Well my friends, I did it. I have completed the Tough Mudder and have a sweat band, t-shirt, and enough cuts and bruises to prove that I did it with, not necessarily flair and definitely not grace, but certainly determination. I completed the course in just over 4 hours - knocking my 6 hour goal out of the park! I didn't complete all the obstacles because, after the Arctic Enema (jump in a trough of ice, swim halfway, have to go under a 1 foot deep board and then swim some more before you can get out the other side that has even more ice cubes in it) and another water obstacle right after it, I didn't think my body could handle the shock of another fall in ice cold water. I also couldn't find my ear plug, so my ear was starting to hurt from all the weird shit that I was allowing to get in there. So, that goal wasn't completed, but I'm still pretty darn proud of myself. I know that I couldn't have done it without Andrew and Carey helping me over the climbing obstacles (and two random guys who pulled me up at the top of the half pipe). I know I could have done better if I trained sufficiently, but I did it gosh darn it!
If I ever do this again, I'm definitely training better. Even if I still have my back problems, I will continue to strength train, in spite of not being able to do cardio/running. BTW - I didn't have any upper back problems! My knees are totally f'd though. They had us climb up the run, run all the way down it, only to climb directly back up it and then run down it again. As much as the climb hurt, running down hill was pure hell on my knees. I think every possible muscle in my body is screaming in pain every time I move - muscles I didn't even realize I had hurt! Which of course makes sleeping difficult because I can't sleep in my normal side/tummy positions because of my knees and then every time I try to turn over, i wake up because my muscles are so upset about moving.
Don't let all this fool you - it was an awesome time! The electric shocks hurt for sure and I lost my shoe in the mud on the last obstacle when I got a shock and was flipped sideways so I was limping in to the finish line but oh man - what a rush! I kept myself from crying - I think the shoe loss was odd enough to throw me off of any tears. I have never earned a beer more in my life. I almost threw it up, but damn was it good going down :)
So, all in all, I did it. I have mental grit. I have stamina. I am a Tough Mudder.
PS - someone else who ate it in the mud pit happened to land on my shoe and brought it back out with him. Kathryn and Dad went to retrieve it while Carey and I enjoyed our beers.
