Softball Knees

From the time I was in Kindergarten until my sophomore year in high school, I played softball.

It started with just playing softball in the summer, then soccer in the fall until I was in the 6th grade, when Fall Ball became available.  Once I got to high school, I was playing spring (school), summer and fall (rec league) and then conditioning in the winter.

By the time I was 15, my knee was done.

I blame it on an accident I was in when I was in Jr. High; some Psyco women was speeding along on her bike on the bike trail and clipped my handlebar and knocked me over.  My knee was tangled in my bike, and then I had to ride it home - 3 miles.  It was a swollen bloody mess by the time I got home.  My knee wasn't the same after that.

I've had surgery, I've had physical therapy, I've had cortisone shots.  It acts up every once in a while, stormy days, roughhousing with the kids, long days in high-heel shoes.

I didn't get on the bike yesterday, I couldn't.  I could barely walk.  My knee hasn't been this painful in I don't know how long.  It's not swollen, but tender to the touch.  I hate pain medication, and neither Tylenol or Advil do a darn thing for me.  So a few days off of the bike this week.

It's time to focus on upper body strength, because that is the part of the Mudder that will be the most challenging to me.   The Funky Monkey in particular scares me, since I sat and watched teams for an hour while waiting for Steve's team.  Out of a few hundred people, only a handful actually made it across the 10 feet of scaling monkey bars (which was over a cold dirty pool of water).

Well, let's give it a shot.  I've got some free weights, Steve's weight bench and a nifty pull-up/push-up contraption.  Let's build some muscles!

If you're interested in being a part of our team, or supporting our efforts, please let us know!

Why Tough Mudder?

I don't know how Steve's friend was introduced to the Tough Mudder, but I'm glad he was.

I don't know why Steve's client changed their wedding date, but I'm glad they did.

Because on April 14 2012 in Amherst Ohio, Steve completed the Tough Mudder Challenge, and it's kinda changed our lives.

It was a 65 degree day, drizzly at the beginning, then pouring at the end.

I hadn't seen him so excited in a long time.  And honestly, I was pretty freaked out.  I mean, listen to this:

But you can tell there is something very special (as well as crazy) about these people...

But it's now something he's a part of forever.

He swam through 3 ft of bright green ice water (Chernobyl/Artic Enema).  Climbed over 12 ft walls, ran up and down steep muddy hills, crawled through tunnels and under barbed wire, jumped almost 40 ft into freezing water, and was electrically shocked (twice)

The event wasn't even over for 15 minutes and he was planning his next Mudder.

So after a few days of rest, he began training again for the June 15/16 Mudder in Indy.  It's a bit of an expense for us to do these, so we've been attempting to fundraise for it.  So far no luck.

Aside from the sheer awesomeness of this event, the camaraderie that it promotes is humbling.  My husband is/was not in the military, though it is something we've considered after he finished his degree.  But his family is, and we're very proud of them.  We're thankful for the men & women of the military, and the sacrifices that they make every day.  The least we can do is support them, especially when their coming home hurt.

In watching him train, and after being there with him that day, and watching the other Mudders, I decided that I wanted to be a part of this too.  So, I'm training too for the October Mudder in Kentucky.

This blog will where I chronicle my workouts for the week, meal plans and of course Steve's as well.  I've never done a race since I ran cross country in Junior High.  I've not weight lifted since before my shoulder surgery.  My only exercise to this point has been walks with the kids and the elliptical.   I don't know how I'm going to do this, but I'm going to try.