We have completed 2 full weeks! 1 week remaining! The final countdown begins...
Let me start by saying I am VERY proud of our entire team for sticking to the program without cheating (although I admit I was able to sneak a little Shakeology before soccer). This program is amazing and well worth the effort, however it requires a great deal of discipline. The troops have been solid through this expedition of life.
We decided to celebrate our week 2 completion with a day at the park. A truly amazing day: canoeing, walking, eating our micro green salad & coconut kabocha soup, and staring out into nature reflecting on the trials and tribulations that we have endured in our lives...
Ah, the fresh smell of coconut kaboca soup & fresh squirrel!
We expected to starve after eating only soup & salad for lunch, but it was plenty to keep us full until dinner time. For dinner we enjoyed steamed lemon kale with a very filling edamame salad.
Not many quotes to share from the weekend, but there was one major accomplishment...
I FOUND MILLET!!! (Whole Foods). Now we are ready for the final countdown...
Today we were introduced to a plethora of new foods. The morning began with perhaps the only meal thus far that has left me starving and my stomach grumbling more than The Grinch at a Christmas cookie decorating contest, mashed chick peas. 20 minutes later my stomach expressed its disappointment.
Luckily for me, it was followed up with what turned out to be one of my favorite lunches to date...pinto beans & brown rice. I know it doesn't sound like much, but wow was it filling and tasted great, although almost anything would've tasted great after eating chick peas for breakfast.
Yes, this was breakfast :(
Not only did I eat a tasty filling lunch, but followed that up with another unexpected tasty meal for dinner: sweet potato & red pepper bisque soup. Fly like a butterfly, sting like a mosquito, this soup had my taste buds dancing around like Muhammad Ali...I love sweet potato!
We spent a great deal of time Tuesday night cooking and preparing meals for the rest of the week with plenty of new foods to sample: Nori Seaweed, gomasio, miso, etc. We noticed a trend in the meals. Dinner for one day is always the scheduled lunch for the next day.
The day ended with my 3rd attempt to find millet at the grocery store. I'm convinced millet doesn't exist and it's a ploy to get me out of the house. Another unsuccessful attempt leaves me with my temptation of the day from the Whole Foods parking lot...
There's still a little bit left!
Now if I only had some peanut butter & honey to go with it...mmmmm
Quotes of the day:
"Yummy Soup!"
"Can I borrow your millet?" (first time in my life I have ever said this)
"I get a free pass, it's release (phase) week" (response to having a little gas)
Week 1 wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be. Despite no bananas and pancakes, I was still able to enjoy many of my favorite foods:
peanut butter
blueberries
whole grain bread
sweet potatoes
quinoa salad
pineapple
oatmeal
Good thing I enjoyed the meals, because the days of salmon, peanut butter, oatmeal, & bread are over...welcome to Phase 2: "Release". Time to release all those toxins I've built up over the years.
We are adding a detox packet to our list of supplements this week, and looking forward to a wonderful week of hearty breakfast like...
Let me start by saying that I really want a peanut butter banana sandwich with honey
Our first weekend on Ultimate Reset was a difficult one. Saturday morning we met up with my family and some friends at the Walk on the Wild Side fundraiser at the Detroit Zoo to support the Clinton River Watershed Council. Of course they decided it would be a wonderful idea to supply COFFEE, BAGELS, Timbits, breakfast bars, & BANANAS for all the participants. How dare they try to do something nice for their supporters! How dare people actually eat that stuff in front of us! \
Later, when it was snack time, we busted out some almonds & fruit. Thank goodness this event took place early in the morning before the snack booths opened. One of us was ready to break into the Dippin' Dots stand, and I'm pretty sure the smell of fried "elephant ears" would have been the end of at least 1 person's Reset. Midday my stomach decided to have a jumping contest with a kangaroo. Even though the kangaroo topped a 27 foot jump, my stomach made an impressive showing with a 7 foot jump.
Wow, that dude must be really hungry! Did you see how far he jumped?
The experience helped the four of us bond together. Surviving temptation as a group was vital to our continued commitment to this 21 day ordeal. We celebrated our success by eating dinner together, then throwing ourselves into another hotbed of temptation by going to the movie theater. So many smells! I felt like a Beagle at a squirrel farm, my noise was kicked into overdrive. Good thing we ate right before the movie. Smart. Do squirrel farms even exist?
