Mental "Freakin" Grit Baby

Mental "Freakin'" Grit Baby

Al' right – the much hinted at – highly anticipated – post for Mental Grit. With the focus of Tough Mudder so much on the obstacles, the camaraderie, and, of course, the mud baby, mental grit doesn’t always get the air time that I think it deserves. But let me reassure you – mental right is one of the biggest obstacles to ace on any Tough Mudder course. I’m sure you educators will agree with me that grit, and especially mental grit, is a big factor in preparing for the classroom each day as well.

So what do I mean by mental grit? Being a well-conditioned athlete, ready in every physical component of the game, certainly is big plus on the Tough Mudder course but at the same time it doesn't really help you when it comes to the single, determining factor in a mudder - COMMITTING. I’m not talking about committing to signing up for the event. Not committing to revving up with all the Whooooo Rahhhhhs and all the other prerace banter. I am talking about committing yourself to jumping in a freezing as* industrial trash can of icy water (boulder size ice as Patrick can attest). 

   

You have to commit yourself to the act of crawling through mud while electrical wires zap your head (you can actually recreate this one yourself – go put on a bucket over your hit and hit it with a hammer). You have to commit, in all honesty, to things that hurt, exhaust you physically, and ultimately, well, frankly hurt – did I mention that. To me this is what mental grit is all about. One must have the fortitude to commit with all this in mind because by simply signing up for the race and skipping an obstacle – well there is no one to kid but yourself.

Mental grit still goes a step deeper in what is required to keep training for a race. Not that my Mudda Bruddas would call me a liar, but I hate training. There is very little I like about it. Seriously I think this runner’s high thing is a complete joke. Of course, I could simply be anticipating a different type of high but either way I haven’t felt either of them as I am slogging through 5 miles on Noland Trail. But I keep coming back. Why? (Honestly I have no freakin’ idea!) I know I’ve made a commitment to my friends and the last thing I want to do is hold them back. These guys are much stronger and agile than I will ever be – and yes I am just saying this for your pity and so that you stay around with me and my scooter!). But it takes a great deal of mental grit to keep getting out there. All in preparation for what is to come – freezing water, lots of climbing and pulling, more freezing water, and yes electricity. Let’s not forget that that little gem.  And now Tough Mudder says, "Hey - let's introduce more electricity filled obstacles." Just fantastic.

But I keep coming back and having at it. It is actually funny that at about 3 days from every race I fall into the obstacle mind trap, “Why am I doing this again?” I’ve even developed an irrational fear of the Dong Dangler obstacle today – craziness? Maybe since it doesn't show up on the Tough Mudder website as an obstacle any longer)

I hope my fellow educators out there can relate a little to what I am saying. I know everyday there are students, teachers, administrators that you don’t want to see. There are students who have so much stacked up against them at home that it is simply exhausting thinking about managing them in the classroom. But you come back and you try again. Yes, of course, we all have mortgages and other bills we need to pay. I guess I’m not really speaking to those educators who have gotten into teaching for the monetary benefits. But there is something that keeps us coming back. And dealing with all the crap that we face takes a great deal of mental grit. This is why I think we always have to keep one central question out in front of us – 

  

What mudder are you preparing for?

 Of course, I am not speaking in the literal sense of a Tough Mudder race (even though we would love to see you at one). I am speaking about those things you want to do in life that are going to take a great deal of mental grit to deal with – either because there are difficult choices that need to be made, people we don’t want to work with that need to be consulted, or just looking ahead at all of the ways you are unprepared. This is where the concept of mental grit is just so important.

And I think I have a good way to get started. I will absolutely do nothing if I sat around and thought of all the reasons I am unprepared for Miami. I’m not speaking about injuries here. Nothing I can do about that madness and if anything happens there that is more pain than mental grit. I am talking about the anxiety of being hit on the head with an electrical wire. The anxiety of failing on an obstacle in front of my Bruddas. Or the rings – screw those – my shoulder is already rejecting you and I say that is OK for Miami. 

I have decided to prepare for something completely different and it has helped me completely redefine success. I never got into doing Tough Mudder races to frame my experience in a blog or so that I can mystify others about all the things one has to go through to finish a race. Now I mean having others think you are a bad ass is cool and all don’t get me wrong. But I was never into this thing to discover some transcendent experience of who I am. No higher calling for me here. I mean come on – I became a Baha’i back in 1995. That is about as transcendent as I think I’m going to get for one lifetime.  If that doesn't give me a higher sense of self - this little Tough Mudder race isn't going to help.

I got into Tough Mudder for one thing only – to get up off my couch. That was my goal. Get off this cholesterol medicine. Lose 20 pounds or so – this morning I was 193.5 and I started this adventure at 209. And with injuries comes redirection and regrouping. 

But I’ve discovered something about myself. There are smaller victories to be had along the way. One victory I have is I’ve become pretty damn good at Yoga. I can hold the Crane pose now for almost 20 seconds with no toes on the ground. The first time I did that I yelled so loud my wife thought I hurt myself - again! Just pumped up though. My flexibility has increased dramatically. There are moves that I can do now that I wasn’t able to do 5 weeks ago. And I can see the changes in me! That is exciting stuff. 

All of this to me revolves around the question – What are your preparing for? And what type of mental grit is it going to take to keep you motivated to keep at it each and everyday – especially those days when it completely freakin' sucks! Along the way you find your victories and learn to do things that you thought impossible. I can’t tell you how far I’ve come with this Yoga thing. I mean – Yoga is ridiculously hard – especially for someone who hates exercises that are ridiculously hard. 

Mental grit. The ability to keep trudging on and not giving up. This is really what Miami is for me. I keep getting the same story from people who know me. I’m crazy to be going to Miami with a hurt shoulder and banged up knee. For one – this is South Beach – duhhhhh. I’ll be there. Going to spend some time with Lebron at the game on Friday night. 

I do feel a little under dressed without an arm full of tattoos but that is for another post. (That I think takes a little more grit than I have honestly.) What they forget is my goal is not Miami. My goal is not even a a single obstacle. Hell if I just touch the rings and fall in the water that counts as an attempt. OK so I will actually hold on right-handed for a second. My goal is something much bigger. My goal is the WTM and it is going to take a whole lot of mental grit to get me there.