THIS IS IT!

I have been floundering for the last month for a foot-hold. St. Patrick's day has come and gone, with its challenges met and new insights gained. But I have not yet figured out where to land my focus. I feel like I've done a pretty good job of just 'winging it' and staying open and in the moment to see what would shake loose.

My friends at the gym are in their final weeks before their fitness competition and I have once again re-affirmed for myself that I do NOT want to face that kind of challenge. The end result of someone ELSE telling me their opinion of my body in comparison with others, doesn't seem like much of a motivator to stick it out. And the costs to their body and minds with the things they do in the final weeks remind me of the phsychological and physical fuck-ups that anorexia causes. Uh, no thank you. I've already been through therapy for that.

But what next? 5k? Not challenging enough. 10k? Wrong kind of challenge for me. Ragnar? Too challenging to find a team that'd take my slow ass. Triathlon? Too logistically challenging, with limited funds for a pool pass and an aversion to cold water. So...what is it?

Two weeks ago, a friend invited me to join her team for a 5k colour run in August - all women and to benefit Children's Hospital (where my son's life was saved 8 yrs ago). I was totally in but knew this wouldn't scratch that itch for a new challenge. But it got me started on this line of research for other kinds of body (with a dose of mind and spirit) challenges. I went on internet safari to discover the next thing: a MUD RUN! This would satisfy my desire for crossfit (which I can't afford for the gym I want to join), and the desperate fondness I have for doing physical challenges side by side with my husband.

I offered it up as something HE might be interested in doing. He took the bait, we pulled the trigger and we are now registered for the Survivor Mud Run in Carnation (outside of Seattle, WA) on June 8. This started a whole new ball rolling. With plans to start studying in earnest for my Personal Trainer Certification, I think he knew this would be a challenge for my brain (creating a training plan for both of us) as well as my body and is probably doing this more for me than himself, but whatever - I'm grateful he will be there with me. We have a friend joining us just for fun (we are not an established team with the race) whom I am also planning training for. So, as I dive into this new aspect of my Self and my career, I thought that would be the direction this blog goes: at least for the next 80-10 weeks. So thanks to you, if you care to keep reading. And thanks for stopping by if you decide this isn't what you're interested in. Read more about our 'team Noteam' training plan.