We embraced the SUC

I am embraced the SUC, the first annual Springfield Urban Warrior Challenge. It was definitely the most intense and fun race I have ever been a part of. After 11 weeks of training, I was definitely prepared but it was still super tough. It was a 12.4 K (7.7 miles) with 15 obstacles throughout Missouri State Campus, Fasnight Park, Jordan Valley, Downtown Springfield and Phelps Grove. I joined a team of a few coworkers (Dave, Hugo and Lauren) and our new friend from the SUC training class Julie. Besides a little soreness in my legs I feel pretty great today, I have a lot of bruises on my arms and wrists but overall I survived pretty unharmed! I feel very blessed that my family came out to support me and I could see them cheering me on at most of the obstacles. I honestly couldn't have done this with out their help over these past few weeks with training. Thanks guys! I hope to do it again next year and hopefully on a team with my husband who hope to compete as well!
My Favorite Obstacle: the 1 mile pitch dark run through the underground tunnel. We used headlamps but it was very dark and wet.

My Least Favorite/Most challenging Obstacle: it was a tie between the 40 pound sandbag carry up & down the parking garage and the monkey bars.

The Individual Results:
Finishing Time: 1 hour 59 minutes 57 second 
Overall Place: 110th out of 338 total competitors (87 women, 251 men)
Female Place: 12th out of 87
Female Age Place (30-29): 8th out of 39

all results here: https://www.ozarkraces.com/results/default.aspx?event=20372&r=4967

Here are a ton of pics our wonderful supporters took while cheering us on.

Let's do this!

after our first obstacle in the parking garage

 

 

Dave crossing the finish line

Julie crossing the finish line

 

At the finish line

Hugo crossing the finish line

 

Lauren, me and Julie

 

Sawyer & Evan playing at the finish line

 

 

Instead of medals they gave personalized dog tags, awesome!

my dirty number after the race

messy mom

SUC Training: Week 10

2 Weeks left!!! I am getting so excited for the race! This weekend I ran my first 10K (6.2 mile) race, I have run 10K a hundred times on the trail and treadmill but never in a race. It was the Junior League Pitter Pat Race and my best friend Megan (http://johnsonblurb.blogspot.com/) organized it. Although there was snow on the ground, it was great weather for a run. No wind and about 40 degrees, I didn't really get hot. And I got to check off a Bucket List item because surprisingly, I got 1st Place in my age bracket (30-34). I have never won a race and have always wished I could, so my inner child is very happy right now.  My time was 50:26. This is the fastest I have run it yet (it is about an 8 minute mile). This was a test for me to see how my running was going to prepare for the SUC and I feel much more confident now.

Week 10 Plan:
I am only planning on doing one more long run of 7 miles before the race, so yesterday I sprinted 2 miles and did uphill run for 1 mile. Then I also did stairs for 1 mile on the stair master at the gym, which it said equaled 50 floors (is that the same as flights?). I am going to run and do stairs again Wednesday and then do some sort of class friday. Saturday is our final SUC training class at Cox North with our whole team. I am pretty excited about it actually!

My little cheerleader

Megan and I after the race, she looked adorable and put on one heck of a race!

Awards 

I won!!

SUC training: Week 9

I got a small taste of what the actually Springfield Urban Adventure Race is going to taste like this past Saturday when I joined two of my fellow teammates for the Cox SUC training class. I loved it! It was almost two hours and a good mix of running, sprints, plyometrics, weights and a whole lot of STAIRS! 33 flights to be exact. My calves were and are sore from the training but I felt like it was a good measure of what we need to work on before race day. I stayed a little after class with my teammate Lauren and practiced the 90 lb. rope lift because that was definitely my weak area. When I first started it was picking me up off the ground (it is like 80% of my body weight) but the teacher helped me use better technique with my legs to pick it up. Here are a few pictures (sorry they are blurry).

I actually have it lifted in the far right picture even thought it is hard to see.

Week 9 Plan:
From the advice of Mark, the teacher Saturday I took Sunday off to rest. Tonight I plan to run 6 miles, do Body Pump Tuesday, Run 5 miles Wednesday, light exercise thursday, rest Friday because I have the Pitter Pat 10K Saturday. This will be my first 10K since being pregnant and having Sawyer so I am super excited.

SUC training: Week 8

We are down to 4 weeks left and has really flown by. I feel much more prepared physically and mentally than I was when I accepted this challenge.
Running is going good besides some of the normal aches and pains. I did my first trail run Saturday and the 5 miles seemed easier than I expected. It was beautiful weather and I felt like I could have kept running. I woke up sunday with terrible calf cramps but I think that is just from the change in terrain. I ran again last night and they worked themselves out about mile 2.

Week 8 Plan:
This week I do interval runs for 3 days: run 17 minutes, walk 1 minute (repeat 3 times). I did this last night and the distance was just under 6 miles.
I plan to do pump thursday and then Saturday I am meeting with my group for the Cox SUC training class from 9 am - 11 am. I am excited to get to practice with our team!!