As if Saturday wasn't difficult enough Carol & I decided to place ourselves in a dangerous situation on Sunday. Few things strengthen a marriage like surviving the temptation to eat like a warrior together. We weren't suppose to exercise, so we went light. We walked or did a light jog through most of this race. As veteran warriors, we survived (the race) with ease.
Then it hit us...the temptations. OMG, let me count the ways...
1. FREE Monster Energy Drink
2. FREE Bear Naked Granola
3. Giant Turkey Legs
4. Grilled Corn
5. Pulled Pork Sandwich
6. Chicken Sandwich
At this point I stopped counting and cuddled close to my wife eating our almonds and popcorn (yes this is on the list). Even though I had a larger serving than I was suppose to, I feel I earned it since I burned off so many calories resisting temptation.
Real Warriors do not pull a 180 on their commitment. My warrior spirit shall help see me through to the end. While I didn't get to eat all that food, I actually felt great all weekend and am very pleased with the results of the Ultimate Reset thus far.
Plus, I've never seen my stomach jump that far before...
Due to the sensitivity of the comments and the explicit language that has been spewing from mouths during the Reset, I had to take a break from a detailed post for a couple of days. Hopefully by tomorrow, we can scale back the hostility and return this blog to its normal content for your reading pleasure.
Oh wait...there is one non explicit quote:
"Just Mangoes (dried mangoes) are not allowed. Fresh organic fruit!" (
Perhaps I shall take this intermission time to discuss an interesting aspect of Ultimate Reset. Only light exercise (walking, yoga, etc.) is allowed. This is no doubt due to the drastic fluctuation in calories and energy, plus the nasty caffeine & alcohol withdrawal for some. Unfortunately, this is the one rule I have broken. I am still engaging in my Focus T25 workout program. I feel great and have not had a problem adjusting. This is not the case for anyone else who has done Reset that I personally talked to.
The most difficult exercise adjustment for me has been my pregame soccer snack before Friday games. I previously had a banana peanut butter sandwich with honey on whole grain bread. Since I am not going to eat a bananapeanut butter sandwich with honey on whole grain bread, I opted for a Shakeology, which worked out great! I had plenty of energy & did not feel weighted down by the food. If you have not tried Shakeology yet, I highly recommend this. It is a staple in my diet now. I rarely go a day without drinking one!
Day 3 was not for the faint of 'stomach', let me start with this video to get you in the right mindset of what it will take to endure this 'Ultimate' Reset...
At the 0:55 mark of the video, you will get a taste of what some of us were feeling when the food cravings hit. ah ah ah ah! This made for some great interactions and quotes with each other. Which I dare not post due to my desire to keep this blog at a PG-13 rating.
Many people that have completed Reset state that days 3 & 5 are the roughest days in the whole program. I would like to personally thank all the influences throughout my day that contributed to making this difficult...
The person who decided to have a birthday during my Reset and try to share the celebration:
The saboteur that thinks chewy chocolate chip cookies make the perfect workplace snack:
In fact, everywhere I went it seemed like people were passing out snacks. "Hey let's be unhealthy together!" If you eat one too, then it makes it more acceptable for me! Yay!"
As if it isn't bad enough that we are all battling the Reset Monster AND food cravings, we also are facing our emotional demons that have attached themselves to eating habits. Of course we decided to take this out in the form of other battles vs each other. that we later regretted...
Carol vs Sarah
Sarah vs Vince
Carol vs Vince
Sarah vs Reset
Carol vs Reset
Brian vs Caffeine Withdrawal
Vince vs Peanut Butter Banana Sandwich Withdrawal (hey, don't judge me!)
Day 3 was by far the toughest. Let's hope we regain our group composure and lean on each other to battle through this program.
Day 3 Quotes: "I think I was having caffeine withdrawal last night pretty bad" "Mouthwash to work instead of mints & gum, I hope nobody thinks it's alcohol" "%$#@^ Ultimate Reset...I'm done with this shit"
Woke up feeling refreshed and thought "you ain't so bad" Mr. Ultimate Reset. Oatmeal, blueberries, and organic yogurt for breakfast was filling and tasted great. Sarah made a slightly different version with blackberries and oatmeal. I especially enjoy the special perimeter design for the berry placement :)
Sarah's lunch with quinoa salad looks amazing. I just hope that is not the same leftover salad from camping 3 weeks ago!
