I can't recall the exact date, but I would say about 4-6 months prior to the event, a friend of mine suckered me....I mean persuaded me to take part in my first ever obstacle course race, the
Spartan Sprint. Before I get started though, let me preface this blog entry with a few statements:
- I'm not athletic, unless you call playing video games and watching movies a sport.
- I despise the outdoors. So much so, that I don't even spend time sitting on my screened-in porch. I work inside a cave-like office and I thoroughly enjoy climate controlled environments.
- I don't run. In fact, I was advised by a doctor that I shouldn't start running because my ankles have problems that he described as "unusual and interesting" as if they were some sort of a medical phenomena. In addition to this, another health issue I have had my entire life has made it difficult for me to physically exert myself for extended periods of time.
- I have a slight phobia of spiders, other arachnids, snakes, water I can't see to the bottom of, etc. Have I mentioned I hate the outdoors?
Now back to my story...
For about a year now, I have been fighting high cholesterol and since I do not want to be on medication for a long period of time, I started to change my diet and exercise to get it back under control. Exercising during my lunch break has also reduced my stress level considerably and has kept me from spending money on too many fatty and unhealthy foods. It's been a win win.
So, after I signed up for the race, I had my trainer step up my workouts to prepare me for the event and I started running more, even though I was advised not to. I bought a pair of Brooks Ghost running shoes and my ankles have never felt better! I won't say the pain is completely gone, but they have made a huge difference. My advice is splurge for great shoes and replace them as needed. Overwearing a pair of shoes isn't a smart move; take it from me.
With the Spartan Sprint fast approaching, I signed up for a 5K to get off the treadmill and go outside where I would eventually be tested. I quickly discovered that running indoors verses outdoors was literally night and day. I had to change my regiment (and fast) if I was going to make it through the obstacle course in one piece.
In my next entry, I will cover what exercises I did to bolster my strength and endurance that ultimately allowed me to achieve my goal of becoming a Spartan.
