanda (running ToughMudder with her) who is a runner and just LOVES to run (she's also half my age, mind you!), I've never really loved it.  Hardly like it.  Sometimes hate it.   Just being honest.

But if I'm going to be a ToughMudder, I figured I have to run. At least for the next 5 months.   So today I ran the 3 miles around my block.

Now don't laugh...

My goal was just to RUN the entire three miles and not stop (I'm 41 and not in great shape!).  I only walked twice up two hills.  Otherwise I was able to run the whole thing.  My time was 11.33 minute miles.  I'm happy with that.

Now I just have to work on 4 miles.  Then 5.  Then ... nope, can't go there.  Too overwhelming to consider just yet.  But I'll get there.  For today, it's all good!

Working to find a yoga or Pilates class to join with my sister.  She is quickly becoming my greatest encouragement.  I love my sister!  Hoping we can find something after the holidays.  Really looking forward to that.  But for now I'm turning my focus to visiting my gram (due there in 20 minutes) and then heading back to church to celebrate THE reason for the season!

What's it take?

So... what DOES it take to prepare for ToughMudder?
Isn't that THE question for me?

Well, it's just been 6 days since I hit the "sign-me-up-I'm-insane" button.  So in that short time, I've decided that I need to start working on just getting into REASONABLE shape.  That means a workout of some kind almost every day.  Walking/running on the treadmill, working out with some of my favorite videos, etc.  I figure I've got until after the holidays to get my act together enough to REALLY start pushing!

Speaking of the treadmill... have you been watching The Biggest Loser?  What a great show!  Actually, it was while watching the Biggest Loser contestants run a marathon that I decided I could do ToughMudder.  If these people who had been tremendously overweight could run a marathon with 5 months of training, sure I can accomplish 10 miles with a little mud, right?!  SURELY!!! ... right?!?!?

Thus far I've discovered that I can barely do two real push-ups (I can do many more "girl" push-ups), I can't do more than 20 sit ups, and running for more than 15 minutes feels impossible.  I think I've got a long ways to go!  But I am truly excited about the challenge!  I like pushing myself and having a goal... most days...

Ok, time to get shopping so I can get home and get a workout in before tonight's Christmas party.

You signed up for WHAT?!

So, have YOU heard of ToughMudder?  I hadn't until a week ago.  But once I heard it took me just a few days to determine that this was for me.  Then it took me just a few minutes to ask my self, "WHAT were you thinking?!" 

But alas, I am registered... and MOTIVATED!  There's nothing to keep you focused like the though of... well... you really have to see it for yourself.  Take a look at ToughMudder.com and I think you'll understand.

This blog serves as an opportunity for others to follow and watch me either succeed, or fail wildly.  Either way, I'm guessing it'll be entertaining. All that I can say is that on May 5th when I have that orange headband in my grasp... I'll have accomplished something that's a little nuts, but a lot of fun! 

Here's a look at my Facebook post...consider it a toast to all of my great, crazy, wonderful, friends and family that thought I could do this!

 

Kirsten Smith

Seriously considering this... http://toughmudder.com/. I know... I KNOW, I'm SO not in shape to do this. But I COULD be. My cousin-in-law, Sarah Brian Bauch, is in it with me if I say yes. So that's a team of two. And Amanda German and Samantha Schulz are in. So maybe that's 4 people already on our team??? Oh my... am I REALLY considering this?????

Tough Mudder - Probably the Toughest Event on the Planet

toughmudder.com

Tough Mudder is not your average lame-ass mud run or spirit-crushing ‘endurance’ road race. It’s Ironman meets Burning Man, and it is coming to a city near you. Our 7-12 mile obstacle courses are designed by British Special Forces to test all around strength, stamina, mental grit, and camaraderie. F...

 Chris Gulick-Lanciani, Margaret Lawrence Rosas and 2 others like this.

• Eric S Wormell I want to do this one day!! Mr Weston told me about it a while ago...