...and then trouble begins. Carol accidentally left her Reset bag with all her supplements at home, forcing her to look up the "what the %$^#& should I do now" section of the Reset manual. Unfortunately no such section exists. She decided to take an abbreviated version, while the rest of us were forced to drink this... yum...er...not!
Fave quotes from Day 2
"Looks like Cody is trying to Reset too!" - after the dog tried chewing his way into Carol's Reset bag
"It tastes like I swallowed a mouth full of murky lakewater" - when taking alkalinize packet
All 4 of us were excited and committed as evident by Sarah's picture of breakfast sent via group chat around 7:30 am. Two scrambled eggs, whole grain toast, and steamed Kale with pine nuts. Nice start to the first day...
Lunch & snack were great and very filling as well; however mass confusion surrounded the supplement schedule due to one of us taking a very late lunch. While Ultimate Reset excels at laying out the supplement plan for people, they need to add a "what should I do when the world $#%@'s with my Reset schedule?" section to the guide.
Dinner might just have been one of the best meals I've ever made. Fresh sockeye salmon from Whole Foods made with baby potatoes & steamed asparagus. The recipe called for a mix of spices that sent my taste buds dancing like a penguin at a fish eating bonanza, slimy yet satisfying...or wait, was that a warthog at a bug eating contest? Either way, you get the point!
The only part of the day that was unpleasant was having to take the shot of green grass drink labeled "Alkalinize". Although it did lead to some great quotes from the group:
"Is that what will make us poop?"
"Maybe this will make me shit at night then! lol" - response to taking the supplement late in the day.
Convinced? Truth is I am a bit skeptical as well, but the results are impressive. Only one way to confirm this...
Welcome to Vintensity's
What fun is it to embark on a reset journey without dragging some peeps along for the ride? To complete this journey I enrolled the help of my beautiful wife Carol and two of our friends.
The four of us had a pre-reset binge consisting of pizza & a trip to a local Mexican restaurant, La Casita. We indulged in foods that we will have to go without for 21 days. I capped off my final day of ground zero with a banana and peanut butter sandwich, savoring every bite; while Carol enjoyed a large glass of crystal light and a couple of chocolate covered smores candies from Trader Joe's.
Our weekend consisted of more than just pumping our bodies full of toxins to clean out. We planned our meals, created grocery lists, and went shopping at Trader Joe's & Whole Foods for our supplies. We ended the day by cooking a few meals and wondering what the #$@% did we get ourselves into!
Shaun T is at it again, and this time he is getting his fill in only 25 minutes! Total Body Circuit kicked my butt, leaving me sore going into Day 4. It was nice to take a break and just punish my abs for a change. Actually this proved to be a perfect workout, just difficult enough that I had to push to finish. Abs felt great the next day at my soccer double header...ugh...lol. Looking forward to the weekend.
I woke up late and failed to squeeze in the workout at 5:04 am like I have been. After being stuck in rush hour construction traffic, I finally arrived home with only 45 minutes to feed & walk the dogs, shower, and workout before meeting my mom for dinner. 25 minutes was perfect! Previous occasions like this, I would've pumped out a few push-ups & called it a day. Thanks Shaun T!
The workout program itself is very perplexing. After writing about how ridiculously easy T25 was in week 1, I am finding week 2 to be a bit more challenging. How in the world can this program continue to get MORE difficult. Well, the answer is that Shaun T is a tricky fish...
While I was bragging about how easy the program is and laughing that I wasn't even winded after a 'Cardio" DVD, Shaun T was busy working my muscles into a state of oblivion.
Even though I "nailed" the workout, I found that my muscles were extremely sore as I attempted to keep up with the T Crew.
I imagine tomorrow's double workout of "Ab Intervals" & "Lower Focus" (aka, "Death to Smoochy") will prove quite difficult.
This workout program is growing on me and I am beginning to see why I should've trusted Shaun T from the beginning.
I was just about to brag how I focused enough to push myself through the entire long 25 minute session of lower body "burnout", then realized that the calendar calls for 2 workouts on day 5...ugh!
Well Shaun T, my bad. If it's cardio your asking for, it's cardio you are going to get.
Workout #2 in T minus 25...
