2012 in Review

2012 taught me that the mind is stronger than the body. This year:

I did the Polar Bear Plunge on Jan 1st with my mom

I celebrated my mom's and my birthday in the Caribbean on a cruise

I graduated from UW-Milwaukee with a major in Criminal Justice and minors in German and Psychology

Was accepted into UW-Milwaukee Grad School 

I published a book

I did the Dirty Girls Mud Run with my mom on August 18th

I did the Tough Mudder with my mom on September 8th

I wrote my forth book that I am editing and will publish next year

and I completed my first semester of grad school with a 3.835 GPA.


2012 was a good year, I can't wait to see what 2013 has in store for me!

Dirty Girls (pictures!)

Last year in December I challenged my mom. I challenged her to do Tough Mudder (http://toughmudder.com/), a 10 to 12 mile challenge course with over 20 obstacles. To get ready for Tough Mudder, which helps to Wounded Warrior Project (http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/), we decided to do the Dirty Girl Mud Run (http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/), a 3 mile challenge course with 11 obstacles which is only for women and helps the National Breast Cancer Foundation (http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/). 

We arrived and were all clean and ready for the fun to begin. 

We first had to climb over several stacks of hay called the Barn Burner which was a piece of cake, then up and over this bouncy castle type of thing.

And the laughter then began.

Into the Utopian Tubes we went and then for a little walk to our next obstacle with a cool water break on the way.

Over the triangles that got progressively bigger after the 20+ foot  Cargo Net that we had to climb up and over (so proud of my mommy!)

Into one of the several mud pits called PMS or Pretty Muddy Stuff.

And then the Jail Break, which we had to go over...

...then under.

After some more triangles...

...then the Hangover, hanging tires with tires below.

We gave each other mud baths...good for the skin :)

and then got in some more mud.

Through the Spider's Web

and over the wall

Some suspicious looking hand prints.

and ended it all with another mud bath.

WE DID IT!

Then the boys had way too much fun spraying us off at home...next time we are showering there.

Why?

Some people have asked me why? Why did I do the Polar Bear Plunge? Why did I do a half marathon last year? Why are you going to do a marathon this year? Why are you going to do the Dirty Girl Mud Race? Why are you going to do the Tough Mudder? My answer: to discover myself. 
Without pushing myself to the limit, whether it be cold, distance or obstacles, how will I know, really know, what I am capable of. Before the half marathon last year with my mom, I thought it would be crazy to go 13.1 miles and that I would be crawling the last five miles home on my hands and knees, puffing out of breath. In reality, I was fine. A little tired (but who wouldn't be) but I was fine (and in less time than our goal!). We kept the same pace up and down the long and winding hills and after long we made it to the half way point. Not only was it fun accomplishing a half marathon, in which more people won't do than will, but I discovered that once I set my mind to it, I really can do anything. 
This year I am psyched to discover myself in new ways and push my limit on what I can and can't do even further. As for now, it is time to hit the gym and do some training, as with all things, "The chief cause of failure and unhappiness is trading what we want most for what we want at the moment." (unknown)

Challenge Accepted.

About a month ago, I challenged my mom to several things that we would do this year. I gave her a list of a marathon, the Dirty Girl Mud Race and the Tough Mudder. A marathon for those of you who don't know is 26.2 miles that one can either complete by running, jogging, walking, or crawling (most likely during the end of the stretch). The Dirty Girl Mud Race is about a three miles race for women that benefit the Breast Cancer society. Along the race there are different obstacles to challenge the physical and mental ability of the participant. Such obstacles include Wall Climbing (of roughly 6 to ten feet high), mud pits, tire sprints and more mud. Finally the Tough Mudder is like the Dirty Girl but intensified. This is an 11 mile obstacle course with 20 obstacles instead of the 11 obstacles at Dirty Girl. These obstacles currently seem harder than those of Dirty Girl and include crawling under barbed wire (in the mud), jumping off a 15 foot high plank into water that most likely will be iced for our enjoyment to swim in, running though an aisle of fire that reaches 4 feet high, a mile dedicated to running in knee high mud, monkey bars where some are greased and others are loose (and a drop in cold water if you let go) and finally ending in what they call electroshock therapy where one runs through a field of live wires (some containing up to 10,000 volts).
So I let my mom pick which two we would do this year in 2012. She picked all three. So this year, I will need to first build up my mileage and train for our marathon (to be in June ~ yikes, only 6 months away!), then I will get a taste of mud on August 18 and then two weeks later, I will be drenched in mud and shocked with the Tough Mudder on September 8. It seemed all fun and games when I challenged my mom and I'm sure we will have a blast doing this (the first two just the two of us as a team and the Tough Mudder open for friends to join in...or laugh from the side lines). 
Today I leave you with the Tough Mudder pledge: 
As a Tough Mudder I pledge that: I understand that Tough Mudder is not a race but a challenge; I put teamwork and camaraderie before my course time; I do not whine - kids whine; I help my fellow mudders complete the course; I overcome all fears.