Lessons Learned from the Tough Mudder 2013


1.     It was actually fun!  I did not see that coming.  For the first mile or two I felt like I was going to cry (which is how I feel in most road races) because I was overwhelmed by how much was ahead of me.  But once I relaxed and was able to enjoy myself it was one of the most fun days I’ve ever had.
2.    You have to do it as a team.  I hadn’t met anyone on my team other than on facebook briefly.  Maybe I just lucked out with a really good team.  Most of them were police officers with a real hardcore team mentality (which I am trying incorporate into my workdays because it was so awesome). The comraderie was invaluable.  After every obstacle we all gathered counted off and started up again, we would walk a few minutes then someone would yell “slow jog” and we would start up again!  After every obstacle there were high fives and complements.  I can’t imagine doing it alone.
3.    Your spectator can see you throughout the race.  I was used to seeing Vin at the beginning and end of every race.  I saw him at at least 5 or 6 obstacles.  There was time and space to stop and chat.  This is good knowledge for the future – your spectator could carry snacks, water, a change of clothes, towel or any other item you think you might need.  I spend a lot of time planning what I was going to carry and went light but I would have worried a lot less if I would have realized I could have access to some of the things I thought I might need.
4.    Some of the obstacles were (too) hard.  My upper body strength, while greatly improved from training, was not where it needed to be.  I grabbed the first bar on the Funky Monkey and dropped.  I attempted the Berlin Walls but it soon became obvious that completing it would involve two of my teammates lifting me over and risking injury to themselves, not me completing the obstacle.
5.    The electricity was not that bad.  I contemplated skipping over the last obstacle based on my though that running  through electricity did not reflect your training (or maybe I was just rationalizing my fear).  By the end I was pumped up, it was a short run and was not a big deal.  The spectators and the cheering really get you through. 
6.    It doesn’t matter if you skip an obstacle.  Really.  See #4.  Granted I am still fretting over the Berlin Walls but that only motivates me to train harder and differently for  the next one.  And my pride isn’t worth injuring myself or someone else.
7.    Don’t plan on wearing your clothes again.  Mine still smell like a swamp.  Even after repeated washings.  But I just couldn’t get over my habit of buying a new outfit for a race.
8.    The right shoes help.  Running shoes absorb too much water and are too open around the ankles letting rocks in.  I wore Salaman Techamphibean 3’s and my feet felt great throughout the course.  Good traction.  Very light.  Mesh to let water through. 
9.    At age 46 you better make sure and train.  Some of my younger teammates joked that they hadn’t done too much training but still seemed to sail through it!  I chalk that up to age and gender.  If I had not trained as much as I did, I would not have been able to complete the course; it’s as simple as that.
10.    Training pays off in many ways.  I don’t really care too much about what I look like anymore but was amazed at how good I felt about my body at the end of training.  I lost 8  pounds and flattened my stomach out.  I was actually able to wear a swimsuit in public without wanting to die.  
11.    Playing in the mud is fun!!!  Really fun!!! 
12.    Conquering your fears is an amazing feeling.  I still cannot believe that I jumped off on the Walk the Plank.  Cannot. Believe. It.  Good thing my husband got it on tape.

Copic Markers

I went to an Amuse stamping class with Meghann on Saturday - gorgeous cards but I can't post them because they're not my design. Anyway, the Copic Markers are awesome - much better than the Prismacolor or anything else I've used. Meghann convinced me to join the Copic Club at Stampin n Scrappin Time...
This weekend - a calendar class with Virginia - will make great Christmas gifts!!!
Then Christmas scrapbooks for everyone!!!

Birthday Pics/Imaginisce

More Prima Pages

New Scrapbook

I am now working on a scrapbook for Meghann - the first page is made with Prima Paper "Flirty Little Secret
The next two are Imaginisce - "A Shore Thing" - I used the coordinating brads.
All pics layered on plain white, the scrapbook is Martha Stewart 81/2 x 11 and opens up - not sideways.

I am still working on this scrapbook and just ordered a bunch of smaller "journal" type scrapbooks to make Christmas gifts - so more posts will be coming!!!

The Mountain Goat

So this is what I do when I'm not scrapping. The race was 10 miles - 5 huge hills. The pics of me running are at the top of the final hill (that's why I'm smiling!!!). The pre-race pic is of me clutching my coffee and getting just a little more caffeine in before the race (I drank plenty of water too!!!!).
Cazenovia Lake 10 mile run on July 4th, ARC 1/2 marathon early September and if I can convince my husband to take me to the Cayman Islands in December I'll do the MARATHON there (the best way to do 26 miles is if it is all along the ocean!!!).
Craft room is almost put back together.

In Withdrawal - Can't get to my stuff

We are still redecorating - currently sanding down the living room and bedroom floors so our bedroom and living room furniture is in the dining room and craft room. I can see my craft stuff but can't get to it and would have no place to put it. Another week......

Redecorating

We are gutting and redecorating our living room and bedroom and guess where all the furniture went - my craft room!!!! I can't get to anything!!! Between that and training for the Mountain Goat run on May 3rd there hasn't been much time to scrapbook. There has been time to shop and I have new blank scrapbooks just like Molly's to make for Virginia and Meghann. I also have one for the family's activities this summer - along with a bunch of prima paper to scrapbook our camping adventures. The scrapbooks are all Martha Stewart brand, it was all on clearance at AC Moore so I don't know if it's discontinued - the supplies were nothing exciting, but the scrapbooks are nice because they are 8 1/2 x 11 and linen covered.
I am trying to figure out how to use adobe photoshop to edit my pictures to be half sepia or all sepia with some color. Despite numerous on-line tutorials and purchases of books and magazines I cannot figure it out (YET).
I will be posting pictures of the living room - when we pulled up the carpet we found the original hardwoods that we are going to refinish, I'm pretty sure there are original hardwoods in our bedroom too. We are also putting in new ceilings with recessed lighting, new windows and fresh paint.

Molly's Scrapbook - The Tinkertoy Pages

Two more pages in Molly's scrapbook. The paper is Graphic 45 - Playtimes Past.

Molly's scrapbook is now complete - a page or two might need a little tweaking but all of the pages are basically done - she really likes it. All of the pages in her book were pretty plain - not a lot of embellishments - I wanted to let the pictures speak for themselves. The sepia tone got a little tiring - I'm still using the same settings on Adobe Photoshop but now want to try adjusting the color of the photos freestyle - individually for each picture. I got new photo paper for the printer - not the same - I did not realize there would be so much variety between the different brands and different finishes....

I'm heading out to Stampin and Scrappin Time this morning - looking for new paper. Also, need to stop and get more mats for the Cricut - once the stickiness wears off the paper wiggles all over and it is impossible to cut.

Anyway, I don't know what the next project will be... might switch directions and start working on the yard - flower beds!!!!! Pics to come!!!

Molly's Scrapbook - The Dogs