After being bored and nailing the 1st two workouts I was having my doubts about this program, until... Shaun T caught me off guard...again
The workout started to pick up with some unique progression drills that I were a blast! Only problem was that my body wasn't moving the way I wanted it to. How did I make it 2 days without realizing how sore and how much Shaun T was kicking my ass! Sneaky! What a tricky fish! Reminded me of when we hid moldy potatoes in the trunk of cars. Even though the mold was present, it went unnoticed until one day....
Shaun T must be CrAy-Z if he thinks I am going to get a solid workout in only 25 minutes. I've endured some intense experiences: survived 2 bouts of Insanity, clawed through a Tough Mudder course, taught kindergarten for 5 years, and now Shaun T thinks a merely 25 minutes per day will be enough. Ha! I laugh in the face of danger! This will be a nice break from my grueling 50 minute sessions. Ugh...If I've learned anything over the course of my BeachBody career it's "the only thing worse than doubting Shaun T is taunting him".
1:00 - This is cardio? We are going too slow...
2:00 - Ridiculous, I can't believe this workout is this slow
3:00 - Picked up pace, but muscles are already tired from all that slow muscle movement
4:00 - Can't believe I complained...NEVER TAUNT T!!!!
5:00 - Holy crap, I have 20 more minutes of this?
6:00 - eh? No water break? Stretching break? Towel break? Standing break?
7:00 - Refocus, go hard or go home...oh wait, I am home...
8:00 - My dog enters the room laughs and walks away
9:00 - Need a :10 towel break to drain the sweat pool in my room
10:00 - Refocused & picked up the vintensity level
15:00 - Maybe I shouldn't have jumped right to Alpha level...wait, what? This IS the beginner level?
20:00 - Tough it out. Tania just had a baby and she is smiling while working out, you can smile too.
23:00 - Drag your ass to the finish line. Only 2 more minutes!!!!
24:00 - Still no stretching break? Ah, push it! Push it real good
25:00 - Whew! Nailed It!
Bonus 3 minutes of stretching.
The workout was intense, but short. I felt great the rest of the day. Despite the difficulty, I am still skeptical that the program will keep up its toughness level after a week or two. I know, I know..."Come on Vince, don't you ever learn? NEVER TAUNT "T""!
Anyone else up for the challenge? Improve your fitness...25 minutes a day!
Day 1: Fit test, proves why I bought Insanity in the first place Day 2: "warmup"?...wtf? Shaun, are you serious? Day 3: Power DVD is the hardest workout, Grrr..."#*%^$" you Shaun T! Day 4: Ah, recovery....ugh, "from cardio", holy crap I'm sore! Day 5: Pure Cardio DVD is the hardest workout, Grrr....I hate you Shaun T! Day 6: Finally, I can make it through the warm-up.... Day 7: REST!!!! I swear I will never say anything bad about "T" ever again. Day 8: Globe Jumps...My Nemesis! CrAy - Z! Day 9: If people on the DVD look like they are dying, what does that say about my chances?
Day 13: Ha! I kicked Pure Cardio ass. What? A bonus workout? Cardio Abs...ugh
Day 16: I'm in this. Thanks Shaun T for the motivation. I can do this!
Day 19: I'm rocking the Power & Res...grr...Globe Jumps....My Nemesis.
Day 22:(Rocky soundtrack playing in my head) "You ain't so bad T. One more round!"
Day 27: Where you at T? Ha, stop taking breaks. What's that? You can't keep up with me?
Days 29 - 34: Is this all you got? Wow, I am home free...
Day 36: Ha, Shaun thinks he's gonna hit me with something new...Who is Max? OMG...grr Day 37: Just when I thought it couldn't get any tougher... no, I won't cry...I hate Max Day 38: "Max" & "Cardio" should never be used in the same sentence...ever... Day 39: Is this $h*% legal? My legs are shaking so much I might name them "Harlem"
Days 50 - 63: Kicking ass and taunting the TV... This Insanity Workout is the real deal! I feel great!
We completed our first FREE Insanity in the Park workout today! Thank you to everyone that came out and took one large step toward completing their fitness goals. I had a blast seeing old friends and meeting new ones. Stay tuned for future Insanity in the Park fitness classes. There will be another FREE class for you to try coming up soon! Next Saturday I will NOT have a class. I am taking a day off to run the tough mudder! Expect another race review...if I survive!
