November 5, 2011

I am a Rugged Maniac!


The good news?  I wasn’t dead last.
 
The bad news?  I was last in my age group.

Sigh. That’s just how it works, I guess.

I finished 2199 out of 2230 people. There were 31 people slower than me! Like I said, I wasn’t dead last! But darn near.

Here is some interesting information. Every year I run I have a better chance of winning or placing in my age category, because the older you get, the smaller the group. There were 9 people in my age category this year; 5 female and 4 male.
If I was just four years older, there would have been only two people in that age group, both males. I would have placed first for the women in the category! Yes! There is still hope for me!

Me, shaking at the top of the Cargo Net Climb

Amber on the Cargo Net climb

Putting results aside, the run was fun, but really hard. Only 5K (3.1 miles), it was way harder than the half marathon (13.2 miles) I ran last June! I couldn’t have done it alone. I lost count of the number of people who helped me over, under and through obstacles.

Amber on a hill




Everywhere I turned, there was always a helping hand reaching back for me, sometimes my daughter Amber, sometimes a stranger. Oh, the kindness of strangers! They tugged and pulled and boosted me over seven foot barricades, 20 ft. cargo net walls, up muddy hills, through worm-hole tubes filled with mud and water and under barb-wire covered mud holes and down a high-speed suicide slide into a muddy water hole where I had to pull myself over big round floating tubes that blocked my way. Did I mention the hills? Lots of hills! Did I mention the water? Cold freaking water!

Yeah. Totally fun, LOL!

I could be in better shape. I’m still working on it. But here’s something I like to keep in mind, and it can be applied to anything and everything in your life:


Dead Last Finish
Beats Did Not Finish
Which Greatly Trumps Did Not Start
Unknown Author

Amber on the Suicide Slide
Did I want to quit? Hell, yes. Especially when I severely bruised my ribs halfway through the course trying to get over a wall. But there was no way I was going to quit unless they carried me off on a stretcher. You just can’t quit in front of your kids, right? So I’m glad I finished!

Even so, it’s more important to start. You will never know what you can accomplish unless you start! Even if you fail, at least you tried.

Thomas Edison said, “I have not failed 10,000 times. I have successfully found 10,000 ways that will not work.”

Wow, that is perseverance! What would the world be like if Edison had quit?!

20 comments:

Sarah Tokeley said...

I don't care where you came, you have my utmost admiration for completing this. I hope you are very very proud of yourself.

Anonymous said...

This is a feaking awesome race. Where in the world is this? And how do I sign up???

Congrats on not dying!

Deborah Walker said...

That is so awesome. You are a star, Gwen.

Trisha said...

Um. Yeah, I'm totally with Sarah - there is NO need to feel ashamed, you did something I could never do! Well okay I could, but I get the distinct impression I would hate every second of it :P

You are a champion!!! :)

Joanna said...

This looks a total blast. I am so impressed! Just participating is something else. Well done!

Gwen Gardner said...

Sarah, awwww, you are so sweet, thanks!

Mel, just Google Rugged Maniac - they are all over the U.S. I'm glad I didn't die, too, LOL!

Deborah, Me? A star? *blushes* Thank you so much!

Trisha, thank you so much. The payoff is at the end when you feel such a sense of accomplishment!

Joanna, thank you. It's one of those very tired but very satisfying feelings!

Theresa Milstein said...

Thanks for the nice comment you left on Deniz's blog.

Wow, that's impressive. Who cares what place you came in? You did it!

Gwen Gardner said...

You're welcome Theresa. And thanks for your lovely comment!

Unknown said...

Whoah, that looks intense! With something like this I think it's so important to remember that hey, you finished! Looking at that I know that right now I couldn't do it (hey, I'm working on it!), but you not only did it but did not come in dead last. ;)

Good for you!

Jolene Perry said...

that looks like a blast!

Meradeth Houston said...

Wow that looks like an an incredible race. Great job finishing! I love the quote, btw, so true!!

Julie Musil said...

Hey, you did it, and that's what matters! I doubt I ever would or could, and I admire you for getting out there. And those pictures are awesome!

Deniz Bevan said...

Bad news? How could there be any bad news? You already did something I'd never have the guts to try, wow!

Anonymous said...

Go girl! You achieved more than if you'd just sat on the side lines. Love those pics!

Gwen Gardner said...

Thanks, Caitlin!

Jolene, yes it was a blast!

Meradeth, I'm so glad there are people who can think up quotes like that:)

Julie, sometimes it's all about the pictures, lol!

Deniz, You're so right! It's not really bad news - I finished in one piece, lol!

Madeleine, so true!

Anonymous said...

Wow, you are brave! Good for you!

Thank you for giving me a Versatile Blogger Award - very belatedly, a few edits got in the way.

It's up there now on my blog! http://julietgreenwoodauthor.wordpress.com/

Power to you,

Juliet

Lady Gwen said...

Juliet, thank you and you're welcome!

Manialnby said...

This is a feaking awesome race. Where in the world is this? And how do I sign up??? Congrats on not dying!

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