Happy Mother’s Day to all of our FABULOUS moms out there! I got to spend my Mother’s Day weekend surrounded by some of the fabulous FitHouse Family!!! There were so many great things about this weekend but one of the best parts was seeing how accomplished so many people felt and how much fun everyone had!!! It was Mud on the Mountain Weekend at Seven Springs and in the words of one of our members, “We killed It!” FitHouse Down and Dirty had about 30 members. Days before the race the weather forecast was looking a bit grim. I’m not going to lie, going to the dentist for a root canal sounded a bit better doing a mud run on a rainy 40 degree morning and submerging myself in multiple bodies of 40 degree water, diving through mud pits and holding onto obstacles with a death grip and numb hands while hanging 12 feet in the air.
I am pretty sure that all other 29 members of the team had similar feelings as well. We had both veteran mud runners and first timers on the team. It’s debatable as to which situation is the better of the two. As a first timer you go into the race nervous having no idea what to expect and wondering if you will make it out alive. However it is a bucket list item so if you survive it …wow what an awesome accomplishment! For the veterans, you are pretty sure you will make it out alive as you have in the past, but you are also well aware of the significant discomfort that you will be going through in the process! You already checked this off your bucket list, possibly multiple times, so part of you is questioning your sanity in doing this again in less than optimal conditions! Contrary to popular belief most of us who sign up for the mud runs do not enjoy rolling in the mud, jumping into dirty ponds or running in the wet and cold. Hmmmm so why did we sign up for this again?!?!?
It’s all about the feeling of accomplishment, strength and camaraderie that overwhelm you at the end of the day!
I heard multiple times on Saturday “I did things that I never thought I would be able to do”
When you do a race like this you can train but there is no doubt that there are some elements that are hard to train for specifically. Running on wet and slippery rocks, jumping onto uneven terrain, holding on with wet, cold and muddy hands are all things that you can’t experience in the full until race day. There is no doubt that this adds another level of agility, balance, strength and athleticism and it feels awesome to do something that you never thought you would be able to do!
Then there is the mental component.
I am pretty sure that on any other day of the year you could not pay me to dive into a smelly mud pit or swim across a 40 degree pond. But on this particular day I actually paid money to do this and got a group of other crazy people agreed to do it with me! I think the part that I love the most about runs like this is that they challenge your mind to go pretty far out of your comfort zone at times
Finally there is nothing to describe the sense of camaraderie, community and fun felt between a group of people who go through a challenge together.
I saw so many smiles, high fives and so much laughter (between the shivers) throughout the day. A race like this brings out your inner child and is all about the experience, working as a team and meeting new friends.
Mud runs aren’t right for everyone. They are definitely challenging both physically and mentally and put a significant amount of stress on the body.
I do however believe that there is an adventure that is right for EVERYONE and it is important to challenge ourselves with some kind of physical adventure periodically in life. Maybe it is running your first 5K, maybe it is taking your first fitness class or maybe it’s doing your first ropes course. There is no better feeling than to set a goal, make a plan to help you reach it and then crush it. Most often our biggest obstacle lies within ourselves and as many proved this weekend we are often capable of so much more than we believe!
This weekend I was inspired to be surrounded by 29 other people ranging in age from 27 to 65 and all with their own stories, their own obstacles and their own challenges. We were all there to test our limits, challenge ourselves both body and mind and to make lasting memories together!!!!
Don’t forget just how strong you really are….step out of that comfort zone and be amazing!!!!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Stand Strong Fit A Thon!
This Memorial Day
Monday, May 29th 7:30 AM- Noon
FIVE DIFFERENT CLASSES
Memorial Day Murph Challenge, FitHouse Kids Class, & More
We will be doing morning class passes for a $10 donation and we encourage you to bring family, friends, and anyone who’s in for a FUN morning!
We will also be holding a Chinese auction with great baskets, a bake sale, and a vendor table with lots of great stuff!
How can YOU help???
If you like to bake, have a talent or items that you can donate to the vendor table like jewelry, pottery, crafts, clothing, etc. please consider being a part of our event!
We are in the search of a few more baskets! If you have any items or are a part of any local businesses that would be willing to donate that would be awesome!
NOW AT FITHOUSE!!!!!
PURCHASE YOUR BELT HERE WITH OUR CODE AND SAVE $50!
GET IN THE ZONE WITH MY ZONE!!!!!!
MINUTE OF THE MONTH CHALLENGE **Plank Up Jacks In May!
That’s right! We’re starting minute of the month challenges to keep YOU motivated, challenged, and fired up! This month our challenge is Plank Up Jacks! Start with your hands in full extension plank, drop both down to forearms, back up to full extension, 1 plank jack, drop both down to forearms, back up to full extension, 1 plank jack, and back down! START PRACTICING and get your name on the board