After finally earning my Insanity Certification and Group Fitness Instructor Certification I have decided to give back to the local community. I will be offering FREE Insanity Classes over the next couple weeks. The only catch is that you need to register in advance. Some classes will be held outside (weather permitting). Please plan accordingly, bring a towel and a water bottle to hydrate.
Through Cold, Wind, Snow, and Sleet the Green Survive...
The Challenge:
Looking for a run to kick off our Team XMW race season, we stumbled upon a basic 5k to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, Lucky Dash. Dressed in green I was ecstatic to run, until I looked out the window and noticed it was a blizzard outside. Snow was falling, sleet had settled to create sheets of ice on the roads, and the wind offered just enough of a breeze to remind you that this "bites". The race took place 2 weeks after my birthday, bumping me up to a new age bracket.
The Race:
The layout was 1.55 miles of straight road, turn around and 1.55 miles back. No problem, despite the cold, I felt great and was ready to kick some...omg is it cold! The race had a nice atmosphere, friendly people chatting and cracking jokes about the cold. A few idiots ran without a shirt and probably went home with the sensation that a Chihuahua had gnawed their nipples off.
I love when a race plays hype music before a race, and of course this was no exception. I entered the Vin Zone (when I get hyper focused on dancing and bust out moves like a kangaroo at a disco).
The race was off to a great start and I was feeling great, until I was passed by some young Justin Bieber wanna-be. Then I kept getting passed by a few more high school punks. Suddenly I snapped like James Belushi's character in The Principal and internally screamed "No more"! I took off running like a Beagle that spotted a squirrel and started passing these younglings one after another. At some point the race became Vinny Kangaroo vs. the entire Royal Oak High School Cross Country Team. AND...I had one major advantage over them...Rocky IV. While their childhood was filled with Sponge Bob & Jonas Brothers, my Rocky filled childhood was preparing me for battles such as this. As the snow flew past my cheeks (no, not those ones), my mind flooded with images of Rocky running up the side of the snowy mountains. Adriaaaaaan!
After scaring the crap out of everyone with my scream, I continued to pick up the pace. The finish line was in sight, I kicked on the after burners and bolted across the line. When I crossed the line, I felt great and noticed that I had accomplished a personal record of 20:23!
The race results were in and prizes were given to the top 3 in each age group. Ha! I'm in an older group and I'm getting faster! I hurried to the race table to find that I finished 2nd in my group. Had I been 2 weeks younger I would have won the age group, but as it was my friend ended up winning. I still took home a prize for top 3. A sweet looking glass mug...
Final Analysis:
Not much set this apart from other 5k races. The top 3 prize in each age group was nice and the straight away run allows for a quick time. Most of the festivities were over by the time we crossed the finish line. I do not know if this was planned or due to the freezing temperatures. Donations went to some non-profits so that was nice. Aside from a rivalry being born (me vs Royal Oak CC Team) there was not much excitement here.
Warriors & Runners Take a Break From Their Hardcore Regiment to Enjoy a Day at Foam Fest
The Challenge:
To find a fun, unique event that my wife Carol and I could complete together to celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary. If the 1st wedding anniversary is paper, then the "6th is Foam" (thanks Jim for the tagline). After an extensive search we finally stumbled upon a new, unique run...Foam Fest. The warrior in me was drawn in by several obstacles: "Death Drop", "The Torment", and "Bottomless Trench"; while my wife was intrigued by: "50' Slip 'N Slide", "Moon Walk", and "Stumpy Jumper". Yes, this event definitely had something for both of us. I agreed this would be the one, and why not? Even warriors need to stay so fresh so clean.
The Event:
Wait...did she say "50' Slip 'N Slide"? Suddenly I was transported back to 1984 where my inner child battled to contain my heightened enthusiasm. I knew this would be a tough day with my internal warrior self conflict versus Vinny the Kid self. To the Foam! This event was well planned. A+ for logistics, props to the event coordinator! Parking was a breeze, lots of signage to find the Foam Fest, waiver table was easily visible upon entrance, use of the public park shower facility, beach, etc. Instead of a plastic bag full of crap that I probably would ignore, I received a "virtual goody bag" with discounts. Nice touch!
