Mud - Sweat - Beer

This weekend was the long anticipated Warrior Dash. I signed up for the Warrior Dash months ago, and have been waiting and waiting and waiting... By the time it got here on Saturday, I had kind of given up on it and thought of it as more trouble than it's worth.. but I did it anyways because I had paid for it. And the money from the races goes to St. Jude. Anything supporting my favorite philanthropy, I'm in!!

Mud- Chill Bumps- Beer

Picture this.

Saturday morning: 6:30 am Alarm goes off.
That's earlier than I get up for work on a daily basis... It's Saturday.
Mad.

Walk outside. It's freezing. In the 50's and overcast. I have on shorts and t- shirt and am about to go swimming.. in the mud... for hours.. MIZZZ

Starving, I stop by the service station for breakfast. I figure a candy  bar or something would do better for me than greasy hash browns... Not real sure of my logic but it sounded good at the time. Snickers and a Coke and I was on my way to the coliseum to catch "The Cheese!"

We get to the coliseum to catch the bus and the line is at least 300 people long. We ran at 10 a.m. so one of the earlier races. It is 8 a.m. and I am already freezing. Standing in line. Outside. In the cold. Waiting for a school bus.

Crazy...

Any who, we got there just in time for the race. Got our packets. Checked our bags in. Put chips on shoes. Took a few pictures with our Viking hats and we were off to start line. 10 minutes to race time and our friend Phillip says "We need Eye of the Tiger to start to get us pumped up"... and What happens... Sandstorm comes on (which pumps me up bc it reminds of MS State sporting events) and then what do you know!! Eye of the Tiger starts and the race is off. After about a mile and a few beginner obstacles, Kaylis and I decide to not try and run the whole thing. Our shoes are caked in mud and we are running on 4 wheeler trails through the woods. Let's just be honest, I was trying to finish without a broken ankle or any blood. Mission Accomplished.

There were Mud Pits, Rock Walls, Stripper Fireman's Poles, Tight Ropes, two ropes courses, a wade though waste high water, a legit mud swim, a swim while pushing tree trunks down and climbing over (did I mention it was in the 50s)... a little barbed wire here and there... a few army crawls.. some legit fire to hurdle over... a few cuss words and lots of laughs, at ourselves!!

I made it out alive.. No broken ankles.. No blood.. No diseases form dirty water or ropes that I know of.. No foreign bug bites of any kind... But I do have some pretty bruised up shins and a slightly aching right knee. But under the circumstances, I'd say that's a success!

Insert Photo Dump Here:

Jersey

Kaylis and I before
Best Cousins :)

Mal and Carrie making it to the finish line.

Krista caught me in action... Obviously, I am enthused.

Phillip, Blair, Kaylis, Jonny and I

Warriors

Shoe donation after 4 races.
I wish I could see what the pile looked like at the end of the day.

Celebratory Cocktail!

As you can see at this point, we were turning purple.

Turkey Leg, anyone??
Notice we are turning blue..

Modeling my Warrior Helmet & Medal for Kendol

 After a few celebratory cocktails, turkey legs and a round of Cha Cha Slide we were back on the Cheese heading home!! What a blast!! If it comes to a town near you, you should definitely do it! It was SO much fun!! Just pray for better weather :)