dirty girl...barefoot edition

Yesterday was the Dirty Girl mud race. I was so exhausted that I posted in my online class, I'd look at there work today. I didn't even do that through my sibling funerals.

I went to bed at 9:30 and woke up at 10:45. Clearly all I needed was a nap. It took until 1:30 to fall back to sleep. Oh well.

Team Tatalicious ended up being only Dawn, Lyd and I. Kathy was sick, Bonnie on the DL, and Amanda in the hospital.

We left Lydia's at 7:30 and arrived in Scranton around 9. Sign in and swag pickup was pretty easy. Though the tees ran small and I should have gotten a 2x. (It fits, but there is no room for shrinkage.)

We checked out the area, found the bag check and the rinsing station and headed to the start line.

We were in the 10 am group, but arrived just in time for the 9:45 group. And we're off.

It started easy. A few muddy spots. The walk thru tires. Then we reached the woods and the mud hazards got more extreme. First there were small creeks that I could almost step over. After a couple of those there was this bumpy triangle thing that you climbed up and over, then I slid on my butt down the other side.


The next water hazard was a large, wait high river of mud. There was also a line because you had to go thru it so carefully. Lydia fell in. I made it thru that one. But there was a series of them in this section and I lost my shoe. Found it, kept going and lost it again. This time I couldn't find it. I was down one shoe. And then I fell in, up to my neck.

The next water hazard I was down again, holding on to the caution tape. Lost another shoe. I am now barefoot. Well not quite. I had on the thinnest socks I own. Did pick nice cushy ones because I didn't want to get weighed down when they soaked up mud. Silly me.

The next section wasn't horrible. Still in the woods, I was careful where I walked. It was actually easier to navigate the mud barefoot, except when you couldn't see the bottom. Stones were slippery. I used the ropes to pull me up and down the hill.

Then the course moved to the parking lot. But not the nice paved lot, the auxillary lot with small stones. It hurt my feet but I kept pushing forward. A little at a time.

Lydia suggested I quit. I asked her how long she'd known me. Quitting was not an option, so I continued. I did all the obstacles, each time catching up to Lyd and Dawn as they were doing it. Each obstacles had a small line that moved quickly. You wove thru the parking lot from one end to another. Nothing was a straight line from A to B.

Eventually the trail took you up the mountainside and back into the woods. You came down backwards holding a rope. Then the final one was the funky monkey. A cargo net that you had to craw across to the other side. Lyd bailed on that one, but I did it. Then I couldn't figure out how to get off it. Didn't want to jump shoeless.

All along the way I had people help me so I wouldn't fall. One lady said I was a "tough bitch". Guess I am. Stubborn. Maybe stupid too.

Once was plenty for this type of race. I don't need to do it again.

a new challenge

I'd miss so much if I didn't read the newspaper. I'm too lazy to log on to my FREE digital subscription, and have no desire to search for bad news. The ore me go digitial, the more ignorant I will become.

In today's paper was a photo of children walking. It got my attention. The caption said it was BASD school children kicking off a new walking challenge—Get Your Tail On The Trail. That got my attention!

From the website: "It doesn’t matter if you are fifteen or eighty five, physically-fit or a self-proclaimed couch potato, this challenge is for everyone. Get outdoors, get active and explore nature by walking, running or biking the D&L Trail, 165 total miles of natural beauty in our own backyard." I've always wanted to do this, and the AT. So this is the perfect time to start. I have 6 months to finish. Like all these programs you logo you miles via the Trail Tracker and receive free prizes as you achieve your milestone goals.

Just signing up allows the mail carrier to bring you goodies! Travel water bottle, drawstring backpack, flyer with list of key events, information on how to track your miles, D&L Trail Map and of course, St. Luke’s Live Your Life Program Information. The hospital is a major sponsor. Apparently they want people to get healthy so they don't have any customers! That would stop the expansion plans...

Reach your 50 Mile Goal and receive a Get Your Tail on the Trail t-shirt. Reach your 100 Mile Goal and receive a Get Your Tail on the Trail hat. Reach your 150 Mile Goal and receive a Get Your Tail on the Trail cooler. Reach your 165 Mile Challenge Achievement Award and receive a Get Your Tail on the Trail fleece jacket and 165 Mile Challenge car window magnet.

I think this is doable. We'll be training for the half marathon so we'll need distance and space. I don't think you have to do the whole trail, but I'd be game. We've got many sections covered. Kathy has a section of the trail in Mauch Chunk, Angel in Easton, Bonnie in A'town and Catty, Lyd's in Northampton,  Dawn in the slate Belt, and me in the Christmas City.

I signed up today, but the tracker isn't active yet. They better get it working soon. Schools almost over, and I can start serious walking. I have this, the Passport to Fitness, the Walk This Way program. I can kick some walking but this summer. Not to mention my walk around the world. I might post that on the virtual run Facebook page.


Speaking about milestones, I hit the 500 mile mark on my Fit Bit Tracker a couple days ago.

Saturday is the Dirty Girl mud 5K is Saturday in Scranton. Tatalicious is down two members—Bonnie and Lydia. Kathy, Dawn, Bonnie, Lydia and I are still going to get mighty dirty. It benefits breast cancer research.

Sunday is the Lung Assn. Walk For Life at Rodale Fitness Park in Trexlertown. Not sure if we are doing that or one of the Passport walks.

dirty girl team tee-shirts

I design the logo and the team liked it. One of my students has a t-shirt printing business, so I hired him to print them. I'll tell him to keep the screen.

I picked chocolate brown because we'll get muddy at the dirty girl! Also, we'll stand out in a sea of pink.

I'm wearing mine next week at the Making Stride walk.

strngth and tone = torture

There's a reason this fat girl likes walking. It doesn't hurt. Usually.

Today I went to the Strength and Tone class. Totally different than the last one. Actually my colleagues say everyone has been different.

Today they dusted off the step platforms from the 90s. I was very afraid. I tried a step class once, and lets just leave it as it didn't end well. The only class I've ever taken—before this summer—that I paid for and didn't finish.

I think this might have been worse. You used the stepper to do crunches and things. What seemed like thousands of them. I cannot do one correctly so now my neck hurts.

My knees are also screaming, but I'm not sure why.

We were supposed to take heavy hand weights, but I took two pound ones. Maybe next time I'll go to three. I'm not interested in being Mighty Mouse. I just want to be able to do the Dirty Girl Run and finish all the obstacles. Build my strength so I can open a jar of pickles.

This is a free class, so I have to do one more before I decide if I'm sticking it out till the term is over.

Speaking of Dirty Girl, here's our T-shirt. Brown with pink letters. Won't stain as badly. I'm hoping to have them done in time for the Making Strides walk in October.

MM from http://oliviaunitycollege.wordpress.com/2011/02/21/mighty-mouse/