Immediately upon entry the fun factor was kicked into overdrive, DJ playing music, people wearing costumes, and creative team names everywhere! Here are a few of my favorites:
Foam Fatales
Mudder F'ers
Despite the suggestive names and costumes ("it's provocative, it gets the people going!"),
this event had a friendly, family appeal. Many families brought their
children and enjoyed a day of activity together.
Family Fun
The Fest also had an adult beverage tent hosted by Mike's Hard Lemonade. That's where we ran into other interesting characters...
Monkeying Around?
Happy and You Know It!
The RaceRun:
This is the first non-timed running event I have ever completed. Thank you event coordinator for eliminating the clock, this allowed me to focus on just enjoying the ride. The DJ music at the start got us dancing and having fun with the crowd.
The run is off-road with minimal elevation changes, making for a perfect introduction to both trail and obstacle running. There was more wet dirt then there was mud, but that didn't matter because the foam obstacles were the real draw. I was excited, anticipating every turn trying to sneak peek at what the next inflatable obstacle would be. Several times my wife had to reign me in to remind me we were running together, but Vinny the Kid was searching for the Slip N' Slide, and eventually my senses led me to the FOAM!
Note to self: Don't open mouth to yell next time you are on a foam slide, soap does not taste good.
The slide was awesome... I ran, jumped, slide head first all the way into a pool of water and foam. I stepped out covered head to toe in foam. I looked like a lost Yeti. Awesome. Vinny the Kid was utterly disappointed after realizing it's one & done. No 2nd turns :( Fortunately one of the final obstacles was another Slip 'N Slide!!! Oh, and speaking of 1984...
My Vote for Favorite Costume
The run was a mix of inflatable obstacles and other challenges. We navigated our way through the course with ease, (as did most people). The course seemed to offer more of a mental challenge than a physical one (overcoming a fear of heights, resisting the chance to sneak back in line for more Slip 'N Slide action, etc). About halfway through the race we came to the mother of all Foam Fest Obstacles..."THE DEATH DROP" (This would be the equivalent of the giant shark from Jaws 3 or the Russian boxer Ivan Drago from Rocky IV.)
Sorry Slip 'N Slide, no hard feelings, but now I have a new favorite! I climbed, I dropped, I loved; but the volunteer dude would not allow me to do it again :(
The rest of the race was a blur as all I could think about was scheming to sneak another Death Drop.
Final Analysis:
The Foam Fest was a blast! It is a non-competitive 5k entry level obstacle race filled with unique obstacles that are the adult versions of childhood memories. The Festival was well organized and family friendly. Even though I considered this an easy course to complete, Foam Fest held it's own with entertainment value in both the festival atmosphere and the course itself. I highly recommend this to anyone looking to kickback and enjoy a run without having to worry about time or whether or not you are being passed by a Ninja Turtle. ...and if this race sparks your interest in fitness, we can help you getInsanefor future events.
*special thanks to all Foam Fest participants that allowed me to feature their pic on my site
The Challenge:
What challenge? I've already completed 3 Warrior Dashes to add to my 5k & 10k resume. What could this race possibly offer that the Warrior Dash didn't? To find out I enlisted fearless Team XMW Marine Leader to join me in a trek to Indiana to find out. Know when I finish? Ha! I'm a cocky fitness nut, I know "now"!
The Event:
Parking was a breeze, even though the shocks on my car disagree. Immediately upon arrival into the event we noticed a huge contrast with the Dash. There was no live DJ or band, people were drinking "responsibly", crowds were not as lively, etc. The Spartan Race did, however have some fun contests: dips, javelin throw, hammer throw, and others. A few individuals wore costumes, but not many. It was clear from the look in the eyes of most participants that blood would be shed on our journey today and staring fear in the face, we would not go quietly into the night...er morning. Aroo!
The Race:
Holy hell...only colder. Never again will I compare this to the Dash. The Spartan Race is a legit physically challenging obstacle run. Is that a 6 ft wall in front of me? Running start, and... ouch. Not quite. After failing on my 1st attempt I refocused, overcame my mental block, and vaulted up over the wall...only to find another 6 ft wall waiting...and another, and...a 7 ft wall. #Ugh, I mean, er...Aroo!
Most obstacles were fun, but highly challenging. I'm embarrassed to say I could not climb the slippery rope with my mud caked hands. Punishment? 30 burpees. Before the race was over, I did more burpees than I do in a whole week of Insanity training...LEVEL 5's! Can't hit the target with the javelin? Burpees. Slipped off the muddy climbing wall? Burpees. I'm thinking about starting my own BeachBody workout called "BurpeeBody". Aroo!