  Kirsten Smith ERIC... JOIN ME! Be on my team. I might need you to tell me I can do this....
• Gina Marie Littizzio-Booth I'll help you out too....Count me in....BY PRAYING FOR YOU ALL!!!

  Eric S Wormell Maybe.... I'll think about it, but no offense, I think I want to be on another team
• Jeffrey Who-Dat Coit You can do it!
• Amanda German doooo ittttt!
• Angela Turner You can SOOOO do it!!!
• Alyssa Christopher Parr Kirsten- have you guys already begun training? I have always wanted to do one of these, and the past few months have begun training for a 5k, and lifting some weights, but I don't know even if I PUSH it, if I would be quite ready.
• Seth Turner Rach and her dad want to do the one in May
• Amanda German me and sam registered a couple weeks ago and weve gotten together on the weekend and run and do our own thing during the week. when i started training i was up to about 5.5 3 times a week. its not constant running though..so it depends. theres also a thing called warrior dash in june thats a little over 3 miles that looks pretty cool. =]
• Lori Bickford Smith You CAN do this kid
• Mindi Lawrence I'll root for you!
• Randy L Dorzin More than likely Jp and I are doing this lol hopefully we'll see you there!
• Jenni Lynn Smith And I'll be out of the country, so have fun! :D
• Jenni Lynn Smith Ok, maybe not quite out of the country, but I won't be in New England anyhow...
• Kirsten Smith OK.... you guys all ROCK! Love the encouragement. Eric... trust me, I get it. LOL! But you should do it! Randy... get Erick on board with YOU! Seth... REALLY??? So cool! Mindi... this would mean we'd have to eat good in Jan. :)
• Kirsten Smith Brian.. NOT cousin-in-law.. COUSIN and Hubby!!! :)
• Pam Moore McCorquodale Ain't it great to be crazy...
• Pam Moore McCorquodale Shawn did the Warrior Dash last spring if you want some insider info. By the way did you read the part about "toughest event on the planet"?
• Kyle McNamara I just heard about that today. I'd do that in a second!
• Kirsten Smith Pam... Need to talk to Shawn. YES... read that comment and STILL considering. What is WRONG with me?! :0)
• Pam Moore McCorquodale Look on Shawn's page for a great photo!
• Kirsten Smith JUST DID, Pam!! I went to beg for help and advice. GREAT PIC! Why is it that the 10 mile is calilng me when the nice, kind, SHORT 3 mile is there, too??? Let Shawn know that I sent him a message... a call for sanity... a plea for help...
• Kirsten Smith ACK... it's 99% sold out... must. make. a. quick. decision. AAA!
• Heidi Starrett Go for it ! If anything, it will make a great story for future generations of the Moore clan ;) seriously......go for it, the rest of us can live precariously thru you!
• Sandie Halleran I would so do this with you!!!!
• Kirsten Smith OK then Sandie... let's DO IT!! I just watched YouTube videos of it for an hour. It's NUTS. If you watch and want to join me. C R A Z Y ! ! ! ! !
• Donna Hendricks My cousin and her husband to that every year in the Bay Area, and they LOVE it!!!
• Piet Starrett Sign. Up. Now! (I love that women can have mid life crises as well. Mine's expressing itself through yearnings of running the Berlin marathon. A definition of "Crisis" btw,: "A crisis (plural: "crises"; adjectival form: "critical") (from the Greek κρίσις, krisis) is any event that is, or expected to lead to, an unstable and dangerous situation affecting an individual, group, community or whole society. More loosely, it is a term meaning 'a testing time' or an 'emergency event'." when the shoe fits. . . )

  Ashley Taylor Brooks DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Angela Turner i HAVE to know!! Did you sign up???!!!! I wish it fit for me but I am SOOO excited that you may do it!!!! It looks amazing! xoxoxox
• Kirsten Smith For better or worse... I JUST REGISTERED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Angela Turner So inspired!!! ♥ LOVE IT! Great goal to train for!!
• Samantha Schulz It's going to be AWESOME!

  Amanda German oh YES!!!! sooooo excited!!!!
• Mike Weston I hope I'm half as tough as you when I grow up!!!