Exhausted from Burpee Bonanza, I was confronted by the mother of all obstacles... a 100 yard Army crawl in the thick mud, under barbed wire, and of course up hill for the last part. Yes, even Vintensity needed to pause at the top for a moment of reflection (and to pull a few Spartans out of the mud!)
The obstacles also included a river run (yes, in the actual river), sandbag carry (uphill), cement block pull, and of course an 8 FT WALL! Hell no I wasn't going to let the "mama" wall get between me and the finish. I took off on a sprint and smacked dead into the wall, but was still hoisting myself over via pull up. Ha! No problem. (as blood trickled down my bruised arm)
Seeing the finish line should've accompanied a feeling of relief, however, the 3 warriors holding jousting sticks, a ring of fire, and another wall (at least this one had a rope) stood between me and my achievement.
Final Analysis:
The Spartan Race is a "vintense" obstacle race that was well worth the investment. While the event was fun, it was more of a hangout and less of a festival atmosphere. The sell here is the challenging obstacles and testing your level of fitness. Spartan Races come in various distances and keeps a point system to track yearly results. I highly recommend the Spartan Race to anyone looking for a challenge. As challenging as this was, The Marine & I both finished in the top 1% overall! Stay tuned to future posts to find out what methods we use to train...Aroo, Aroo, AROO!
With the Foam Fest only days away, what better time to reflect back on my 1st obstacle race...
WARRIOR DASH
The Challenge:
After dabbling in several 5ks & even a few 10ks, I stumbled upon an event that intrigued me to the point of no return. I fell prey to a piece of brilliant advertising, succumbing to the pressure of catchy taglines: "Are you a warrior?" ($#@% Yeah!), "Can you handle it? (Bring it on)", and "Mud, Sweat, and Beer" (Huh? Dirty, smelly, drunks?). How dare they question my inner warrior!!! Little was I to know that this event would kick start an insane addiction with obstacle runs.
The Event:
Warriors unite! This event was amazing! Contests included: best warrior beard, hatchet target throw, and a costume contest. I was surrounded by legendary warriors like Captain America, Mario & Luigi, Iron Man, Dora, Bart Simpson, Batman, Wonder Woman, and the cast from that Capital One commercial. The elaborate detail in costumes rendered mine quite inconsequential by comparison.
The Race:
The death waiver I had to sign did not scare me away and thank Zeus, because my 1st obstacle race did not disappoint. A 3.2 mile course running in the mud, crawling under barbed wire, climbing cargo nets, and other fun obstacles designed to bring out my inner warrior. While all the obstacles were a blast, I have to admit that during the whole race my mind was thinking "When do I get to jump over fire?".
The obstacles were fun, but I found them lacking in terms of a challenge. Perhaps that can be attributed to the countless hours of training I put in to prepare, but I'm thinking "not". The race is set up with the intent that anyone with medical clearance
can participate. Several people walked the course or bypass certain
obstacles. There were also times when we had to wait in line to complete an obstacle. A spirited warrior waits not when given opportunity at Mortimer Crossing or Petrifying Plunge. A few times I got caught up in the moment and let out a few warrior calls. One person looked at me like I was crazy and yet they were the one wearing the plaid kilt with pink leggings. (Maybe he wasn't in costume?) The toughest obstacle was running up (what seemed like the never ending) muddy hill. Once reaching the goal I noticed Mario & Luigi not too far behind. I was cruel when they reached the top and I gave away a major plot twist yelling "Congratulations Mario, but the Princess is in another castle". As I bounded away, I heard grumbling but was confident at least Luigi was laughing on the inside.
Finally as the finish line was in sight my wish was granted...
My shoes were so muddy, I decided to donate them to charity, as did a few others...
Final Analysis:The warrior dash is not just a race, but rather it's an event and an experience. Those going to the dash should plan on investing some time. If you are going just to compete in a race you will be disappointed. The dash was designed to be more fun than it was challenging. I had a blast dancing to live music and a DJ, eating food fit for a warrior, and meeting other fellow warriors. I'm willing to bet several people were motivated by the free beer included with their registration. People were dressed up in costumes, drinking, dancing, and enjoying life.
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